Effect of centchroman on cellular and humoral immunity.

Centchroman (Ormeloxifene) is a nonsteroidal selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used as once a week oral contraceptive agent. The effect of centchroman on the immune system was evaluated by using different experimental models such as carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia, neutrophil adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins, mice lethality test and indirect haemagglutination test. The first three models namely carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and neutrophil adhesion test were used to study cell mediated immunity while the latter three models were used to see the effect on humoral immunity.

Effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha agonist (bezafibrate) on gastric secretion and gastric cytoprotection in rats.

The effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) on gastric secretion and gastric cytoprotection was evaluated using five different models of gastric ulcers: acetic acid-induced chronic gastric ulcers, pylorus ligation, ethanol-induced, indomethacin-induced and ischemia-reperfusion-induced gastric ulcers. Bezafibrate, a PPAR-alpha agonist was administered at two different doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneanally. Both doses of bezafibrate showed significant antiulcer effect in ethanol-induced, indomethacin-induced and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcers.

Pharmacological evaluation of Pachyrrhizus erosus (L) seeds for central nervous system depressant activity.

The research work deals with the screening of ethanol and chloroform extracts of Pachyrrhizus erosus seeds for central nervous system (CNS) depressant activity. The Pachyrrhizus erosus seed is known to contain rotinoids, flavonoids and phenylfuranocoumarin derivatives as chemical components and is reported to have antifungal, antisecretory, insecticides, antibacterial and spasmolytic activity. Since seeds of Pachyrrhizus erosus is used as folk medicine in treatment of insomnia, we made an attempt to study its CNS depressant effect.

Modulation of baseline behavior in rats by putative serotonergic agents in three ethoexperimental paradigms.

The present study adopts an ethoexperimental approach to examine the deportment subsequent to alteration in serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission following treatment with site-specific neuropharmacological probes. The impact of perturbation in (5-HT) neurotransmission on baseline behavior was analyzed employing three animal models of anxiety, i.e.