Cucumis trigonus Roxb. II. Diuretic activity.

An alcoholic extract of Cucumis trigonus was studied for its diuretic activity in albino rats using hydrochlorothiazide as a standard drug for comparison. The extract exhibited a dose-dependent saliuretic effect reaching a peak at 4 hours. Unlike hydrochlorothiazide, the extract does not affect potassium excretion.

A comparison of four analgesics in post-episiotomy pain.

This study was conducted to compare the analgesic efficacy of four commonly used analgesics namely ibuprofen, analgin, paracetamol and aspirin in post-episiotomy pain. The subjects were healthy postpartum women on the obstetric service of Goa Medical College, each of whom received only one experimental medication. Subjective reports were used as indices of pain intensity or relief. Ibuprofen was found to be the most effective analgesic in post-episiotomy pain followed by analgin and paracetamol in that order. Surprisingly, aspirin was found to be no better than placebo.

Dual action of zinc on ileal smooth muscle--zinc-calcium interaction.

Effect of zinc sulphate was studied on histamine-induced contractions on guinea-pig ileum. In doses of 1.72 X 10(-7)M or less no effects were observed. Zinc sulphate in doses of 3.44 X 10(-7)M, 6.88 X 10(-7)M and 1.72 X 10(-6)M produced dual effect. Short exposure of tissue for 10 min to zinc sulphate resulted in significant dose dependent potentiation of histamine effect whereas after washing the tissue of zinc sulphate, histamine response was inhibited significantly and in a dose dependent manner. Higher concentrations of zinc sulphate of 3.44 X 10(-6)M and above produced irreversible inhibition of histamine response. The above observations have been explained in terms of zinc-calcium interaction. It is hypothesized that interaction of zinc with calcium may take place extracellularly at membrane level and intracellularly.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity in alcoholic extracts of Cucumis trigonus Roxburghii. A preliminary communication.

Alcoholic extract of Cucumis trigonus was studied for analgesic activity by tail clip method in mice with pethidine hydrochloride as standard drug and by hydrochloric acid-induced writhing in mice using sodium salicylate as standard drug for comparison. ED50 of the extract was found to be 2.5 +/- 1.9 and 2.5 +/- 1.7 mg/kg in the two methods, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity was studied in carrageenin-induced oedema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma using phenylbutazone as a standard drug for comparison. In both the methods the extract exhibited statistically significant activity.

Probable mechanism of action of methyldopa on cholinergically innervated tissues.

Methyldopa (200 and 400 micrograms/ml) induced an increase in the responsiveness of guinea-pig ileum to ACh after incubation for 1 hr 15 min. However, no such effect was observed in the case of frog rectus abdominis muscle. It is suggested that methyldopa influences receptor mechanisms associated with cholinergic muscarinic but not nicotinic receptors.