An inventory of the ethnobotanicals used as anti-diabetic by a rural community of Dhemaji district of Assam, Northeast India.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional remedies used for treating diabetic ailments are very important in the primary health care of the people living in rural Dhemaji district of Assam, north-east India. Novel information gathered from the current survey is important in preserving folk indigenous knowledge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interviews were conducted amongst 80 households comprising of 240 individuals using semi-structured questionnaires. The focus was on plants used in treating diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The current survey documented 21 plant species (20 families) which are reportedly used to treat diabetes mellitus by the rural people in the study area. To the best of our knowledge, Amomum linguiforme, Cinnamomum impressinervium, Colocasia esculenta, Dillenia indica, Euphorbia ligularia, Garcinia pedunculata, Solanum indicum, Sterculia villosa and Tabernaemontana divaricata are recorded for the first time based on globally published literature as medicinal plants used for treating diabetes mellitus and related symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The wide variety of plants that are used to treat diabetes mellitus in this area supports the traditional value that medicinal plants have in the primary health care system of the rural people of Dhemaji district of Assam. The finding of new plant uses in the current study reveals the importance of the documentation of such ethnobotanical knowledge.

Anti-malarial herbal remedies of northeast India, Assam: an ethnobotanical survey.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Malaria is a serious public health problem in the north-eastern region of India including Assam, in view of development of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum. There is need for alternative and affordable therapy. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was conducted to document indigenous knowledge, usage customs and practices of medicinal plant species traditionally used by the residents of Sonitpur district of Tezpur, Assam to treat malaria and its associated symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 randomly selected sampling represented by male (38.76%) and female respondents (12.24%) were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The present ethno-botanical survey revealed 22 species of plants belonging to 17 botanical families were reported to be used exclusively in this region for the treatment of malaria. Verbenaceae (three species), Menispermaceae (two species), and Acanthaceae (two species) botanical families represented the species that are most commonly cited in this survey work and the detailed use of plants has been collected and described. CONCLUSIONS: The most serious threat to the existing knowledge and practice on traditional medicinal plants included cultural change, particularly the influence of modernization and lack of interests shown by the next younger generations were the main problems reported by the informants during the field survey. Hence, the proper documentation of traditional medicinal plants being used as anti-malarial agents and related indigenous knowledge held by the tribal community is an important approach to control the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria reported in this survey work.

Antipyretic and antibacterial activity of Chloranthus erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdcourt leaf extract: A popular folk medicine of Arunachal Pradesh.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this work was to study the antipyretic and antibacterial activity of C. erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdcourt leaf extract in an experimental albino rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methanol extract of C. erectus leaf (MECEL) was evaluated for its antipyretic potential on normal body temperature and Brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia in albino rat's model. While the antibacterial activity of MECEL against five Gram (-) and three Gram (+) bacterial strains and antimycotic activity was investigated against four fungi using agar disk diffusion and microdilution methods. RESULT: Yeast suspension (10 mL/kg b.w.) elevated rectal temperature after 19 h of subcutaneous injection. Oral administration of MECEL at 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. showed significant reduction of normal rectal body temperature and yeast-provoked elevated temperature (38.8 ± 0.2 and 37.6 ± 0.4, respectively, at 2-3 h) in a dose-dependent manner, and the effect was comparable to that of the standard antipyretic drug-paracetamol (150 mg/kg b.w.). MECEL at 2 mg/disk showed broad spectrum of growth inhibition activity against both groups of bacteria. However, MECEL was not effective against the yeast strains tested in this study. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the methanol extract of C. erectus exhibited significant antipyretic activity in the tested models and antibacterial activity as well, and may provide the scientific rationale for its popular use as antipyretic agent in Khamptis's folk medicines.

An ethnobotanical study of traditional anti-inflammatory plants used by the Lohit community of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Most people especially in rural areas depend on herbal medicines to treat many diseases including inflammation-related ailments such as rheumatism, muscle swelling, cut wound, accidental bone fracture, insect bites, pains and burn by fire and hot water. The objectives of this study were: to catalog ethno-medicinal plants of Lohit community, ecological status, indigenous folk medicinal uses, morphological parts used and to determine their reported pharmacological studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethnobotanical information on traditional medicinal plants exclusively used for management of inflammation-related ailments by the Khampti community of Arunachal Pradesh, India was based on first-hand field survey work through semi-structured interviews. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 34 species in 32 genera and 22 families were encountered during the field survey. Botanical families such as Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Zingiberaceae and Lamiaceae were represented by the highest numbers of species reported in this study. Thirteen plant species, namely: Bombax ceiba, Canarium strictum, Chloranthus erectus, Xanthium indicum, Lycopodium clavatum, Coleus blumei, Batrachospermum atrum, Chlorella vulgaris, Marchantia palmata, Marchantia polymorpha, Eria pannea, Sterculia villosa and Alpinia galanga are reported for the first time for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.

In vitro activity of gentamicin and amikacin against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi: a search for a treatment regimen for typhoid fever.

The emergence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and 3rd-generation cephalosporins is a concern for physicians in developing countries. This study assessed the in vitro activity of gentamicin and amikacin against 464 S. entenca serovar Typhi isolates obtained from blood of patients clinically suspected of enteric fever who attended the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine from 1991 to 2003. The isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and amikacin, showing minimum inhibitory concentrations 0.01-4 microg/mL and 0.005-3.5 microg/mL respectively. Both agents showed bactericidal activity at concentrations of 2 microg/mL after incubation for 6 hours. Aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin and amikacin may thus be introduced as a treatment regimen for typhoid fever.

In vitro activity of gentamicin and amikacin against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi: a search for a treatment regimen for typhoid fever

The emergence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and 3rd-generation cephalosporins is a concern for physicians in developing countries. This study assessed the in vitro activity of gentamicin and amikacin against 464 S. enterica serovar Typhi isolates obtained from blood of patients clinically suspected of enteric fever who attended the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine from 1991 to 2003. The isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and amikacin, showing minimum inhibitory concentrations 0.01-4 microg/mL and 0.005-3.5 microg/mL respectively. Both agents showed bactericidal activity at concentrations of 2 microg/mL after incubation for 6 hours. Aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin and amikacin may thus be introduced as a treatment regimen for typhoid fever

Antibacterial activity of Cuscuta reflexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed.

The methanol extracts of Cuscuta reflexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.

Recent trends in leprosy in a large district of West Bengal, India, revealed by a modified leprosy elimination campaign (MLEC), 1998.

A Modified Leprosy Elimination Campaign (MLEC) in September 1998 in the District of Midnapore, West Bengal, covered a population of 8.1 million people and detected 8181 new cases. Available data from 7328 cases were studied to observe the trend for leprosy in this area. Data are presented on sex and age distribution, classification and the proportions of multibacillary (MB), paucibacillary (PB) and single skin lesion (SSL) cases discovered in a period of only 8 days. The large numbers of people examined in this district and the high total of new cases revealed are in keeping with experience in other parts of the State and in other parts of India. However, many cases were found in endemic areas and these will receive special attention in a second MLEC, planned for January 2000.

A furanoid labdane diterpene from Potamogeton nodosus.

A new furanoid diterpene, 15,16-epoxy-12-oxo-8(17), 13(16), 14-labdatrien-20,19-olide (1) was isolated from an ethanolic extract of Potamogeton nodosus. Its structure was elucidated by the usual spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR techniques. Compound 1 was found to exhibit moderate inhibitory activity against a number of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.