Acute and subacute toxicity studies of a poly herbal formulation used for diabetes.

Objectives: PHF-dia (Poly Herbal Formulation Diabetes) is a polyhedral formulation possessing antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipdimic effects. This study aims to assess acute and sub-acute toxicity of PHF-dia in rats. Methods: This is an experimental study conducted in two different phases. Acute toxicity was conducted for 14 days and sub-acute toxicity was conducted for 28 days. Both studies were conducted in animal house of Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, Pakistan. Acute toxicity was evaluated in vivo with single time oral administration of 400 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg doses for two weeks. Sub-acute toxicity was investigated with the application of repeated doses of 150 mg/kg/day, 250 mg/kg/day and 500 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Results: Acute toxicity study results showed no toxic symptoms, behavioral changes or death in rats up to 2000 mg/kg. Therefore, LD50 of oral toxic dose must be more than 2000 mg/ml. Similarly, sub-acute toxicity studies confirmed the safety of PHF-dia and showed no clinical symptoms nor biochemical or histological variation in rats treated with 150 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg compared to the control group (p <0.05). Conclusion: This indicates safe nature of PHF-dia for the further clinical trials. However, mechanism of action of PHF-dia is not fully understood.

Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and antibacterial potential of some selected medicinal plants traditionally utilized for the management of urinary tract infection.

Recent studies on prevalence of urinary tract infection indicate that approximately one third population of the world has been suffering from this disease. The current study was designed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous-ethanolic extracts (30/70) of Tribulus terrestris (TT), Vaccinium macrocarpon (VM), Cuminum cyminum (CC), Rheum emodi (RE), Piper cubeba (PC) and their compound formulation "Crano-cure" against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Proteus mirabilis through disc diffusion method and agar well methods compared with standard Ciprofloxacin. DPPH radical scavenging methods were applied for antioxidant activities and phytochemical analysis was also performed to detect the phytoconstituents. All the plants exhibited potent antibacterial strength while Crano-cure showed most potent results comparable with that of standard drug. The zone of inhibition produced by disk diffusion test was 26±0.34, 26±0.75, 26±0.00, 18±0.64, 22.5±0.52, 29±0.39, 32±0.00 mm and for agar well diffusion test 23±0.67, 22±0.46, 23±0.77, 20±0.00, 22±0.46, 24±0.52, 33±0.00 mm against Tribulus terrestris, Cuminum cyminum, Rheum emodi, Piper cubeba, Vaccinium macrocarpon, crano-cure and ciprofloxacin. Similarly, percentage inhibition for antioxidant potential was 78.74, 24.57, 58.75, 20.23, 88.88, 90.12 and 92.35 respectively. The tested plants exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Urinile Against Gouty Arthritis.

Gout is arthritis caused due to Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals deposition occurring particularly in patients with associated comorbidities limiting the use of conventional therapies. This study was planned to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of urinile (a herbal drug) for the treatment of gouty arthritis. Allopurinol was used as standard drug (positive control). The study population of 250 volunteers (gouty arthritis patients) were divided into 2 groups as test and control group (n = 125 each). Gouty arthritis patients in test and control group were treated with 300 mg each of urinile and allopurinol, respectively. Clinical symptoms of all the study volunteers were recorded and serum uric acid was determined. Significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum uric acid level toward normal was found in test group individuals. Clinical symptoms of gouty arthritis patients were also improved in test group compared to control group. Results showed that urinile has the potential to decrease serum uric acid level in gouty arthritis patients probably because of its antioxidant potential and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. It can be concluded that the tested herbal drug urinile is more potent in treating gouty arthritis patients and can be used as an effective alternative to the most commonly used allopathic drugs.

Medicinal Plants Combating Against Insomnia: A Green Anti-Insomnia Approach.

Insomnia is a state defined as trouble with sleep; it is a chronically disabling condition and is now significantly prevalent, imposing enormous health and economic burdens both on individuals and on society. This state includes trouble in falling asleep, problems staying asleep, fragmented sleep (repeatedly awakening at night), and/or awakening before time in the morning. This difficulty in sleeping causes feeling exhausted during the day and trouble with daytime activities including driving, family responsibilities, and completion of valued daily routines. Different types of synthetic sedative drugs are used to handle nervous system changes, but repeated use of sedatives caused tolerance in the human body. After a while, people had to take a heavy dose of sedative to make them feel sleepy, which imposes extra toxic effects on vital organs of the body. Medicinal plants are gaining more and more attention as sedative agents because herbs contained different types of natural bioactive metabolites with not well reported side effects. In addition, medicinal plants have economic, high efficacy and are easy available. So in current review plants possessing sedative activities have been compiled with their constituents responsible to manage insomnia. Review of the literature indicated that medicinal plants from various systems of medicine have been reported to possess sedative activity. This review suggests that medicinal plants are efficacious for insomnia; further laboratory and clinical studies are required.

Evaluation of the secondary complications in patients of type-ii diabetes mellitus (TIIDM) on allopathic, alternative or combination of medicine system: A cross sectional study.

Progression of diabetes mellitus may leads to secondary complications. Management of such complication is a major challenge for diabetologists. Objective of current study was to evaluate the development of chronic complications in patients of type-II diabetes by comparing their treatment options. This cross sectional study was conducted in outpatient facilities of Karachi from July 2017 to July 2018. 201 type -II DM patients were enrolled in the study. Study was divided into four arms of treatment; herbal, homeopathic, allopathic and combination. Outcome measures were development of acute and chronic complications. Data was analyzed by SPSS 22 version. Finding of study reveals that relative risk reduction of diabetic coma is 50% (p=0.0001) with combination treatment, relative risk reduction of retinopathy is 52% (p=0001) with herbal treatment, relative risk reduction of nephropathy is 58% (p=0.0001) with combination treatment, relative risk reduction of hypertension is 49% (p=0.0001) with herbal treatment, relative risk reduction of myocardial infarction is 15% (p=0.0001) with herbal treatment and relative risk reduction of neuropathies is 27% (p=0.0001) with combination treatment and relative risk reduction of other complications is 12% with allopathic treatment (p=0.20). Finding of study reveals that risk of acute and chronic complications in type-II DM patients is low if they use either herbal system of medicine or combination of different systems of medicine.

