Volume 2 Issue 2
Authors: Mirela Brasoveanu; Monica R. Nem?anu
Abstract: The paper reports the effects of the accelerated electron beams on sea buckthorn antioxidant activity. The antioxidant compounds and activity of the samples treated with accelerated electrons at doses up to 10 kGy in comparison to non-treated sample were evaluated both immediately after irradiation and storage periods (3 and 12 months) at room temperature. The study indicated that the irradiation of sea buckthorn led to the reduction of the antioxidant characteristics as increasing dose, while the storage caused a phenomenon of degradation.
Keywords: Medicinal Herb; Ionizing Radiation; Antioxidant Characteristics
Authors: R. Seebaluck; M. F. Mahomoodally
Abstract: Mauritius has a rich botanical diversity and the use of phytotherapy for the treatment and/or management of various ailments is a deep-rooted tradition and still very popular among the local people. Nonetheless, few botanical remedies of Mauritius have been scientifically studied and there is currently a dearth of updated data on current practices and use of phytotherapy by the local population. The main objective of this survey was to collect data pertaining to the pattern of use of common phytotherapy by the local people (n= 100) via a survey questionnaire and face-to-face interviews. A total of 76% of the respondents correctly identified 41 plant species belonging to 25 families that were commonly utilised for the treatment and/or management of panoply of pathologies (both communicable and non-communicable diseases). The most common families used by the informants were Asteraceae (4 species), Lamiaceae (4 species), Apiaceae (3 species) and Rutaceae (3 species). Leaves were the mostly (77.6%) used plant parts. It was found that botanical remedies used by the informants were mostly consumed fresh (51.3%) and eaten raw (40.8%). The most frequently mentioned indications where botanical remedies were used include cough, influenza, fever, stomach and gastric pain, colic, indigestion and skin problems. Given the plethora of novel information obtained from the present survey, it is obvious that the local population still relies to a great extent on phytotherapy which need to be preserved and used sustainably.
Keywords: Phytotherapy; Alternative Medicine; Botanical Remedies
Authors: Benjamin J. Scherlag; Manuel Menes; Sunny S. Po; Abraham A. Embi
Abstract: Targeted in vivo calcium chelation is proposed as an experimental treatment in the interruption of the infectivity of the life cycle of parasites. Calcium chelators in various millimolar concentrations were injected in vivo in dogs. The Intrinsic Cardiac Nervous System was identified and infiltrated. Histological studies showed that calcium chelators had infiltrated the sympathetic atrial plexus and the underlying atrial myocardium. This allowed visualizing the calcium stores of atrial myocardial and neural tissue. Histological samples processed and stained via the calcium specific von Kossa technique converting the ionic calcium to the carbonate (stained black). Those images and their interpretation are discussed in this manuscript. Previous research showed that Ca++ response is essential in mammalian cell invasion of parasites. In Chagas’ disease pre-treatment with calcium chelators of Trypanosome cruzi (T. cruzi) trypomastigotes has decreased the trypomastigotes’ association to cells by 40 and 63%. Methodology for oxalates induced calcium chelators delivered to parasite nests is presented. A search of the medical literature, failed to show any in vivo microinjection of chelators as described in this report.
Keywords: Calcium Chelation; Chagas Disease; Von Kossa; Targeted Nanoparticles; Ionic Calcium; Intracellular Chelation; Reentrant Arrhythmias; Parasitic Therapy; Cancer Biosignals