The effect of Gomutra ark (GoA) on experimental alloxan-induced diabetes in rats was studied. For this purpose, Wistar albino rats of either sex weighing 200-250 g were used. The biochemical parameters like blood sugar, vitamin C, and malondialdehyde release were measured. The safety profile of GoA was evaluated using acute and chronic toxicity studies. GoA significantly lowers blood glucose in diabetic rats although the observed effect was found to be less than glibenclamide. It significantly lowers the level of malondialdehyde and vitamin C in diabetic rats. No toxicity was observed even when cow urine was given 32 times of the study dose in acute toxicity and no significant changes were seen when it was used chronically, which suggests that cow urine is having a very high therapeutic index. This study supports the traditional use of GoA in diabetes and is having a high therapeutic index and is safe for chronic use. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of action of Gomutra ark.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Background: Standardization of a compound Ayurvedic formulation is a critical and essential issue to be considered in assuring the therapeutic efficacy and safety and to rationalize their use in the health care. Sitopaladi churna is a reputed polyherbal formulation of Ayurveda. It is prescribed for the treatment of pleurodynia, intercostal neuralgia, cold, cough associated with bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, viral respiratory infection, and in pharyngeal and chest congestion. Objective: The present study aimed at physico-chemical standardization of in-house and two marketed brands of Sitopaladi churna. Materials and Methods: In our investigation, in-house churna and two commercial brands of Sitopaladi churna were standardized based on powder microscopy, physico-chemical evaluations, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) finger printing as per standard procedures. Results: The set parameters were sufficient to evaluate the churna based on various physico-chemical parameters. Conclusion: The data evolved can be adopted for laying down the standards for the manufacturing units of Sitopaladi churna.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways associated with reversible airway obstruction and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli. An intuitive inference from this definition is that a causal relationship may exist between airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. It can be say that "airway inflammation equal to airway hyperresponsiveness". Attachment of antigen antibody complex to the mast cell causes its disruption and release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine.To evaluate the efficacy of anti-asthmatic property of a drug, evaluation of anti-histaminic, mast cell stabilizing and bronchodilator property can be use as pharmacodynamic parameter. Bharangyadi is a polyherbal compound having Bharangi (Clerodendrum serratum), Sati (Hedychium spicatum) and Pushkarmoola (Inula racemosa) as ingredient herbs The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-asthmatic activity of an indigenous polyherbal compound Bharangyadi through various in-vitro & in-vivo experimental models. The results demonstrate that drug has potent histamine antagonism property with significant mast cell stabilizing and spasmolytic activity in the experimental animals. Compound 48/80, a potent mast cell degranulator, provoked 76% degranulation of mast cells in the control group. Ethanolic extract of Bharangyadi at the doses 500 and 1000 μg/ml protected from compound 48/80-evoked degranulation (P < 0.01) in dose dependent manner. Pre-treatment with Bharangyadi extract showed 80% & 86% protection from histamine induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs with 27.8% and 36.1% increase in preconvoulsion time (equal to standard drug). Screening of Histamine antagonism activity on guinea pig ileum showed that drug reduces the smooth muscle contraction in dose dependent manner. Increasing concentration of Bharangyadi extract with maximum dose of histamine (1.6μg) showed maximum inhibition at the dose of 50mg (99.78%). Inhibition of smooth muscle contraction by addition of drug in organ bath before adding histamine showed that drug has preventive type antagonism.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Dashanga Lepa is a polyherbal preparation of Ayurveda, used to treat many skin ailments and rheumatoid arthritis. However, its toxicological property has not been reported so far. We report a rare case of cutaneous adverse reaction in the form of skin rash following the application of Dashanga Lepa. A 42-year-old female patient with a Pittakaphalaprakruthi (constitution) developed skin rashes, soon after the application of Dashanga Lepa over the applied area, which disappeared after stopping the suspected drug and starting treatment with Shatadhauta ghritha. The patient was again treated with the same formulation after a span of a month, which led to the reappearance of a similar type of rash. The temporal relationship, positive dechallenge, and rechallenge are strong associations between the event and formulation. No such reaction was noticed by any other patient with the suspected medicine.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Background: Rasashastra is a branch which deals with the pharmaceutics of Rasaoushadhis. Bhasmas are one among such Rasaoushadhis which are known for their low doses and fast action. A verse from Rasaratnasamuchchaya says that the bhasma prepared by using Mercury as media is of best quality. Materials and Methods: Following this principle, Yashadabhasma (Zinc calx) was prepared by subjecting it to Samanya shodhana (general purification method for all metals), Vishesha shodhana (specific putification method for Zinc), Jarana (roasting) and Marana (incineration) with Parada(Mercury) as a media under Gajaputa (classical heating system with 1000 cowdung cakes). Results and Conclusion: Yellow colored Yashadabhasma which passed all the classical bhasmaparikshas (tests for properly prepared calx) was obtained after two putas. The bhasma did not pass Nishchandratva(free from shining particles) test after 1 ^stputa but was passed after giving it 2 ^ndputa.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Hedychium spicatum (Ham-ex-Smith), known as Shati in Ayurvedic classics, is documented for the treatment of cough, hiccough, fever and asthma. The present study includes the evaluation of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the dried rhizome of H. spicatum for anti-histaminic and ulcer-protective activities in guinea pig (GP), anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in rat and acute toxicity in mouse. The extracts were administered orally, daily as suspension, in 1% carboxymethyl cellulose either for 7 days in GP studies or 60 min before or just before experiment in rats and mice. An initial dose-dependent anti-histaminic action of both the extracts (100, 200 and 400 mg/ kg) was performed against histamine-induced bronchospasm in GPs. The 200 mg/ kg dose of aqueous and ethanolic extracts was selected both in GP and rat for further studies. GPs treated with aqueous and ethanolic extracts showed gastric ulcer protection against histamine-induced gastric ulcer compared with the control group. Both the extracts also showed an anti-inflammatory effect against carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats from 1 h onwards, and this was maximum at 3 h. Analgesic effect was determined by using hot plate and tail flick tests in rats, and both the extracts at 200 mg/kg showed a significant increase in the latent period from 30 min onwards till 120 min of their study period. Both the extracts did not show any toxic effect like increased motor activity, salivation, clonic convulsion, coma and death in mice even at the 2000 mg/kg dose (nearly 10 times of the optimal effective dose), indicating the safety of the extracts. The result confirms the indigenous use of this plant in respiratory disorders.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Background: Academic excellence is essential to provide opportunities for students to work together to improve their understanding of concepts in their academic core. Academic excellence helps students to teach problem-solving and collaborative learning strategies. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess Guna (personality traits) in students undergoing Yoga Instructor's Course (YIC). Materials and Methods: In all, 68 YIC students with a mean age of 28.03 ± 9.38 years participated in this single group pre-post study. The Personality Inventory data were collected before (pre) and after (post) the YIC. Statistical Analysis: Means, standard deviations, Kolmogorov- Smirnov test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for analyzing the data with the help of SPSS 16. Results: The data analysis showed 11.33% decrease (P < 0.01) in Tamas Guna (dull personality trait), 0.68% decrease (P =0.819) in Rajas Guna (violent personality trait), and 10.34% increase (P <0.01) in Sattva Guna (balanced personality trait) scores. Conclusion: This study suggests that YIC can result in the improvement of Sattva Guna (balance personality trait) among students, thus paving the way for their academic excellence.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Introduction: Rasasindura (RS) is one of the unique mercurial preparations commonly used in Ayurveda therapeutics. The traditional procedure followed for preparing RS in the classical furnace has several drawbacks, such as difficulty in controlling temperature, consumption of large quantity of fuel, and excess human effort. Aims & Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate an alternate method to prepare RS by using an electrical muffle furnace (EMF) and to standardize this method. Materials and Methods: RS was prepared by adapting similar temperature pattern in both the traditional and EMF methods, and observations were recorded. Obtained product was subjected to orgennoleptic and physico-chemical analysis. Result: No remarkable differences were seen in observations of both preparations, except the melting of Kajjali, appearance of flame, and appearance of desired characteristics of product formation, which were observed at 190, 496, and 567°C in the traditional method and at 180, 473, and 560°C in EMF, respectively. Yield of the traditional method was 53.5% whereas in EMF, it was 50.83%. Organoleptic and physicochemical analysis revealed no significant deviation in values. Conclusion: The present study reveals that the traditional method of preparing RS can be effectively replaced by the EMF with some added advantages.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]  [PubMed]

