Sanjiva D. Kholkute

Ethnomedicinal plants used to treat bone fracture from North-Central Western Ghats of India.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCEnNorth Central Western Ghats in India comprises rich bio-cultural diversity and is also home to varied ethnomedicinal practices. The study was taken up for documentation and analysis of traditional knowledge regarding the practice and use of plants in the treatment of bone fracture. This is an effort to preserve the vanishing wealth of traditional knowledge.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnKey informants identified in a preliminary survey and collection of information was through semi structured, open ended interviews. The details on age, place of practice, experience of key informants and learning of practice, disease they treat and mode of diagnosis, storage and usage of plants were collected. The identity of plants and their information was confirmed through repeated guided transect walks in different seasons with the informants and focus group discussions. Identified plants were deposited at the herbaria of Regional Medical Research Centre, Belgaum.nnnRESULTSnForty four key informants providing treatment for bone fracture in this region were identified. Thirty eight plant species belonging to 24 families have been documented in the present study. Highest number of species representation is found in families Euphorbiaceae and Fabaceae. The habit of the species showed that 45% of the herbal drugs were obtained from trees, followed by herbs, shrubs and climbers and majority of plants used were collected from wild (76%). The stem or stem bark (33%) was most commonly used plant part to prepare medicine. Twenty six formulations of 30 plant species were directly used in treating bone fracture, where Cissus quadrangularis has the highest use-value (0.14). Eleven plants were found to be administered for bone strengthening, pain relieving, inflammation reduction and speedy recovery and Gmelina arborea has the highest use value (0.27).nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe results indicated the importance of traditional herbal practices in community for their health needs. Both conservational strategies and further validation studies are the need of the hour for better utilization and sustenance of the documented knowledge.

Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor variant and emergence of Haitian ctxB variant in the strains isolated from South India

AbstractnCholera still continues to be an important cause of human infection, especially in developing countries that lack access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation. In the present study, we report the emergence of new variant form of V. cholerae O1 El Tor biotype with a novel mutation in ctxB in strains isolated from various outbreaks during 2010–2014 in Belgaum situated in north-west Karnataka, India. A total of 14 occurrences of cholera were documented from Belgaum Division of North Karnataka during the 4-year period from 2010 to 2014. All the V. cholerae O1 isolates were subjected to DAMA PCR to detect the three different allelic subtypes of ctxB and PCR-based detection of virulent genes, and subsequently, 14 strains (one strain from each outbreak or sporadic case) were subjected to ctxB gene sequence and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. A total of 54 V. cholerae O1 strains were obtained of which 21 strains isolated during 2010–2011 had classical ctxB and remaining 33 strains isolated during 2012–2014 belonged to Haitian variant. In the cluster analysis, the PFGE profiles were divided into clades A with and B. Clade A contained eight strains with 94xa0% similarity and Haitian type of ctxB. Clade B contained six strains and had Haitian type of ctxB except one with classical ctxB. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the Haitian variant of V. cholerae O1 Ogawa causing outbreaks and sporadic cases of cholera in South India.

Tribes in Karnataka: Status of health research.

The south Indian State of Karnataka, once part of several kingdoms and princely states of repute in the Deccan peninsula, is rich in its historic, cultural and anthropological heritage. The State is the home to 42,48,987 tribal people, of whom 50,870 belong to the primitive group. Although these people represent only 6.95 per cent of the population of the State, there are as many as 50 different tribes notified by the Government of India, living in Karnataka, of which 14 tribes including two primitive ones, are primarily natives of this State. Extreme poverty and neglect over generations have left them in poor state of health and nutrition. Unfortunately, despite efforts from the Government and non-Governmental organizations alike, literature that is available to assess the state of health of these tribes of the region remains scanty. It is however, interesting to note that most of these tribes who had been original natives of the forests of the Western Ghats have been privy to an enormous amount of knowledge about various medicinal plants and their use in traditional/folklore medicine and these practices have been the subject matter of various scientific studies. This article is an attempt to list and map the various tribes of the State of Karnataka and review the studies carried out on the health of these ethnic groups, and the information obtained about the traditional health practices from these people.

