PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATION OF LAUHA BHASMA

In the present research paper, the pharmaceutical preparation of Lauha bhasma (calcined iron) is being presented. The various procedures adopted in the preparation of Lauha bhasma includes Samanya Shodhana (common purification process for iron) and Vishesha Shodhana (specific purification process for iron), Lauha marana by Bhanupaka (Heating of iron under sunrays) Sthalipaka (Heating of iron in a vessel) and Puta paka (Incineration of iron). Lauha was finally subjected to the process of Amriikaran (nectarization). The process of Puta paka was undergone in electric muffle furnace (EMF) and was repeated for sixty times each under identical conditions, at the temperature of 7500 C till 35th Puta and thereafter at 7000 C till the end of the Marana process i.e. 60 Puta. During the processing of iron, Triphala kwatha (decoction of three myrobalan) has been used as liquid media for Vishesha Shodhana, Bhanupaka, Sthalipaka and Puta paka. The study showed an increase in weight of Lauha after Bhanupaka and Stahlipaka i.e.,, 216% and 105.3%, respectively. It may be due to addition of solid content of Triphala kwatha. After Puta paka, 63%weight gain was observed in final product which may be attributed to addition of ash from Triphala kwatha. The Bhasma obtained fulfils all criteria and was found safe for oral administration

ROLE OF KANA KAJJALI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AJEERNA (INDIGESTION): AN OPEN CLINICAL STUDY

Ajeerna (Indigestion) is the state of unfinished process of digestion of ingested food. Kana Kajjali is a classical formulation indicated in the treatment of Ajeerna. It is prepared by Kana (Piper longum)- a herbal drug and herbomineral preparation Kajjali (Black sulphide of mercury). In the present study, an effort has been made to assess the effect of herbomineral formulation Samaguna (Hg:S=1:1) Kana Kajjali and Shadadguna (Hg:S=1:6) Kana Kajjali (Black sulphide of Mercury with Piper longum)on indigestion. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 83 patients of indigestion. Patients were divided into three groups with simple random sampling method: Group A was treated with Samaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; Group B was treated with Kana tablet 250 mg; while group C was treated Shadaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; twice a day after meal. Duration of the treatment was 10 days. Assessment was done on the basis grading of classical signs and symptoms of the disease with application of paired t- test. Results: Highly significant (p<0.001) effect was seen in Samaguna Kana Kajjali group on symptoms like Angamarda, Tiktoamlodgara and Shadguna Kana Kajjali on one Vataja symptom viz. Pravahanam and three Kaphaja symptom viz. Utlesha, Arochaka and Avipaka with best result with Shadguna Kana Kajjali especially on Kaphaja symptoms. Conclusion: Above study confirms that an increase in the concentration of Gandhaka in Parada enhances the therapeutic efficacy of the later drug

Anti-Diabetic and Anti-oxidant Activities of Devdarvadyarishta in StreptozotocinInduced Diabetic Rats

Devdarvadyarishta is a honey based medicated alcoholic formulation that has been documented to elicit hypoglycemic activity in Ayurvedic lexicon. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant effect of Devdarvadyarishta in STZ induced Type II diabetic rats. 24 Wistar albino rats were distributed into four groups with six animals in each group viz., Group I (Normal Control Group), Group II (Diabetic control group), group III (Standard drug Glibenclamide at 10 mg/kg of body weight), group IV (Devdarvadyarishta at 2000 mg/kg of body weight). Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ at dose level of 35 mg/kg. The whole study was conducted for 30 days. Changes in parameters like body weight, blood glucose, blood urea, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, insulin, alkaline phosphatase, oral glucose tolerance test and liver anti-oxidant parameters viz., superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione were recorded. Histopathology of liver and pancreas was also done. Result showed significant improvement in parameters like body weight, lipid profile, blood glucose, serum creatinine, insulin and alkaline phosphatase which were almost analogous to potent antidiabetic drug glibenclamide. Histopathological studies reinforce the healing of pancreas by increase in pancreatic islet numbers and size, amelioration in atrophy, well-rejuvenated normal cellular arrangement and reduced necrosis with normal blood vessels in liver by test drug as a possible mechanism of its antidiabetic and anti-oxidant activity our study suggests that Devdarvadyarishta suppresses the symptoms of diabetes and diabetes related oxidative stress in animal study.

Prevalence of diabetes distress and its psychosocial determinants among Indian population with type II diabetes

Background: Diabetes distress (DD) refers to the negative emotional or affective experience resulting from the challenge of living with the demands of diabetes, regardless of the type of diabetes. In addition to the chronic treatment of diabetes, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often experience psychosocial difficulties which can go unnoticed. Hence, it is necessary to identify DD at an early stage to prevent its effect on the patients’ long-term self-care and management plan. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of DD and its psychosocial determinants among T2DM at a tertiary care centre. Methods: This was a cross sectional, observational study which included patients of either gender, who were between 18-65 years of age with T2DM for more than 3 months to 12 years. DD was assessed using the diabetes distress scale (DDS17) scale. In addition, association between the level of DD with the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients was assessed. Results: The prevalence of DD in type II diabetic patients in suburban population was found to be 17.69%. The psychosocial determinants which influence DD were found to be age, treatment modality, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and smoking. Conclusions: This study signifies the importance of identifying DD by the primary care physician which often remain unrecognized in clinical practice and to implement the interventions at early stages to improve the quality of life of diabetic patients

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses improve resolution of genes and pathways influencing lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk

Lung-function impairment underlies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicts mortality. In the largest multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of lung function to date, comprising 580,869 participants, we identified 1,020 independent association signals implicating 559 genes supported by ≥2 criteria from a systematic variant-to-gene mapping framework. These genes were enriched in 29 pathways. Individual variants showed heterogeneity across ancestries, age and smoking groups, and collectively as a genetic risk score showed strong association with COPD across ancestry groups. We undertook phenome-wide association studies for selected associated variants as well as trait and pathway-specific genetic risk scores to infer possible consequences of intervening in pathways underlying lung function. We highlight new putative causal variants, genes, proteins and pathways, including those targeted by existing drugs. These findings bring us closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying lung function and COPD, and should inform functional genomics experiments and potentially future COPD therapies