ABSTRACT
Saussurea lappa Clarke (Compositae), is commonly known as Kushta. In Ayurvedha, it is mentioned that the aqueous extract of the root S. lappa was used for treatment of angina pectoris. The present study was designed to investigate the cardioprotective effect of aqueous extract of root of S. lappa against isoproterenol induced myocardial injury. Myocardial injury in rat was induced by the administration of isoproterenol at a dose of 85 mg/kg, i.p., The rats were pretreated with the aqueous extract of S. lappa (AESL) in three different doses (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) through the oral route. Isoproterenol alone-treated rats showed increased serum concentration of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine kinase (CK), and aspartate transaminase (AST), increased myocardial thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, and decreased myocardial glutathione (GSH) level due to myocardial damage produced by isoproterenol. This is further conformed by histopathological changes. Chronic oral administration of AESL in three different doses significantly restored the level of myocardial LDH, CK, AST, TBARS, and GSH. The extract effect was compared with the reference standard α-tocopherol which also offered similar protection in biochemical and histopathological changes. The overall beneficial effect which was observed with the dose of 200 mg/kg indicated that AESL produced significant dose-dependent activity against isoproterenol induced myocardial injury.
ABSTRACT
A flow-injection method for the determination of dissolved cobalt(II) in sea water has been studied based on a combination of column preconcentration using 8-quinolinol immobilized on silica gel, fluoride containing metal alkoxide glass (8HQ-MAF) and chemiluminescence detection with a gallic acid-hydrogen peroxide system. Co(II) is selectively recovered from an acidified sample with 8-quinolinol immobilized on silica gel. After elution with dilute hydrochloric acid the resultant eluent is mixed with the reagent solutions, heated to 60 ( degrees )C and then introduced into the CL cell. The analysis time including the 2-min sample load was 8 min per sea water sample with a corresponding detection limit of 0.62 ng l(-1) (3sigma). The average standard deviation calculated for 10 replicate measurements of artificial sea water samples with a concentration of 10 ng l(-1) cobalt was +/-2.1%. The method has been tested with the standard reference sea waters NASS and CASS.
ABSTRACT
There has been a gradual change in the socio-demographic trends of ocular/adnexal cysticerosis. We present the results of a 5-year study of 33 cases of ocular/adnexal cysticercosis and compare our observations with those reported by previous authors. The male:female ratio in our study was 2:1 and maximum number of patients (45%) belonged to the age-group of 31-40 years. Seventy percent of our patients were of low socio-economic status and 70% were strictly vegetarians. The most common location of cysticerci was in the vitreous (50% of all cases); orbital cysts were present in 5% and subconjunctival cyst in 3%. Most common extraocular site for associated cysticercosis was the brain (18%): Ultrasonography proved to be an effective and economical alternative to magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomographic scanning for the detection of cysticerci in the orbit and in eyes with hazy media.