Antiulcer activity of water soaked Glycine max L. grains in aspirin induced model of gastric ulcer in Wistar rats

Introduction: Glycine max L. with Drakshasava, widely used by traditional healers as a formulation for the treatment of peptic ulcer in rural northern Karnataka in India, appears to be effective as assessed by patients and in our previously published research work of traditionally used formulation. Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the overnight water soaked G. max grains. This is one of the components of traditional formulation. The study, approved by Institutional Animal Ethics Committee was carried out in male Wistar rats after assessing its toxicity in mice. Materials and Methods: Four groups of rats (n = 6 in each group) were treated with aspirin 200 mg/kg oral. In addition to aspirin control group received normal saline, standard group received 20 mg/kg omeprazole and 3rd and 4th group received G. max 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively. All treatments were administered orally every 24 h for 7 days. After 24 hours fasting, on the 8th day stomach contents were aspirated under anesthesia to estimate free and total acidity. Stomachs were opened along the greater curvature to calculate ulcer index and subjected to histopathology studies. Statistics: The results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed-by Dunnetts post hoc test. P ≤0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The severity of aspirin induced ulceration was found significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in test groups compared with the control group. Free and total acidity was significantly reduced in 500 mg/kg treated group, compared with the control group and was inferior to omeprazole treated group. Conclusion: The grain of G. max was found to be effective against aspirin induced ulcers.

Spasmolytic effect of traditional herbal formulation on guinea pig ileum

Background: The herbal formulation consisting of Andrographis paniculata Nees., Cassia fistula L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Cuminum cyminum L. is widely used by the local traditional practitioners in rural Northern Karnataka for spasmodic abdominal pain. Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate safety and spasmolytic effect of poly-herbal formulation. Materials and Methods: Acute toxicity studies were carried out in Swiss mice, as per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines. The spasmolytic activity of the formulation was studied in isolated guinea pig ileum model using histamine and acetylcholine as agonists. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Dunnetts post-hoc test and P ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The formulation did not show any adverse toxic effects and found to be safe. It also showed significant (P < 0.05) relaxation in different agonist like histamine and acetylcholine-induced contractions in guinea pig ileum. Conclusions: Antispasmodic activity of the herbal formulation can be attributed to its atropine-like activity. The present findings, therefore, support its utility in spasmodic abdominal pain.

Activity of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. root and Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb. bark pastes in acute and chronic paw inflammation in Wistar rat.

Background:The pastes prepared from roots of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. and barks of Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb. are widely used by traditional healers for the treatment of arthritis in rural northern Karnataka. Objective: The present study was undertaken to scientifically evaluate the safety and efficacy of traditionally used formulations in experimental animals.Materials and Methods: The study, approved by IAEC was carried out in male Wistar rats and dermal toxicity in rabbits. Carrageenan model was used to assess effect on acute inflammation. Paw volume were measured at 1, 2, 4, and 6 th hour postchallenge. Chronic inflammation was developed by using Complete Freund′s Adjuvant (CFA). Paw volume, ankle joint circumference, and body weight were assessed on 1 st , 4 th , 8 th , 14 th , 17 th , and 21 st day. Paste was applied once every day to the inflamed area of the paw of respective groups of animals, continuously for 14 days. Statistics: The data were analyzed by one way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett′s post hoc test. P ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The formulations did not show any dermal toxicity and found to be safe. Both the pastes significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed, carrageenan-induced paw edema at 6 th hour and Holoptelea integrifolia appears to be more effective than Plumbago zeylanica. Significant reduction was observed in paw volume, ankle joint circumference and animal body weight gained. Conclusions: The tested formulations (P. zeylanica root and H. integrifolia bark pastes) showed significant antiinflammatory activity. The present findings therefore support its utility in arthritic pain, inflammation and the claim of traditional practitioners.

Comparative toxicity profiles of Plumbago zeylanica L. root petroleum ether, acetone and hydroalcoholic extracts in Wistar rats

Introduction: The root of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases and various disorders. The toxicity of this plant has not yet been extensively evaluated. Aim: To evaluate and compare the toxicity of P. zeylanica root petroleum ether (PZPE), acetone (PZAC), and the hydroalcoholic (PZHY) extracts. Materials and Methods: The acute and sub-acute toxicities of extracts were evaluated according to OECD guidelines 425 and 407, respectively in female rats. Results: PZPE was more toxic than PZAC and PZHA, based on LD50 values of 93.45, 928.4, and 928.4 mg/kg, respectively. This potency difference directly correlates with the plumbagin content of extracts. With regard to sub-acute toxicity, a significant increase in organ weights (liver, adrenal glands, and/or heart) was observed in PZPE and PZAC treated groups. All extracts produced a significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase and urea, and PZAC produced a significant increase in serum creatinine as compared to control. A decrease in hematocrit was observed in the highest dose PZPE group, and a decrease in leukocytes was observed in all PZAC groups. Hepatic and renal changes were observed in all extract treated groups. Conclusion: The findings of our study, thus demonstrate that liver and kidney are the primary organs being adversely affected following sub-acute administration of P. zeylanica root extract in rats.