Investigation of antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of Persicaria orientalis leaves in rodents.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the scientific basis of traditional application of Persicaria orientalis for reducing pain and inflammation. METHODS: An in vitro method was performed to investigate the presence of the anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic crude extract of P. orientalis. In addition, an in vivo study was conducted in which the hot-plate and tail immersion methods were applied to explore the acute effect of P. orientalis on analgesia. The potency to inhibit chronic inflammation in mice was justified by the carrageenan-induced paw edema and formalin-induced edema methods. For all in vivo testing in animal models (albino mice and rats), plant extract was given via the oral route at doses of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. RESULTS: The methanolic extract of P. orientalis produced a significant (p<0.001) inhibition of analgesia with a prolongation of pain response time by 61.80% at 500 mg/kg. The extract also exhibited a potential anti-inflammatory (56.99%) effect, which was also statistically significant (p<0.001). The present study suggests that the methanolic extract of P. orientalis has potential anti-inflammatory as well as analgesic activity and this extract is effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Our current study revealed pharmacological properties of the methanolic extract of P. orientalis and also gave a solid scientific platform against its traditional use. The protecting ability of P. orientalis against inflammatory stimuli may be due to phenolic or flavonoid compounds which we have found through phytochemical analysis.

Etiologies and posttreatment conditions of thyrotoxic patients in Sylhet division, Bangladesh: A clinical series.

OBJECTIVE: The endeavor of the study was to analyze the posttreatment (postradioactive iodine therapy [RAI]) conditions of thyrotoxic patients in a tertiary level hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 186 patients was conducted from 2012 to 2014 in Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Campus. Patients' information regarding the etiologies and their disease status after getting RAI therapy was recorded. RESULTS: In this study, 29.57% patients were male and 70.43% were female where the mean ages were 44.57 and 43.46 accordingly. The most vulnerable group was in between 41 and 50 years of age, which is 25.81%. The patients were categorized according to the etiologies as Graves' disease (GD), multinodular goiter (MNG), and single toxic nodule (STN). In primary stage, 60.22% patients had GD, 26.88% had MNG, and 12.90% had STN. After 6 months of RAI therapy, the disease status of 51.61% patients became euthyroid, 19.35% became hypothyroid, and 29.03% remained thyrotoxic. Thus, a second dose of RAI therapy was given to those patients for next 6 months. After 12 months from the beginning of the therapy of each patient, the total recovery was found to be 72.04%. However, though all the GD patients improved to either euthyroid or hypothyroid state after 6 months, on a 12-month observation, 17.86% of them regained the thyrotoxicosis due to discontinuation of the treatment. CONCLUSION: The findings show an overall significant recovery of thyrotoxic patients taking RAI therapy in INMAS and important points to improve the rate.

In Vitro Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Microbial Potentiality Investigation of Different Fractions of Caryota urens Leaves.

BACKGROUND: Caryota urens is a member of the Arecaceae family and a common plant in the Southeast Asian region. This plant has been reported as an anti-microbial agent in recent years. Thus, we aimed to find out the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) against different pathogenic microorganism. METHODS: The leaves of C. urens were extracted and fractioned using different reagents (chloroform, n-hexane and carbon tetrachloride). Disc diffusion method was implemented for the assessment of in vitro anti-microbial potency (500 and 250 µg/disc). RESULT: The entire fraction showed good effect (with the zone of inhibition 19-25 mm) against both gram positive (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Sarina lutea) and gram negative (Vibrio mimicus, Shigella boydii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial pathogens and fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The plants also possess effective free radical scavenging potency with an IC50 of 130.32 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: This finding reflects a link between the presence of anti-oxidative material and a substantial anti-microbial activity, and substantiates all previous claims against C. urens.