Milind Parle

Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology · Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

BACKGROUND Sleep is the restorative mechanism involved in the maintenance of physiological and psychological balance. Anxiety is recognized as a typical outcome of sleep deprivation (SLD) that interferes with the normal daily life of the person. The present study was designed to assess the antianxiety effects of cardamom oil in mice subjected to sl...

The present study was designed to evaluate the antipsychotic-like activity of dark chocolate against Ketamine-induced psychosis in animals and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms for this activity. Dark chocolate (200, 400 mg/kg, along with diet), haloperidol (1mg/kg, i.p.), and olanzapine (5mg/kg, i.p) were administered daily to differen...

Even though the malady of dementia has existed for thousands of years, the correlated neurodegenerative alterations taking place in certain regions of the human brain were detected in recent times. Today, we are aware that dementia is a primary manifestation of Alzheimer"s disease (AD). In 1907, Alöis Alzheimer described the symptoms of a 51-year-o...

Goat milk is a health promoting nutritional drink containing omega 3 fatty acids that supports neuronal repair, growth and memory. Fresh Goat Milk was administered to mice and various exteroceptive and interoceptive models were employed to study its nootropic effect. Biochemical studies were performed to confirm these effects. We continued studies...

Essential oil of eucalyptus species is among the most common traded essential oils in the world. There is an increasing interest in the application of eucalyptus oil as a natural additive in food and pharmaceutical industry. The present study was undertaken to identify the phytoconstituents present in the essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus leaves...

Gallic acid has been reported to possess a number of psychopharmacological activities. These activities are attributed to the antioxidant potential due to the presence of phenolic moeity. The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of gallic acid in an experimental model of ketamine-induced psychosis in mice. Ketamine (5...

Background Stigmasterol, a naturally occurring phytoestrogen has been reported to possess many pharmacological activities. The aim of the present study was to screen the effect of stigmasterol against ketamine-induced mice model of psychosis. Methods The behavioural studies included an assessment of locomotor activity, stereotypic behaviours, immo...

Ketamine, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist has been implanted in such behavioural and biochemical alterations in animals similar to human psychosis. Spermidine, a biogenic polyamine, involved in various cellular functions in living organisms, on the contrary possess NMDA receptor agonistic effect. Therefore, we aimed to study the effect of...

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is flowering plant species in the carrot family of Apiacae. It is a small, erect and aromatic herb full of volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and amino acids. Fennel contains volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and amino acids. There is no documented report on ut...

Nature is full of numerous supernatural fragrances, which have their own magic and are pleasant to our senses. Fennel is one of them, generally known as Saunf (Foeniculum vulgare) belonging to Apiacae family. India is the greatest manufacturer of fennel in the world. Fennel is mainly cultivated in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Fennel contai...

Green Peas are tiny powerhouse of nourishment. They are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids, polphenols and pisumsaponins. The present study was employed to assess nootropic potential of Green Peas (Pisum sativum). Elevated Plus Maze model and Passive avoidance Paradigm served as Exteroceptive Behavioral models. Sc...

Psychosis is a complex mental illness, characterised by positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. NMDA receptor antagonists have been established to induce behavioural as well as biochemical changes in rodents similar to psychotic patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effective dose and treatment period of ketamine to induc...

Plant-derived medications have augmented in the management of psychiatric disorders. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of methanol extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus against anxiety. The effects of methanol extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus (MEAH) on brain GABA and serotonin levels were also determ...

To develop statistically optimized brain targeted Tween 80 coated chitosan nanoparticulate formulation for oral delivery of doxycycline hydrochloride for the treatment of psychosis and to evaluate its protective effect on ketamine induced behavioral, biochemical, neurochemical and histological alterations in mice. 3² full factorial design was used...

Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel), generally known as Saunf belonging to Apiacae family is one of the most popular and widely used medicinal plants in traditional medicine. Fennel contains volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and amino acids. There is no documented report on utility of Fennel in psychiatric disorders in litera...

