EVALUATION OF α-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITORY POTENTIAL OF METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF OCIMUM CANUM

Objective: The present investigation was designed to study the inhibitory effects of methanolic leaf extract of Ocimum canum (O. canum) on α-glucosidase using in vitro model followed by an assessment of bioactive compounds.Methods: The methanolic leaf extract was prepared by Soxhlet extraction method and partially purified by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Each band was subjected to α-glucosidase inhibition study. The positive bands were further characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and quadrupole time of flight (Q-TOF) micro mass spectrometer.Results: Out of the several combinations of solvent systems, toluene, ethyl acetate and formic acid combination in the ratio of 7:2:1 revealed 5 bands on the TLC sheet. Among all the TLC bands, 2 bands (band A and B) showed the significant inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity. HPLC analysis of band A and B revealed the presence of two important polyphenolic compounds, namely rosmarinic acid (RA) and ursolic acid (UA). Q-TOF micromass spectrometer analysis revealed the percentage availability of RA, caffeic acid, tartaric acid, quercetin and other polyphenolic components in the bioactive bands.Conclusion: The study revealed that methanolic leaf extract of O. canum exhibits potent inhibition of α-glucosidase activity. Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity might be attributed to the presence of the polyphenolic compounds like RA and UA. Therefore, this finding can lead to the development of natural α-glucosidase inhibitors by the O. canum leaf extract

PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF NIRGUNDI: A REVIEW

Owing to wide range of medicinal properties, Nirgundi is very useful herb. It is used for its medicinal values for thousands of years by the people all over the globe. The folklore healers use the plant for various ailments. As per Ayurvedic system of medicine, its Rasa is Katu, Tikta and Kashaya and it pacifies Vata and Shleshma.  Its property is Laghu and Veerya is Sheetoshna and is used in the treatment of various disorders like Pleeha rog, Gulma, Krimi, Kushtha, Vrana, Visha and Aruchi. Available ancient and modern contemporary literature has been studied thoroughly while preparing this article so as to put all the available knowledge about the herb at one place. Various properties possessed by the plant have been evaluated in different studies, and results or observations of few of such prominent studies have been presented here to enrich the knowledge. Review of the available literature showed that it possesses various pharmacological activities cardiotonic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-histaminic, anti-cancerous, anxiolytic, anti-asthmatic, hepatoprotective etc. All these properties have been authenticated by various experimental and clinical studies. So keeping in view the huge potential of the plant, further research is suggested to extract maximum benefits for the benefit of the society

Reinventing Marginalized Voices: A Study of Volga’s The Liberation of Sita and Yashodhara

The corpus of Indian women’s literature has the power to define the borders of community, class, and gender. Challenging the existing patriarchal set-up, writers from all corners of the nation speak not only to subvert the patriarchy but also to claim their authority and bring subdued voices to the fore. In Volga’s gynocentric retellings of the ancient epic “Ramayana,” Volga’s The Liberation of Sita and Yashodhara deconstruct the traditional epic by recentering female characters that were marginalized in the original. The Liberation of Sita and Yashodhara tell the story of Buddha’s wife after his unexpected departure, and they exemplify an active remaking of the past, a revision, and a reinvention of tradition. Thus, the author creates a female collective by representing ancient tradition from alternative points of view and networking with women across ages and generations. This paper interprets the depiction of the female characters in the select texts not merely as exalted figures but as bold voices. The female characters of the epic are victims of patriarchy, yet they are not depicted as mere sufferers. The author has given them a strong voice and dignity, narrating words of wisdom which are the result of their experiences of struggle with pain. Hence, the study shows Volga’s evolved understanding of feminism as more than a simple conflict between men and women, but a larger issue that cannot simply be reduced to binaries

Web Service Selection Using Soft Computing Techniques

Web service selection is one of the important aspects of SOA. It helps to integrate the services to build a particular application. Web services need to be selected using appropriate interaction styles i.e., either Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) or Representational State Transfer Protocol (REST) because choosing web service interaction pattern is a crucial architectural concern for developing the application, and has an impact on the development process. In this study, the performance of web services for Enterprise Application based on SOAP and REST are compared. Since web services operate over the network, throughput and response time are considered as metrics for evaluation. In the literature, it is observed that, emphasis is given on interaction style for selecting web services. However, as the number of services grows day by day, it is time-consuming and difficult to select services that offer similar functionalities. Web services are often described in terms of their functionalities and set of operations. If a customer chooses an application that is of low quality or have malicious content that can affect the overall performance of the application. Hence, web services are selected based on the quality of service (QoS) attributes. In this proposed work, various models are designed using soft computing techniques such as Back Propagation Network (BPN), Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN), Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) and hybrid Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for web service selection, and their performances are compared based on various performance parameters

