Effect of aqueos neem leaf extract on blood pressure in conscious Wistar rats (a preliminary report)[abstract]

OBJECTIVE: This work investigates the effects of aqeous neem leaf extract on blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure), heart rate and body weight in conscious Wistar rats. METHODS: The rats were divided into three groups of six. The first group received a daily intra-oesophageal bolus of 0.5 ml water. The 2nd and 3rd were given 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg body weight, respectively, of aqeous neem leef extract. Blood pressures and heart rate were measured using the LE 5002 Stroage Pressure meter (Letica Scientific Instruments). Body weight was also measured weekly for eight weeks. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS. RESULTS: Blood pressure, heart rate and body rate were not statistically different between the three groups on day 1. By week 8, the diastolic and mean arterial pressures wre significantly lower (p<0.0001) in the two neem-treated groups than in the controls. There was also no significant difference in weight between the groups. CONCLUSION: The results show that administration of o 20 mg/kg-body weight of aqeuous neem leaf extract reduces diastoloc and mena arterial blood pressures in conscious rats (AU)

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory properties of leaves of Artocarpus altilis (breadfruit)

OBJECTIVE: The leaves of the breadfruit tree (Artocarpus altilis) are used in folklore medicine in the Caribbean to relieve pain and inflammmation. Our objective was to determine whether there is any scientific basis to this folkloric claim. METHODS: An aqueous decoction of breadfruit leaves (BL) was prepared, and tested for anti-inflammatory activity using the "carrageenan induced rat paw oedema" method. Groups of rats were given doses of BL (15, 30 and 60 mg/kg) and saline (control). Additional experiments were done on isolated guinea pig trachea challenged with acetylcholine (Ach), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), bradykinin and histamine to investigate the mechanism of action of BL. RESULTS: BL at a dose of 60 mg/kg exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity (p<0.05) from 0.5 to 4 hours. Lower doses of BL (15 and 30 mg/kg) did not produce any significantly different effects from control (p>0.05). BL antagonized the actions of PGE2 and bradykinin on the trachea but not that of Ach or histamine. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggests that an extract of the breadfruit leaves contains one or more compounds with significant anti-inflammatory properties. However, further studies are required to isolate these compounds and to determine their pharmacological profile. (AU)

Acidovorax anthurii sp. nov., a new phytopathogenic bacterium which causes bacterial leaf-spot of anthurium

The bacterial leaf-spot of anthurium emerged during the 1980s, in the French West Indies and Trinidad. This new bacterial disease is presently wide spread and constitutes a serious limiting factor for commercial anthurium production. Twenty-nine strains isolated from leaf-spots of naturally infected anthurium were characterized and compared with reference strains belonging to the Comamonadaceae family, the genera Ralstonia and Burkholderia, and representative fluorescent pseudomonads. From artificial inoculations 25 out of 29 strains were pathogenic on anthurium. Biochemical and physiological tests, fatty acid analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA-16S RNA hybridization were performed. The 25 pathogenic strains on anthurium were clustered in one phenon closely related to phytopathogenic strains of the genus Acidovorax. Anthurium strains were 79-99% (deltaTm range 0.2-1.6) related to the strain CFBP 3232 and constituted a discrete DNA homology group indicating that they belong to the same species. DNA-rRNA hybridization, 16S rRNA sequence and fatty acid analysis confirmed that this new species belongs to the beta-subclass of Proteobacteria and to rRNA superfamily III, to the family of Comamonadaceae and to the genus Acidovorax. The name Acidovorax anthurii is proposed for this new phytopathogenic bacterium. The type strain has been deposited in the Collection Fran‡aise des Bact‚ries PhytopathogŠnes as CFBP 3232T.