Can Homeopathic Arsenic Remedy Combat Arsenic Poisoning in Humans Exposed to Groundwater Arsenic Contamination?: A Preliminary Report on First Human Trial

Groundwater arsenic (As) has affected millions of people globally distributed over 20 countries. In parts of West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh alone, over 100 million people are at risk, but supply of As-free water is grossly inadequate. Attempts to remove As by using orthodox medicines have mostly been unsuccessful. A potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album-30, was administered to a group of As affected people and thereafter the As contents in their urine and blood were periodically determined. The activities of various toxicity marker enzymes and compounds in the blood, namely aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione, were also periodically monitored up to 3 months. The results are highly encouraging and suggest that the drug can alleviate As poisoning in humans

The seasonal toxicological profile of four puffer fish species collected along Bengal coast, India

276-280Toxicological profiles of the livers and ovaries of four Indian marine puffer fish species viz. Chelonodon patoca, Takifugu oblongus, Lagocephalus lunaris, Lagocephalus inermis collected along coastal Bengal of Digha-Talsari region were evaluated by mouse bioassay. Toxicity expressed in MU (mouse unit)/g in ovaries of all four species were high in monsoon (13.9 – 80 MU/g) and postmonsoon (8.9 – 136 MU/g) seasons during annual reproductive cycle. However, toxicity of livers was much lower (3.2 – 18.5 MU/g) in all the species with seasonal variation. Chelonodon patoca specimens were found to be most toxic and Lagocephalus inermis were least toxic in comparison to other species under investigation. Therefore, health hazard due to puffer fish consumption could be minimised by the information given in this study regarding lethality

<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">Variation of total phenolic content, flavonoid and radical scavenging activity of <i>Ipomoea pes-caprae</i> with respect to harvesting time and location</span>

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ABSTRACT: The puffer fishes Chelonodon patoca, Sphaeroides oblongus, Lagocephalus lunaris, and L. inermis of Indian coastal waters are wasted in huge quantity. The livers of these fishes were investigated for their lipid contents and fatty acid compositions in different seasons. It was found that monsoon season is the suitable time to obtain the maximal lipids (40.1-48.8%) from their livers, an amount similar to cod liver lipid content (39.5-55.0%). The fatty acids were mostly saturates and monoenes (60-70%). Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations (7-12%) were high during monsoon season. Neutral lipids were the predominant lipid class (&gt;80%) and comprised triglycerides (277-674 mg/g) and cholesterol (0.6-3.1 mg/g). Quality indices of puffer liver lipids, e.g., specific gravity, refractive index, acid value, iodine value, saponification value and unsaponifiable matter, were evaluated. Puffer liver lipids were quantitatively and qualitatively comparable to other commercially important marine fish oils. The overall study suggests the possibility of future commercial utilization of liver lipids from puffer, an unconventional, cheap, and easily available source

Antioxidant activity and total phenolics of some mangroves in Sundarbans

The antioxidant activity of 23 extracts from different plant parts (leaves, stem bark and root) of 6 mangroves and 4 mangrove associates was examined. The content of total phenolics in the extracts was calculated as gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and anti-radical activity was estimated as IC 50 values using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Remarkable high phenolic content (GAE &gt; 25 mg/g), strong reducing ability (ascorbic acid equivalent, AAE &gt; 3.5 mg/g) and anti-radical activity (IC 50 &lt; 2.9 mg/ml) were found in 11 different extracts comprising of 6 mangrove and 4 mangrove associate species. The best results were obtained for Ceriops decandra stem bark extract (phenolic content as GAE = 94.4 mg/g, reducing power as AAE = 13.04 mg/g and DPPH radical scavenging ability as IC 50 = 0.65 mg/ml). A significant correlation was observed between GAE and AAE of respective extracts. The results indicate promising mangrove species for the utilization as significant source of natural antioxidant

11-Methoxytetrahydroalstonine, a heteroyohimbinoid alkaloid from Vinca major

The alkaloid 11-methoxytetrahydroalstonine has been isolated for the first time from a natural source, viz. Vinca major. Its structure and stereochemistry have been established by extensive <SUP>1</SUP>H and <SUP>13</SUP>C NMR spectral analyses including COSY experiments. The assigned structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography

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(–) Typical skin symptom on palms (upper row) and soles (lower row) of a victim before (left) and 2 months (right) after administration of Arsenicum Album-30

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Can Homeopathic Arsenic Remedy Combat Arsenic Poisoning in Humans Exposed to Groundwater Arsenic Contamination?: A Preliminary Report on First Human Trial"</p><p>Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2005;2(4):537-548.</p><p>Published online 19 Oct 2005</p><p>PMCID:PMC1297497.</p><p>© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.</p