Efficacyand safety of a new herbal cream containing aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica, Curcuma longa, Pongamia glabra, Glycyrrihiza glabra and Santallum album were evaluated in amulticentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. With active drug treatment, there was significant improvement in various signs like redness, oedema and symptoms like itching, burning, discharge and discomfort, compared to placebo treatment. Microscopic examination of smear and culture showed significant reduction of offending organisms after treatment with active drug. In patient's global evaluation, active drug was rated 70% as very good and in investigators evaluation 82% as very effective and effective. The overall efficacy was as high as 76% with active drug as against only 24% with placebo. Both active drug and placebo were well tolerated.

Nepeta cataria Linn (Family Labiatae), commonly known as catnip, is a herbaceous plant and is a native of southeast Europe, Orient, Southwest Asia and Western temperate Himalayas. Leaves and flowering tops, which contain tannin and volatile oil are aromatic, carminative, tonic, diaphoretic, refrigerant, emmenagogue, antiseptic, stimulant and useful in infantile colic and hysteria. Leaves are deltoid-oval with double layers of palisade, petiole about as long as blade, arc shaped in t.s., having vascular bundle flanked by 2 smaller bundles in two projection; stem hollow in the middle; leaves, petioles and stems contain glandular and uniseriate, multicellular non glandular hairs; TLC of alcoholic extract in Benzene: Chloroform (1:1) shows 8 spots and UV absorbance shows strong peak at 212 nm; extractive values and ash values were also determined.

Androgaphis lineate Nees., an important tribal medicinal plant of the Shevaroy Hill was noted to be restricted in its distribution due to biotic pressure. The species was successfully propagated by stem cuttings in its habitat. The percentage establishment of stem cuttings was 67.

Food is given great importance in Ayurveda. Dietetics is a pre-requisite to leading a healthy life. The author outlines the significance of this point in the article.

Ethanolic extracts of Ailanthus exceisa (AE). Toddalia asiatica (TA) and Araucaria bidwilli (AB) were screened by the anti-pyretic activity in yeast induced hyperthermic test model in the laboratory. Dose of AE (100), TA (60) and AB (30) mg., equivalent of the plant material per kg. Body weight of the extracts were administered orally to the female albino rats. Acute toxicity and preliminary phytochemical screening were conducted for all the extracts. LD 50 values on oral administration of the extracts were found to be AE (1000), AB (350) and TA (250) mg. per kg. body weight respectively. Both the root and aerial part fractions of TA displayed a pronounced anti-pyretic activity comparable to the standard drug paracetamol. AB oleoresin fraction was also found to show anti-pyretic effect. These observations however, confirm the folk-medical practices still prevailing among the tribes.

A survey is made on the medicinal spices of the Nilgiris. Totally, there are 25 species available in various parts of the Nilgiris and they belong to 16 different families of angiosperms. Gudalur, Kothagiri, Kookalthorai, Aruvankadu, Coonoor, Burliar, Masinagudi and Ootacamund are some of the important places in the Nilgiris have a variety of medicinal properties that are put to use in homoeopathic and ayurvedic preparations.

The author presents in this article the ayurvedic explanation for the genesis of degenerative diseases.

Comparative efficacy of miconazole nitrate, graphite, Thuja and Chrysorobin ointments was assessed against three keratinophillic fungi, viz., Trichophyton terrestris, Chrysosporium tropicum and Microsporum gypseum. All the test fungi were sensitive to the anti microbials tested in the present study. Miconazole nitrate, showed the maximum activity followed by Graphite, and Thuja, whereas the minimum inhibition was exhibited by Chrysorobin. Among all the test fungi, T. terrestris was found to be the most sensitive fungus while M. gypseum showed the least activity.

Antimicrobial activity was detected in the 50% ethanolic extract of Ixora coccinea. The effective inhibitory concentration of the extract against both the bacterial test organisms and the fungal test organisms studied was 125 ug mL ^-1, beyond which the inhibitory activity declined and the organisms started reviving from the effect of the antimicrobial principle.