Honey, a natural sweetener derived from insects is not only a sweetener but it’s a unique gift from nature to mankind. Honey has been used since ancient times to fulfil medical and domestic needs. It contains proteins, enzymes, amino acids (glycine etc), minerals, vitamins, aromatic compounds and polyphenols, which contribute to its magical therape...

Anxiety is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that we experienced in our everyday life. Benzodiazepine and serotonergic agents are used to treat anxiety. Long term intake of these agents may cause side effects such as sleep disturbances, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, paradoxical effects etc. Therefore, the demands of new potential anxi...

The existing laboratory models of Anxiety show many limitations. The purpose of the present invention is to design an instrument, which would help in producing fretful/anxious behaviour in small experimental animals. The present invention relates to an instrument, which helps to induce Anxiety like Disorder in small experimental animals. This instr...

Green moong bean (Vigna radiate) has been cultivated for its therapeutic and traditional benefits all over the world. Anti-Alzheimer potential of green moong bean sprouts was investigated in the present study by employing interoceptive and exteroceptive behavioural models. A total of 138 Swiss mice divided into 23 groups were employed for the prese...

Nature has blessed us with superb flora and fauna, which has made our life lovely. One of these wonders is Pear fruit. Pear is a gently sweet and juicy fruit with buttery texture. In Sanskrit, it is named as 'Amritphale' because of its immense potential in human health care. Pear is distributed in temperate regions all over the world. Pear makes an...

Psychosis (schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and affective illnesses) is a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. About 1% of the population suffers from psychosis worldwide and increases for those, whose closer family member have suffered with the disorder. Common symptoms of psychosis are hallucinations, delusions, flat affect, forgetfuln...

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antipsychotic potential of Terminalia bellerica in experimental animal models. Male Wistar rats (180-220 g) and Albino mice (25-30 g) were used for the study. The antipsychotic effect of the Terminalia bellerica was evaluated on haloperidol induced catalepsy, cooks pole climbing apparatus, locomotor...

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antipsychotic potential of Ocimum sanctum in experimental animal models. Male Wistar rats (180-220 g) and albino mice (25-30 g) were used for the study. The antipsychotic effect of the Ocimum sanctum was evaluated on haloperidol induced catalepsy, cooks pole climbing apparatus, locomotor activity on...

Traditionally fruit of Cucumis sativus var sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae) has been used for its high fiber and vitamin content in gastrointestinal, skin problems and as cooling agent for body as well as brain. The present study assessed the pharmacological effects of cucumber on learning and memory capabilities of mice. Fresh cucumber paste in doses 3,...

Traditionally fruit of Cucumis sativus var sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae) has been used for its high fiber and vitamin content in gastrointestinal, skin problems and as cooling agent for body as well as brain. The present study assessed the pharmacological effects of cucumber on learning and memory capabilities of mice. Fresh cucumber paste in doses 3,...

La souffrance du soignant est une maladie, intriquée, à la fois de la personne soignante et de la société soignée. Cette affection touche toutes les catégories de soignants dans toutes les régions du monde et représente, statistiquement un danger massif. Elle commence dès avant la fin de la formation des soignants; elle s’insinue de manière cont...

Effect of different types of plant growth regulators has been studied on in vitro multiplication of Withania somnifera using nodal explants. Maxim um survival percentage 100 % of explants was observed using nodal explants were treated with 0.4 % Streptocyclin and 0.4 % Bavistin for 60 min utes followed by 3 min utes treatment with 0.1 % HgCl 2 . MS...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) Type 2 is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The classic symptoms are excess thirst, frequent urination, and constant hunger. Management of Type 2 diabetes focuses on lifestyle interventions, lowering other cardiovascular risk...

Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive and continuous loss of cognitive functions. The neuropsychiatric symptoms include apathy; agitation and depression. As the disorder progresses, the patient gradually becomes dependent on others to perform routine daily activities. Various underlying diseases or disorders are the...

Introduction: Cucumber is fruit of Cucumis sativus var. sativus L. which has been used traditionally in gastrointestinal problems, skin problems and as coolant in salad for body and brain. Cucumber is a great folk medicine used to reduce heat and inflammation. Cognitive effects of cucumber are assessed in this study. Methods: Fresh fruits of Cucumi...

