Analytical profile of Kukkutanda Tvak Bhasma (incinerated hen egg shells) prepared by two different methods

Background:

KukkutandaTvakBhasma (KTB) (incinerated hen egg shells) is one of the important calcium-rich medicines used to treat leukorrhea, urinary tract infections, etc. Ancient scholars suggested that KTB prepared with processed Hingula (cinnabar) is more potent than Bhasma prepared without Hingula. Hence, in the present study, an attempt has been made to prepare incinerated hen egg shells using two different methods with and without cinnabar and their analytical profiles have been developed.

Aims and Objectives:

To develop analytical profile of KTB prepared by two different methods.

Materials and Methods:

Two samples of KTB were prepared. Sample KTB-A was prepared by KumariSwarasa (juice of Aloevera Tourn. Linn.) and sample KTB-B was prepared in the presence of Hingula as a medium for Marana using electric muffle furnace. The final product of both the samples of Bhasma were analyzed by organoleptic characteristics, physicochemical parameters and advanced sophisticated instrumental technologies such as particle size detection, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy.

Observations and Results:

22.75% and 41.16% of Calcium was detected in samples KTB-A and KTB-B, respectively. 0.29% and 0.15% of magnesium was found in samples KTB-A and KTB-B respectively. Both the samples of Bhasma were found to contain calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)₂.

Conclusions:

Minimum four Puta (incineration cycles) with average 800°C temperature is required to prepare KTB through electric muffle furnace using KumariSwarasa and processed Hingula as a medium. An average particle size was found as 9.35 μm and 9.97 μm in samples KTB-A and KTB-B, respectively. XRD study reveals that raw KukkutandaTvak is CaCO₃ (calcite) and CaCO₃ (calcium carbonate) whereas both the Bhasma contain CaH₂O₂ (portlandite syn) and Ca(OH)₂.

Standard manufacturing procedure of Teekshna lauha bhasma

BACKGROUND

Lauha bhasma is one of the herbo-metallic preparations used in Ayurveda, a traditional Indian system of medicine for treating various ailments such as anemia, diarrhea, hyperlipidemia and diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

To establish standard manufacturing procedure of Teekshna lauha bhasma and analyze its physico-chemical properties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The preparation of T. lauha bhasma (calx of iron [Fe] turning) involves samanya shodhana, vishesha shodhana followed by bhanupaka, sthalipaka and putapaka with Triphala kwatha as a medium under temperature of 650 °C in electric muffle furnace (EMF) and maintained for 1 h. T. lauha bhasma were subjected to different physico-chemical characterization using X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer and scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results suggest that these steps are necessary to obtain a good quality of bhasma and also make it acceptable for trituration during Bhasmikarana process. It is found that T. lauha bhasma was prepared properly in 20 puta at a temperature of 650 °C. The particle size of 20 puta T. lauha bhasma is 100-500 nm in range.

CONCLUSION

Pharmaceutical procedures given in Ayurvedic texts are necessary to prepare pakwa jambu phala varna T. lauha bhasma that complies with all the classical bhasma pariksha and modern analytical parameters in 20 puta at a temperature of 650 °C maintained for 1 h in EMF.

Breast cancer-associated missense mutants of the PALB2 WD40 domain, which directly binds RAD51C, RAD51 and BRCA2, disrupt DNA repair

Heterozygous carriers of germ-line mutations in the BRCA2/FANCD1, PALB2/FANCN and RAD51C/FANCO DNA repair genes have an increased lifetime risk of developing breast, ovarian and other cancers; bi-allelic mutations in these genes clinically manifest as Fanconi anemia (FA). Here, we demonstrate that RAD51C is part of a novel protein complex that contains PALB2 and BRCA2. Further, the PALB2 WD40 domain can directly and independently bind RAD51C and BRCA2. To understand the role of these homologous recombination (HR) proteins in DNA repair, we functionally characterize effects of missense mutants of the PALB2 WD40 domain that have been reported in breast cancer patients. In contrast to large truncations of PALB2, which display a complete loss of interaction, the L939W, T1030I and L1143P missense mutants/variants of the PALB2 WD40 domain are associated with altered patterns of direct binding to the RAD51C, RAD51 and BRCA2 HR proteins in biochemical assays. Further, the T1030I missense mutant is unstable, whereas the L939W and L1143P proteins are stable but partially disrupt the PALB2-RAD51C-BRCA2 complex in cells. Functionally, the L939W and L1143P mutants display a decreased capacity for DNA double-strand break-induced HR and an increased cellular sensitivity to ionizing radiation. As further evidence for the functional importance of the HR complex, RAD51C mutants that are associated with cancer susceptibility and FA also display decreased complex formation with PALB2. Together, our results suggest that three different cancer susceptibility and FA proteins function in a DNA repair pathway based upon the PALB2 WD40 domain binding to RAD51C and BRCA2.

