The cestocidal activity of Acacia auriculiformis was evaluated using rats each harbouring a single adult worm oi Hymenolepis diminuta. The ethanol extract (300 mg/kg/day) and the saponins (200 mg/kg/day) obtained from the funicles of A. auriculiformis, were administered orally to two groups each of 10 rats, respectively, on day 20 after oral inoculation with a single cysticercoid of H. diminuta. Adult worms were expelled within 5 days from rats treated with the ethanol extract and within 3 days from those treated with saponins. No appreciable side effects were observed in the treated rats.

Nux MT and Nux 30c could reduce ethanol intake in rats. The altered solution structure of Nux 30c is thought to mimic Nux MT and produce ethanol aversion in rats.

Lady's finger plants (Hibiscus esculentus), grown in pots, were inoculated with the second-stage larvae (76+/-6) of root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita, starting 7 days later they were treated with Cina 30c, Santonin 30c or Ethanol 30c by foliar spray for 10 consecutive days. The drugs in 90% ethanol were diluted with distilled water 1:1000 before application on plants. Thirty days after the last treatment the plants were uprooted. Cina 30c and Santonin 30c reduced nematode infestation of plants significantly in terms of root-gall number, root-protein content and nematode population in roots. Santonin 30c reduced root water content. Santonin 30c may have influenced the water channel proteins of root tissues thereby altering the water contents of roots. The reduced water content in roots might have adversely affected the root-knot nematodes and thus reduced nematode infestation. Ethanol 30c also has some effect on treated plants.

The four homoeopathic drugs, Gelsemium, Cannabis Indica, Graphites and Agaricus Muscarius, administered orally in 30th and 200th potencies on white rats, enhanced restraint-induced catalepsy in a similar manner to the two standard drugs pilocarpine and haloperidol (IP injection at 5 mg/kg). All the drugs tested differed from each other in the duration of cataleptogenic effect, which was more prolonged with Cannabis, Graphites and Agaricus than with Gelsemium and the two non-homoeopathic drugs used. The 200th potency of any homoeopathic drug tested acted longer than its 30th potency.

No abstract

Because water channel proteins or aquaporins are mainly responsible for water transport through the plasma membrane of RBCs, it is thought that potentized drugs interact with these proteins, thereby facilitating water influx in the cells.

Background: Trichinellosis caused by the gastrointestinal nematode Trichinella spiralis occurs in humans, domestic animals and wild animals. It is difficult to control the muscle phase of the parasite. Homeopathic drugs such as Cina and Santoninum have anthelmintic properties. We have observed that in material doses, the homeopathic drug Podophyllum also has nematotoxic properties. We have also observed that homeopathic potency can influence the water permeability of cells. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether potentized homeopathic drugs such as Cina 30, Santoninum 30 and Podophyllum mother tincture can affect the muscle phase of the parasite T. spiralis in mice. Another objective was to see whether trichinellosis and its treatment with the 3 named homeopathic drugs could alter the water content in the muscle tissue of mice. Materials and Methods: Cina 30 and Santoninum 30 were prepared from the mother tincture of the flowering tops of Artemisia nilagirica and its active principle santonin, in each case by successive dilution (1:100) with 90% ethanol and sonication in 30 steps following the single glass method (K30). Ethanol 30 was prepared by successive dilution of 90% ethanol with 90% ethanol (1:100) followed by sonication in 30 steps. In each step, the dilution was sonicated at 20 KHz for 30 s. We have observed before that sonication is a more uniform, measurable and effective process of mechanical agitation of a liquid than manual succussion. Experimentally infected mice were orally treated with an aqueous Podophyllum suspension at 60 mg/kg/day. Each potentized drug was diluted 1:20 with distilled water and administered orally at 0.05 ml/mouse/day. Each mouse was inoculated with T. spiralis larvae at a dose of 200 larvae/mouse by esophageal intubation. Treatment was started on day 7 post-infection and continued for 120 days. After completion of treatment, the mice were sacrificed and the larvae were extracted from muscles by HCl-pepsin digestion. The water content of the muscles was measured by determining the difference between fresh weight and dry weight of the tissue. Results: Podophyllum ?, Cina 30 and Santoninum 30 reduced the larval population in the studied mice by 68.14%, 84.10% and 81.20%, respectively, as compared to the untreated control group. Ethanol 30 achieved no significant reduction in the larval population compared to the untreated control group. The water content of the muscle tissue in the untreated control group and the Podophyllum-treated groups was significantly higher than in the Ethanol 30-, Cina 30- and Santoninum 30-treated groups. Conclusions: (1) Podophyllum ?, Cina 30 and Santoninum 30 were effective in the muscle phase of T. spiralis infection and significantly reduced the larval population in the treated mice. The potencies were more effective than the mother tincture, an effect which was not due to the medium ethanol. (2) The potencies significantly reduced the water content of the muscle tissue which might have affected the larvae. The effect of Po...

Water decoction of the leaves of Andrographis paniculata killed in vitro the microfilaria of Dipetalonema reconditum in 40 min. Three subcutaneous injections of the extract into infected dogs at 0·06 ml per kg bodyweight reduced the number of microfilariae in blood by more than 85%. The larvae were not totally eliminated with more infections but the reduced microfilarial level persisted. No toxiceffect of the extract was observed in rabbits. The treated dogs became lethargic initially for a week, probably due to the mass killing of microfilariae.