Indian Journal of Pharmacology Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Pharmacological Society ISSN: 0253-7613 EISSN: 1998-3751 Vol. 36, Num. 1, 2004, pp. 54

Indian Journal of Pharmacology, Vol. 36, No. 1, Feb, 2004, pp. 54

Abstracts

XXXV Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society, Gwalior, November 26-29, 2002, Abstracts of Research Papers (Part-Vi)

Code Number: ph04021

1. A study of serum zinc and copper in health and disease

Nasiruddin M, Khan RA Department of Pharmacology, J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh (U.P.), India.

Objective: To observe the serum levels of trace elements especially zinc and copper in various diseases using the data compiled from several studies conducted at J.N. Medical College in the last two decades (1980-2000).
Methods: The studies included 596 controls (healthy individuals, males 300, females 296) and 1616 patients (male 802, females 814) of various diseases. In these studies serum levels of zinc and copper (µg/dl) were estimated on atomic-absorption spectrophotometer (GBC-902) and were compared to their controls. The data of all these studies were compiled to evaluate the levels of serum zinc and copper in health and disease.
Results: The study revealed mean serum zinc and copper levels as 124.5+30.3 and 116.2+13.1 respectively, Zn: Cu=1.07. In diseased conditions the mean serum levels varied, zinc: 80.4+9 207.5+11.7 and copper: 56.0+2.0 194.8+14.1. It was observed that serum zinc level was lowest in malignancies (80-87) followed by submucous fibrosis, cataract and pregnancy (100-110), whereas it was increased in hypertension, burn, epilepsy, urolithiasis and vitiligo (140, 145, 168, 199, 207.5) respectively. The copper levels observed were lowest in burn (56) followed by cataract and pregnancy 114 and 116 respectively. The copper levels were found elevated in epilepsy, vitiligo, ischaemic heart diseases, hypertension (123, 127, 148, 158) and various types of malignancies (174-590).
Conclusion: It was inferred from the finding that zinc copper ratio remained nearer to control (1.07) in cataract, pregnancy and hypertension (0.91, 0.95, 1.05), increased in epilepsy and vitiligo (1.37, 1.64) whereas it was highly decreased in malignancies (0.54-0.15).

2. Antinociceptive activity of Vitex negundo Linn leaf extract

Gupta RK, Tandon VR

Department of Pharmacology, M.G. Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram - 442102, India.

Objective: To evaluate the analgesic activity and mechanism of action of Vitex negundo leaf extract in rats and mice.
Methods: Tail flick technique in rats and acetic acid induced writhing test in mice were employed to study the antinociceptive activity of Vitex negundo. The mechanism of analgesic action was explored by observing its effect on interaction with naloxone in tail flick method, oxytocin-induced contractions in rat uterus and oxidative stress. Vitex negundo extract was administered orally in graded doses (100, 250 and 500 mg.kg^-1) and the effect was compared with meperidine (40 mg.kg^-1 s.c.) in tail flick method and aspirin (50 mg.kg^-1 p.o.) in writhing test as standard controls respectively.
Results: The test drug showed significant analgesic activity in dose dependent manner in both the experimental models. The subtherapeutic dose (5 mg.kg^-1 p.o.) of Vitex negundo potentiated the analgesic activity of meperidine (4 mg.kg^-1 s.c.) and aspirin (25 mg.kg^-1 p.o.). Naloxone (1 mg.kg^-1 s.c.) did not show any reversal of analgesia of test drug in comparison to analgesia produced by it. Vitex negundo inhibited oxytocin induced contractions of rat uterus and plasma MDA level significantly.
Conclusion: These observations suggest that Vitex negundo possesses analgesic activity which appears to be due to prostaglandin inhibition and reduction of oxidative stress. Since, naloxone did not reverse the analgesia induced by test drug, it indicates that central analgesic action is not mediated through opioid receptors.

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