Trends in rural fiscal decentralisation in India’s Karnataka state: a focus on public health

For decades, decentralisation reforms have been seen as a powerful instrument by health policy advocates to improve health sector performance in developing countries. In India, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment introduced in 1992 called for strengthening the fiscal autonomy and service delivery capacity of rural local governments. This paper explores how decentralised governance influences public health sector resource allocation, equity and efficiency in rural Karnataka. For this, the authors analysed administrative data published by the Karnataka state government to create tailored standardised performance measures that capture the degree of local governments’ fiscal discretion in implementing public health programmes from 2011–18 at the district level. The findings highlight sector-specific differences in fiscal autonomy, ranging from high local discretion over funds in the nutrition sector to very limited discretion in the medical and public health sector. They also show that decentralised public health funding is not well-targeted to areas of greatest need in Karnatak

FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FORMIN-DEPENDENT ACTIN POLYMERIZATION AT ADHERENS JUNCTIONS

Ph.DPH.D. IN MECHANOBIOLOGY (FOS

A study on anxiolytic activity and locomotor behavior of Curcuma amada rhizomes using Wistar albino rats

Background: Global burden of disease statistics indicate that 4 of 10 most important causes of disease worldwide are psychiatric in origin. Anxiety affects 1/8th of total population of the world and is a very important area of research interest in psychopharmacology. Medicinal plants and plant products are the oldest tried health-care products. Their importance is growing not only in developing countries but in many developed countries. Curcuma amada Roxb. (CA) commonly known as Mango Ginger is a rhizomatous aromatic herb which is used in this country for culinary purposes and also to treat various diseases. The rhizomes of Curcuma amada was screened for anxiolytic activity and locomotor behavior in Wistar albino rats.Methods: Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups as control (Distilled water with 0.1% CMC), standard (Diazepam - 1mg/kg) and test - Ethanolic Extract of Curcuma amada Rhizome (EECAR-250 mg/kg). They were administered drugs orally for a period of 10 days, and screened for anxiolytic activity using Light dark arena model and Actophotometer for assessing the locomotor behavior on the 10th day. The number of crossings and time spent in light arena for anxiolytic activity, and the number of movements in Actophotometer was noted. Data was analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Tukey Kramer multiple comparison test using GraphPad InStat software.Results: Curcuma amada (250mg/kg) showed increased time spent in light arena and decreased locomotor behavior which was statistically significant.Conclusions: Curcuma amada possesses significant anxiolytic with CNS depressant activity

Effect on anxiety of Coriandrum sativum leaf hydroethanolic extract oil and aqueous fraction in swiss albino mice

Background: Anxiety is a protective reflex and the most common disorder. This study was done to evaluate the effect of anxiolytic property of oil and aqueous fractions isolated from hydroethanolic extracts of Coriandrum sativum leaf by novel freezing technique with swiss albino mice.Methods: Hydroethanolic extract of Coriandrum sativum leaves was prepared. Oil and aqueous part were separated with freezing technique. Animals were divided into six groups. Ist group served as control and 1% DMSO was administered orally. IInd to Vth group were administered with Coriandrum sativum oil fraction and Coriandrum sativum aqueous fraction at doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg orally. VIth group was treated with diazepam 1mg/kg orally. After one hour of dosing, battery of test was done viz, elevated plus maze (EPM), light dark arena, photo actometer and rotarod.Results: One-way analysis variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett's multiple comparison test was used for statistical analysis. Anxiolytic property was found to be in the following order diazepam>coriandrum sativum aqueous 800>coriandrum sativum aqueous 400>coriandrum sativum oil 800>coriandrum sativum oil 400 mg/kg. All the extracts were devoid of adverse effects of motor coordination.Conclusions: Coriandrum sativum leaf possesses anxiolytic effect. The aqueous fraction of the hydroethanolic extract of the Coriandrum sativum leaf was found to be potent and further analysis may lead to identification of active compounds. The findings that the extract is non-sedating anxiolytic and is of good safety index are promising