Achintya Mitra

Adjunct therapy of Ayurvedic medicine with anti tubercular drugs on the therapeutic management of pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an age old disease described in Vedic Medicine as ‘Yakshma’. Later on, in Ayurveda it earned a prefix and found way into mythology as ‘Rajayakshma’. After the discovery of streptomycin, the therapeutic management of PTB received a major breakthrough. The treatment module changed remarkably with the formulation of newer anti-tubercular drugs (ATD) with appreciable success. Recent resurgence of PTB in developed countries like United States posed a threat to the medical community due to resistant strains. Consequently, WHO looked toward traditional medicine. Literature reveals that Ayurvedic treatment of PTB was in vogue in India before the introduction of ATD with limited success. Records show that 2766 patients of PTB were treated with Ayurvedic drugs in a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata in the year 1933-1947. Objectives: To evaluate the toxicity reduction and early restoration by adjunct therapy of Ayurvedic drugs by increasing the bio-availability of ATDs. Materials and Methods: In the present study, treatment response of 99 patients treated with ATD as an adjunct with Aswagandha (Withania somnifera) and a multi-herbal formulation described in Chikitsa-sthana of Charaka samhita i.e. Chyawanprash were investigated. Hematological profile, sputum bacterial load count, immunoglobulin IgA and IgM, blood sugar, liver function test, serum creatinine were the assessed parameters besides blood isoniazid and pyrazinamide, repeated after 28 days of treatment. Results: The symptoms abated, body weight showed improvement, ESR values were normal, there was appreciable change in IgA and IgM patterns and significantly increased bioavailability of isoniazid and pyrazinamide were recorded. Conclusion: This innovative clinical study coupled with empowered research may turn out to be promising in finding a solution for the treatment of PTB.

Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Withania coagulans Dunal dried fruit in experimental rat models

Objective: Evaluation of antidiabetic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of Withania coagulans Dunal dried fruit (WCDF) alone and in combination with glipizide, in streptozotocin-induced diabetes, and evaluation of possible antihyperlipidemic activity of the same extract in high-cholesterol diet-induced hyperlipidemia, in albino rats. Materials and Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced in 30 albino rats with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). The rats were divided into five groups receiving the following treatments orally for 4 weeks: Vehicle, glipizide (2.5 mg/kg), WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg), WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg) plus glipizide (1 mg/kg) and WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg) plus glipizide (2.5 mg/kg). Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were measured every week for 4 weeks. Endocrine pancreas histopathology was done at the end. In a separate set of experiment, five groups of six albino rats each, received orally for 4 weeks, vehicle, cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day), cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day) plus atorvastatin (7.2 mg/kg/day), cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day) plus WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg/day) and no treatment, respectively. Estimation of serum lipid profile and liver histopathology was done at the end of 4 weeks. Statistical Analysis: Between-group and within-group comparisons were respectively done by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated measures ANOVA, followed by post hoc Tukeys test, with a significance level of P < 0.05. Results and Conclusions: The 4-week treatment with WCDF extract significantly reversed hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetes that was comparable to glipizide. When combined with glipizide (2.5 mg/kg), WCDF extract produced a synergistic antihyperglycemic effect as well as improvement in pancreatic histopathology. Moreover, hydroalcoholic extract of WCDF was effective and comparable to atorvastatin in controlling the high-cholesterol diet-induced hyperlipidemia in rats.

