Cure of cognitive disorders such as amnesia, attention deficit, and Alzheimer's disease is still far from being realized in the field of medicine. Nootropic agents such as piracetam, aniracetam, and choline esterase inhibitors like donepezil are being used for improving memory, mood, and behavior, but the resulting side effects associated with these agents have made their applicability limited. In Ayurveda, the roots of Nardostachys jatamansi have been clinically employed for their anti-ischemic, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective activities. The present study was undertaken to assess the potential of N. jatmansi as a memory enhancer. The elevated plus maze and the passive avoidance paradigm were employed to evaluate learning and memory parameters. Three doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) of an ethanolic extract of N. jatamansi were administered for 8 successive days to both young and aged mice. The 200 mg/kg dose of N. jatmansi ethanolic extract significantly improved learning and memory in young mice and also reversed the amnesia induced by diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.). Furthermore, it also reversed aging-induced amnesia due to natural aging of mice. As scopolamine-induced amnesia was reversed, it is possible that the memory improvement may be because of facilitation of cholinergic transmission in the brain. Hence, N. jatmansi might prove to be a useful memory restorative agent in the treatment of dementia seen in elderly persons. The underlying mechanism of action can be attributed to its antioxidant property.

Cure of cognitive disorders such as amnesia, attention deficit and Alzheimer's disease is still a nightmare in the field of medicine. Nootropic agents such as piracetam, aniracetam and choline esterase inhibitors like Donepezil® are being used to improve memory, mood and behavior, but the resulting side effects associated with these agents have made their use limited. The present study was undertaken to assess the potential of Brahmi rasayana (BR) as a memory enhancer. BR (100 and 200 mg kg−1 p.o.) was administered for eight successive days to both young and aged mice. Elevated plus maze and passive-avoidance paradigm were employed to evaluate learning and memory parameters. Scopolamine (0.4 mg kg−1 i.p.) was used to induce amnesia in mice. The effect of BR on whole brain AChE activity was also assessed. Piracetam (200 mg kg−1 i.p.) was used as a standard nootropic agent. BR significantly improved learning and memory in young mice and reversed the amnesia induced by both scopolamine (0.4 mg kg−1 i.p.) and natural aging. BR significantly decreased whole brain acetyl cholinesterase activity. BR might prove to be a useful memory restorative agent in the treatment of dementia seen in elderly.

Dementia is a mental disorder characterized by loss of intellectual ability su‹ciently severe enough to interfere with one's occupational or social activities. Desmodium gangeticum commonly known as Salparni, is widely used in ayurveda for the treatment of neurological disorders. The present work was designed to assess the potential of aqueous extract of D. gangeticum (DG) as a nootropic agent in mice. DG (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered for 7 successive days to both young and older mice. Exteroceptive behavioral models such as elevated plus maze and passive avoidance paradigm were employed to evaluate learning and memory. Scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) induced amnesia and ageing induced amnesia were the interoceptive behavioral models. To delineate the mechanism by which DG exerts nootropic activity, the eŠect of DG on whole brain AChE activity was also assessed. Piracetam (200 mg/kg, i.p.) was used as a standard nootropic agent. Pretreatment with DG (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) for seven successive days signiˆcantly improved learning and memory in mice and reversed the amnesia induced by both, scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) and natural ageing. DG also decreased whole brain acetyl cholinesterase activity. Hence, D. gangeticum appears to be a promising candidate for improving memory and it would be worthwhile to explore the potential of this plant in the management of dementia and Alzheimer disease.

The present study has been designed to evaluate the liver protective and in-vivo antioxidant role of Ethanolic extract (EtAS) and Ethyl acetate extract (EAAS) of roots of Argyreia speciosa, an important 'rasayana' herb in Indian System of medicine, in CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Animals were treated with EtAS and EAAS at doses of 200 mg and 400 mg / kg body weight p.o. along with CCl 4 (0.7 ml / kg in olive oil, 1:1 v/v i.p. on every alternate days) for seven days. Serum biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT, ALP, cholesterol, total and direct bilirubin were determined. Antoixidant status in liver was determined by measuring the activities of Super oxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase and Peroxidase. Histopathological study of isolated liver specimens was also carried out to know the protection offered by the extracts. There was a significant rise in the levels of serum GOT, GPT, and ALP and other biochemical parameters, decrease in the levels of SOD, Catalase and Peroxidase after administration of CCl 4 . Suspensions of EtAS and EAAS (200 and 400 mg/ kg) successfully prevented the alterations of these effects in rats (p< 0.001). Histopathological examination demonstrated that CCl 4 treated group induces ballooning degeneration and centrilobular necrosis. Groups treated with EtAS and EAAS showed recovery on ballooning degeneration and centrlobular bridging necrosis was occasionally present. Data also showed that these extracts possessed strong antioxidant activity, and were comparable to Silymarin, a well known liver protecting herbal formulation.

The effects of oestrogens on the activity of accessory sex glands were studied in castrated boars receiving testosterone continuously. Diethylstilboestrol (DES), 17\g=b\-oestradiol(E2) and oestrone (E1) were administered successively for 6-week periods which alternated with treatments of testosterone alone. Semen was collected twice each week and measurements were made of the total, the strained and the gel volumes. Citric acid and fructose contents of the seminal plasma were also determined. Highly significant (P<0\m=.\01) differences between boars were observed for all criteria in a series of collections made before castration.Castration resulted in reduction in the total quantities of secretory products of the accessory sex glands. Subsequent treatment with testosterone alone for a period of 12 weeks had only a slight effect on their secretions. Supplementary treatment with DES, E2 or E1 significantly (P<0\m=.\01) increased the secretory activity of these glands from the levels in the respective preceding periods with testosterone alone. After withdrawal of oestrogens, the elevated levels of citric acid secretion remained high or increased further, while the amounts of seminal plasma and fructose continued at the higher levels or declined.Oestrogens also had a synergistic effect with testosterone on improving the libido of castrated boars. The reaction time was decreased by 45% (P<0\m=.\01)during supplementary treatment with oestrone for 12 weeks.The results of these experiments suggest that oestrogens act synergistically with testosterone on the accessory sex glands and on the sexual behaviour of the boar.

No abstract

No abstract

Phyllanhus amarus (PAs) is commonly known as