A daily bow l of fresh curd/ yogurt helps in preventing numerous diseases. Curd/yoghurt may be viewed as a natural healing food supplement . It has a perfect balance of proteins, carbohydrates , fats , minerals and vitamins . It is like a benediction from our ancestors. Curd as such is easy to digest but, when combined with sugar, pepper, vegetable...

An efficient protocol was developed for the rapid in vitro multiplication of an endangered medicinal herb, Chlorophytum borivilianum (safed musli); by using Basal/crown plate explants. The effects of phytohormones [6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (KN), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3- butyric acid (IBA) or a-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA)] o...

Findings of a retrospective study on factors responsible for depression in a Northern Indian State Objective: Depression is a leading cause of morbidity and disability worldwide. The factors responsible for the prevalence of depression vary across countries and cultures. This study was aimed to provide data on the prevalence of depression and the p...

Objective: To evaluate the antipsychotic effect of Allium cepa. Materials and Methods: The antipsychotic effect of the Allium cepa was evaluated on haloperidol induced catalepsy, cooks pole climbing apparatus, locomotor activity on actophotometer, ketamine induced stereotype behavior. Different groups of rats were fed orally with a specially prepar...

Schizophrenia is a major debilitating, complex and costly illness that strikes 1% of the world's population. It is found in every society from the most primitive to the largest and most technologically advanced society. The excessive degree of cigarette smoking exhibited by schizophrenic patients suggests that they might be self-medicating to ameli...

A series of 3-aryl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole derivatives was synthesized in good yield and assayed in vitro as inhibitors of the mice acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and two goat liver monoamine oxidase (MAO) isoforms, MAO-A and MAO-B. Most of the compounds demonstrated a good AChE and selective MAO-B inhibitory activities in the nanomolar or low micromolar...

Schizophrenia continues to be a mysterious disease fascinating the minds of psychiatrists, pharmacologists and neuroscientists all over the world for more than a century. The crucial welfare of the millions afflicted with schizophrenia is at stake. The cause of schizophrenia is not yet identified. However, it appears from the available reports that...

The road is the same, up- hill or down-hill. And it’s our choice to choose one of the two. But the destination at the end of the road is different. Let us all appreciate the fact that there is a big difference between advertising a commodity such as a table, chair, mobile phone and a Medicine. In the first case, if the advertised claims are not met...

Animal models have become indispensible tools for discovering new medicines and in the analysis of multitude of causes, bio-markers and pathophysiological changes, which bring about symptoms characteristics of a specific disorder. One of the biggest challenges in discovering medicines for psychosis is to find an appropriate animal model of this ill...

Existing research into schizophrenia has remained highly fragmented, much like the clinical presentation of the disease itself. Differing theories as to the cause and progression of schizophrenia, as well as the heterogeneity of clinical symptoms, have made it difficult to develop a coherent framework suitable for animal modeling. However, a few an...

Zea stands for ‘sustaining life’ and Mays stands for ‘life giver’. Zea mays is one of the oldest and most dynamic crop species, which has gained popularity in modern world too, due to its applications in diverse dishes. Corn is produced in every continent of the world with the exception of Antarctica. It is an annual monoecious sunny plant, survivi...

Kokam fruit can be viewed as a wonder berry that has a pleasant, tangy-sweet taste and a myriad of health benefits. This exotic fruit is a native of Sahyadri Mountain range of Western India. Kokam (Garcinia indica), grows on ornamental fruit trees and does not require irrigation, spraying or fertilizers. Since Kokam tree is disease- and pest-free,...

Til is a key ingredient in a variety of world cuisines, especially Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean for its nutritional and medicinal value. Sesame seeds (Til) seem like tiny and simple pieces of nature's creation. The present study was undertaken to investigate the anxiolytic potential of Sesamum indicum in mice. A total of 150 Swiss mice,...

