CLUSTER COMPOSITION OF POLLEN PARTICLES OF ANEMOPHILIC PLANTS ENTERING ATMOSPHERE

A study is made on pollen emission into atmosphere of 21 species of anemophilous plants ( Betula divaricata Ledeb., Betula costata Trautv., Betula davurica Pall., Betula fruticosa Pall., Ulmus japonica (Rehd.)Sarg., Salix acutifolia Willd., Salix cinerea L., Salix purpurea L., Salix rosmarinifolia L., Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Poa alpina L., Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) J. Presl & C. Presl, Briza maxima L., Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv., Urtica urens L., Carex altaica (Gorodkov) V.I. Krecz., Carex pallescens L., Carex flacca Schreb., Carex vesicaria L., Carex diluta M. Bieb., Plantago lanceolata L.), exposed by the Central Siberian Botanical Garden, SB RAS. These plants are widely spread over the territory of the Russian Federation and produce great amounts of allergenic pollen. The proportion of clusters of two or more pollen grains from the total number of pollen particles entering the atmosphere during the flowering periods of these plant species is estimated. It was shown that such clusters in significant quantities were formed in all series of experiments. At the same time, the proportion of pollen grains in their composition could reach 95% of the total number of pollen grains entering the atmosphere.

Individualized homeopathic medicines and Urtica urens mother tincture in treatment of hyperuricemia: an open, randomized, pragmatic, pilot trial

ObjectivesThe quality of management of hyperuricemia has remained sub-optimal owing to unavoidable toxicities, limitations, and dearth of novel advances. Homeopathy has remained under-researched in hyperuricemia. We investigated the clinical effectiveness of three treatment regimens – individualized homeopathy (IH), Urtica urens mother tincture (UUMT), and both (IH + UUMT) along with lifestyle modifications in a sample of 90 patients with hyperuricemia.MethodsAn open, randomized (1:1:1), 3 parallel arms (IH, UUMT, and IH + UUMT), pragmatic trial was conducted at National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata. Outcome measures were serum uric acid (primary), Gout Assessment Questionnaire version 2 (GAQ2, secondary), and Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile version 2 (MYMOP2, secondary); all measured at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months. Intention- to-treat sample was analyzed to detect group differences by unpaired t tests.ResultsAttrition rate was 8.9% (IH: 3, UUMT: 3, IH + UUMT: 2). Groups were comparable at baseline. Reductions in serum uric acid over 3 months were comparatively higher (p=0.057) in the UUMT group than others, however, the differences were narrowed over 6 months (p=0.119). Per protocol analysis of serum uric acid level revealed similar trend of significantly higher reduction in the UUMT group than the other two (3 months: p=0.001; 6 months: p=0.007). No significant differences existed in reductions of GAQ2 scores among the three groups. Few significant differences were detected in MYMOP scores over 3 months favoring IH against others (symptom 2, p=0.001 and wellbeing score, p=0.002), and also over 6 months favoring IH + UUMT against others (symptom 1, p<0.001).ConclusionAlthough all three therapies showed similar improvements, the IH + UUMT group had more positive direction of effects than IH or UUMT alone; however, no definite conclusion could be arrived at. Further trials are warranted with larger sample size. Trial registration: CTRI/2018/05/014026.

TOXICIDAD DE CINCO EXTRACTOS ACUOSOS BOTÁNICOS SOBRE PANAGRELLUS REDIVIVUS (NEMATODA: PANAGROLAIMIDAE), DAPHNIA MAGNA (CRUSTACEA: DAPHNIIDAE), LEMNA MINOR (ARACEAE) Y RAPHANUS SATIVUS (BRASSICACEAE)

El impacto toxicológico de extractos botánicos en el ambiente acuático y terrestre es un área de investigación emergente a nivel global. Cinco extractos botánicos de eucalipto (Eucalyptus globulus, Myrtaceae), ruda (Ruta graveolens, Rutaceae), ortiga (Urtica urens, Urticaceae), muña (Minthostachys mollis, Lamiaceae) e higuerilla (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae) con potencial para el control de plagas fueron evaluados sobre el microgusano de la avena Panagrellus redivivus, la pulga del agua Daphnia magna, la lenteja de agua Lemna minor y el rábano Raphanus sativus en bioensayos toxicológicos bajo condiciones de laboratorio. Daphnia magna en términos de CL a 48 h de exposición 50 fue más sensible a E. globulus y a R. communis. P. redivivus a 96 h de exposición fue más sensible a R. communis. La clorosis de L. minor a 96 h de exposición y la inhibición de la germinación en términos de CE a 96 h de exposición sobre R. sativus fueron más sensibles a R. graveolens. Minthostachys mollis 50 ocasionó la menor toxicidad en los cuatro modelos biológicos. Los extractos botánicos de eucalipto e higuerilla causan una mayor toxicidad en el ambiente acuático y en el ambiente terrestre el extracto acuoso de ruda produjo mayor efecto tóxico.