Muhammad Ahmed

Effect of cream containing Melia azedarach flowers on skin diseases in children

A herbal cream containing a methanolic HPLC-standardized extract of Melia azedarach flowers has been prepared and found potent against bacterial skin diseases like cellulitis, pustules, pyogenic infections, etc. in children. The results obtained are comparable to those with neomycin.

Hypotensive activity, toxicology and histopathology of different extracts of Berberis vulgaris

A number of plants have been used widely in the traditional system of medicine or Tibb-e-Unani (Unani medicine) in the management of many diseases but these mostly, have not been investigated for their described effects. In this study, the hypotensive, toxicology and histological activities were studied in normotensive albino rats at different doses of ethanolic extract of root pulp (BRE) and aqueous extract of root pulp (BRD). The receptor activity was assessed by using the drugs acetylcholine (Ach) and atropine (Atr) on rat heart. Administration of different extracts (BRE and BRD) showed significant reduction in blood pressure comparable to its respective control. While on pre-treatment with Atr (10-4 M) the BRE (10 mg/kg) and BRD (20 mg/kg) did not produce any reduction in blood pressure. These behavior matches exactly to that of acetylcholine (1 µg/kg). The results confirmed that oral and intraperitoneal administration of BRE does not indicate any structural and functional disturbance of liver, heart and kidney up to the dose 100 mg/kg. While, 1000 mg/kg appeared as lethal dose (LD) and all mice died at the interval of 24 h. In conclusion, different extract of BRE used in this study caused hypotensive effect by stimulating non-selective muscarinic receptors. The toxicological, hematological and histopathological results further confirm the safety of BRE up to the dose of 100 mg/kg. Key words: Berberis vulgaris, hypotensive, ethanolic extract of root pulp (BRE), aqueous extract of root pulp (BRD).

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Treatment: Recent Advances and New Paradigms in the Treatment Strategies

The advancement in hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapeutics has been profoundly enhanced by an improved understanding of viral life cycle in host cells, development of novel direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), and exploring other emerging treatment paradigms on the horizon. The approvals of first-, second-, and next-wave direct-acting antivirals highlight the swift pace of progress in the successful development of an expanding variety of therapeutic regimens for use in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Triple or quadruple therapies based on a combination of different direct-acting antivirals with or without pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) have raised the hopes to improve the current treatment strategies for other difficult-to-treat individuals. The development of more efficacious, well-tolerated, and cost-effective interferons with a low frequency of adverse events and short treatment durations is also in the pipeline. An experimental protective vaccine against hepatitis C virus demonstrated promise in preliminary human safety trials, and a larger phase II clinical trials are under consideration to further determine the efficacy of the vaccine. This pragmatic book chapter discusses the current state of knowledge in hepatitis C virus therapeutics and provides a conceptual framework of emerging and investigational treatment strategies directed against this silent epidemic.

Enhanced memory processes under the influence of herbal drug Somina and its effect on brain serotonin

A progressive decline in memory with advancing age is an established fact. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of Somina (herbal drug) on memory processes of rat. Somina (285 mg/kg-body weight) was administered orally in rats for 29 consecutive days. It is observed in the present study that Somina is responsible for the enhanced memory related behavior significantly in both male and female rats (p < 0.025 and p < 0.0005 respectively) measured by elevated plus maze activity. It is also observed that Somina increased the availability of tryptophan in brain and hence increases 5-hydroxytryptamine (Serotonin: 5HT). Therefore it is suggested that administration of somina strengthens all processes involved in memory and learned behavior.

Two -generation Reproductive Toxicity Study of Barrisal (Herbal Drug) on the Sprague Dawley Rats

Aim: Barrisal isaherbal medication used in Pakistan for hepatic and spleen ailments. It is composed of Aloevera. The present study was aimed to evaluate the teratogenic effects of barrisal in two generations of rats. Study Design: Two generation teratogenic activity Place and Duration of Study:Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Ilyas Institute of Pharmacology and Herbal Sciences (Dr. HMIIPHS)Hamdard University, Karachi, Pakistan ,between June 2002 and July 2004. Methodol ogy: In first phase two groups offemale rats (10 rats each group) were used. One group received normal saline (ascontrol group).Group II were treated with a single oral doseof10ml/kg barrisal (10 female rats) during the whole period of gestation till the