Dementia is a syndrome of gradual onset and continuous decline of higher cognitive functioning. It is a common disorder in older persons and has become more prevalent today. The fresh leaves of Murraya koenigii are often added to various dishes in Asian countries due to the delicious taste and flavor that they impart. These leaves have also been pr...

The present invention relates to a device, which helps to induce Obsessive- Compulsive- Disorder in small laboratory animals. The device is useful as an experimental model for testing medicines useful in the management of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Every part of Tamarind tree, from roots to leaf tips has been utilized to meet different human needs. Tamarindus indica (Caesalpiniaceae), popularly known as imli is a perennial evergreen tree with a spreading crown, feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers. Tamarindus indica is one of the auspicious, versatile tree species in the Indian sub...

Background: Management of cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disease has been challenging since no potential drug is available with proved efficacy. Some nootropic drugs like piracetam, aniracetam and cholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil® have found to exhibit severe toxic effects in elderly. Objective: The present study was d...

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic auto-immune disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues, leading to long term disability. Rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any age but has its peak between 35 to 55 years of age. RA shows hereditary linkage. Women and smokers are most often affected. The patient doesn’t...

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic, progressive, neurodegenerative brain disorder that occurs gradually and characterized by disturbance of multiple cortical functions including memory, judgment, orientation, comprehension, learning capacity and language. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the nootropic potential of leaves of Trigonella foe...

World health organization (WHO) has advocated the evaluation of therapeutic potential of plants for diseases where we lack safe allopathic drugs. Ocimum sanctum described as sacred and medicinal plant in ancient literature, commonly known as Tulsi is derived from ‘Sanskrit’, which means "the incomparable one". This plant belongs to the family Lamia...

Aim of the study: Trigonella foenum-graceum L. (Leguminosae) was traditionally used in inflammation, diabetes, burns, eczema, gout, skin ulcers and oral insulin substitute. In this study, Psychopharmacological potential of Trigonella foenum seed powder (TFSP) for its nootropic activity was evaluated. Materials and methods: Various concentrations of...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of combination of antidepressants with other drugs and risk of drug interactions in the setting of two private hospitals’ units in India. Methods: Prescriptions of patients admitted to two private hospitals from April 2010 to June 2010 were surveyed from the hospitals’ data processing...

Benjamin Franklin, America’s greatest citizen, a printer by trade, scientist and philosopher by fame said, “Women & Melons are difficult to understand”. Musk melon (Cucumis melo) is a beautiful, juicy, tasty fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes 825 species in 118-119 genera. This family contains all the edible gourds, such as cucumbers...

Papaya (Carica papaya linn) is well known for its exceptional nutritional and medicinal properties throughout the world. From the times immemorial, the whole Papaya plant including its leaves, seeds, ripe and unripe fruits and their juice is used as a traditional medicine. The fruit has a large oval shape, yellowish-green skin and yellow flesh. Now...

Chyawanprash (Chy) is an ayurvedic formulation commonly consumed in Indian households. Chy is a comprehensive herbal tonic, prepared from around 50 herbs employing anwala ( Emblica officinalis ) as the basic ingredient. The present study was undertaken to explore the beneficial effects of Chy (at the dose of 1 and 2% w/w of diet) administered daily...

Bottle gourd is one of the excellent fruits gifted by nature to human beings having composition of all the essential constituents that are required for good health and quality human life. Lagenaria siceraria (Cucurbitaceae), popularly known as bottle gourd, lauki or ghiya, is a climbing plant, which bears hard-shelled and bottle-shaped gourds as fr...

Walnuts grow on large trees, known for their beauty, timber and tasty edible nuts. There are many varieties of walnuts that vary in hardiness, nut size and thickness of the nut shell. When it comes to their health benefits, Walnuts definitely are not hard nuts to crack. They contain free radical scavenging compounds like ellagic acid, juglone and c...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by absurd, recurrent thoughts (obsessions) followed by certain stereotyped actions (compulsions). 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) abnormalities may be involved in OCD, and further, cause changes in serotonergic transmission that may have direct or indirect effects on the neuronal firing of other neuro...