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract of Madhuca indica bark in varios systems. DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical, hydroxyl radical, lipid peroxidation, and total phenolic content assays were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extract. The percentage inhibition of 40 mg/ml concentration of MMI in DPPH radical scavenging model was found as 74.1%. The scavenging of nitric oxide by the plant extract was concentration dependent and IC ₅₀ value of rutin was found to be 161.7 μg/ml. MMI elicited significant and concentration-dependent superoxide radical scavenging effect with MMI as well as standard curcumin, which exhibited IC ₅₀ values of 38.1 and 5.84 μg/ ml, respectively. MMI demonstrated significant scavenging activity of OH ^- radical generated from Fe ²⁺ -ascorbate-EDTA-H ₂ O ₂ in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract showed a significant dose-dependent free radical scavenging activity in all the models. The extract showed the presence of high phenolic content corresponding to 98.48 μg equivalent of gallic acid and the antioxidant activity could be attributed to this.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Leea asiatica , a folk medicinal plant of India, is used in the treatment of worm infection and other oxidative stress-related disorders, traditionally. In the present study, the in vitro anthelmintic and in vitro antioxidant activity of different fractions of the methanol extract from the Leea asiatica leaves were evaluated. The fraction displayed significant anthelmintic activity against Indian adult earthworms (Pheretima posthuma). The ethyl acetate fraction showed a better paralysis activity (13.99 ± 0.59), while the methanol fraction showed a better death time (63.76 ± 0.73 minutes), when compared with other fractions, at a dose of 50 mg/ml concentration. The anthelmintic activity of methanol and the ethyl acetate fraction were almost similar and comparable to the standard drug, piperazine citrate. The petroleum ether fraction did not produce a potent anthelmintic effect compared to the standard. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by using the diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide radical scavenging assay, lipid peroxidation assay, and the ferric thiocyanate method. The ethyl acetate fraction showed better antioxidant activity in all tested methods. The IC ₅₀ value of the ethyl acetate fraction in the DPPH radical, nitric oxide radical scavenging assay, and lipid peroxidation assay were 9.5, 13.0, and 57.0 mg/ml, respectively. The fractions significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the peroxidation of linoleic acid. The results confirmed the folk use of Leea asiatica in warm infection and the plant could be viewed as a potential source of natural anthelmintic and antioxidant compound.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

The present article deals with the unknown traditional uses of 15 plant species for the treatment of hydrocele, collected from 27 tribal groups ofthe Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Angul, and Balangir districts of Odisha. These ethnomedicinal uses were compared and cross-checked with the data mentioned in the well-known, standard, Indian ethnomedicinal as well as medicinal literatures and it was found that these medicinal uses of the referred plants had not been reported earlier.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

[FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]  [PubMed]

[FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]  [PubMed]

[FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]