The aim of the present study is to prepare and characterize Naga bhasma on structural and elemental basis to address the role of the raw materials used during the preparation, compound form of the lead bhasma, nature (crystalline/amorphous) and crystallite/particle size of the drug. The study also covers the toxicological effect of the drug on albino rats. It was found that drug contains lead in nano-crystalline (~60 nm) lead sulfide form (Pb2+) associated with the organic contents and different nutrient elements coming from the herbs used during the preparation. Naga bhasma prepared was found to be totally safe in histopathology study on rats at a dose of 6 mg/100 g/day. The different characterization techniques used present a role model for the quality control and standardization of such kinds of herbo-metallic medicines.

Conventional medicines are very important part of Indian culture. In this study the outcome of two-year study of ethnomedicinal uses of plants in Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary (CPWLS) and nearby area is reported. Information related to different plants which are used by local community in the treatment of many common diseases and well-being in the area was collected. Data on the use of medicinal plants were collected using structured interview of about 122 participants and thorough observations and conversations with local communities. Approximately 100 plants belonging to 43 families used by the local healers were reported in this study. The plant species with the highest fidelity level (Fl) were Holarrhena antidysenterica, Lawsonia inermis, Gymnema sylvestre, Dalbergia sissoo, Cassia fistula Linn., Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze., Boerhaavia diffusa Linn., Albizia lebbeck Benth., Aegle marmelos Correa., Sphaeranthus indicus Linn., and Solanum surattense Burm. f. The most frequent ailments reported were hepatitis, jaundice, constipation, and skin and urinary problems. The parts of the plants most frequently used were fruit, roots, and whole plants (17%) followed by leaves (16%) and bark (15%). This study presents new research efforts and perspectives on the search for new drugs based on local uses of medicinal plants.

In the present study Hepatoprotective activity of aqueous leaf extract of Punica grantum on total protein, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alanine phosphatise (ALP) in CCl4 intoxicated rat were studied. Administration of CCl4 showed significant increase (p<0.01) in liver marker enzymes in serum namely AST (52.30±1.15 to 107.2±13.7 IU/L), ALT (146.63±5.79 to 206.2±28.82 IU/L), ALP (176.24±5.8 to 508.2±10.22 IU/L) , bilirubin (0.52±0.09 to 2.61±0.27 mg/dl) and significantly decreased total protein (9.57±0.17 to 5.2±0.085 mg/dl), when compared to normal. Aqueous extract of Punica grantum at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight showed significant increase in total protein (5.2±0.085 to 6.1±0.023; 6.5±0.033) as compared to CCl4 treated rats. The extract lowered enzyme levels which is designation of Hepatoprotective action of extract. The serum AST, ALT and ALP levels are reliable markers of liver function. Thus the present study concludes the aqueous leaf extract of Punica grantum to possess Hepatoprotective activity.

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Autoscopic hallucination is an interesting phenomenon since the past many years but has not been reported much in a clinical setting. It is a psychic visual hallucination in which a person experienced a part or whole body in the external space. It has been reported in various organic conditions and specifically in the male gender. However, it has been rarely reported in the case of primary psychiatric illness. Here we are reporting a female patient presenting with the autoscopic hallucination presented with Schizophrenia. A Psychiatrist should be familiar with this kind of unique phenomenology.

Bioactivity of medicinal plants is due to presence of various kinds of primary and secondary metabolites. Among studied phytochemicals polyphenol was in higher quantity (16.7 ± 0.7 g/100g). Antipathogenic efficacy of C. tamala has been tested against, S. typhi (MTCC 3216), P. aeruginosa (MTCC 7837), S. aureus (MTCC 3160), P. mirabilis (MTCC 1249) and B. subtilis (MTCC 736) by agar diffusion method and broth dilution methodand all the strains were affected by methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of C. tamala. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in agar diffusion method were 1.25mg-5mg and 2.5mg-5mg for methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts respectively. Complete inhibition was observed in broth dilution method at1.25mg/mL-9mg/mL and 1mg/mL-13mg/mL concentration of methanolic and aqueous extracts respectively. The leaf extracts did not show cytotoxic at 0.2mg.mL-1mg/mL concentration of aqueous leaf extract but showed haemolysis at 1mg/mL concentration of metanolic leaf extract of C. tamala. C. tamala leaves showed high nutritional values (143.5 ± 0.5 Kcal/100g). The nutritional components like protein, fats, carbohydrates and edible fibres were 6 ± 0.5, 8.5 ± 1.8, 9.5 ± 0.5 and 30.5 ± 0.6 g/100g respectively. Therefore it can be concluded that leaf extract of C. tamala can be used safely against above mentioned human pathogens and for the preparation of new pharmaceutical drug.

Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in methanolic extracts of 10 fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum .L) genotypes from north India were evaluated, using different in vitro assays, together with total carotenoid, α-tocopherol and total ascorbate content. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using total antioxidant activity (Phosphomolybdenum method), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2'-azinobis (3ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulphonate (ABTS) assay, hydroxy radical scavenging assay, superoxide radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide scavenging and β-carotene-linoleate bleaching assay. The total phenol content (TPC) varied from (48.766 ± 0.042 mg GAE g -1 extract) in RMt-303 to (36.204 ± 0.371 mg GAE g -1 extract) in UM-265. RMt-303 also showed higher flavonoid (4.682 ± 0.105 mg QE g -1 extract), α-tocopherol (171.918 ± 11.722 µg g -1 dry wt.) and total ascorbate content (359.884 ± 30.886 µg g -1 dry wt.). Higher free radical scavenging activity, viz., ABTS radical (IC 50 = 303.380 ± 4.170 µg ml -1 extract), superoxide radical (IC 50 = 152.040 ± 3.290 µg ml -1 extract) and nitric oxide scavenging (IC 50 = 142.160 ± 0.320 µg ml -1 extract) was observed in RMt-1. The genotypes showed significant difference (p  0.05) with respect to phytochemical content and corresponding a ntioxida nt activity. The phytochemicals, viz., α-tocopherol and total a scorbate content within the genotypes showed a significa nt positive correlation (i.e., 0.517 and 0.546) with antioxidant activity (TAA) exhibited by the genotypes. Significant positive correlation (0.659) was observed between phenol and flavonoid content within the genotypes. The findings of the present investigation clearly show variation in phytochemical content and antioxidant activity among fenugreek genotypes. Thus, variation in antioxidant property among the genotypes may be attributed to the variation in phytochemical content which may be due to genetic differences among the fenugreek genotypes.

Background:National Policy on Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy (ISM and H policy) was formulated in 2002 to encourage the development of Ayurveda, Sidhha, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy and Homoeopathy in India. This study proposes to assess the views of public health experts on current implementation of ISM and H Policy.Methods:An online questionnaire was designed to ascertain the views of public health experts on ISM and H Policy and mailed to 100 public health experts. The tool was tested for content validity and a pilot study was done. Results were analyzed with the help of SPSS version 16.Results and Conclusion:Response rate was 61%. Majority of experts considered implementation status of ISM and H Policy as poor. Lack of quality education was mentioned as major factor responsible for current scenario of ISM and H Policy by most of experts. Lack of funds and government support were emerged as major bottlenecks in implementation of ISM and H Policy.