An analysis of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related awareness among masses

Background: Prevention is better than cure. This age-old phrase holds very true in the case of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). So, adequate HIV and AIDS related education for young people is considered as an important prevention strategy. The main aim of the study was to analyze the awareness regarding HIV/AIDS among masses. The other objectives were to review and analyze the existing awareness campaigns regarding the need for establishment of new awareness campaigns.Methods: The study was conducted among a total of 80 subjects through a questionnaire comprising of questions about HIV/AIDS.Results: It was observed that the awareness among subjects with the non-scientific educational background was less than those with the scientific educational background. The analysis of attempted questionnaires showed that the knowledge of Indian subjects lacked considerably in certain basic areas related to HIV/AIDS. This indicates that the awareness measures and strategies running in India are ineffective and inadequate. Furthermore, it was observed that counseling by teachers, friends, and parents/families in Indians was lesser than that of subjects from the USA.Conclusion: Lack of awareness among masses has pointed toward the need to promote more awareness campaigns. It has been concluded that there is a need of providing comprehensive and detailed information regarding the preventive measures to masses, especially young people not only through educational institutions but also through families and friends

A COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATIVE NOTE ON ASCITES

 Ascites impairs both the physical and mental dimensions of quality of life in patients. The patients due to unawareness do not report to medical practitioners in the early stage of disease, and also in few cases, medical practitioners due to lack of adequate expertise face difficulty to ensure the early stage detection for causes of ascites, i.e., due to cirrhosis, cancer, congestive heart failure, mycobacterium tuberculosis, or others. Ascites is a symptom of progression of single disease or multiple diseases. Gross collection of fluid in peritoneal cavity may initiate a series of problems such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and an increase in abdominal distension and discomfort and hinder the mobility of the patient and dullness and loss of appetite. In the present review, a detail study over the ecology of ascites has been done with emphasizing on diagnosis by history and physical examination, clinical examination, and imagining techniques followed by management of treatment through general guidelines, and various available therapies are covered

A Review on Phytochemical and Pharmacological Aspects of Ochradenus baccatus

Ochradenus baccatus, also known as "Taily Weed," is a perennial shrub that belongs to the Resedaceae family and is often used as a folk medicine for the treatment of headache, fever or sexual disorders in the Middle Eastern countries. It is also used as an antibiotic, cooling agent and deodorant. Due to its widespread use in traditional medicine in the Middle Eastern countries and lack of scientific evidence, it is being investigated for its phytotherapeutic potential in different disease conditions

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT DOSES OF VINPOCETINE ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH SULFASALAZINE IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IN RATS

  Objective: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and its exact etiopathology is still unclear. Most of the currently available drugs provide the symptomatic improvement, and their long-term use can lead to various unwanted effects also. This study was done to observe the effects of vinpocetine alone and in combination with sulfasalazine on IBD in rats.Methods: Adult Wistar rats of either sex were used (n=36). Experimental colitis was produced by intracolonic administration of acetic acid (10% v/v, 0.20 ml/rat) given per rectally. Rats were divided into six groups (n=6): Group I - normal control (0.9% w/v saline, intracolonic administration + 0.5% w/v carboxymethyl cellulose, i.e., CMC, p.o); Group II - acetic acid (10% v/v, intracolonic administration+0.5% w/v CMC, p.o); Group IIIA - acetic acid + vinpocetine (5 mg/kg, p.o); Group IIIB - acetic acid + vinpocetine (10 mg/kg, p.o); Group IV - acetic acid + sulfasalazine (360 mg/kg, p.o.); Group V - acetic acid + sulfasalazine + vinpocetine (360 mg/kg, p.o. + 5 mg/kg, p.o). The study period was of 15 days in which animals were treated with acetic acid solution on day 1 and treatment was started 4 hrs after the administration of acetic acid till the 14th day. On 15th day, the animals were sacrificed for the investigation of various macroscopic, microscopic, and biochemical parameters.Results: The higher dose of orally administered vinpocetine (10 mg/kg) and combination of sulfasalazine + vinpocetine (360 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg) were found to be the most effective in reducing the severity of mucosal damage which was similar to the reference drug sulfasalazine (360 mg/kg). Both the doses of vinpocetine curtailed the histopathological scores. The combination therapy of sulfasalazine + vinpocetine (360 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg) was equally effective to standard drug but not found to be the most effective treatment. Myeloperoxidase levels were significantly reduced in vinpocetine treated groups as compared to acetic acid control group, while the glutathione levels were increased significantly. Similarly, vinpocetine significantly decreased the malondialdehyde level in the intestinal tissue of the rats with acetic acid induced colitis, and thus the severity of the tissue damage.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that vinpocetine possesses anti-inflammatory activity and are therapeutically effective in acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis at a dose of 5 mg/kg. More pronounced effects were observed at higher dose, i.e., 10 mg/kg. The combination of sulfasalzine + vinpocetine was also found to be effective as compared to high dose of vinpocetine (10 mg/kg)

