Pauline Thomas

Volatile fraction of neem oil as a spermicide

The volatile, odorous fraction of neem oil coded as NIM-76 obtained by steam distillation was investigated for in vitro spermicidal activity. The data showed that the minimum concentration which inhibited spermatozoal motility was 0.25 mg/ml for rat and 25 mg/ml for human spermatozoa. The effect of the drug on spermatozoal motility was found to be dose-dependent. The activity of this drug was not altered in the presence of vaginal or cervical mucus. Intra-vaginal application of NIM-76 in rabbits showed no irritation to the vaginal mucosa.

Antifertility activity of volatile fraction of neem oil

NIM-76, the odorous and volatile fraction of neem oil, was investigated for its antifertility activity in vivo in rats, rabbits and rhesus monkeys. The drug is effective when applied before coitus but not so when applied during post-coital stages. It, therefore, appears to act mainly by its spermicidal effect. No alteration in the estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) values was observed after the application of the drug in monkeys.

Hypoxic preconditioning facilitates acclimatization to hypobaric hypoxia in rat heart.

Objectives  Acute systemic hypoxia induces delayed cardioprotection against ischaemia‐reperfusion injury in the heart. As cobalt chloride (CoCl2) is known to elicit hypoxia‐like –responses, it was hypothesized that this chemical would mimic the preconditioning effect and facilitate acclimatization to hypobaric hypoxia in rat heart.

Copper iontophoresis in male contraception.

Kupferiontophorese als Kontrazeptionsmethode beim Mann

Ionized Copper as Contraceptive in Male Rhesus Monkey

Zusammenfassung: Ionisiertes Kupfer als empfängnisverhütendes Mittel beim männlichen Rhesusaffen

Improvement in high altitude hypoxic stress tolerance in albino rats on oral glutamate supplementation

Hypoxia results in body weight loss due to anorexia and hypophagia and reduced human performance. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of oral glutamate administration with food and water in improvement in hypoxic tolerance, if any. The placebo controlled study revealed that supplementation of optimal dose of glutamate (Glu) promoted hypoxic tolerance in male Sprague Dawley Albino rats fed one dose daily for 5 days and exposed to continuous intermittent hypoxia of 6 hrs per day at 10,668m in an animal exposure chamber. Effect of varying dose of Glu on body weight (bw),food intake and water uptake were studied which revealed the optimal dose of Glu to be 27mgKg bw. Oral feeding of Glu resulted in improved tolerance of combined stress of cold and hypoxia as measured by fall in rectal temperature from 37’C to 23’C and faster rewarming. It enhanced 5.8 times hypoxic tolerance 36% bw gain and 24% food intake in hypoxia possibly by acting as a conditionally essential amino acid under hypoxia.