Satish E Bahekar

Antidiarrheal activity of ethanolic extract of Manihot esculenta Crantz leaves in Wistar rats

Background: Use of Manihot esculenta Crantz (MEC) plant has been mentioned in literature of Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, Central Tuber Crops Research Institute and many others. It is also known commonly as tapioca, continues to be a crop of food security for the millions of people, especially in the developing countries of the globe including India. Medicinal uses of this plant including diarrhea have been mentioned in literature, but scientific evidence is lacking. Objective: The objective was to study antidiarrheal activity of ethanolic leaf extract of MEC in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic extract of MEC leaves in the doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg were used in Wistar rats of either sex. Experimental models used were castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation and charcoal passage test. Loperamide and atropine sulfate were the standard drugs used in these models respectively. Results: MEC extracts decreased intestinal fluid volume in dose dependent manner no extract group was comparable with standard drug loperamide (5 mg/kg). MEC extracts also significantly inhibited gastrointestinal motility in dose dependent manner. MEC (100 mg/kg) and MEC (200 mg/kg) were comparable with standard drug atropine sulfate (5 mg/kg) in this aspect. <0.05 were considered to be significant. Conclusions: Ethanolic extract of MEC leaves exhibited significant antidiarrheal activity by decreasing intestinal fluid accumulation and the gastrointestinal motility in Wistar rats.

SNAKE BITES: ROLE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN MANAGEMENT

 Abstract—Distribution of Casuarina equisetifolia in Indonesia based on the examination of Bogoriense Herbarium specimen were Islands of Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Moluccas, Java, and Lesser Sunda. Recently C. equisetifolia had also been spreading with the aid of people into Parangtritis sand dune and 27 beaches in 21 coastal villages (65.5%) along the southern coast of Yogyakarta. Their locations and plantation patterns clarified by using exploring method and Google Earth reference images. Five plantation patterns were depicted i.e. oblique comb, untu walang, rows formation, individual, and rectangle. The first two constitute the early pattern, but not currently replicated. The largest numbers of rows formation and rectangle, which were established between fore-dune and landward in Bantul and Kulonprogo, proved associated with agricultural land. In individual, C. equisetifolia had been distributing in roadsides, yard of fishing villages, and tourism beaches as shady tree and greenery landscape.

Anti-scorpion venom activity of Andrographis paniculata: A combined and comparative study with anti-scorpion serum in mice.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the anti-scorpion venom (ASV) property of Andrographis paniculata in comparison with anti-redscorpion venom serum and this study aimed to determine its combined effect with anti-redscorpion venom serum. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic extract of the plant AP was obtained using soxhlet apparatus. Swiss albino mice weighing 20-30g were used. Lyophilized venom sample of Mesobuthus tamulus and Lyophilized monovalent enzyme refined immunoglobulin anti-scorpion venom serum (ASV) was used. Using lethal dose of scorpion venom (25.12μg/g), the venom neutralizing ability of plant extract (1 g/kg) and ASV individually as well as in combination was studied using in vivo and in vitro methods. Mean survival time, protection fold and percentage survival of animals over the period of 24 h were the parameters used. Statistical Analysis: Results were analyzed using Students t-test. Results: Ethanolic extract of AP (1 g/kg) showed some protective effect against scorpion venom. ASV was found more effective than plant extract. But, when plant extract and ASV were used in combination, potency of ASV was found to be increased both in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions: Present study demonstrates that, both plant extract and ASV have their own scorpion venom neutralising ability in vivo and in vitro, but their combination is most effective in venom neutralizing ability.

Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Manihot esculenta Crantz in wistar rats

Aims: The study aimed to explore the antioxidant activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Manihot esculenta Crantz leaves (MEC) in wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Ethanolic extract of MEC leaves in the doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg were used in wistar rats of either sex. The oxidative stress was produced by overdose of acetaminophen and estimation of serum concentration of various enzymes such as malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were measured by standard biochemical methods. Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was used as a standard drug for assessment of antioxidant status. Statistical Analysis Used: Results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Students unpaired t-test. Results: When compared with the standard antioxidant silymarin, MEC extract did not exhibit antioxidant activity in terms of MDA level reduction. However, it significantly increased serum levels of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH, and CAT) exerting a potent antioxidant effect in a graded manner. Conclusions: The observed results suggest that MEC could be a potential source of antioxidants. However, further studies are required to explore this therapeutic property of plant.

Drug utilization study on antimicrobials use in lower respiratory tract infection in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Rural Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Antimicrobial agents (AMAs) are the most commonly prescribed drugs for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). This study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of prescription and AMAs use in LRTI. Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of prescription and AMAs use in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for LRTIs patients of Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: This is prospective, observational study undertaken in a pediatric patient in PICU in tertiary care hospital. Prescriptions of 65 patients of age group 1-12 years diagnosed with (LRTIs) years admitted in PICU of a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital were studied. Positive blood samples were studies for common microorganisms, their sensitivity, and resistance to AMAs. Settings and Design: The study was a prospective, observational study carried out by collecting prescriptions of patients admitted in PICU diagnosed as LRTI clinically. Statistical Analysis Used: The obtained data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using Microsoft Excel. Results: Of 65 patients admitted in PICU of LRTI, 12 patients were of mild-moderate pneumonia, three patients were of bronchiolitis, ten patients were of croup, three patients were of bronchitis, and 37 patients were of severe pneumonia. The most frequently prescribed AMAs were a combination of cephalosporin and aminoglycosides. The most common organism isolated was streptococcus pneumonia sensitive to meropenem in 84.6%, resistant to ampicillin in 92.3%, amoxicillin in 92.3%, and cloxacillin in 92.3% of cases. Conclusions: This study has given an insight into utilization pattern of AMAs in LRTI prescribing on which future intervention studies may be based to promote rational drug use.

Levofloxacin-induced bullous fixed drug eruption: A rare case report

Drug-induced cutaneous adverse drug reactions are very much common, especially with antibiotics. Fluoroquinolones are widely used antibiotics for different types of infective conditions. However, dermatological adverse drug reactions to this category of antibiotics are very rare but many times fatal. Bullous fixed drug eruption (FDE), being one of them, is very important to watch for. Here, we are reporting levofloxacin-induced bullous FDE in elderly hypertensive patient.

Drug-interaction-induced hemodynamically mediated acute renal failure in postsurgical patient

Acute renal failure is a life threatening condition. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cephalosporins are widely used postoperative drugs. NSAID-induced acute renal failure has been reported in the past. In this case, drug interaction and decompensated state of the patient precipitate the condition. NSAIDs inhibit prostaglandins synthesis and thus aggravate ischemia to the kidney that is already facing volume crisis due to surgery. Due to renal dysfunction, plasma ceftriaxone level increases due to decrease clearance and it also acts as nephrotoxic by unknown mechanism. On the other hand, ceftriaxone on its interaction with diclofenac for renal tubular clearance also increases the level of diclofenac and thus further aggravate the ischemia. It is a reversible condition with excluding diclofenac from the treatment regimen and giving adequate hydration to the patient. This highlights the importance of hydration and knowledge of drugs interactions in a postsurgical patient.