Neuro-Protection and Neuro-Therapy Effects of Acalypha Indica Linn. Water Extract Ex Vivo on Musculus Gastrocnemius Frog

The studies of neuro-protection and neuro-therapy effects of Acalypha indica Linn. water extract ex vivo on Musculus gastrocnemius frog have already done at three Departments in Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia. The experimental studies were done on 2 groups of frog for neuro-protection and neuro-therapy effects. Each group of frog was divided into 7 subgroups of application, 4 samples each. There were 5 subgroups of doses: 5; 10; 15; 20; 25 mg and 2 subgroups as control. Pancuronium bromide 0.2%, 4 mg, was used for a positive control as muscle relaxant. Neuro-protection study was done as follow: ringer – extract – pancuronium bromide, and neuro-therapy study was ringer – pancuronium bromide – extract, respectively. The parameters measured in these studies were the electrical activities such as amount and duration (second) of re-polarization; depolarization, resting potential, and the height of spike after electrical stimulation at 5 mV. Neuro-protection effect of extract was determined by the ability of muscle to show the electrical response after incubating with pancuronium bromide for 10 minutes, and after incubating with extract for 10 minutes for neuro-therapy effect. In the dose of 15 mg and 20 mg/mL of A. indica Linn. extract showed better activities than the dose of 25 mg of extract, both as neuro-protection and neuro-therapy effects, but statistically its have not a significant difference. This study should be followed by an in vivo experiment on frog and it would be done in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on other animal models

The Improving of Methylprednisolone Palmitate Potency After Incorporated with Liposome - an Antiinflammation Study in Culture of Mice\u27s Splenocytes

Glucocorticoid has been used as an antiinflammatory and immuno-suppresive drug. Longterm utilisation at high dose of glucocorticoid is associated with serious side effects. In recent years, many attempts have been performed in searching the appropiate vehicles to deliver the drug directly into the target organ or the receptor. By incorporating the drug into its vehicle such as liposome, the systemic side effect can be minimized. Purwaningsih et al has successfully synthetized a novel preparation of liposome methylprednisolone palmitate (L-MPLP). The aim of the study was to learn the pharmacological effect of L-MPLP, especially on antiinflammatory effect of this novel preparation, compared with the standard methylprednisolone (MPL). The parameter was the potency of L-MPLP in reducing gamma-interferon production in T-lymphocyte culture after stimulation with concanavalin A in vitro as well as in vivo. Gamma-interferon was assayed by ELISA method. The reduction of gamma interferon, in vivo, after the administration of L-MPLP at the dose of 2,8 and 16 mg/kgBW respectively, showed significant difference than a control group, while MPL did not. The addition of both L-MPLP and MPL in in vitro culture at the concentration of 5.10-3, 5.10-2 and 5.10-1 mM have proved to suppress the gammainterferon production, where the suppression of L-MPLP was more effective than MPL, significantly

Effect of Jamu X on Blood Glucose Level in Healthy Volunteer

In the line with the government's policy to encourage the save and effective use of traditional medicines, the development of the traditional medicine is impressive today. After passing phases 1 and 2 clinical trials, a medicinal herb can be formally used in health care services. Jamu X has passed the safety and efficacy on preclinical tests. Obviously these data opens possibility to explore the safety and efficacy of the herbs in man.Objective: To find out the pharmacodynamic effect and the effective dose of Jamu X to reduce blood glucose levels following fasting and/or two hours after taking an oral glucose dose of 75 grams in healthy subject.Method: This study used a "before and after" design. Each healthy subject was given the product in 2 dosages in 2 separate periods. The first dose was 1 capsule three times a day for seven days. After a washout period of 2 weeks, the subject was given 1 capsule twice a day for another seven days. The parameters evaluated were the fasting blood glucose and the blood glucose levels at 2 hours after the ingestion of 75g oral glucose.Results: at a dose twice a day over 7 days can significantly reduce the blood glucose levels of healthy subjects. The mean level of fasting glucose reduced 5.2% (p=0.01) and the mean level of 2 hours after taking an oral glucose dose of 75 grams reduced 7.3% (p=0.01).Conclusion: Jamu X reduces blood glucose levels in healthy subject and the reduction in blood glucose levels is dose dependent. Further clinical trials on diabetic patients are required to establish the clinical efficacy and safety of this product as a potential herbal medicine in the management of diabetes mellitus