Efficacy of Specific Plant Products on Microorganisms Causing Dental Caries.

INTRODUCTION: Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases seen globally, both in developed and developing countries. Oral microorganisms that is gram positive and gram negative bacteria are known to be involved in causation of these diseases. Nowadays commercially available dentrifices and mouth rinses are known to contain ingredients that can alter the oral microbial flora and have undesirable side effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, disarrangement of oral, intestinal flora and tooth staining. Naturally available plant products are known to be less harmful with fewer side effects and also economical for the patient. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial properties of 10 naturally available plant products against oral microorganisms causing caries and to check the efficacy of these products in-vitro and to use these in mouth washes and dentrifices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample of caries material was scrapped out from the extracted teeth and transferred to liquid broth, streaked over the agar media to allow for the growth of microorganisms. Plant products like clove oil, neem, ginger-garlic paste, tea tree oil, ginger, garlic, cinnamon oil, green tea, eucalyptus oil and turmeric were used. Antimicrobial efficacy of these products, was estimated by measuring zones of inhibition in the nutrient agar media. RESULTS: Clove oil was the most effective of all products against microorganisms causing caries with zone of inhibition - 30mm followed by ginger-garlic paste - 25mm, Neem - 15mm, tea tree oil - 15mm. CONCLUSION: Based on the above results, it can be inferred that these natural products have the maximum efficacy against microorganisms and can be recommended in dentifrices, mouth rinses, topical gels, etc.

Larvicidal activity of few select indigenous plants of North East India against disease vector mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).

Mosquitoes are the vectors of several life threatening diseases like dengue, malaria, Japanese encephalitis and lymphatic filariasis, which are widely present in the north-eastern states of India. Investigations on five local plants of north-east India, selected on the basis of their use by indigenous communities as fish poison, were carried out to study their mosquito larvicidal potential against Anopheles stephensi (malaria vector), Stegomyia aegypti (dengue vector) and Culex quinquefasciatus (lymphatic filariasis vector) mosquitoes. Crude Petroleum ether extracts of the roots of three plants viz. Derris elliptica, Linostoma decandrum and Croton tiglium were found to have remarkable larvicidal activity; D. elliptica extract was the most effective and with LC50 value of 0.307 µg/ml its activity was superior to propoxur, the standard synthetic larvicide. Half-life of larvicidal activity of D. elliptica and L. decandrum extracts ranged from 2-4 days.

Blood transfusion in obstetrics.

Transfusion of blood and blood components is a common practice in obstetric wards but it is not without risk. The incidence of transfusion reactions varies from 4 in every hundred transfusions for non-haemolytic reactions to one in every 40,000 for haemolytic transfusion reactions. The physiological basis of blood transfusion is outlined in this article. Most of the donated blood is processed into components: packed red cells (PRBCs), platelets, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or cryoprecipitate. Various alternatives to blood transfusion exist and include autotransfusion, pre-autologous blood storage, use of oxygen carrying blood substitutes and intraoperative cell salvage. Despite the risks associated with transfusions, obstetricians are frequently too aggressive in transfusing blood and blood products to their patients. Acute blood loss in obstetrics is usually due to placenta praevia, postpartum blood loss and surgery related. An early involvement of a consultant obstetrician, anaesthetist, haematologist and the blood bank is essential. There are no established criteria for initiating red cell transfusions and the decision is purely based on clinical and haematological parameters, which have been discussed along with the general principles of blood transfusion in obstetrics and some practical guidelines.

Joint effusions and purpura in multiply-transfused adult beta-thalassemia- clinical pointers to diagnosis of scurvy.

Periodic transfusions and effective chelation have ensured that thalassemics survive in to adulthood but their life is punctuated by peculiar problems in adulthood. Three cases of scurvy are being reported presenting uniquely as purpura, right hip joint effusion and right knee joint effusion with haemorrhage in prepatellar and retropatellar bursae, respectively over an 18 month period (2009-2010). The first two cases did give a history of gum bleed. None had any coagulation disturbance or transfusion-transmitted infections or connective tissue disorder. All the three cases responded dramatically to vitamin C supplementation. It is imperative to keep in mind that recurrent blood transfusions are associated with a state of subclinical vitamin C deficiency and overt scurvy may manifest as cumulative number of transfusions increase, as in adult thalassemics.

