In vitro propagation of Rauwolfia serpentina using liquid medium, assessment of genetic fidelity of micropropagated plants, and simultaneous quantitation of reserpine, ajmaline, and ajmalicine

Rauwolfia serpentina holds an important position in the pharmaceutical world because of its immense anti-hypertensive properties resulting from the presence of reserpine in the oleoresin fraction of the roots. Poor seed viability, low seed germination rate, and enormous genetic variability are the major constraints for the commercial cultivation of R. serpentina through conventional mode. The present optimized protocol offers an impeccable end to end method from the establishment of aseptic cultures to in-vitro plantlet production employing semisolid as well liquid nutrient culture medium and assessment of their genetic fidelity using polymerase chain reaction based rapid amplification of polymorphic DNA analysis. In vitro shoots multiplied on Murashige and Skoog basal liquid nutrients supplemented with benzo[a]pyrene (1.0 mg/L) and NAA (0.1 mg/L) and in-vitro rhizogenesis was observed in modified MS basal nutrient containing NAA (1.0 mg/L) and 2% sucrose. In-vitro raised plants exhibited 90-95% survival under glass house/field condition and 85% similarity in the plants regenerated through this protocol. Field established plants were harvested and extraction of indole alkaloid particularly reserpine, ajmaline and ajmalicine and their simultaneous quantitation was performed using monolithic reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Rosai Dorfman disease--a clinico-pathological presentation

Rosai Dorfman disease (RDD) or sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML) is a rare disorder that typically manifests as lymphadenopathy and systemic symptoms. The authors report a 45 year old lady who presented with nasal mass and generalised lymphadenopathy. Histopathological examination demonstrated lymphophagocytosis (emperipolesis) consistent with a diagnosis of RDD. The clinical and histologic aspects of the disease are discussed as a rare cause of generalised lymphadenopathy.

Disruption of elements uptake due to excess chromium in Indian medicinal plants

Chromium and its compounds may cause disturbance in the nutrient level of the plants. Iron, manganese, copper, and zinc are essential nutrient elements and required for balanced growth and development of plants, but chromium uptake sometimes disturbed their concentration in plants. Therefore, in the present paper, an effort has been made to observe the effect of different levels of Cr on nutrient uptake of Phyllanthus amarus and Solanum nigrum, the medicinally important plants of indigenous systems of medicine having hepatoprotective and diuretic properties. The study revealed that Cr causes significant changes in nutrient uptake as compared to control plants. Besides, Cr-treated plants showed growth depression and decrease in fresh and dry weight too. With the increase in Cr supply, accumulation of Cr in roots was increased significantly. Concentration of manganese and zinc was also increased. However, copper concentration in both the plants seemed less affected by Cr.

Temporal analysis of meiotic DNA double-strand break formation and repair in Drosophila females

Using an antibody against the phosphorylated form of His2Av (γ-His2Av), we have described the time course for the series of events leading from the formation of a double-strand break (DSB) to a crossover in Drosophila female meiotic prophase. MEI-P22 is required for DSB formation and localizes to chromosomes prior to γ-His2Av foci. Drosophila females, however, are among the group of organisms where synaptonemal complex (SC) formation is not dependent on DSBs. In the absence of two SC proteins, C(3)G and C(2)M, the number of DSBs in oocytes is significantly reduced. This is consistent with the appearance of SC protein staining prior to γ-His2Av foci. However, SC formation is incomplete or absent in the neighboring nurse cells, and γ-His2Av foci appear with the same kinetics as in oocytes and do not depend on SC proteins. Thus, competence for DSB formation in nurse cells occurs with a specific timing that is independent of the SC, whereas in the oocytes, some SC proteins may have a regulatory role to counteract the effects of a negative regulator of DSB formation. The SC is not sufficient for DSB formation, however, since DSBs were absent from the heterochromatin even though SC formation occurs in these regions. All γ-His2Av foci disappear before the end of prophase, presumably as repair is completed and crossovers are formed. However, oocytes in early prophase exhibit a slower response to X-ray–induced DSBs compared to those in the late pachytene stage. Assuming all DSBs appear as γ-His2Av foci, there is at least a 3:1 ratio of noncrossover to crossover products. From a comparison of the frequency of γ-His2Av foci and crossovers, it appears that Drosophila females have only a weak mechanism to ensure a crossover in the presence of a low number of DSBs.

Meiosis is a specialized pair of cell divisions that creates haploid gametes by separating homologous chromosomes. Unlike most any other cell type, cells in meiotic prophase generate double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) that are repaired using the homolog as a template. While there are several DSBs per chromosome, usually only one is repaired as a crossover, which is when the two homologs have exchanged large segments of genetic information. Each crossover is important because it creates a linkage that holds the homologs together during the first meiotic division. To learn more about how the meiotic cell regulates the formation of crossovers, the authors performed a temporal analysis of the events from break formation through repair into a crossover in Drosophila females. These results indicate that timing is a critical factor in both the formation and repair of DSBs. DSB formation occurs only during the earliest stages of meiotic prophase and initiates at a specific time after premeiotic DNA replication. Surprisingly, the response to DSBs is slower in the middle of meiotic prophase than at later time points. It is only during this time, mid–meiotic prophase, when the repair process is competent to produce crossovers.