Effect of inhalation of salbutamol, beclomethasone dipropionate & ipratropium bromide on mucociliary clearance in some patients with chronic stable bronchial asthma

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Asthma is now regarded as an inflammatory disease and bronchial inflammation may disrupt mucociliary function. Inhaled drugs may act by improving mucociliary function. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of salbutamol, ipratropium bromide and beclomethasone on mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic stable asthma and to compare the efficacy of these drugs on mucociliary clearance.

METHODS

Ten patients with chronic stable asthma were enrolled in the study, but two patients did not complete the study. Patients with bronchial asthma were chosen on clinical grounds. (99m)Tc phytate radioaerosol generated through a nebulizer, was given to each patient on four days. After each administration the radioactivity over the thorax was constantly measured in sequential frame mode for 120 min. Radioactivity in the thorax was also measured after 24 h. A base-line pulmonary function test with reversibility was obtained. Salbutamol, ipratropium bromide, beclomethasone dipropionate and placebo inhalation were given randomly to each patient on four days.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients (n = 8) was 36 +/- 9.3 yr and mean duration of symptoms was 5 +/- 6.6 yr. There was no visual impression that mucociliary clearance was enhanced with any of the drugs. The time activity curves did not show any visually recognisable change in slope. In only one patient the curve tended to show a steeper slope with ipratropium inhalation. In the rest of the patients the curves showed no difference at all with medication when compared with placebo. All the quantitative indices analyzed by two-way ANOVA at the end of one and two hours were comparable for the three test drugs and placebo. None of the three test drugs demonstrated statistically significant mucociliary clearance effect compared with placebo. However, the temporal difference in airways clearance efficiency (ACE) was significant with beclomethasone and ipratropium bromide.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION

Inhalation of any of the three drugs tested did not produce any immediate improvement in mucociliary clearance as compared to placebo in patients with stable bronchial asthma suggesting the need for further studies using higher doses of drugs for longer duration in a large sample.

Methaemoglobinaemia in nitrobenzene poisoning--a case report

A 24-year-old female of nitrobenzene poisoning presented with features of methaemoglobinaemia. She was treated with oral methylene blue and intravenous ascorbic acid and responded favourably from 3rd day onwards. The case is reported in details.

Methaemoglobinemia in nitrobenzene poisoning

A young girl with nitrobenzene induced methaemoglobinaemia was saved by the timely use of mechanical ventilator, administration of oral methylene blue and parenteral ascorbic acid. Though parenteral methylene blue is the antidote of choice, due to its non-availability, the laboratory preparation of methylene blue have been utilized orally. The rare occurrence of such cases, and the efficacy of oral methylene blue and other supportive measures in evading death due to Nitrobenzene poisoning have been highlighted.

Evaluation of audiovestibular status in leprosy

One hundred twenty five cases of lepromatous leprosy and 25 cases of tuberculoid leprosy were investigated for audiovestibular status. Impaired hearing was detected in 52 percent and vestibular hypofuction in 7.2 per cent of lepromatous cases. Conductive deafness was due to eustachian tube catarrh secondary to atrophic rhinitis associated with the disease. The perceptive deafness and vestibular hypofuction were due to end organ lesion probably due to E.N.L. reaction. The vestibulococlear nerve involvement was considered to be unlikely. In tuberculoid leprosy derangement in hearing was not observed in any cases.