The Comparative Double-Blind Clinical Study in Antihelmintic Efficacy Between Thai Traditional Herbal Formulae and Mebendazole.

This study was carried out in Mahasarakham Primary Healthcare Centre, Mahasarakham province in the area of Northeastern of Thailand. The experiment was randomized controlled trial in the clinical study to examine the efficacy of Thai Traditional Herbal Formula (TTHF) in the treatment of antihelmintic activity of mixed worm infections in human. The 2 experimental groups consisted of 10 patients, and 5 patients for control group with inclusion and exclusion criteria, who were screened by the selection of mixed worm infection symptom samples. The investigation and extraction of worm eggs per gram (EPG) of patient feces method were performed with Ether-Formalin Sedimentation test. The percentage of reduction of EPG of patient feces were collected, counted, and confirmed by parasitologist, and the clinical efficacy was investigated by the physician and the pharmacist. The percent EPG data were collected before and after the treatment with TTHF and with mebendazole. The result showed that TTHF had higher efficacy in antihelmintic activity than mebendazole and placebo, which had the percent reduction of EPG of feces as 93.69 in TTHF and percent reduction of EPG of feces as 87.50 in mebendazole. The suggestion of this study should increase the number of samples of worm-infected patients, which the samples can be identified with the specific helminths genus and species to obtain the efficacy by the treatment using TTHF and mebendazole comparatively.

Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Seed Extract from Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats.

BACKGROUND: Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng has been reported to possess various beneficial medicinal properties. Scientific information about this plant is limited. This study was therefore, designed to determine hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of ethanol seed extract from A. bunius (ABSE). Antioxidant activity and also acute toxicity were conducted. METHODOLOGY: The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects were studied by oral giving ABSE at a dose of 250 mg kg -1 to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats daily for 6 weeks. Antioxidant activity was studied using DPPH assay. The ABSE at the doses of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg kg -1 were employed in the acute toxicity study. RESULTS: The results revealed that ABSE significantly (p<0.05) reduced the blood glucose level and recovered the pathology of hematological values, but significantly (p<0.05) increased the body weight and slightly increased serum insulin of the diabetic rats. However, ABSE recovered pathology of hematological values, but affected renal and hepatic functions in the treated rats by producing an alteration of creatinine, albumin, total protein, BUN and ALP. Interestingly, ABSE increased WBC and HDL, but reduced CHOL, LDL and TG both in normal and diabetic ABSE treated rats. The ABSE possessed relatively low antioxidant activity with IC50 of 2174±14.24 mg mL -1 compared to vitamin C (1.48±0.07 µg mL -1). Fortunately, ABSE did not produce any symptoms of acute toxicity and mortality in the rats. CONCLUSION: The ethanol seed extract from A. bunius possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. The ABSE also recovered the pathology of the hematology but may cause renal dysfunction in the diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects are likely due to its antioxidant and insulin secretion activities.

Comparative study of double blind clinical trial in side-effects among Areca catechu l., Thai traditional herbal formula and mebendazole.

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out in Mahasarakham Primary Healthcare Center, Mahasarakham province in the area of Northeastern of Thailand. The experiment was randomized control trial clinical study in order to examine the side effects of Areca catechu Linn., Thai traditional formulae medicine, mebendazole in the treatment of anti-helmintic activity of mixed worms infection in human. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental group consisted of 15 patients and 5 patients for control group with inclusion and exclusion criteria, which were screened by parasitologist with the selection of mixed worm infection patient samples. The investigation of side effects was recorded after the treatment of each group of patient with different kinds of 4 group of medicine. RESULTS: The percentage of side effects was collected by nurses and confirmed by the physician at Mahasarakham Health Center, which were diarrhea and nausea side effects. The percentage of side effects by the treatments of Areca catechu Linn., Thai traditional formulae medicine, mebendazole were investigated by the physician and the pharmacist, which the result showed 20% of diarrhea in Areca catechu Linn., 20% of nausea in Areca catechu Linn, 20% in side effect of diarrhea in mebendazole treatment, and no side effects were found by the treatment of TTFM. The result showed that Areca catechu Linn. had higher side effects among the 3 anti-helmintic drugs. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate to increase the numbers of samples of worm-infected patients, which the samples can be identified with the specification of helminthes genus and species in order to obtain the efficacy by the treatment using Areca catechu Linn and also indicates to increase various forms of dosage preparations and various demographic locations in Thailand.