Donitriptan, but not sumatriptan, inhibits capsaicin-induced canine external carotid vasodilatation via 5-HT1B rather than 5-HT1D receptors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that during a migraine attack capsaicin-sensitive trigeminal sensory nerves release calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), resulting in cranial vasodilatation and central nociception; hence, trigeminal inhibition may prevent this vasodilatation and abort migraine headache. This study investigated the effects of the agonists sumatriptan (5-HT(1B/1D) water-soluble), donitriptan (5-HT(1B/1D) lipid-soluble), PNU-142633 (5-HT(1D) water-soluble) and PNU-109291 (5-HT(1D) lipid-soluble) on vasodilator responses to capsaicin, alpha-CGRP and acetylcholine in dog external carotid artery.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

59 vagosympathectomized dogs were anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded with a pressure transducer, connected to a cannula inserted into a femoral artery. A precalibrated flow probe was placed around the common carotid artery, with ligation of the internal carotid and occipital branches, and connected to an ultrasonic flowmeter. The thyroid artery was cannulated for infusion of agonists.

KEY RESULTS

Intracarotid infusions of capsaicin, alpha-CGRP and acetylcholine dose-dependently increased blood flow through the carotid artery. These responses remained unaffected after intravenous (i.v.) infusions of sumatriptan, PNU-142633, PNU-109291 or physiological saline; in contrast, donitriptan significantly attenuated the vasodilator responses to capsaicin, but not those to alpha-CGRP or acetylcholine. Only sumatriptan and donitriptan dose-dependently decreased the carotid blood flow. Interestingly, i.v. administration of the antagonist, SB224289 (5-HT(1B)), but not of BRL15572 (5-HT(1D)), abolished the inhibition by donitriptan.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our results suggest that the inhibition produced by donitriptan of capsaicin-induced external carotid vasodilatation is mainly mediated by 5-HT(1B), rather than 5-HT(1D), receptors, probably by a central mechanism.

Action of Hygrophila auriculata against streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress

Hygrophila auriculata (K. Schum.) Heine (Family: Acanthaceae) is a wild herb widely used in 'Ayurveda' as 'Rasayana' drug for treatment of various disorders. Treatment of diabetic rats with aerial parts of Hygrophila auriculata extract (HAEt, 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight) for 3 weeks showed significant reduction in blood glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and hydroperoxide in both liver and kidney. The treatment with HAEt significantly increased the glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) in the drug-treated group, which is comparable to the control group. HAEt and glibenclamide-treated rats also showed decreased lipid peroxidation that is associated with increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. The ability of HAEt on tissue lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in diabetic animals has not been studied before. The result of this study thus shows that HAEt possesses significant antidiabetic activity along with potent antioxidant potential in diabetic conditions.

Immunomodulatory effects of curcumin

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), found in the spice turmeric, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemopreventive activities. However, the effect of curcumin on the immunological responses largely remains unknown. In this study we have investigated the effect of curcumin on mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin; PHA) stimulated T-cell proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, production of cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage cells, RAW-264.7. Furthermore, we have carried out an electromobility shift assay to elucidate the mechanism of action of curcumin at DNA protein interaction level. We observed that curcumin inhibits PHA-induced T-cell proliferation, interleukin-2 production, NO generation, and lipopolysachharide-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and augments NK cell cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that curcumin most likely inhibits cell proliferation and cytokine production by inhibiting NF-kappaB target genes involved in the induction of these immune parameters.

Acute renal failure following para-phenylenediamine (PPD) poisoning: a case report and review

We report a case of systemic poisoning with para-phenylenediamine (PPD) presenting with characteristic features of severe angioneurotic edema, rhabdomyolysis and intravascular hemolysis with hemoglobinuria culminating in acute renal failure. Though rare in western countries, such poisoning is not uncommon in East Africa, Indian subcontinent and Middle East countries. We discuss here the clinical features and key management issues of systemic PPD poisoning.

Chromium in some herbal drugs

The use and demand of herbal drug is increasing day by day in both developing and developed countries due to the growing recognition that these are natural products having no or little side effects and can easily be available at affordable prices. Sometimes these are the only source of health care available to poor people particularly in South East Asia where more than 80% population depend on herbal drugs for their health care needs. Thus the quality and safety of herbal products is very important in order to have desired therapeutic efficacy. But in today's polluted environment with increasing automobile consumption and industrialization, WHO is emphasizing emphatically that without heavy metal assessment the herbal drug should not be used. The concentration of heavy metals including Cr is increasing in the environment and many hazardous effects are caused in the inhabitants of that environment (Prasad and Hagemeyer, 1999; Nriagu and Pacyna, 1998). For example, in human beings, due to Cr numbers of disorders occur like damage to liver, kidney, respiratory and nerve tissues. Besides enhancing risk of human lung cancer due to automobile exhaust and even irritation of skin have also been reported by excess of Cr (Anonymous, 1998; Anonymous 1988). Therefore it is mandatory to assess the Cr concentration in herbal drugs before use. Although some work has been carried out by Rai et al., 2001 a, b; Fuh et al., 2003; Al Ajasa et al., 2004 and Ernst 2002 but it is not enough and lot of work is required in this field.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity of the water decoction Desmodium gangeticum

The water decoction of root and aerial parts of Desmodium gangeticum (Leguminosae) was examined for anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity in experimental animals. The root and aerial decoction in doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg /kg caused a dose-dependent inhibition of swelling caused by carrageenin equivalent to 14.58-51.02% protection and 14.43-38.67%, respectively, in cotton pellet granuloma. There was a significant increase in analgesio-meter-induced force equivalent to 6.56-67.66% protection and 22.18-73.83% protection in acetic acid-induced writhing. The result establishes the traditional use of water decoction of Desmodium gangeticum codified in Indian System of Medicine.

Portal hypertension in sarcoid liver disease with hypomelanotic skin involvement

Portal hypertension due to sarcoid liver disease is a rare entity. We report the case of a 50-year-old female with sarcoid liver disease leading to portal hypertension. The literature on portal hypertension due to hepatic sarcoidosis has been reviewed and the role of steroid therapy discussed.