Lepidium sativum Linn. has been used in traditional and folklore medicine for the treatment of bronchial asthma, diabetes, local and rheumatic pain. An ethanolic extract of cress (L. sativum L.) shoot, leaf, stem and seed has been studied for antioxidative active against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total glutathione S-transferase assay, reduced glutathione activity, reducing power (Fe3+–Fe2+ Transformation Ability), and ascorbic acid is also estimated. The percentage yields of free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) obtained for different ethanolic extracts of L. sativum. Supreme scavenging activity was detected in shoot (12.19 ± 02%) and least in stem (2.69 ± 05%). The activity of total glutathione S-transferase enzyme was found to be more in seed (9600 ± 56.3 μg/ml) than other plant parts. The reduced glutathione content of the ethanolic extracts of L. sativum was found to be more in leaf (9 ± 0.2 μg/ml). In the reducing power assay, ethanolic extracts gives the optical density in increasing concentration in all plant parts it shows that it has the reducing ability of Fe3+–Fe2+. Presence of vitamin C was tested. It was found that the shoot extract has highest amount of vitamin C. The results of present data were shown that the ethanolic extract of L. sativum L. plant parts have contributed high potential in vitro antioxidant activity.

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SummaryJapanese encephalitis (JE) is endemic in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, where Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles was the major vector. We screened 45 100 adult female Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (902 pools) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and isolated and confirmed JE virus (JEV) by using an insect bioassay system. We had 69 isolates of which 62 (90%) were identified as JEV. The average vector abundance per man hour for Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was 324.5 per month for the period June 1998-May 2000. The average minimum infection rate (MIR) per month in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was 1.4 (range 0.0-5.6). Every year, a new batch of goats, 20 in the first year and 31 in the second year, born during the non-JE transmission period (January-June), aged <6 months and negative for haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies were procured and placed in the villages as sentinels. Fortnightly, blood specimens were collected from these goats and tested for JE antibodies by HI test. Seroconversions (SCs) were recorded in 14 goats (70%) in the first year and 23 goats (74%) in the second year. JE HI antibody titres in goats were low (1:10-1:80) and these levels declined to undetectable levels in about 4 weeks following SCs. The time sequence of events indicated that four of five peaks of MIR in mosquitoes were followed 1-3 months later by peaks in the proportion of seroconverted goats. We suggest the screening of goats and cattle as a more feasible tool to stratify areas according to JE infection risk to the human population through the regular health system rather than screening mosquitoes using monoclonal antibodies, which is possible only in specialized laboratories.keywords Japanese encephalitis, virus infection, goat seroconversion, infected vector abundance, minimum infection rate, India correspondence Dr K.

Objective: The present study was an attempt to develop an alternative dosage form for the existing conventional oral, parenteral proton pump inhibitor (PPI) as transdermal patches for treating peptic ulcers. Methods: Transdermal patches of PPI were prepared using HPMC E5 with PVP K 30 and HPMC E5 with Eudragit L100 polymers in different ratios by a solvent evaporation method. All the formulated patches were subjected to various evaluation parameters such as thickness, folding endurance, weight uniformity, content uniformity, swelling index, percentage moisture content, moisture uptake, surface pH and in vitro release studies. Results: All patches exhibited satisfactory characteristics regarding integrity, flexibility, dispersion of drug, and other quality control parameters. In the in vitro release studies of transdermal patches, formulation F1 showed the prolonged release of drug (98.99 %) for 24 h, which indicates the maximum availability of the drug, and the in vitro skin permeability studies also showed that 96.26 % of drug Pantoprazole sodium permeated through the rat abdominal skin in 24 h. The kinetic studies were carried out and it was found that all the formulations follow zero-order and the release mechanism of drugs was found to be diffusion rate-limited, Non-Fickian mechanism which was confirmed by Korsmeyer–Peppas model. Conclusion: This suggests the transdermal application of Pantoprazole sodium holds the promised controlled release of the drug for an extended period of time.

A 4-yr (2002-2006) entomological study was carried out in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh state, south India, to identify the mosquito vectors of Japanese encephalitis virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, JEV). In total, 37,139 female mosquitoes belonging five genera and 18 species resting on vegetation were collected in villages and periurban areas at dusk. Mosquito species composition and pattern of JEV infection in mosquitoes varied in periurban and rural areas. In periurban area, Culex gelidus Theobald was abundant, making up 49.7% of total catch followed by Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (44.5%). In rural area, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was predominant, making up 78.9% of total catch followed by Culex quinquefasciatus Say (10.8%), Anopheles subpictus Grassi (7.1%), and Cx. gelidus (1.1%). In light trap collections, Cx. gelidus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus predominated in periurban and rural areas, respectively. Of 50,145 mosquitoes screened JEV isolations were made only from Cx. gelidus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus. Based on high abundance and frequent JEV isolation, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was found to be the principal vector in both areas, whereas Cx. gelidus plays a secondary vector role in periurban areas only.

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