New cost-effective method for conversion of vegetable oil to biodiesel.

A low cost method to convert triglycerides to biodiesel by transesterification reaction has been investigated. The new approach is based on controlled feeding of oil into a pool of alcohol allowing easy dispersion of oil creating large interfacial area for mass transfer. It also enabled equilibrium constants to shift in the forward direction due to excess of alcohol in the dispersion. As a result product yield higher than 95% could be achieved at lower energy input compared to conventional method. Comparisons made with conventional batch and co-solvent enabled method show differences and highlight improvements. Reactions were conducted in one liter reactor at various residence time, temperature and molar ratio of canola oil with methanol in presence of potassium hydroxide as the catalyst. Samples were collected at regular intervals and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) to determine the reaction progress.

Development and validation of a method for densitometric analysis of berberine in herbal extract and polyherbal formulation.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the quantification of berberine in herbal extract and pharmaceutical dosage form. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The HPTLC was performed on aluminium foil plates coated with 200 µm silica gel 60F(254). Linear ascending development with toluene:ethyl acetate:formic acid:methanol 9:9:3:1 (v/v/v/v) was performed at room temperature (25 ± 2°C) in a twin-trough glass chamber saturated with mobile-phase vapour. Compact bands (R(F) 0.58 ± 0.02) were obtained for berberine. Spectrodensitometric scanning was performed in fluorescence mode at 350 nm. The method was validated for precision, recovery, robustness, specificity, and detection and quantification limits, in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis of the calibration plots showed a good linear relationship (r(2) = 0.9996 ± 0.0001) between peak area and concentration in the range 10-100 ng/band, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification were 2.8 and 9.3 ng/band. The recovery of the method was 98.5-100.6%. CONCLUSION: The above method was a rapid and cost-effective quality-control tool for routine analysis of berberine in herbal extracts and in pharmaceutical dosage form.

Effect of Manuka honey and sulfasalazine in combination to promote antioxidant defense system in experimentally induced ulcerative colitis model in rats.

Manuka honey (MH, 5g/kg) provided protection against trinitro-benzo-sulphonic acid induced colonic damage. Combination therapy (MH+sulfasalazine) also reduced colonic inflammation and all the biochemical parameters were significant compared to control and MH alone treated group. Combination therapy showed additive effect of the MH which restored lipid peroxidation and improvement of antioxidant parameters. Morphological and histological scores were significantly reduced in combination groups. In inflammatory model of colitis, oral administration of MH (5g/kg) and combination with sulfasalazine (360 mg/kg) with MH (5g/kg) significantly reduced the colonic inflammation. The results indicate the additive effect of Manuka honey with sulfasalazine in colitis.

Effect of different doses of Manuka honey in experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats.

To evaluate the effect of different doses of Manuka honey in experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats. Adult Wistar rats of either sex were used (n = 30). Colitis was induced by a single intracolonic administration of TNBS dissolved in 35% ethanol. The rats (n = 30) were divided into five groups (n = 6) and were treated with vehicle (ethanol), TNBS, Manuka honey (5 g/kg, p.o.), Manuka honey (10 g/kg, p.o.) or sulfasalazine (360 mg/kg, p.o.) body weight for 14 days. After completion of treatment, the animals were killed and the following parameters were assessed: morphological score, histological score and different antioxidant parameters.Manuka honey at different doses provided protection against TNBS-induced colonic damage. There was significant protection with Manuka honey 5 g/kg as well as with 10 g/kg body weight compared with the control (p < 0.001). All the treated groups showed reduced colonic inflammation and all the biochemical parameters were significantly reduced compared with the control in the Manuka honey treated groups (p < 0.001). Manuka honey at different doses restored lipid peroxidation as well as improved antioxidant parameters. Morphological and histological scores were significantly reduced in the low dose Manuka honey treated group (p < 0.001). In the inflammatory model of colitis, oral administration of Manuka honey 5 g/kg and Manuka honey 10 g/kg body weight significantly reduced the colonic inflammation. The present study indicates that Manuka honey is efficacious in the TNBS-induced rat colitis model, but these results require further confirmation in human studies.

Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)-induced DNA adducts in mouse tissues are different from the adduct induced by the activated form of the Bracken carcinogen ptaquiloside.