Between 5 to 10% of the population experience depression at any time in any year, needing psychiatric or psychosocial intervention. The World Health Organization has reported that depression's financial burden globally ranked fourth in 2000, and will increase by 2020 to be the second most costly disease. This paper focus on the range of non-drug st...

Clove is found to possess useful medicinal properties, such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) on cognitive functions in mice. Clove powder was administered orally along with diet in three doses (400, 800, 1600mg/kg) for sev...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder featuring intrusive and troubling symptoms, which are perceived as the products of one's own mind. This disorder is characterized by absurd, recurrent and persistent thoughts (obsessions) followed by certain stereotyped actions (compulsions). The OCD patients realize the irrational nature o...

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts followed by repetitive behaviors. Serotonin-related genes found in OCD include those required for coding of 5-HT transporter and 5-HT receptors (5-HT 2A , 5-HT 2B , 5-HT 2C and 5-HT 1B). Marble-burying behavior of mice is a well-accepted paradigm to screen anti-compulsive ac...

To investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica Linn. (Family: Caesalpiniaceae) on obesity in rats using cafeteria diet-induced obesity and antipsychotic drug (sulpiride)-induced obesity. Cafeteria dietwas administered for 40 successive days to male Wistar rats and sulpiride (20 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered for 28...

Anxiety disorders refer to a collection of mental syndromes characterized by abnormally high levels of distress and avoidance associated with scenarios perceived as dangerous. Music is an ancient and universal feature across all human societies. The ability to appreciate music requires no special training. In view of above, we were interested to ex...

With each passing day, we age. Our body gets flooded with unwanted and deleterious elements, our cells lose their ability to divide, our nervous, endocrine and immune systems weaken with advancing age. Sagging skin, wrinkled face, graying hair, loss of muscle strength, reduced reflexes, low energy levels, increasing fat, faulty memory (dementia), w...

Coriandrum sativum L., commonly known as coriander and belonging to the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), is cultivated throughout the world for its nutritional value. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of fresh Coriandrum sativum leaves (CSL) on cognitive functions, total serum cholesterol levels and brain cholinesterase act...

 Chyawanprash is an Ayurvedic formulation which is used traditionally to increase vitality, vigor and for delaying the aging process. The present study sought to explore the beneficial effects of chyawanprash on cognitive function of aged mice.  In the present study, chyawanprash (CHY) was administered orally in two concentrations (1 and 2% w/w of...

Pineapple, a juicy and tasty fruit, belonging to family Bromeliaceae is scientifically known as Ananas cosmosus. The Pineapples are traditionally used as a blood purifier, to aid digestion, for gastro-intestinal disorders, diseases of the larynx and pharynx, as a mild antiseptic and to treat diabetes. There are no reports in literature pertaining t...

Clove may be looked upon as a champion of all the antioxidants known till date. The Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) test is a scale developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture for comparing anti-oxidant activity. The ORAC score, of clove is over 10 million. A drop of clove oil is 400 times more powerful as an anti-oxidant than wolf berrie...

Phytoestrogens are nonsteroidal plant compounds that are able to exert estrogenic effects. Soybean is a rich source of phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones. Soy isoflavones are utilized for estrogen replacement therapy. Estrogen is reported to influence several areas of brain that are involved in cognition and behavior. Therefore, the present stu...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by absurd, recurrent thoughts (obsessions) followed by certain stereotyped actions (compulsions). OCD can impair all areas of brain functioning and produce devastating effects on patients and their families. Marble-burying behavior of mice is a well-accepted paradigm to screen anti-compulsive act...

The purpose of this study was to explore the prescribing practices in a sample of physicians in the treatment of depression and to what degree these practices reflect research findings. 224 of 300 selected physicians (75%) responded to a 11-item questionnaire covering four major content areas: first-line preferences in the treatment of depression,...

The use of in silico approaches for successful prediction of pharmacokinetic properties of compounds during new drug discovery has been increasing exponentially. These in silico models, for the prognosis of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) are invariably based upon the implementation of quantitative structure pharmacokineti...