Tyagbir Hem Baruah College

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Persicaria hydropiper is a medicinal herb that also holds significant culinary value in Southeast Asia. Among the Mishing tribe of Assam, the roots of this plant are traditionally used for female contraception. Aim of the study: The present study aimed to evaluate the potential toxicological effects of the methanolic root extract of P. hydropiper, which was administered to female mice to prevent conception. Materials and Methods: The assessment included acute toxicity tests, behavioural studies, biochemical analyses (SGOT and SGPT levels), histological examinations of the liver and kidney and genotoxicity tests using micronucleus assays. Results: No notable signs of acute or behavioural toxicity were observed in extract-treated mice. In fact, treated groups exhibited central nervous system stimulating and anxiolytic effects at a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight. A significant increase in locomotor activity was recorded on Day 1, Day 5, Day 6 and in ovariectomized (OVX) mice (81.7±0.40, 80.8±0.72, 82.0±0.26 and 80.3±0.15 cases/5 min, respectively), along with higher head-dip counts on Day 1, Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6 (34.5±0.43, 35.1±0.28, 35.0±0.26 and 33.6±1.45, respectively). Histological sections of liver and kidney tissues revealed nearly normal structures. Genotoxicity evaluations showed no significant variation in micronucleus frequency. However, a marked increase in SGOT was detected in ovariectomized females (123.65±2.86 IU/l), while SGPT levels rose in the Day 1, 2, 3 and 6 treated groups (52.52±1.81, 52.01±1.95, 54.84±2.00 and 49.37±1.78, respectively), suggesting mild hepatotoxic effects. Conclusion: Studies on the toxicological aspects of any traditional medicine are necessary for the proper formulation of a drug. Most of the parameters selected for toxicity detection showed no significant alteration between the control and treated mice groups. Only mild hepatotoxicity was observed in the extract-treated group of female albino mice. Moreover, some improvements in terms of exploratory behaviour could be observed in the treated groups. Thus, the extract may be considered low or non-toxic at this present dose. Further studies are necessary to investigate toxicological impacts on other tissues and to identify the potentially toxic compounds within the extract, which could aid in the development of antifertility agents derived from this plant.

Paroxetine (PRX), a widely prescribed antidepressant, often leads to sexual dysfunction. The available man-agement options such as sildenafil (SDF), are associated with side effects. The present study investigates the fertility-boosting properties of isoliquiritigenin (ISL) on PRX-induced sexual dysfunction in male mice. We allocated fertile mice into six different groups (n = 5): group I-DMSO; group II-PRX; group III-co-administered PRX and SDF; group IV-ISL alone; group V-co-administered PRX and ISL (low dose); and, group VI-co -administered PRX and ISL (high dose). 14 days post treatment, animals were sacrificed, and the weights of the testis and epididymis were evaluated. Furthermore, sperm parameters, testicular and epididymal antioxidant levels, serum testosterone and nitric oxide (NO) levels, histoarchitecture of testis and epididymis, and markers of cellular toxicity were assessed. Results revealed that the PRX administration reduced organ weights, sperm count, intact acrosome, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), serum testosterone, and NO levels, and increased sperm abnormalities and MDA levels (a biomarker for lipid peroxidation). Additionally, we observed damage in the testis and epididymis. The toxicity biomarker study revealed a higher concentration of SGOT, SGPT, and ALP enzymes in the PRX-treated group. However, the co-administration of PRX with ISL ameliorated the adverse effect of PRX on the parameters mentioned above. The PRX+ISL (high) results were almost at par with the PRX+SDF group. The group that received ISL alone showed overall improvements. In conclusion, our comprehensive panel of tests indicates that ISL could be helpful in managing sexual dysfunction.

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) is a cyclic GMP (cGMP) specific protein. It hydrolyzes the phosphodiesterase linkage and catalyzes the conversion of cGMP to 5' GMP, which controls different physiological activities of the body. PDE5 is associated with biomedical conditions like neurological disorders, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cardiomyopathy, cancer, erectile dysfunction, and lower urinary tract syndrome. Inhibition of PDE5 has now been proven pharmaceutically effective in a variety of therapeutic conditions. Avanafil, tadalafil, sildenafil, and vardenafil are the most commonly used PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5i) today which are often used for the management of erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract syndromes, malignancy, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, these synthetic PDE5i come with a slew of negative effects. Some of the most common side effects include mild headaches, flushing, dyspepsia, altered color vision, back discomfort, priapism, melanoma, hypotension and dizziness, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), and hearing loss. In light of the potential negative effects of this class of medications, there is a lot of room for new, selective PDE5 inhibitors to be discovered. We have found 25 plant botanical compounds effectively inhibiting PDE5 which might be useful in treating a variety of disorders with minimal or no adverse effects.

In response to the development of groundwater-based irrigation technology, institutions such as groundwater markets have emerged in many parts of India. While the farmers’ decision to buy water is shaped by issues such as capital scarcity, size of operational holdings, number of fragmented plots, farmers’ access to institutional credit, etc., there are spatial variations of factors affecting farmers’ participation in the market due to its localised nature. In view of the fact that the number of studies on water markets from water-abundant regions of India is very limited, the present study was carried out to unearth the factors influencing the water-buying decisions of farmers in the groundwater market in Assam in the eastern part of India. Using field data from two districts of the state, viz. Nagaon and Morigaon and with the help of logit regression, this study examines the determinants of water-buying decisions of farmers in Assam. The results of the logit analysis show that own farm size, farmer's access to institutional credit, age, education, and better contact with extension agencies reduce the probability of water-buying decision for a buyer. For a tenant farmer, the probability of buying water is found to be higher.

Plants have long been valued for their medicinal properties. The secret to efficient treatment is finding the right herb. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated overview of Glycyrrhiza glabra L., "the guardian of herbs" regarding its traditional uses, phytochemistry, and emphasizing the relevance of a few key characteristics of this plant. This review covers a combination of all aspects from an aphrodisiac point of view that were missed by previous articles. This article is presented to include all of the most recent information on its phytochemical and pharmacological effects, which were investigated using a variety of approaches. The plant can be a suitable candidate to manage the long fought erectile dysfunction in men. The extract and the constituents have been found effective in inducing NO signaling pathway that has beneficial effects in initiation and maintenance of erection. It is an age-old plant that belongs to the family Fabaceae. G. glabra (Licorice) has been used in folk medicine all over the world for its ethnomedicinal characteristics, and has historically been recognized as a preventative treatment for stomach ulcers, according to pharmacological research. It comprises a wide range of biological actions, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, as well as others, for which it has been used to treat a variety of disorders ranging from simple cough to hepatitis, as well as more serious conditions like SARS and cancers. This study presents a critical, and thorough assessment of the current understanding of G. glabra composition and therapeutic potential. This article concludes that G. glabra is actually a potent herb that can cure almost all illnesses.