Following treatment with bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) extract and bracken spores a number of DNA adducts were detected by (32)P-postlabeling. Three of these adducts have been described previously (Povey et al., Br. J. Cancer (1996) 74, 1342-1348) and in this study, using a slightly different protocol, four new adducts, with higher chromatographic mobility, were detected at levels ranging from 50 to 230% of those previously described. When DNA was treated in vitro with activated ptaquiloside (APT) and analysed by butanol extraction or nuclease P1 treatment, only one adduct was detected by (32)P-postlabeling. This adduct was not present in the DNA from mice treated with bracken fern or spores, suggesting either that bracken contains genotoxins other than ptaquiloside or that the metabolism of ptaquiloside produces genotoxins not reflected by activated ptaquiloside. However, as the ATP-derived adduct has been detected previously in ileal DNA of bracken-fed calves, species-specific differences in the metabolism of bracken genotoxins may exist, thereby leading to differences in their biological outcomes.

Epidemic dropsy--a clinical study of the Delhi outbreak.

BACKGROUND: A major outbreak of epidemic dropsy occurred in Delhi, India, in August-September 1998, due to the consumption of contaminated mustard oil. METHODS: The clinical data of 212 adult patients of epidemic dropsy who presented to our hospital is analysed. RESULTS: Pitting pedal oedema (100%), skin erythema (75%), limb tenderness (63%), diarrhea (51%) and hepatomegaly (34%) were the prominent clinical manifestations observed in the patients. Superficial retinal haemorrhages and retinal venous dilatation was observed on fundus examination and 9% of patients developed an open angle glaucoma over a three month follow up period. Cardiac failure was present in 14% of patients. Most patients had mild disease which responded to cessation of mustard oil consumption, bed rest, diuretics and antioxidants. There were six deaths, all of whom had intractable cardiac failure. A unique feature of this outbreak was the documentation of acute renal failure in three patients, a phenomenon never described previously. CONCLUSIONS: Strict law enforcement to prevent the contamination of edible oils is essential to avoid the occurrence of future similar outbreaks.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in human diet.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are the leading plant toxins associated with disease in humans and animals. Upon ingestion, metabolic activation in liver converts the parent compounds into highly reactive electrophiles capable of reacting with cellular macromolecules forming adducts which may initiate acute or chronic toxicity. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids present a serious health risk to human populations that may be exposed to them through contamination of foodstuffs or when plants containing them are consumed as medicinal herbs. Some pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) adducts are persistent in animal tissue and the metabolites may be re-released and cause damage long after the initial period of ingestion. PAs are also known to act as teratogens and abortifacients. Chronic ingestion of plants containing PAs has also led to cancer in experimental animals and metabolites of several PAs have been shown to be mutagenic in the Salmonella typhimurium/mammalian microsome system. However, no clinical association has yet been found between human cancer and exposure to PAs. Based on the extensive reports on the outcome of human exposure available in the literature, we conclude that while humans face the risk of veno-occlusive disease and childhood cirrhosis PAs are not carcinogenic to humans.

Clinical and laboratory profile of diabetes in elderly.

India is amidst a demographic transition showing an ageing trend. This will increase non-communicable diseases including diabetes which is already showing an increasing trend. With scanty literature existing on elderly diabetics (> 60 years of age), it was decided to study the clinico-laboratory and complication profile of this group of patients. Fifty consecutive elderly diabetics were studied and evaluated for ECG, chest x-ray, blood sugar, urea, creatinine, lipid profile, proteinuria, motor nerve conduction velocity and autonomic neuropathy. Duration of diabetes varied from one month to 28 years. Fifty-six per cent of the patients presented with classical symptoms of polyuria, polyphagia and polydipsia. Hypertension was present in 40% and cataract in 54% of the patients. Eighteen per cent were obese, 52% had evidence of peripheral neuropathy while 56% had autonomic neuropathy. Background diabetic retinopathy was present in 56%, pre-proliferative retinopathy and maculopathy in 4% each; hypertensive retinopathy in 10% of patients; 44% had microproteinuria and 8% had chronic renal failure. Hypercholesterolaemia was present in 64% and hypertriglyceridaemia in 42% of the patients with 26% having coronary artery disease. Sixty per cent were harbouring infections--20% had foot infections, 14% had tuberculosis and 10% had urinary tract infections. Ninety-two per cent of the patients were aware of their disease but 62% were not aware of the complications and of the need for strict dietary and drug compliance. There was a high prevalence of associated diseases viz, osteoarthritis, cataract, hypertension, hepatitis and parkinsonism. Therefore, this study brings out the need to have a holistic and multidisciplinary approach for management of elderly diabetics who constitute a heterogeneous group with distinct health care problems.

