ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic activity of chloroform extract of Calotropis gigantea leaves and flowers in normal rats and streptozotocin induced diabetes. METHODS: The hypoglycemic activity in normal rats was carried out by treatment using chloroform extract of Calotropis gigantea leaf and flower 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg, orally. The oral glucose tolerance test was carried out by administering glucose (2 g/kg, p.o), to non-diabetic rats treated with leaf and flowers extracts at oral doses 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg, p.o and glibenclamide 10 mg/kg. The serum glucose was then measured at 0, 1.5, 3 and 5 hr after administration of extracts/drug. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were administered the same doses of leaf and flower extracts, and standard drugs glibenclamide was given to the normal rats or 0.5 ml of 5% Tween-80, for 27 days. The blood sample from all groups collected by retro-orbital puncture on 7, 14, 21 and 27th days after administration of the extracts/drug and used for the estimation of serum glucose levels using the glucose kit. RESULTS: The Calotropis gigantea leaves and flowers extracts were effective in lowering serum glucose levels in normal rats. Improvement in oral glucose tolerance was also registered by treatment with Calotropis gigantean. The administration of leaf and flower extracts to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in serum glucose levels. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that chloroform extracts of Calotropis gigantea leaves and flowers have significant anti-diabetic activity.
ABSTRACT
In order to make adequate provision for staffing and staff training in leagane (long-term residential care institutions for preschool age children in Romania) a postal survey was conducted in the autumn of 1991 to ascertain the demographic characteristics, job titles and educational attainment of directors and staff, staffing needs and the kinds of positions currently filled, the numbers of directors and staff exposed to continuing education programmes within the last 2 years, and the opinions of directors and staff regarding their most important continuing educational needs. The bulk of the direct care workforce was less than 50 years old. Thirty-four per cent of the direct care staff had less than a high-school education. Sixty-seven per cent of the staff were health professionals or health care workers. There were few psychologists, physical therapists, teachers or social workers. In the last 2 years, directors and other physicians had been mostly exposed to courses in the areas of psycho-social care/management and paediatric medical care. Nurses had attended professional development courses. Infirmiera (nursing assistants) had also attended professional development courses such as those offered by foreign non-governmental organizations on the care of institutionalized children. Educators (teaching assistants) had attended courses in child development and rehabilitation. Directors and staff expressed clear opinions regarding their needs and preferences for additional training.