Pseudo aneurysm of uterine artery and cesarean scar dehiscence causing secondary post-partum haemorrhage managed by uterine artery embolisation: a case report

Uterine artery pseudo aneurysm is rare but potentially life threatening complication of cesarean section and may present with severe secondary postpartum haemorrhage. Here we report a case of secondary postpartum haemorrhage due to pseudo aneurysm of left uterine artery and cesarean scar dehiscence in 27 yrs old women which was managed successfully with uterine artery embolisation at IGIMS, Patna. These 27 yrs old young women presented with severe secondary PPH forty days following cesarean section. Ultrasound and CT scan abdomen was done which showed full thickness defect in the lower segment of uterus and focal enhancement in the early arterial and late venous phase in left parametrium. Pseudo aneurysm being rare was not suspected and patient underwent laparotomy. Twenty two days after surgery patient again had heavy bout of vaginal bleeding. Doppler Ultrasound was done which showed large pseudo aneurysm of left uterine artery which was then managed successfully with uterine artery embolisation. Although rare but pseudo aneurysm of uterine artery should be suspected in case of secondary PPH where other common causes has been excluded. Angiographic embolisation of uterine artery is safe and effective method for treating secondary PPH due to pseudo aneurysm of uterine artery in haemodynamically stable patient. Therefore, in modern obstetrics hysterectomy should be the last option to treat postpartum haemorrhage

Role of levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine device in management of heavy menstrual bleeding: a conservative approach

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is defined as prolonged (>7 days) or excessive menstrual blood loss greater than or equal to 80 ml per menstrual cycle. The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy, acceptability and side effects of LUS IUS in women with heavy menstrual bleeding.Methods: 42 women with heavy menstrual bleeding with or without associated dysmenorrhoea or chronic pelvic pain and had no contraindication to IUS insertion were included in the study. Patients having active genital tract infection, suspicion of pregnancy, uterine fibroids >2.5 cm in size or sub mucosal distorting the uterine cavity, uterine size >12 weeks, atypical endometrial hyperplasia or malignancy, abnormal cervical cytology, coagulopathy or liver disease were excluded from the study. Preliminary endometrial biopsy was done to rule out malignancy and LNG IUS was inserted under anaesthesia. Women were followed for 3,6,12 and 24 months post insertion.Results: In first 3 months, 20% patients achieved normal menstrual cycle, and at 6 months 44.44% had scanty menstrual flow and after 1 year of use 81.5% achieved amenorrhoea. In initial 3 months 37.5% patients had irregular heavy bleeding, which reduced to 13.89% at 6 months and 0% at 1 year follow up. Irregular spotting was second most complaint in 32.5% patients in initial 3 months that persisted in 7.4% patients at 1year follow up. In 5.0% patients, there was spontaneous expulsion of the device in first 3 menstrual cycles. After 3 months of use 57.5% patients were satisfied with the device and at the end of 1 year 92.5% were satisfied.Conclusions: LNG IUS is highly effective in controlling blood loss, well tolerated and better alternative for hysterectomy with higher user satisfaction in all age group of women

Evaluation of α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Potential of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Ocimum Canum

Objective: The present investigation was designed to study the inhibitory effects of methanolic leaf extract of Ocimum canum (O. canum) on α-glucosidase using in vitro model followed by an assessment of bioactive compounds.Methods: The methanolic leaf extract was prepared by Soxhlet extraction method and partially purified by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Each band was subjected to α-glucosidase inhibition study. The positive bands were further characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and quadrupole time of flight (Q-TOF) micro mass spectrometer.Results: Out of the several combinations of solvent systems, toluene, ethyl acetate and formic acid combination in the ratio of 7:2:1 revealed 5 bands on the TLC sheet. Among all the TLC bands, 2 bands (band A and B) showed the significant inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity. HPLC analysis of band A and B revealed the presence of two important polyphenolic compounds, namely rosmarinic acid (RA) and ursolic acid (UA). Q-TOF micromass spectrometer analysis revealed the percentage availability of RA, caffeic acid, tartaric acid, quercetin and other polyphenolic components in the bioactive bands.Conclusion: The study revealed that methanolic leaf extract of O. canum exhibits potent inhibition of α-glucosidase activity. Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity might be attributed to the presence of the polyphenolic compounds like RA and UA. Therefore, this finding can lead to the development of natural α-glucosidase inhibitors by the O. canum leaf extract