A randomized, control and comparative study of polyherbal formulation use for Malaria (Plasmodium falciparum).

Plasmodium falciparum is the most well-known reason for extreme and life-debilitating malaria. Falciparum malaria causes more than 1 million deaths annually. Malaria remains a noteworthy reason for major morbidity and mortality in the tropics, with Plasmodium falciparum accountable for the mainstream of the disease weight and Plasmodium vivax being the geologically greatest broadly dispersed cause of malaria. The controlling of severe malaria comprises quick direction of suitable parenteral anti-malarial agents and initial acknowledgement and treatment of the complications. This clinical trial was piloted in 100 patients, in which 50 received the test drug (Malarina) and 50 received the control drug (Quinine Bisulphate). The age range of patients was 12 years to above 50 years. The sample paired t-test was applied to evaluate the significant level. Malarina was very effective in treating malaria sign and symptoms. The new treatment Malarina was safe and well tolerated in all patients.

Comparison of Anti BPH capsule (herbal) and Terazosin HCl in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disease of senile age, usually occurring> 60 years of age. BPH is a disease that involves cell proliferation of the prostate. Pathological hyperplasia affects the elements of the glandular and connective tissue of the prostate. This study is designed to scrutinize the efficacy and tolerability of herbal drug Anti BPH capsule for the management of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), in this study we select the 100 patients in which 50 received the Anti BPH capsule and 50 received the Terazosin HCl. We use the American Urological Association BPH Symptom Score Index Questionnaire to measure the quality of life of the patients. We compare the before treatment and after treatment results for each symptom. We record the following symptoms, incomplete emptying of bladder, Frequency, Intermittency, Urgency, Weak stream, Straining, Nocturia and weight of prostate gland by USG. We compare the both drug by using paired sample t-test. The level of significance of incomplete emptying of bladder before treatment and after treatment is 0.013 in test group and 0.032 in control group. Similarly the level of significance of Frequency before treatment and after treatment in test groups in, intermittency, Urgency, Weak stream, staining, Nocturia and mean weight of prostate gland are 0.007, 0.015, 0.044, 0.012, 0.017, 0.004 and 0.020; where as in control group afford as 0.031, 0.044, 0.044, 0.032, 0.024, 0.009 and 0.035 respectively. The herbal drug Anti BPH capsule is more effective in the treatment of BPH than Allopathic medicine Terazosin HCl.

Clinical efficacy and safety of herbal medicine Dermidoc in the management of atopic dermatitis versus allopathic medicine PolymixinB-bacitrin ointment.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) commonly identified as eczema. AD is an inflammatory, long-lasting, highly pruritic reverting disease of the skin. AD is classified by disease of outer skin layer barrier function. AD is progress with Immunoglobulin E facilitated sensitization to food and environmental allergens. One study stated that more than 59.6% of teen-agers with AD are at high risk of develop asthma or rhinitis. Interaction between genes and environment increase the prevalence of AD. AD have three standard stages: infantile, childhood, and adulthood. AD sign and symptoms diverge extensively. AD can be present that simply affect the hand to where a patient presents with erythroderma. AD present with erythematous papules, extremely pruritic with serous exudate. Lichenified plaques and papules are symptoms of long lasting AD. Due to outer skin layer barrier dysfunction bacterial and viral infection risk is increased in AD patients. This study was directed on 100 patients in which 50 are PolymixinB-bacitrin group and 50 are Dermidoc group. Patients were selected after seeing inclusion and exclusion criteria and taking written informed consent. Dermidoc group expressively amended skin symptoms associated with AD comparing to the PolymixinB-bacitrin group. The Dermidoc cream is effective and well tolerated. The results were analysis using paired sample t-test. The p value is <0.05. Test group (Dermidoc) were significantly more effective than PolymixinB-bacitrin group.

Clinical evaluation of unani ear drops herbotic for earache.

An ear infection (acute otitis media) is most often a bacterial or viral infection that affects the middle ear. Children as compared to adults are more are prone to infections. A study has been conducted on 200 patients with herbal medicine Herbotic and allopathic drug Ofloxacin for the treatment of otitis media. The efficacy of test and control drug was monitored before and after treatment and diagnosed on clinical history, clinical presentation and pathological investigation. This study was a case control, multicenter, prospective randomized authentic allopathic controlled, two arm parallel group clinical trial The data on clinical proforma was gathered between April 2014-March 2015 and subjected to statistical analysis. From the statistical results it was concluded that Herbotic and Ofloxacin are equally effective for the treatment of earache, effect being confirmed by physicians and patients alike.

Antifungal activity of Dodonaea viscosa Jacq extract on pathogenic fungi isolated from superficial skin infection.

Antimicrobial activity of solvent extracts of leaves and shoot of Dodonaea viscosa Jacq have been determined against fungi, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Paecilomyces varioti, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton rubrum causing skin diseases. All crude extracts were found to be effective against tested fungi. However chloroform has strong inhibition activity against fungi as compared to ethanol, methanol, ethylacetate and aqueous extracts. More over in present study some basic elements have been analyzed, Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, S and Zn from the medicinal plant Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and UV spectrophotometry. The medicinal plant Dodonaea viscosa Jacq contains considerable amount of elements which have therapeutic effects in skin diseases.