The need for new therapeutics for wound healing has encouraged the drive to examine the nature and value of plant products. Ayurveda, the Indian traditional system of medicine, mentions the values of medicinal plants for wound healing. One of these is Pterocarpus santalinus. This article describes a pharmacological study to evaluate its toxicity as well as wound-healing potential in animal studies. Powder made from the wood of the P. santalinus tree was used to make up an ointment in a petroleum jelly base. No toxic effects were observed in 72 hours. Studies were done on punch and burn wound models on normal and diabetic rats using the test ointment, untreated and vehicle controls, and standard therapy. Physical and biochemical measurements were made. The test ointment-treated wounds healed significantly faster. On healing, collagenesis and biochemical measurements yielded supportive data. These studies permit the conclusion that the P. santalinus ointment is safe and effective in treating acute wounds in animal models.

Pterocarpus santalinus is described in the Ayurveda for its wide spectrum of medicinal properties including wound healing. Previously the authors reported animal studies that demonstrated that an ointment made from the bark of this tree was effective without any toxic effects. They used the same ointment in 6 cases of lower extremity wounds. Healing was observed in all wounds. The study was not controlled, the findings are presented here as case studies. Further studies are planned to develop a wound healing ointment from a locally available and inexpensive plant.

Aim: Mental stress can lead to various biochemicals, physiological and psychological changes in human body. The present study was designed to evaluate the antistress activities of Tinospora cordifolia (wild) Miers associated with yogaMethods:  A randomized double blind placebo control 8 weeks study was conducted. The mental stress patients were diagnosed clinically by using different validated psychological rating scales. A total of 63 patients with mental stress were randomized into four groups. The antistress activities of the treatments were measured by different psychological rating scales as well as various biochemical parameters i.e. lipid profile, serum glucose concentration.Results:  The serum glucose, lipid like triglyceride, cholesterol, ldl –cholesterol and psychological parameters like anxiety, depression were significantly increases in patients with chronic mental stress. However following treatment with Tinospora cordifolia associated with practice of yoga significantly reduced various stress induced psychological and biochemical parameters (P< 0.001)Conclusion:  The findings of the clinical study suggested that Tinospora cordifolia and practice of yoga have significant anti stress activities as shown by its mitigating effects on chronic stress induced psychological and biochemical perturbation comparable to that induced by well known adaptogenic agent diazepam.Â