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Biomedical subjects

S N Kundu

Publications and source records attributed to S N Kundu.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Host preference of Phlebotomus argentipes and Phlebotomus papatasi in different biotopes of West Bengal, India.

Host preference Phlebotomus argentipes and Phlebotomus papatasi in different biotopes was investigated in two highly endemic Kala-azar districts of West Bengal, India for a better understanding of the transmission dynamics. Blood meals of 304 P. argentipes and 206 P. papatasi, collected from different biotopes from two Kala-azar affected districts in West Bengal, were tested against seven different antisera by modified Ouchterlony gel diffusion techniques. It appeared that host preference of P. argentipes varied widely in different biotopes, which is mainly zoophilic (62.80%), preferring to feed on man as the second choice (24.92%); however it is also a "chance feeder" according to biotopes. Multiple blood meals are also prevalent in P. argentipes at a much higher rate than that of P. papatasi. The implication in relation to epidemiological significance has been discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Efficacy of a potentized homoeopathic drug (Arsenicum-album-30) in reducing cytotoxic effects produced by arsenic trioxide in mice: III. Enzymatic changes and recovery of tissue damage in liver.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the potentized homoeopathic drug Arsenicum Album-30 can induce enzymatic and some other biochemical changes to repair tissue damage caused by the injection of arsenic trioxide in mice. DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Mice injected with arsenic trioxide and then orally administered the homoeopathic drug were compared with control animals who either received saline only, or injections of arsenic trioxide, or injections of arsenic trioxide followed by orally administered dilute alcohol. Activities of the enzymes acid and alkaline phosphatases, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione, which are used as 'marker' enzymes for cytotoxicity levels, were assessed by standard methods. Histopathological slide preparations of liver were made by routine microtechnique method of tissue sectioning and staining with haematoxylin- eosin for histological examination. RESULTS: The mice fed homoeopathic drug showed positive results of tissue recovery both in terms of enzymatic and histological changes, compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: The homoeopathic drug is capable of preventing or repairing liver damage induced by arsenic trioxide and the positive changes were also confirmed by the activities of the enzymatic markers.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Efficacy of a potentized homeopathic drug (Arsenicum-Aalbum-30) in reducing cytotoxic effects produced by arsenic trioxide in mice: IV. Pathological changes, protein profiles, and content of DNA and RNA.

OBJECTIVE: To examine if the potentized homeopathic drug Arsenicum Album-30 can help restore the damage produced in protein profiles, DNA and RNA contents in liver and testis as a result of arsenic treatment in mice. DESIGN: Sets of mice were injected with arsenic trioxide, one set was fed with Ars. Alb-30, another with Alcohol-30 and the final set was fed neither. The gel electrophoretic protein profiles and DNA and RNA contents in these three sets were studied. METHODS: Protein profiles were studied by SDS-PAGE method; the DNA and RNA contents were assayed by the standard methods through diphenylamine and orcinol reactions respectively. RESULTS: arsenic trioxide injection produced some pathological conditions, drastic changes (mainly reduction of protein bands) in protein sub-fractions, reduced DNA and RNA contents in both liver and testis; Ars. Alb-30-fed arsenic-intoxicated mice showed revival and restoration in both liver and testis as revealed by gel patterns and quantitative assay of DNA and RNA. CONCLUSION: Efficacy of the homeopathic drug Ars. Alb-30 in reducing arsenic-induced damage to protein and nucleic acids is substantiated and the mechanism of action of the homeopathic drug through expression of regulatory genes inferred.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

Efficacy of a potentized homoeopathic drug (Arsenicum Album-30) in reducing toxic effects produced by arsenic trioxide in mice: II. On alterations in body weight, tissue weight and total protein.

