CLOT PROMOTING AND DISSOLVING PROPERTIES OF CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS) SAP, VALIDATING ITS USE IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

Objective: To investigate the biochemical events that are associated with the skin softening, cleansing and wound healing properties of the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) sap extract.Methods: Preparation of cucumber sap extract (CSE). Assay of CSE for proteolytic activity, plasma re-calcification time, APTT, PT, thrombin-like activity, plasmin-like activity, and effect on platelet aggregation and wound healing property by physical, biochemical and histological examinations. Appropriate positive and negative controls were maintained wherever necessary.Results: CSE decreased the plasma re-calcification time and prothrombin time (PT) and showed factor VII (pro-convertin) like activity. EGTA or EDTA pre-treated CSE did not alter the plasma recalcification time and PT. CSE readily hydrolyzed the plasma clot and azocasein; while, IAA pre-treated CSE did not hydrolyze the plasma clot and azocasein. CSE inhibited the agonists collagen, ADP and epinephrine induced platelet aggregation in PRP in the order epinephrine>collagen>ADP with the respective IC50 of 22 ± 2.5, 20 ± 3 and 11 ± 2 µg/ml. PMSF pre-treated but not IAA and EDTA pre-treated CSE lost the platelet aggregation inhibition property. Further, CSE augmented wound healing process including the scar removal in a mouse model. The SOD, CAT, GSH activities and hydroxyproline, hexosamine and hexuronic acid contents were increased while, NO, LPO and MPO activities were decreased compared to control values. Histological study revealed accelerated wound healing involving epithelialisation and re-formation of skin following CSE treatment compared to Neosporin.Conclusion: CSE contain metallo-, serine and cysteine proteases, and interfere in clot formation, dissolution and wound healing process, which validates the use of cucumber as cosmetics and to treat wounds by traditional healers.Â

An attempt for Indoor rearing of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury on Terminalia catappa in the natural atmospheric conditions of Mysuru

The non mulberry silkworm’s tasar, eri and muga are grown in hilly forest regions of north eastern part of India where climatic conditions are favourable and they feed on various wild food plants and many of them grown in plane lands for ornamental purpose. An attempt made to grow tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta in the natural atmospheric conditions of Mysuru during the rainy season (June-September) by using the secondary food plant Terminalia catappa, resulted in the larval life span of 30 days on an average and the effective rate of rearing of 27%.  The results were proved that the survivability ratio and the quantity and quality of the cocoons produced were found to be affected that may due to the new environmental conditions and secondary food plant provide

Bore well recharging technique

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Methotrexate promotes platelet apoptosis via JNK-mediated mitochondrial damage: Alleviation by N-acetylcysteine and N-acetylcysteine amide

Thrombocytopenia in methotrexate (MTX)-treated cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients connotes the interference of MTX with platelets. Hence, it seemed appealing to appraise the effect of MTX on platelets. Thereby, the mechanism of action of MTX on platelets was dissected. MTX (10 μM) induced activation of pro-apoptotic proteins Bid, Bax and Bad through JNK phosphorylation leading to Îm dissipation, cytochrome c release and caspase activation, culminating in apoptosis. The use of specific inhibitor for JNK abrogates the MTX-induced activation of pro-apoptotic proteins and downstream events confirming JNK phosphorylation by MTX as a key event. We also demonstrate that platelet mitochondria as prime sources of ROS which plays a central role in MTX-induced apoptosis. Further, MTX induces oxidative stress by altering the levels of ROS and glutathione cycle. In parallel, the clinically approved thiol antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and its derivative N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) proficiently alleviate MTX-induced platelet apoptosis and oxidative damage. These findings underpin the dearth of research on interference of therapeutic drugs with platelets, despite their importance in human health and disease. Therefore, the use of antioxidants as supplementary therapy seems to be a safe bet in pathologies associated with altered platelet functions. © 2015 Paul et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Myringitis: An update

Myringitis can be acute or chronic. Though they commonly present with ear discharge with or without pain, the etiology and the management principles differ. Granular myringitis generally is an external ear pathology extending to tympanic membrane and present as painless otorrhea, whereas the bullous myringitis is commonly associated with acute inflammation of middle ear cleft and present with severe ear pain. This literature review discusses the clinical as well as the therapeutic aspects of these inflammatory conditions. Keywords: Myringitis, Bullous myringitis, Granular myringitis, Hemorrhagic myringiti