Effect of Ethanol Extract of Indigofera tinctoria Linn (Fabaceae) on Lithium/Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus and Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats

Purpose: Indigofera tinctoria Linn. of the Fabaceae family is claimed to be useful in the treatment of a variety of epileptic disorders in Indian traditional system of medicine. The present study was designed to verify this claim.Methods: Status epilepticus was induced in male albino rats of Wistar strain by administration of pilocarpine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) 24 h after injection of lithium chloride (3 mEq/kg, i.p.). Different doses of the ethanol extract of Indigofera tinctoria were administered orally 1 h before the injection of pilocarpine. The severity of status epilepticus was observed and recorded every 15 min for 90 min and thereafter every 30 min for another 90 min, using Racine scoring system. In-vivo lipid peroxidation of rat brain tissue was measured in terms of the thiobarbiturate-reactive substances (TBARS). Both in-vitro free radical nitric oxide (NO) and 2-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities of the extract were also determined.Results: The severity of status epilepticus was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced following oral administration of the extract at 500 and 1000 mg/kg doses. No test animal group exhibited stage 4 seizure. The extract also exhibited both in-vivo and in-vitro antioxidant activities. Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Indigofera tinctoria was found to be useful in controlling lithium/pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in albino rats.Keywords: Indigofera tinctoria, Free radical scavenging, Status epilepticus, Antioxidant, Albino rats, Polyphenols

Pharmacological profiling of Argemone mexicana for its aphrodisiac potentials in male Wistar rats

Objective: To study the aphrodisiac potentials of ethanol extract of Argemone mexicana L. (A. mexicana) of Papaveraceae family in sexually sluggish male Wistar rats. Methods: The sexually inactive male rats were divided into two groups of 8 rats each. The test group animals were treated with ethanol extract of A. mexicana (EEAM) at 1 g/kg daily oral dose for 28 days. Other group animals were treated with sildenafil citrate at an oral dose of 5 mg/kg. The latencies of mount, intromission, ejaculation; post ejaculatory pause and frequencies of mount, intromission, and ejaculation were measured on 0, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days. Serum testosterone levels were estimated using ELISA. Results: The EEAM was nonlethal even at dose of 4.0 g/kg. The oral dosing of EEAM has significantly enhanced the orientation of males towards female by increase in ano-genital investigatory behavior, frequencies of mount, intromission, and ejaculation (P< 0.01). The latencies of mount, intromission and ejaculation were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The EEAM has produced marked variation in sexual behavior characteristics and was able to elevate the serum testosterone levels (P<0.01) on par to that of sildenafil citrate. Conclusion: The EEAM has elevated sexual dysfunctions in male rats. These potentials may be related to protopine alkaloids and flavanols by means of physiological stimulus for penile vasculature. Thus, results support the use of EEAM in enhancing sexual behavior in sluggish male rats

Improving communication when seeking informed consent: a randomised controlled study of a computer-based method for providing information to prospective clinical trial participants

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy, with respect to participant understanding of information, of a computer-based approach to communication about complex, technical issues that commonly arise when seeking informed consent for clinical research trials. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: An open, randomised controlled study of 60 patients with diabetes mellitus, aged 27-70 years, recruited between August 2006 and October 2007 from the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Alfred Hospital and Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne. INTERVENTION: Participants were asked to read information about a mock study via a computer-based presentation (n = 30) or a conventional paper-based information statement (n = 30). The computer-based presentation contained visual aids, including diagrams, video, hyperlinks and quiz pages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Understanding of information as assessed by quantitative and qualitative means. RESULTS: Assessment scores used to measure level of understanding were significantly higher in the group that completed the computer-based task than the group that completed the paper-based task (82% v 73%; P = 0.005). More participants in the group that completed the computer-based task expressed interest in taking part in the mock study (23 v 17 participants; P = 0.01). Most participants from both groups preferred the idea of a computer-based presentation to the paper-based statement (21 in the computer-based task group, 18 in the paper-based task group). CONCLUSIONS: A computer-based method of providing information may help overcome existing deficiencies in communication about clinical research, and may reduce costs and improve efficiency in recruiting participants for clinical trials

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Effect of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Argemone mexicana</i> (L.) against lithium-pilocarpine induced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">status epilepticus</i> and oxidative stress in wistar rats</span>

31-35Argemone mexicana (L.) has a role in the treatment of epileptic disorders in Indian traditional system of medicine. We studied its effect on induced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">status epilepticus (SE) and oxidative stress in rats. SE was induced in male albino rats by administration of pilocarpine (30 mg/kg, ip) 24 h after injection of lithium chloride (3 mEq/kg, ip). Different doses of the ethanol extract of A. mexicana<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> were administered orally 1 h before the injection of pilocarpine. The severity of SE was observed and recorded every 15 min for 90 min and thereafter at every 30 min for another 90 min, using the Racine scoring system. In vivo lipid peroxidation of rat brain tissue was measured utilizing thiobarbiturate-reactive substances. Both in vitro free radical nitric oxide and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl scavenging activities of the extract were also determined. The SE severity was significantly reduced following oral administration of the extract at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg doses. None of the animals from groups 3 to 5 (with A. mexicana extract) have exhibited forelimb clonus of stage 4 seizure. The extract also exhibited both in vivo and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">in vitro antioxidant activities. </span