Chemopreventive effect of artesunate in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced rat colon carcinogenesis

Artesunate (ART) is a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin. Artemisinin and its derivatives have shown profound cytotoxicity and antitumor activity in addition to antimalarial activity in various studies. As the in vivo chemopreventive efficacy of ART in colon carcinogenesis has not been investigated so far, the aim of the current study was to study the chemopreventive effect of ART in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon carcinogenesis. Animals were divided into four groups (n = 6): Group I - vehicle (1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), Group II - DMH (20 mg/kg), Group III - DMH + 5-fluorouracil (81 mg/kg), Group IV - DMH + ART (6.7 mg/kg). After completion of 15 weeks of treatment, rats were sacrificed under ether anesthesia by cervical dislocation for assessment of lipid peroxidation (LPO), antioxidant status, average number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), and cytokine levels. ART administration significantly decreased the average number of ACF/microscopic field. Similarly, LPO level was decreased and antioxidant activities were enhanced after ART treatment. ART decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and induced apoptosis in the colons of DMH-treated rats. The results of this study suggest that ART has a beneficial effect against chemically induced colonic preneoplastic progression in rats

Effect of goat milk on hepatotoxicity induced by antitubercular drugs in rats

Aim of the present study was to assess the hepatoprotective activity of goat milk on antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats using a combination of isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide given orally as a suspension for 30 days. Treatment groups received goat milk along with antitubercular drugs. Liver damage was assessed using biochemical and histological parameters. Administration of goat milk (20 mL/kg) along with antitubercular drugs (Group III) reversed the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (82 ± 25.1 vs. 128.8 ± 8.9 units/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (174.7 ± 31.5 vs. 296.4 ± 56.4 units/L, p<0.01) compared with antitubercular drug treatment Group II. There was a significant decrease in serum alanine aminotransferase (41.8 ± 4.1 vs. 128.8 ± 8.9 ​ units/L, p<0.01) and aspartate aminotransferase (128.8 ± 8.54 vs. 296.4 ± 56.4 units/L, p<0.001) levels in Group IV (goat milk 40 mL/kg) compared with antitubercular drug treatment Group II. Goat milk (20 mL/kg and 40 mL/kg) was effective in reversing the rise in malondialdehyde level compared with the antitubercular drug suspension groups (58.5 ± 2 vs. 89.88 ± 2.42 μmol/mL of tissue homogenate, p<0.001 and 69.7 ± 0.78 vs. 89.88 ± 2.42 μmol/mL of tissue homogenate, p<0.001, respectively). Similarly, both doses of milk significantly prevented a fall in superoxide dismutase level (6.23 ± 0.29 vs. 3.1 ± 0.288 units/mL, p<0.001 and 7.8 ± 0.392 vs. 3.1 ± 0.288 units/mL, p<0.001) compared with the group receiving antitubercular drugs alone. Histological examination indicated that goat milk reduced inflammation and necrotic changes in hepatocytes in the treatment groups. The results indicated that goat milk prevented the antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity and is an effective hepatoprotective agent

A Review on Phytochemical and Pharmacological Aspects of

Ochradenus baccatus, also known as "Taily Weed," is a perennial shrub that belongs to the Resedaceae family and is often used as a folk medicine for the treatment of headache, fever or sexual disorders in the Middle Eastern countries. It is also used as an antibiotic, cooling agent and deodorant. Due to its widespread use in traditional medicine in the Middle Eastern countries and lack of scientific evidence, it is being investigated for its phytotherapeutic potential in different disease conditions