Digital gangrene induced by inadvertent intra-arterial cocktail injection of anesthetic agents such as pentazocine, promethazine, and atropine: A serious adverse drug experience.

Gangrenous changes in skin due to accidental intra-arterial injection of promethazine and pentazocine have been reported. Accidental intra-arterial injection is most commonly encountered in the antecubital fossa. However, recent reports in the radial and ulnar arteries have also been encountered. We hereby report a serious, preventable adverse drug experience in the form of digital gangrene induced by inadvertent intra-arterial cocktail injection of anesthetic agents such as pentazocine, promethazine, and atropine, which seems to be in the radial artery as the lateral three digits and dorsum of the hand are affected.

Anti-diarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of Ocimum kilimandscharicum.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ocimum kilimandscharicum Baker ex Güerke, commonly referred to as Kapur Tulsi, is a medicinal herb that belongs to the family of Lamiaceae. It is traditionally popular for its gastroprotective effects, including its use as a digestive and anti-diarrhoeal. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to prove the anti-diarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum in animal models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aqueous extract was tested at three different dose levels (100, 200 and 400mg/kg, p.o. in rats and the corresponding doses in mice) against castor-oil induced diarrhoea model and castor oil induced enteropooling assay in rats; and charcoal meal test/intestinal motility test in mice. The parameters observed were the onset of defecation, cumulative faecal weight and consistency of faeces in the castor oil induced diarrhoea model; the weight of intestinal content in castor oil induced enteropooling assay; and the distance travelled by charcoal in the intestinal motility test. RESULTS: A significant delay in the onset of defecation (p<0.05), reduction in the cumulative faecal weight (p<0.001), along with a change in the faecal consistency from watery to solid form was observed at the dose of 200mg/kg in the castor oil-induced diarrhoea model. Similarly, the extract at the doses of 100mg/kg (p<0.01) and 200mg/kg (p<0.001) significantly decreased the weight of intestinal content in castor oil induced enteropooling assay. In the charcoal meal test the extract at the dose of 280mg/kg (corresponding to 200mg/kg in rats) significantly (p<0.01) reduced the distance travelled by charcoal. CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum showed anti-diarrhoeal activity, which may be due to its anti-motility and anti-secretory effects, which thus proved the traditional claims.