Newer insights into the mechanism of action of Psidium guajava L. leaves in infectious diarrhoea.

Background: Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae, is used widely in traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, gastroenteritis, stomachaches, and indigestion. However, the effect of the leaf extract of P.

Studies on the antidiarrhoeal activity of Aegle marmelos unripe fruit: validating its traditional usage.

Background: Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa has been widely used in indigenous systems of Indian medicine due to its various medicinal properties. However, despite its traditional usage as an anti-diarrhoeal there is limited information regarding its mode of action in infectious forms of diarrhoea.

Ethnobotanical survey of antidiarrhoeal plants of Parinche valley, Pune district, Maharashtra, India.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Maharashtra is the third largest state in India with a large tribal population. Documentation of traditional knowledge through ethnobotanical studies is important for conservation and utilization of indigenous knowledge. Diarrhoeal diseases are the second largest cause of morbidity in rural India.

A community-based bacteriological study of quality of drinking-water and its feedback to a rural community in Western Maharashtra, India.

A longitudinal study of the bacteriological quality of rural water supplies was undertaken for a movement towards self-help against diseases, such as diarrhoea, and improved water management through increased community participation. Three hundred and thirteen water samples from different sources, such as well, tank, community standpost, handpumps, percolation lakes, and streams, and from households were collected from six villages in Maharashtra, India, over a one-year period. Overall, 49.

Studies on Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre leaves: understanding the mechanism(s) of action in infectious diarrhea.

While data are available on the effect of medicinal plants on intestinal motility and their antibacterial action, there is a paucity of information on their mode of action on various aspects of diarrheal pathogenicity, namely colonization to intestinal epithelial cells and production/action of enterotoxins. Crude decoction of dried leaves of Pongamia pinnata was evaluated for its antimicrobial (antibacterial, antigiardial and antirotaviral) effect; and its effect on production and action of enterotoxins (cholera toxin, CT; Escherichia coli labile toxin, LT; and E. coli stable toxin, ST); and adherence of enteropathogenic E.

Sacred Groves of Parinche Valley of Pune District of Maharashtra, India and their Importance.

Sacred groves are protected areas of forests because of religious beliefs and constitute an important aspect of the cultural life of various communities throughout the world. The source of this culture can be traced back to prehistoric times. The sacred groves of Parinche valley, Pune district of Maharashtra, India were studied to understand their status and importance in relation to common natural resource bases and cultural aspects.

Clinical, histopathological and bacteriological study of 52 referral MB cases relapsing after MDT.

Fifty-two BB-LL relapse cases referred to our centre during 1997-2003 were investigated in detail. Twenty-four cases had been treated with extended MB-MDT [until smear negativity (NON-FDT)]. The remaining 28 cases (54%) had received one of the fixed duration regimens (FDT), of whom 11 had 24 months and 6 had 12 months of WHO MB-MDT.

Alterations in neurofilament protein(s) in human leprous nerves: morphology, immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblot correlative study.

Using a specific antibody (SMI 31), the state of phosphorylation of high and medium molecular weight neurofilaments (NF-H and NF-M) was studied in 22 leprous and four nonleprous human peripheral nerves by means of immunohistochemistry, sodium dodecyl sulfate-poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western immunoblot (WB). The results thus obtained were compared with morphological changes in the respective nerves studied through light and electron microscopy. Many of the leprous nerves showing minimal pathology revealed lack of or weak staining with SMI 31, denoting dephosphorylation.

Mechanisms involved in peripheral nerve damage in leprosy with special reference to insights obtained from in vitro studies and the experimental mouse model.

The histopathological observations of Khanolkar and Iyer, that M. leprae has a predeliction for nerves, first highlighted the central role of peripheral nerves in the pathology of leprosy. It is now well recognized that nerve damage in leprosy will still continue to be an important problem in control and rehabilitation despite the presence of more efficient therapy.

Viability and drug susceptibility testing of M. leprae using mouse footpad in 37 relapse cases of leprosy.

Mycobacteria leprae isolates obtained from 37 referral relapse cases of leprosy (37 skin and 10 nerve biopsy samples) received during the years 1994-2001, were tested for viability and drug sensitivity in the mouse footpad. A significant M. leprae yield in the footpads of control mice was obtained, with 32/47 (68%) isolates (from 26 cases) thus confirming viability.

Light and ultrastructural study of sciatic nerve lesions induced using intraneural injection of viable Mycobacterium leprae in normal and immunosuppressed Swiss white mice.

Freshly harvested M. leprae were microinjected into the sciatic nerves of nonimmunosuppressed (non-TR) and immunosuppressed (TR) mice using the technique described by Wisniewski and Bloom. The lesions thus induced, on bypassing the blood-nerve barrier, were biopsied at regular intervals beginning 24 hr and followed up to one year.

Spoligotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis patients from Bombay, India.

Spoligotyping was undertaken in 65 multiple-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Bombay, India. The spoligotype patterns showed seven closely related clusters, a cluster with 2 Beijing-like isolates, and unique spoligotypes (43%). Of the clusters, one with 29% of all the isolates suggested transmission of a dominant resistant clone.

Differential in vitro modulation of Schwann cell proliferation by Mycobacterium leprae and macrophages in the murine strains, Swiss white and C57Bl/6.

The special susceptibility of Schwann cells (SCs) to parasitization by M. leprae and of macrophages to M. leprae-induced defects implicates them in leprous nerve pathogenesis.