A CONCISE BOTANICAL CONSIDERATION ON VARIOUS PLANT PARTS (PRAYOJYANGA) STATED IN AYURVEDA

The plants are the backbone of many traditional health care practices, and they are always said as best friends of human beings. In Ayurveda, The Panchavidha Kashaya Kalpana has been quoted as the fundamental therapeutic preparations mostly as herbal preparations. Among them, Swarasa (Fresh juice) & Kalka (paste) are made gener- ally by fresh plant parts like leaves and tuberous roots. While dried Panchanga (whole plant) are mostly used in the preparation of Kwatha (decoction), Hima (cold infusion) and Phanta (hot infusion). The term Panchanga in- dicates Tvaka (bark), Pushpa (flower), Patra (leaves), Phala (fruit), and Mula (root). Apart from this, Saara (pith), Ksheera (latex), Niryasa (exudate/ oleoresin/gum) and Kanda (bulb) has been also cited in the Ayurveda text. With the help of modern plant science, information can be obtained for an upgraded, précised and easily un- derstanding of the individual plant part. Thus, this article provides ample information on the terminologies of plant parts in the classical text and their description in line with botanical science. Keywords: Panchanga, Ayurveda, Plant, Parts, Kashaya

Evaluation of Sensory Quality for Taiwanese Specialty Teas with Cold Infusion Using CATA and Temporal CATA by Taiwanese Consumers

The market size of varied carbonated teas and bottled ready-to-drink tea products in Taiwan has surpassed that of traditional Taiwan tea with hot infusion. The consumption behavior of Taiwanese consumers for new and varied types of cold infusion tea products has also differed from that of traditional hot infusion ones. More kinds of Taiwan tea with different fermentation levels are gradually being used as raw materials for various cold infusion tea products. Therefore, to study consumers’ responses towards cold-brewed tea has become more important for the market of tea in Taiwan. This study recruited Taiwanese consumers to taste seven Taiwanese specialty tea infusions with various degrees of fermentation, and their opinions were gathered by questionnaires composed of check-all-that-apply (CATA), and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) questions and hedonic scales. We found that both CATA and TCATA data agreed that the sensory features of unfermented and lightly semi-fermented tea infusions could be plainly distinguished from the ones of heavily semi-fermented and fully fermented teas based on correspondence analyses. Through CATA and TCATA, the sensory characteristics of the cold-brewed tea of various fermentation degrees could be clearly identified. The first-hand information of cold tea beverages analyzed through this study could be useful for the development of the market in Taiwan. The proper level of bitterness, astringency, fresh tea leaf flavor, and late sweetness were the essential qualities of cold infusions brewed from lightly fermented teas, which could be the best raw materials for production of cold tea beverages to satisfy as many consumers as possible.

A Clinico-Pharmacological Aspect of Kwatha Kalpana in ENT Disorders

Ayurveda is split into many branches. The branch which deal with the drug and use within the style of medicine for the treatment of diseases is thought as Bhaishajya Kalpana (Ayurvedic Pharmaceutics). Bhaishajya Kalpana endorses the five fundamental dosage form, namely Swaras (juice), Kalka (paste), Kwatha (decoction), Hima (cold infusion), Phant (hot infusion). This is often the real source of success for physicians. Among them, Kwatha Kalpana (decoction types of medicine) is that the most vital and widely used dosage form in Ayurvedic pharmaceutic. Shalakyatantra (treatment of disorder above clavicle) is one in all Ashtanga Ayurveda (eight clinical branches of Ayurveda), coping with the study of diseases occurring above the Jatru (part of body above the clavicle), which has Shiras (head), Karna (ear), Nasa (nose), Netra (eyes) and Mukha (mouth) and their management. Shalakyatantra is primarily concerned with preserving and restoring the health of the Indriyas (senses). In modern science ear, nose and throat are studied collectively within the specialized field called otolaryngology or upper tract diseases which is colloquially referred to as ENT. The monotonous mechanical life style, faulty food habits, restless schedule, stress, overpopulation, overcrowding of vehicle leading to the sound and air pollution, junk food habits is causing hazardous effects of receptor. Ayurvedic system of drug enunciates more of preventive measures which are lacking in contemporary science. Identifying the Nidana (etiology) and avoiding it forms the key role in preventing most of the ENT disorders. Hence, it’s is highly essential to spot and treat the common ENT disorder seen in clinical practice with Ayurvedic measures specially Kwath Kalpana. In present article a clinic-pharmacological aspect of the Kwath Kaplana is discussed with reference to ENT diseases.

