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Morphological and biochemical traits of some selected underutilised wild edible fruits used by the Sahariya – A PVTGs of Rajasthan
Full text linkThe purpose of the study is to document the wild edible fruits consumed by the Sahariya tribe through open ended questionnaire and morphological and biochemical analysis of four underutilised fruits viz., Buchanania lanzan Spreng., Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb., Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. and Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) Finet & Gagnep. The study had been carried out in and around villages of Shahabad and Kishanganj blocks of Baran district under South Eastern Rajasthan. A total of 39 wild edible fruits from 22 plant families were recorded and documented. Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. with higher fruit weight and diameter of 23.55 g and 34 mm respectively and high pulp percentage (>50%) in fruits indicate that wild fruits have a significantly higher amount of consumable portion with a good shelf life (3-7 days at room temperature and 6-15 days in refrigerator). Buchanania lanzan Spreng., Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. and Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. with total soluble solids 26, 22 and 22 (oBrix) respectively and total sugar content 28, 27 and 23% respectively. Buchanania lanzan Spreng. contained the ascorbic acid/vitamin C of 120 mg/100 g which is usually higher than commercially cultivated fruits. The species with the highest pH was Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) Finet & Gagnep. (5.4), resulting in the lowest titratable acidity content (0.25%), while Buchanania lanzan Spreng. had the lowest pH (3.9), resulting in the highest titratable acidity content (1.3%). The study shows that wild edible fruits are nutrient rich and well comparable with various commercial fruits
Lactogenic efficacy of Ricinus communis L. 3X and Calcarea carbonica 3X in Jersey crossbred (JX) cows
Full text linkIn order to evaluate the lactogenic effect of Ricinus communis L. and Calcarea carbonica in Jersey crossbred cows, a study was conducted at Post Graduate Research Institute in Animal Sciences (PGRIAS), Kattupakkam, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai. Eighteen apparently healthy, pluriparous, Jersey crossbred cows within 3 months post-partum were selected for the study and randomly allotted into three groups as Group I (Control), Group II (5 mL of R. communis L.3X P/Oper day for 10 days) and Group III (5 mL of Calcarea carbonica 3X P/Oper day for 10 days). All the selected crossbred cows were maintained under uniform managerial conditions. There was no significant influence (p>0.05) observed in feeding, watering habits, physical and behavioral changes in all the crossbred cows. The mean rectal temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate during different phases of treatment regimens did not significantly differ (p>0.05) in all the groups. The status of conjunctival mucus membrane and vaginal mucus membrane did not show any significant variations (p>0.05) during the entire period of study. The fat, solid not fat and total solid percentage in milk were significantly (p<0.01) increased in cows treated with R. communis L. 3X than the cows treated with Calcarea carbonica 3X. The results demonstrated the potent galactogogue activity of R. communis L. 3X in yielding a good milk promoting response and favorable milk composition which is essential to improve the economic status of the agrarian community. The pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic action of the drug needs to be characterized by further studies
Preclinical efficacy and cellular mechanisms of a polyherbal formulation in doxorubicin nephrotoxicity
Full text linkThe study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and cellular mechanisms of a standardised polyherbal formulation (PHF) derived from Asparagus falcatus L., Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. and Barleria prionitis L. of Sri Lankan origin in an animal model of doxorubicin nephrotoxicity. In vitro studies were carried out for chemical standardisation and determination of shelf life. The efficacy and nephroprotective mechanisms of the standardised PHF were investigated after repeated oral administration of the aqueous PHF at low (200 mg/kg body weight), therapeutic (400 mg/kg body weight), and high (600 mg/kg body weight) doses in the doxorubicin-induced (5 mg/kg body weight) nephrotoxicity model in Wistar rats. Fosinopril (0.09 mg/kg body weight) was used as the standard drug. The PHF derived from the selected medicinal herbs showed satisfactory purity and quality. Treatment of the standardised PHF for 28 days in nephrotoxic rats caused a significant reduction in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, β2-microglobulin, cystatin C, and urine total protein compared to the doxorubicin model group (p<0.05). The biochemical findings on markers of oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and immunohistochemical evaluation of COX-2, BCL-2, and Bax further demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities of the novel PHF. The findings revealed that PHF was efficacious at the selected doses and its’ nephroprotective mechanisms were mediated by mitigating doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in experimental rats