Prevalence of RTI/STI symptoms among adolescent girls in an urban slum of Sambalpur

Introduction: Adolescents form a major part of our population and about half of this population is made up of females. Their reproductive and sexual behavior in this period have far reaching consequences on their health as they develop into adulthood. But not many studies have been done in India to find out the prevalence of RTIs and STIs in this particular group. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years in the urban slums of Sambalpur from January 2009 to June 2010. The data was collected by personal interview using a predesigned and pre-tested questionnaire. Atotal of 404 girls were interviewed in the study. Results: The overall prevalence of RTI and STI symptoms in the adolescent girls was found to be INTRODUCTION The World Health Organization refers to those aged 10-19 years as adolescents. Adolescent period has again been divided into three groups: Early adolescence (10-13 years), mid adolescence (13-15 years) and late adolescence (15-19 years). Adolescents in India constitute 21.8% of the total population (Census 2001) and about half of this population is made up of females. ¹ Adolescents encompass a significant proportion of reproductive age group and are playing a important role in determining the future size and growth pattern of the Perspectives in Medical Research | September - December 2014 | Vol 2 | Issue 3 22.5% and the most common symptom was vaginal discharge. A total of 69 girls in the 15-19 years age group were having symptoms of RTI/STI whereas 45 girls were educated up to primary and 63 girls belonging to class V socioeconomic status. A statistically highly significant difference was observed in the context of age, literacy, socioeconomic status and the symptoms of RTI/STI ( p<0.001). Conclusion: A significant proportion of adolescent girls were affected by RTI/STI as every fifth girl reported positive symptoms. Age of the girl, literacy and socioeconomic status were found to be significantly associated with the symptoms of RTI/STI. There is an urgent need to address the issue and provide reproductive health interventions in underprivileged areas in urban localities

A study of effect of acute and chronic administration of aqueous extract of Calotropis procera leaves on maximal electroshock induced seizures in rats

Background: The effect of acute and chronic administration of aqueous extract of leaves of Calotropis procera on maximal electroshock (MES) induced seizures in rats was evaluated.Methods: Four groups of wistar rats were treated with distilled water 10 mL/kg (oral), phenytoin 25 mg/kg (intraperitoneal), 250mg/kg (oral) and 500mg/kg (oral) of aqueous extract of leaves of C procera, respectively in both acute and chronic studies. For producing maximal electroshock seizures, an electroconvulsiometer was used to deliver an electric stimulus of 150mA for 0.2 sec. The duration of hind limb extension (HLE) and seizures were noted in seconds (sec). In the acute study, the shock was given 1 h after administration of drugs. For the chronic study, all drugs were administered for 6 weeks. One hour after the last dose of drugs, the shock was administered. Data was analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test.Results: There was a significant decrease in the duration of hind limb extension, and convulsions as compared to control following acute (p<0.01 vs control) and chronic (p<0.05 vs control) administration of aqueous extract of leaves of Calotropis procera in rats.Conclusions: The study demonstrated that aqueous extract of C procera leaves resulted in significant protection against maximal electroshock induced seizures in rats

Microbial Study of Drinking Water in the Government Hospitals of Patna District, Bihar, India

This study was carried out to evaluate the status of drinking water supplied in six different government hospitals of the Patna capital of Bihar, India. A total of 14 drinking water samples was collected aseptically in sterile container during the month of August 2017. Most probable number (MPN) test was done to detect the Coliforms in drinking water samples. A total of 11out of 14 samples shows very high MPN value, which are above the WHO standard of concentration of Coliforms which must be zero in safe drinking water . Analysis was performed by using culture and biochemical methods. This study has therefore shown the need for continuous monitoring of drinking water supply system. This study indicates that regular water monitoring the supply and availability of pathogens free drinking water