Temperature, osmotic and acidic activity of infusion solutions as an integral part of their mechanism of action

A review of the literature shows that the physical-chemical properties of infusion solutions can be an integral part of the mechanism of their local action on the routes of administration. This new scientific and practical direction in clinical pharmacology was born at the end of the 20th century in Russia. Initially, it was found that isotonic solutions of glucose, mannitol, and sodium chloride with different temperatures have different local effects on the metabolism and viability of isolated biological objects such as mitochondria and blood plasma. At the same time, it was shown that increasing the temperature of solutions from +37 to +45C accelerates the metabolism of these biological objects, increases their reactivity and enhances their response to the action of many drugs-activators of metabolism and function. And vice versa, lowering the temperature of these solutions from +37 to +20C and below (up to 0C) slows down their metabolism, reduces their reactivity, weakens their response to the action of drugs-activators of metabolism and function, and also increases survival in conditions of ischemia and hypoxia. These results allowed us to recommend warm infusion solutions as universal means of activating aerobic metabolism in tissues and the response of tissues to drugs with local physical-chemical action, and cold infusion solutions as universal means of inhibiting aerobic metabolism in tissues and increasing the resistance of tissues to the action of drugs on them. Following this, it was shown that many infusion solutions do not have isoosmotic activity, since the osmotic activity of drugs is not controlled. Therefore, one part of the solutions has hypotonic activity, and the other part has hypertonic activity. Therefore, sometimes the infusion solution can increase the hypoosmotic or hyperosmotic activity of the blood plasma. Then it was shown that the absolute majority of infusion solutions do not have a pH of 7.4. At the same time, very many infusion solutions have acidic activity, so they have an acidifying effect on the blood. The chronology of the development of inventions based on the achievements of the physical-chemical pharmacology of infusion agents is shown.

A System for Continuous Pre- to Post-reperfusion Intra-carotid Cold Infusion for Selective Brain Hypothermia in Rodent StrokeModels

Intra-carotid cold infusion (ICCI) appears as a promising method for hypothermia-mediated brain protection from ischemic stroke. Recent clinical pilot studies indicate easy implementation of ICCI into endovascular acute ischemic stroke treatment. Current rodent ICCI-in-stroke models limit ICCI to the post-reperfusion phase. To establish a method for continuous ICCI over the duration of intra-ischemia to post-reperfusion in rodent stroke models, a novel system was developed. Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were included. Intraluminal filament method was used for transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Normal saline (~ 0 °C) was delivered (≤ 2.0 mL/min) into the internal carotid artery via a customized infusion system without interruption during MCAO (intra-ischemia) to after filament withdrawal (post-reperfusion). Bilateral cortical and striatal temperatures were monitored. Hypothermia goals were a temperature reduction in the ischemic hemisphere by 2 °C prior to reperfusion and thereafter maintenance of regional brain hypothermia at ~ 32 °C limiting the administered ICCI volume to ½ of each rat’s total blood volume. During ischemia, maximum brain cooling rate was achieved with ICCI at 0.5 mL/min. It took 2 min to reduce ischemic striatal temperature by 2.3 ± 0.3 °C. After reperfusion, brain cooling was continued at 2 mL/min ICCI first (over 42 s) and maintained at 32.1 ± 0.3 °C at 0.7 mL/min ICCI over a duration of 15 ± 0.8 min. ICCI (total 12.6 ± 0.6 mL) was uninterrupted over the duration of the studied phases. First system that allows continuous ICCI during the phases of intra-ischemia to post-reperfusion in small animals for selective brain cooling and for investigations of other neuroprotective infusions.

Cordia oncocalyx (Allemão) Baill. (Boraginaceae) Chemical Composition and Alelopathic Effect Against Weeds

Through secondary metabolism, plants produce chemical compounds which when released into the environment can have effects on other species, such effect is called allelopathy. In this research we evaluated the Cordia oncocalyx (Boraginaceae) allelopathic potential against two weed species, Cenchrus echinatus and Calotropis procera, as well as quantified its phenolic compounds using HPLC-DAD. The experimental design was completely randomized with six treatments and one control group (distilled water). Each treatment consisted of four replicates with 25 seeds each, totaling 100 seeds per treatment. The variables analyzed were: germinating potential, germination velocity and seedling development. The hot and cold infusion extracts were prepared with 50 g of each of the three parts of the donor plant (bark, leaves and roots) immersed in 500 ml of distilled water at 100 °C (hot infusion) and 25 °C (cold infusion). The experiments were mounted in Petri dishes having substrate filter paper embedded in 3 mL of the extracts (treatments) and conducted in a germination chamber. Hot and cold infusion extracts of the C. oncocalyx leaves, barks and roots presented allelopathic activity on C. echinatus and C. procera germination and development, with the hot bark extract promoting such effect with a greater intensity. The allelopathic effect observed may be due to the presence of allelochemicals such as caffeic acid, quercentin and kaempferol present in C. oncocalyx leaves, barks and roots.