MK

Plant drugs have a long history in both traditional and modern societies as crude drugs. The plant drugs have been extensively practiced as traditional medicine since centuries by peoples of almost all countries of the world. The medicinal plants are considered to be the almost exclusive source of primary health care as well as a source of pharmacological active compounds for 80 % of the world’s population, herbal medicines have been proven effective in common as well as rare diseases. Bacopa monnieri belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae is perennial, creeping herb, origin to wetlands of southern and eastern India, Australia, Europe, Asia, north and South America. The major therapeutic chemical constituents of this plant identified through various researches are the Triterpenoids, Saponins, Bacoside, Flavonoids and Glycosides. Bacoside A has been recognized as the chief component responsible for therapeutic effects. The plant is used in traditional Ayurvedic treatment for a range of CNS applications, being considered as a memory tonic. It has been found to possess various CNS actions including nootropic, antidepressant and anxiolytic action. It is also considered to be an important adaptogen. This review shall cover pharmacological properties, chemical constituents and scientific researches supporting not only traditional use of Ayurvedic claims but also other physiological conditions such as anti-inflammatory, cardio tonic and other pharmacological effects of B. monnieri extracts.

Prostate specific antigens occurs in serum in different molecular isoforms, and serum levels of these isoforms have been introduced as adjuncts for prostate disorder screening to reduce misdiagnosis. Little data exist on the use of these tests for screening patients with BPH . In the current study, serum level of total, free and complex  prostate specific antigen (tPSA,fPSAand cPSA) isoforms and serum sarcosine were evaluated in 200 BPH patients and 200 matched controls. tPSA level  was 15.13±1.15 ng/ml in BPH patients and 2.75±0.22 ng/ml in controls. fPSA was 2.81±0.16 ng/ml in BPH patients and 0.72±0.03 ng/ml in controls. cPSA was 12.31±1.05 ng/ml in BPH patients and 0.72±0.03 ng/ml in controls. Serum sarcosine was 118.70±1.80 nmol/dl in BPH patients and 64.94±0.81 nmol/dl in controls. The differences between patients and controls in all the analytes are significant (

Lornoxicam is comparatively a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which is selective cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 (COX 1 and 2) inhibitors. Lornoxicam is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that exhibits its anti inflammatory, analgesic and anti pyretic activities in animal models and it is presently available in the market only as tablet dosage form. It is preferred in the treatment of adults with osteoarthritis, acute pain rheumatoid arthritis, postoperative dental pain and primary dysmenorrhoea. The present study was undertaken with an intention to develop a stable and effective parenteral formulation, containing the drug Lornoxicam. Lornoxicam is a light sensitive and insoluble water soluble drug but unstable at higher temperature in water. So the effects of various co solvents in the solubility of  Lornoxicam have been evaluated. Lornoxicam was tried with co solvents such as PEG-400, β-cyclodextrin and Sodium Lauryl sulphate. The drug was made into injection formulation for administered as a SVP. Various batches of Lornoxicam injection formulation were prepared in order to assess the influence of heat, light, atmospheric oxygen and antioxidant on the stability of the drug and the formulations were also subjected to accelerated stability test. Out of all trials, formulation containing Sodium Lauryl sulphate was found to be more soluble, stable and passed all tests satisfactorily.

Barlaria buxifolia Linn is one of the medicinal plants well documented traditionally in Ayurveda system of medicine and is highly valued in modern medicine owing to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, steroids. The plant is reported to contain phenol, flavonoid and tannin; phenolic and flavonoids compounds are reported to possess antioxidant and hence the plant may be used as organ protective. Keeping this in view, the plant was analysed for total phenol, flavonoid and tannin content. Catechol, quercetin and tannic acid reagents were used as standards for calibration of total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins respectively. The quantification of total polyphenol, falvonoid and tannin content showed 14.65mg/gm catechol, 26.80mg/gm quercetin and 11.32mg/gm tannic acid equivalent respectively, the study indicates that the leaves of Barlaria buxifolia Linn exhibits the highest flavonoid, phenolic and tannin content. It can be used potentially as a readily accessible source of natural antioxidant. Key words: Catechol, Phenol, Flavonoid, Quercetin and Tannin, Barlaria buxifolia Linn

  Toxic oxygen radicals play a role in the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the kidney. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Pongamia pinnata (PP) leaves, a plant rich in flavonoids in I/R induced renal failure in rats. Antioxidant activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Pongamia pinnata was determined by DPPH free radical, and Hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. The protective effect of Pongamia pinnata leaves against the damage inflicted by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during renal I/R was investigated in Wistar albino rats using histopathological and biochemical parameters. Animals were subjected to occlusion of both the renal pedicles for 45min followed by 24h of reperfusion. Pongamia pinnata hydro-alcoholic leaf extract (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 8 weeks prior to ischemia. At the end of the reperfusion period, rats were sacrificed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were determined in renal tissue. Serum creatinine, Serum Cystatin C, serum oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations were measured for the evaluation of renal function. Ischemic control animals demonstrated severe deterioration of renal function, renal morphology and a significant renal oxidative stress. Pretreatment of animals with Pongamia pinnata hydro-alcoholic leaf extract markedly attenuated renal dysfunction, morphological alterations, reduced elevated malondialdehyde levels and restored the depleted renal antioxidant enzymes. The findings imply that ROS play a causal role in I/R induced renal injury and Pongamia pinnata leaves exert renoprotective effects probably by the radical scavenging and antioxidant activities. Key words: Pongamia pinnata, hydro-alcoholic leaf extract, antioxidant, renal ischemia

  Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alpha virus that induces in humans a disease characterized by fever, rash, and pain in muscles and joints. The virus causing Chikungunya disease was identified over 50 years ago; however, because the disease appeared only in developing countries, little research on it has been done. CHIKV infection in these animals recapitulated the viral, clinical, and pathological features observed in human disease. In the macaques, long-term CHIKV infection was observed in joints, muscles, lymphoid organs, and liver, which could explain the long-lasting CHIKV disease symptoms observed in humans. In addition, the study identified macrophages as the main cellular reservoirs during the late stages of CHIKV infection in vivo.