OBJECTIVE: To study the alterations in body weight, tissue weight and total protein in mice, caused by a single sublethal injection of arsenic trioxide and to investigate whether treatment by microdoses of arsenic has any antidotal effect. METHODS: For each fixation interval, altogether 36 individuals of Swiss albino mice, Mus musculus, were used, 27 were injected with As2O3 in a single sub-lethal dose (@1.0 mg/kg body weight) and were divided into three batches. One batch was fed with diluted potentized alcohol (Alcohol control), one batch was fed with potentized homoeopathic drug Ars.Alb-30 (Active treatment), while the remaining one neither fed with potenized alcohol nor with the potentized homoeopathic drug (As-intoxicated control). The remaining batch of nine mice were injected with normal saline which served as negative control (Saline control). The mean body weights before and after injections and weights of different tissues like liver, kidney, spleen and testis were recorded at seven fixation intervals, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, 21 days, 30 days, and 90 days. RESULTS: In arsenic treated mice orally administered with the homoeopathic drug statistically significant increases were noted in the weights of individual tissue weight, protein content as well as the mean body weight as compared to their respective controls. CONCLUSIONS: Arsenicum album can be considered as an antidote to arsenic poisoning.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

Prednisolone-induced alteration in hepatic and muscular protein and glycogen level: its correlation with blood glucose level in mice.

Prednisolone, a potent glucocorticoid, is well known for its immunosuppressive effects on animals. A single dose of 100 microg, 200 microg and 300 microg prednisolone/kg body weight was administered in Swiss albino male mice. Seven days after treatment, the animals were sacrificed to investigate the effect of prednisolone on hepatic and muscular protein contents and glycogen levels along with the level of blood glucose. A catabolic effect on the protein level was evidenced but at the same time the mice became hypoglycemic.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Vanadium-mediated chemoprotection against chemical hepatocarcinogenesis in rats: haematological and histological characteristics.

The trace element vanadium was investigated for its anti-neoplastic role in relation to haematological status, hepatic histopathology and histochemical analysis of glycogen in liver. Its impact on the survival of male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to a two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis regimen was also assessed. Initiation was performed using a single intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) (200 mg/kg) followed by promotion with phenobarbital (0.05%) in a basal diet. Vanadium supplementation as ammonium monovanadate at 0.5 ppm vanadium in drinking water was given ad libitum throughout the experiment (20 weeks), before the initiation (4 weeks), or during the promotional period (14 weeks). At the end of the study, there was a significant decrease in red blood cell count, haemoglobin content, haematocrit value, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, plasma volume change and total white cell count, with a concurrent alteration in lymphoid:myeloid ratio in DENA control animals compared with their normal counterparts. Vanadium supplementation throughout the study or before the initiation significantly reversed the DENA-induced alterations in most of the haematological indices. A single intraperitoneal injection of DENA also depleted the plasma albumin concentration, raised the plasma globulin content, and decreased the ratio of albumin to globulin. These altered features began to return to normal following vanadium supplementation. Supplementary vanadium also elicited substantial protection against DENA-mediated rat liver carcinogenesis. This was fairly evident from hepatic histology and evaluation of glycogen accumulation by periodic acid-Schiff reaction. The survival of DENA-treated animals was considerably increased in the presence of vanadium. The critical involvement of vanadium in modulating several factors associated with erythropoiesis under carcinogenic challenge may thus have a possible impact on the eventual increased survival of the host.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Variations in diurnal rhythm of leucocytes in white Leghorn chicks of two different ages.

Blood leucocytes in 4-week-old and 5-7-month-old White Leghorn cockerels show a diurnal rhythm. This diurnal rhythm has been observed to vary with age. The variations observed may be due to the different hormonal status of the two groups of birds. The effects of drugs at different phases of the diurnal rhythm will be of great interest in medical practice and should be considered during clinical treatment.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

A response-specific conditioned aversion to rewarding hypothalamic stimulation in rats.

Rats with hypothalamic electrodes were trained to self-stimulate by nose-poking and by licking at a dry spout. Separate groups of animals were then exposed to pairings of either self-stimulation by licking or by nose-poking with the subsequent administration of LiCl. The licking/LiCl pairing group exhibited a marked attenuation of licking maintained by hypothalamic stimulation on the first retention trial (24 h post LiCl). This effect was enhanced by a further licking/LiCl pairing. In a final cross-over trial with this group, nose-poking maintained by stimulation at the same site and intensity was found to be unaffected. With another group of animals nose-poking/LiCl pairing had no effect on self-stimulation, despite two conditioning trials. In a final cross-over trial with this group licking maintained by stimulation of the same site and intensity was also unaffected. These data indicate that the sensory properties of brain stimulation may be dependent on the behavioural context in which the stimulation occurs.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effects of rewarding hypothalamic stimulation on plasma catecholamine levels in rats.

