Senna alexandrina Mill. induced ultrastructural changes on Hymenolepis diminuta

Senna alexandrina Mill. has been used for antimicrobial activity. In the present study, the crude ethanolic extract of the plant and a synthetic compound Sennoside were tested in vitro on Hymenolepis diminuta to evaluate its potential anthelmintic efficacy through ultrastructural changes. Worms were maintained between rat model and beetle and the test parasites were exposed to different concentrations of crude ethanolic leaf extracts of S. alexandrina. Praziquantel was used as a reference drug. Dose dependent efficacy was observed in terms of motility and time of mortality in all treated parasites. Ultrastructural micrography revealed irrevocable destruction all over the body tegument accompanied with sloughing of microtriches and swellings of the basal lamina. Vacuolization of the syncytium along with sparsely cytoplasmic cytons and depletion of parenchymatous layer were observed accompanied by deformities in the cell organelles. Extensive deformities in the tegument indicates that the plant extract alter membrane permeability of the parasite leading to paralysis and subsequent death. Thus, S. alexandrina can be regarded as a potential anthelmintic agent.

Psychological assessment of alcoholism in males

BACKGROUND

Little work has been done in India on the personality factors of alcoholics. These personality factors have a significant effect on treatment outcome.

AIM

To study the personality characteristics, stressful life events and diagnostic utility of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) and CAGE (Cutting down, Annoyance by criticism, Guilty feeling, and Eye-opener) Questionnaire in service personnel with alcohol dependence.

METHODS

Psychological assessment of 100 consecutive male inpatients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence, and an equal number of controls matched for age, sex, occupation and regional background was carried out utilizing the MAST, CAGE Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Multiphasic Personality Questionnaire, Maudsley Personality Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Self-esteem Inventory and Presumptive Stressful Life Events scale.

RESULTS

The MAST and CAGE were of limited value in the diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Alcoholics obtained significantly higher scores on state and trait anxiety, depression, mania scale, paranoia scale, schizophrenia scale, psychopathic deviance, neuroticism, extroversion, and the Presumptive Stressful Life Events scale. Alcohol-dependent individuals had significantly lower self-esteem compared with control subjects, and significantly more alcoholics were identified as alexithymic.

CONCLUSION

Alcohol-dependent individuals show significantly high neuroticism, extroversion, anxiety, depression, psychopathic deviation, stressful life events and significantly low self-esteem as compared with normal control subjects. Significantly more alcoholics were found to be alexithymic compared with normal controls.