Bancroftian filariasis in Namrup tea estate, district Dibrugarh, Assam.

Filariasis survey in a randomly selected tea estate of district Dibrugrah revealed 6.7% infection of Wuchereria bancrofti in labour population with microfilaria (mf) rate of 7.6% in males and 5.9% in females. The mf rate increased progressively with the age which however, dropped in 31-40 age group of males and in 41-50 age group of females. Chronic filariasis diseases rate was 2.7%. The involvement of genitals in manifesting chronic filariasis was significantly higher than of the lower extremities. Infection and infectivity rates in the vector mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus were 6.1% and 4.6% respectively with mean L3 load per infective mosquito of 8.5. Drains, land, peridomestic ditches were chief breeding habitats of Cules quinquefasciatus in the tea estate.

Effect of arteether alpha/beta on uncomplicated falciparum malaria cases in Upper Assam.

Thirty patients of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria completed a clinical trial of arteether alpha/beta conducted in a malaria endemic tea garden of district Dibrugarh, Assam. Arteether was given intramuscularly in once a day dose of 150 mg for three consecutive days. The cure rate was 100 per cent with mean fever and parasite clearance time of 42.4 +/- 17.5 and 37.6 +/- 13.6 h respectively. Recrudescence/reinfection rate was 6.7 per cent. Palpable spleens of twenty out of twenty one cases on day 0 became non palpable within 28 days. Following the treatment, percentage of hemoglobin improved marginally with no remarkable change in total and differential leucocyte count. Arteether alpha/beta, besides being a potent and fast acting schizontocidal drug, also exhibited gametocytocidal action on P. falciparum.

Timely administration of extract of Ferula jaeschkeana causes luteolysis in the ovary of cyclic guineapig.

Effect of hexane extract of Ferula jaeschkeana has been studied on corpora lutea of adult cyclic guinea-pigs. Administration of extract showed duration dependent luteolytic changes in the corpora lutea. Its administration for first three days from the onset of estrus caused significant decrease in the diameter of corpora lutea in the ovary at day 10 of cycle. Ovarian wet weight, proteins and glycogen contents were decreased while the activity of acid phosphatase in the ovary was increased. These luteolytic changes in the ovary have also been observed in the histological findings. Administration of extract for other durations (4-6, 7-9 or 10-12 of cycle) did not cause any change at 10th and 16th day.

Therapeutic efficacy of combined meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid and calcium disodium edetate treatment during acute lead intoxication in rats.

1. The therapeutic ability of Ca disodium EDTA and meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) was studied, both individually and when given in combination, in reducing lead concentration in blood and other soft tissues, and in restoring lead induced altered biochemical variables in acute lead intoxicated rats. 2. Combined treatment with the above two chelating agents was more beneficial in reducing blood and hepatic lead compared to treatment with these drugs alone. Kidney lead concentration however, remained high following combined treatment, indicating the possibility of extra renal burden following treatment. 3. Lead sensitive biochemical variables also responded more favourably to combined treatment than treatment with these drugs alone. However, clinical biochemical indices indicate caution regarding the use of this new treatment regimen, and further investigation is required.

Toxicological studies on the ethanolic extract of Crotalaria juncea seeds in rats.

The effect of the ethanolic extract of Crotalaria juncea Linn. (Leguminosae) seeds has been assessed on liver, kidney, spleen and adrenals of adult rats. Results revealed that its administration at a dose of 200 mg/kg caused significant alterations. Wet weight of the organs was reduced. Protein and glycogen contents in all the organs were decreased significantly, whereas, the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase was increased. Histology revealed remarkable disintegration necrosis and degeneration in the liver. Renal tubular cells showed degeneration and exfoliation. Adrenals showed hypertrophy in the region of zona glomerulosa. In the spleen the number of megakaryotic cells and lymphocytes was increased. Administration of the extract therefore not only damaged the liver but other vital organs too were also affected.