A Comparative Study of Lipid-Lowering Effects of Guggul and Atorvastatin Monotherapy in Comparison to Their Combination in High Cholesterol Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia in Rabbits

ABSTRACT Background: Hypolipidemic activity of gugulipid has been widely described in traditional literature. Objective: This study was done to evaluate hypolipidemic activity of guggul and atorvaststin monotherapy in comparison to their combination in rabbits. Materials and Methods: Male New Zealand White rabbits (body weight 1.3–1.8 kg and age 8–10 weeks) were made hyperlipidemic by feeding cholesterol (0.5 g/kg) for three weeks and randomly divided into a control and three treatment groups receiving: atorvastatin (3.7 mg/kg), guggul (3.5 mg/kg) and their combination (same dose) for the next three weeks. Body weight measurements, estimation of serum lipid profile were done at the beginning, after three and six weeks, respectively. Histopathological examination of liver, heart and aorta was done after six weeks. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS version 16.0 using one-way and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc multiple comparison test with two tailed P value < 0.05 as significant. Results: All treated groups had significant reduction in cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in comparison to pre-treatment values and control group, and had significant increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in comparison to pre-treatment values. Conclusion: Combination of atorvastatin and guggul was comparable to their monotherapies in improving lipid profile.

Toxicological evaluation of Panchakola Avaleha, an Ayurvedic classical formulation, in albino rats

The present study was carried out to assess the safety of standardized Panchakola Avaleha on albino rats (Wistar strain). Animals were administered three doses of Panchakola Avaleha by oral routes, viz. higher (500 mg/kg/day), middle (250 mg/kg/day), and therapeutic dose (50 mg/ kg/ day) for 28 consecutive days. Effects of the test drug on hematological, biochemical, and histopathologic parameters were evaluated. This study revealed normal behavior, no mortality, and no significant changes in hematological, biochemical, and histopathological examinations.

A rapid HPTLC method to estimate piperine in Ayurvedic formulations containing plant ingredients of Piperaceae family

Background Trikatu, Sitopaladi, Hingavastaka, Avipattikara, Sringyadi and Talisadya are very popular Ayurvedic (churna) medicines practiced in India; however, unfortunately, they possess several quality control issues. Objective The aim of this study was to find out a simple, accurate and sensitive HPTLC method for the detection and quantification of marker molecule, piperine (alkaloid) on these Ayurvedic formulations for standardization. Materials and methods Methanolic extraction (reflux) was performed from the above six churnas as well as three single ingredients Piper longum (pipul), Piper nigrum (marich) and Piper chaba (chai). HPTLC was done using piperine as a standard. The mobile phase was a mixture of toluene-ethyl acetate (7:3, v/v) and detection at 342λ. Results The Rf was detected at 0.39. Piperine was quantified in all samples. P. nigrum showed higher piperine than P. longum and P. chaba. The maximum piperine was noted in Hingavastaka churna and followed by Sringyadi churna, Sitopaladi churna, Talisadya churna, Trikatu churna and Avipattikara churna. Conclusion This method can be successfully employed for standardization and quantitative analysis of piperine in Ayurvedic formulations (churnas) and also be helpful to clinicians and pharmacists to draw significant role of piperine present in all these samples.

A CASE SERIES ON COMPLICATED PSORIASIS IN GERIATRICS: AN EXCELLENT TREATMENT RESPONSE THROUGH AYURVEDA

The present study is dealt the clinical excellence of Ayurvedic management at Geriatric Health Care Clinic with known cases of complicated plague psoriasis in geriatric age group. Ten diagnosed chronic cases suffering since last 12-30 years with multiple complications were treated with Ayurvedic consequence treatment regimen for the period of 66 days by means of immune-modulation mechanism. Indigenous treatment approach comprises the rejuvenation of physical and mental health, particularly in old aged sufferers with certain limitations like wrinkling skin, decreased blood supply, decreased elastin cell and collagen etc. This case report has established the efficacy and safety of treatment modality by evaluation subjective and objective parameters like PASI score, hepato-renal biochemical profiles, serum IgE, images etc. The serum IgE level is highly significant (p<0.001) when compared with before treatment value (618.2 ± 177.55, 86.5 ± 19.57) and the score value of PASI in the completion of treatment is highly significant (p<0.001) when compared with values of before treatment (59.53 ± 3.24, 6.78 ± 2.78). The photographic images of patients also established the excellence of the treatment.