Oral administration of Trichopus zeylanicus to mice (0.5 ml of 2% water suspension / mouse) for 7 consecutive days markedly increased the number of thymocytes splenic lymphocytes, total blood leucocytes and peritoneal macrophages without any effect on Haemoglobin content and body weight. This increase in the proliferation of lymphocytes and macrophages could be one of the mechanism of T.zeylanicus induced immunomodulation. Treatment with T. zeylanicus protected mice from tumour cell growth when challenged with 0.5 million of EAC ascetic tumour cells / mouse. Studies on the gastrointestinal function of this drug showed that the drug slightly reduced intestinal motility as judged from charcoal movement.

Andrographis paniculata Nees, Andrographis alata Nees and Andrographis lineate Nees. (Acanthaceae) are important medicinal plants useful in the treatment of various human ailments. Nomenclatural confusion prevails with regards to these medicinal plants in India medical literature and vernacular nomenclature. This nomenclatural confusion has been clarified in the present paper.

A total of 36 patients of Amlapitta were selected for the clinical study. Vasa was given to 20 of them having hyperacidity and hyperchlorhydria. The patients were mainly of Urdhvaga Amlapitta. A symptomatic improvement was observed in the patients. Udgara and Vamana were considered as the presenting features of Amlapitta. A 60 ml syrup of dry leaves of Vasa (30 gm crude drug) was given to each patient in 4 divided doses for a duration of 6 weeks. Effect was assessed in terms of clinical symptomatology, free acid and total acid, in gastric juice.

A fraction of leaf extract isolated from leaves of Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) was tested for lowering of blood cholesterol level in rats. The extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg i.p. significantly lowered the blood cholesterol level in test animals.

Standardisation of Ayurvedic medicines has become necessary to keep up their therapeutic efficacy. This paper deals with the standardization of Thaleesapatradi Choornam, a compound preparation of six drugs along with sugar. Chromatographic technique was used for the detection of the ingredients. Different solvent systems were developed for each ingredient, and spots obtained were visualized in iodine vapours. The presence of spots with identical value in the single drug and finished product indicate the presence of constituents of single drugs in finished product which in turn conforms its presence. These parameters can be considered viable for this preparation.

An attempt is made in this communication to report a better way of preparing guggulu - containing pills. This technique improves the disintegration time of the preparation, thus enhancing its therapeutic value.

The control over diabetes mellitus depends upon the availability of insulin. Various efforts have been made in the recent past to control / check it. There is an increasing demand to use the natural antidiabetic agents. The literature pertaining to antidiabetic herbs is scattered. The present article is a conglomeration of available indigenous literature. It gives an additional information of list of antidiabetic plants which have not been discussed by Nagarajan et al ⁷⁶  and Handa et al ⁴⁵ . It also presents some common plants used in diabetes, and the future of hypoglycaemic herbal drugs.

Out of 410 clinically diagnosed cases of superficial mycoses encountered during 1985 - 87, direct KOH mounts were positive in 250 (62.19%) cases and the cultures were positive in 123 (30.00%) cases. The organisms isolated included Trichophyton rubrum (36.58%). T. simii (32.52%), T.mentagrophytes (12.19%), C.tropicum (8.13%), Microsporum gypseum (6.50%), Epidermophyton floccossum (2.43%), T. violaceum (0.81%) and Candida albicans (0.81%). Majority of cases occurred among the age group of 21 - 30 years. Tinea corporis and tinea cruris were the commonest clinical types encountered.

Antivenom activities of the alcoholic extracts of three species of Andrographis wall, were measured at a concentration of 10,25,50,75 and 100 μg/ml by in vitro assay of HRBC membrane lysis. All the extracts were found to be effective in the inhibition of in vitro HRBC lysis. The maximum antivenom activity was found in the alcoholicextract of Andrographis paniculata Nees.

This paper deals with the ethnobotanical observations of the tribals of Koraput district of Orissa. About 49 species of plants and their mode of usage are mentioned.

The ethnolic extract of the leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Fam. Moringaceae) was tested for antimicrobial activities against Gram Positive - Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea: Gram negative - Escherichia coli and Acid fast Mycobacterium phlei. Significant antimicrobial activity of the extract was found in this study.

This article emphasizes the need to publish well-edited versions of Tamil medical works. Some illustrative examples from Vaittiyacintamani - 800 of Yukimuni and Nayanaviti-500 of Akattiyar are presented in support of the suggestion.