Plasma catecholamines were measured before, during and after exposure to lick-contingent rewarding hypothalamic stimulation, clock-triggered neutral hypothalamic stimulation, and licking maintained by water. Rewarding hypothalamic stimulation elicited a marked rise in plasma epinephrine levels which returned to baseline levels 3 min after the self-stimulation session. No changes in plasma epinephrine were observed under the latter two conditions. Increases in norepinephrine levels were more variable and seemed to correspond to motor activity being similar in the licking groups but unchanged with clock-triggered stimulation. These results indicate that stimulation of reward pathways may selectively influence adreno-medullary secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Disruptive effects of lateral hypothalamic stimulation on the lick-interrupt cycle in rats.

Consummatory licking at a water spout was compared with licking at a dry spout maintained by electrical hypothalamic stimulation in the same rats. Both forms of licking, recorded photoelectrically, were maintained on a fixed ratio 8 schedule. Duration of reinforcement delivery was equated [300 ms]. A computer analysis of the temporal distribution of licks in each 1024 ms period from onset of reinforcement revealed that lateral hypothalamic stimulation decreased the occurrence of licking and disrupted the normally synchronous pattern of this behaviour. An analysis of the effects of delivering lateral hypothalamic stimulation contingent on water-maintained licking revealed that this effect of stimulation was clearly current-dependent. It is proposed that differences in licking rates maintained by water and by electrical hypothalamic stimulation, respectively, are due to response interference in the latter case. This interference effect is also proposed to be a major factor underlying higher reward thresholds for self-stimulation when licking is the operant response.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Differential effects of d,l-amphetamine on licking maintained by electrical hypothalamic stimulation and/or water in rats.

The role of the reinforcer as a determinant of the behavioural effects of amphetamine was assessed with a procedure under which response requirements were equated. Eight rats were trained to lick on fixed-ratio schedules of rewarding lateral hypothalamic stimulation and water delivery, respectively. The effects of d,l-amphetamine (0.2-2.0 mg/kg) were investigated in the lateral hypothalamic stimulation condition and compared with the effects of the drug at 1.0 mg/kg in the water condition. Licking maintained by hypothalamic stimulation was increased after amphetamine administration to approximately 200% of control performance at 1.0 mg/kg. At this dose amphetamine administration resulted in a decrease in water maintained licking. A computer analysis of the temporal patterning of licking in both water and stimulation conditions was carried out. This analysis revealed that amphetamine may attenuate the disruptive effects of hypothalamic stimulation on the lick-interrupt cycle. The differential effects of amphetamine on licking maintained by the two events may reflect either unequal participation of catecholaminergic circuits in the two types of reward, or anti-inhibitory motor effects of amphetamine.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1979

Changes in the sialic acid content of chick thymus and bursa of Fabricius during age-involution.

The sialic acid content of both thymus and bursa of Fabricius during their growth and involution phases in chick has been reported in this study. It is observed that the sialic acid concentration is very high in 1-week-old chickens. The concentration subsequently decreases to a significant level and rises again prior to the onset of involution. In the post-involution period, a more or less minimal and constant level is maintained. The role of sialic acid in cellular activities of thymo-bursal system has been discussed.

Aging↗
PubMed1976

A histochemical study on the differentiating vertebral column of chick.

1. The differentiation of the vertebral elements of the cervical region of the chick has been studied from 4 to 23 day age group counted from the day of the commencement of incubation. 2. From the histochemical tests it appears that chondrogenesis does not take place simultaneously in all the areas of the vertebra. 3. Histochemical changes usually follow histological differentiation. 4. The findings have been discussed in the light of inducing principles by the spinal cord.

Animals↗