Effect of Nabho Mudra on the salivary lipid profile and well-being of adolescents: A pilot study
Full text linkMudras are integral practices described in ancient Vedic texts. This feasibility study investigated the effects of Nabho Mudra (Yogic Mudra) practice on metabolism, assessed through salivary lipid profiles and the psychological well-being of adolescents. The study included 80 secondary school students from Central Delhi, randomized into experimental (n=40) and control (n=40) groups, with a mean age of 14.1 years. The experimental group underwent a structured 1 month Nabho Mudra practice protocol consisting of 10 min daily sessions, 6 days per week. Well-being assessment utilized the World Health Organization (WHO)-5 questionnaire, while salivary lipid profiles were analyzed in a subset of 20 students with Body Mass Index (BMI; kg/m²)> 22 (representing 85th-95th percentiles on the WHO BMI-for-age chart). Post-intervention analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in the WHO-5 well-being index among the experimental group (p=0.05), whereas the control group showed no significant variation (p=0.2). Additionally, significant changes were observed in BMI (p=0.003) and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p=0.05), accompanied by marked alterations in other salivary lipid parameters. These findings demonstrate the potential efficacy of Nabho Mudra as an intervention for enhancing physical and psychological well-being, while the observed changes in salivary lipid profiles warrant further investigation to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and broader health implications. Future longitudinal studies with larger cohorts are recommended to validate these preliminary findings and explore the therapeutic applications of this traditional yogic practice
Gamosa, the Traditional Handloom Artefact of Assam: A Case Study
Full text linkGamosa, the Traditional Cultural Expression (TCE) of Assam is a handloom cloth, which usually has a white background, withred stripes on its three sides and floral motifs on the fourth side towards its breadth, possessing a sacred value and is offered as asign of love, affection, and respect. Gamosa is also available in yellow, green, blue, and chocolate colour as per the regionalvariations in the state. This is a widely consumed product for its varied innumerable utility. Increasing demand of the productresulted in its rapid commercialization through power loom replicas affecting the social and economic output of indigenousweavers. This led to the present-day infringement of Gamosa, trademark violation and revenue leakage. This paper tries todiscuss about the current condition of Gamosa industrially and socially along with the importance of protecting this handloomartefact via quasi-legal tools such as IPR instruments. The methodology used in the study is ethnographical and select interviewsconducted with the subject matter experts and stakeholders. The research finding is about the gap which is acting as catalyst forthe present condition of Gamosa. The gap indicates on what the demand side (consumers) wants in the product and what thestakeholders are producing as per the common market demand which lacks the authenticity of the product. The limitation of thepresent study lies in the absence of the detailed ethnographic study of Gamosa which varies from district to district in the state,which can be done shortly soon
Identification of fundamental principles behind the treatment of skin diseases with acupuncture using network analysis
Full text linkAcupuncture has been used to treat various skin disorders, such as dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and rash. Local acupoints close to the site of symptoms, distant acupoints along the meridian, and distant acupoints thought to have a particular characteristic to treat skin symptoms are assumed to be effective for treating pain diseases. However, there is still no known acupoint combination principle for the treatment of dermatological conditions. We aimed to provide an overview of networks of acupoints used to treat skin diseases and symptoms. We reviewed and analyzed acupoints in two classical literatures, "Chim-Gu-Kyung-Heom-Bang" (CGKHB) and "Sa-am-doin-chim-beub" (SDCB). With the help of network parameters (degree and centrality) and clusters identified by the network analysis, we characterized the principles of acupuncture treatment for skin diseases. While acupoints of CGKHB had a clustering pattern similar to the pattern of symptoms (i.e., causes and features of skin symptoms) rather than the location of symptoms, the acupoints of SDCB displayed a clustering pattern primarily based on the location of symptoms (i.e., where symptoms are present). The findings indicate that one acupuncture style used in CGKHB places an emphasis on disease symptoms, while another style used in SDCB is more focused on the locations of skin symptoms in order to locate acupoints for skin diseases. Our research will help researchers better understand acupuncture treatment strategy in dermatology. Further research is required to determine how traditional theories can benefit clinical practice and we need to develop an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for acupuncture in dermatology