EVALUATION OF LEUCAS ASPERA WHOLE PLANT EXTRACTS FOR DIURETIC AND LAXATIVE PROPERTY

ABSTRACTObjective: This study was undertaken to investigate diuretic and laxative potency of Leucas aspera whole plant.Methods: The dried whole plant (leaves, stems, and flowers) material was subjected to extraction by continuous hot percolation method. Inevaluation of diuretic activity male albino rats were used as the experimental animals. The first group of animals, serving as control, received normalsaline (25 ml/kg, post-operative); the second group received furosemide (10 mg/kg, post-operative) in saline. Other groups received doses of extract(200-400 mg/kg) in normal saline. The parameters determined were total urine volume, the concentration of Na(chloride) in the urine. Na+ and K+ concentrations were determined by flame photometer, and Cl−+(sodium), K concentration was estimated by titrimetric method.Laxative activity was also studied using male albino rats. The animal groups were administered orally either with vehicle (1% Tween-80 solution innormal saline, 25 ml/kg), reference standard drug, agar-agar (300 mg/kg, post-operative) in saline or doses of extract (200-400 mg/kg). After 8 h ofdrug treatment, the feces were collected and weighed.Results: This study revealed that L. aspera whole plant extracts possesses significant diuretic and laxative activity in comparison with the standarddrugs. The activity may be due to the chemical constituent present in the plant parts. The further studies may be taken up to isolate these activeconstituents.Conclusion: L. aspera whole plant possesses diuretic and laxative property since it contains a variety of phytoconstituents.Keywords: Leucas aspera, Diuretics activity, Lipchitz method, Laxative activity, Furosemide, Agar-agar.+(potassium), and Clâˆ

Serological responses to prednisolone treatment in leprosy reactions: study of TNF-α, antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-1, lipoarabinomanan, ceramide and S100-B.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids have been extensively used in the treatment of immunological reactions and neuritis in leprosy. The present study evaluates the serological response to steroid treatment in leprosy reactions and neuritis. METHODS: Seven serological markers [TNF-α, antibodies to Phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1 IgM and IgG), Lipoarabinomannan (LAM IgG1 and IgG3), C2-Ceramide and S100 B] were analyzed longitudinally in 72 leprosy patients before, during and after the reaction. At the onset of reaction these patients received a standard course of prednisolone. The levels of the above markers were measured by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with the individuals own value in the month prior to the reaction and presented as percentage increase. RESULTS: One month before the reaction individuals showed a varying increase in the level of different markers such as TNF-α (53%) and antibodies to Ceramide (53%), followed by to PGL-1 (51%), S100B (50%) and LAM (26%). The increase was significantly associated with clinical finding of nerve pain, tenderness and new nerve function impairment. After one month prednisolone therapy, there was a fall in the levels [TNF-α (60%), C2-Ceramide (54%), S100B (67%), PGL-1(47%) and LAM (52%)] with each marker responding differently to steroid. CONCLUSION: Reactions in leprosy are inflammatory processes wherein a rise in set of serological markers can be detected a month before the clinical onset of reaction, some of which remain elevated during their action and steroid treatment induces a variable fall in the levels, and this forms the basis for a variable individual response to steroid therapy

Analysis of Antibody and Cytokine Markers for Leprosy Nerve Damage and Reactions in the INFIR Cohort in India

Leprosy is one of the oldest known diseases. In spite of the established fact that it is least infectious and a completely curable disease, the social stigma associated with it still lingers in many countries and remains a major obstacle to self reporting and early treatment. The nerve damage that occurs in leprosy is the most serious aspect of this disease as nerve damage leads to progressive impairment and disability. It is important to identify markers of nerve damage so that preventive measures can be taken. This prospective cohort study was designed to look at the potential association of some serological markers with reactions and nerve function impairment. Three hundred and three newly diagnosed patients from north India were recruited for this study. The study attempts to reflect a model of nerve damage initiated by mycobacterial antigens and maintained by ongoing inflammation through cytokines such as Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha and perhaps extended by antibodies against nerve components

Clinico-Pathological Co-Relation of Maternal Deaths in A Tertiary Care Centre, Southern Maharashtra

Introduction: Maternal mortality is an indicator of the quality of obstetric care in a community directly reflecting the utilization of health care services available. This study was conducted to study pathogenesis and morphological changes in various organs with clinic-pathological co-relation of maternal death in rural areas of south Maharashtra. Methodology: A retrospective study of all the cases of maternal deaths that underwent a pathological autopsy in tertiary health care centre from January 2009 till June 2014. Results: Out of 93 eligible cases 73.11% died due to direct obstetrics causes, 24.84% died due to indirect causes and in 2 cases the cause was unknown. Hemorrhage from genital tract (31.18%) followed by pregnancy induced hypertension (15.05) were the common causes of maternal mortality; while indirect causes like anemia also contributed to the maternal deaths. Conclusion: Direct obstetric causes like hemorrhage from genital tract in previously anaemic patients were the most common cause of death in our study thus intensive efforts with proper health education need to be taken in these areas to have good healthy mothers with minimum complications and reduce the maternal mortality in developing countries like India

Hepatic subcapsular flow: An early marker in diagnosing biliary atresia

We report an interesting sign in the sonological evaluation of neonatal cholestasis, which is hepatic subcapsular flow. Hepatic subcapsular flow is an early and useful marker in diagnosing biliary atresia