Plants are extraordinary reservoir of bioactive natural products, many of which exhibit chemical and structural features on outstanding biological activities in animals. Dendrophthoe falcata (Linn.) is an important parasitic plant extensively used in folk medicine. In this regard, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible analgesic, anti-inflammatory and central nervous system (CNS) depressant activities of ethanol, aqueous, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of D. falcata (Linn.) leaves (AEDFL, EEDFL, CEDFL and PEDFL) on Swiss albino mice. The analgesic activity was determined by tail immersion and acetic acid induced writhing methods at a dose of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. using morphine sulfate as a standard drug at a dose of 5mg/kg of body weight. Carrageenan-induced paw edema model was applied to find out anti-inflammatory potential at the same doses of analgesic activity. Here ibuprofen was treated as a standard drug at 10mg/kg body weight. The CNS depressant effect of the extracts were evaluated by using open field and hole cross tests. All the extracts exhibited significant (P b < 0.01, P a < 0.001) analgesic, antiinflammatory and CNS depressant effects at dose dependant manner. Petroleum ether extracts (PEDFL) showed maximum analgesic effect ( in hole cross test respectively) CNS-depressant activities after 120 min of oral administration of the extract at 200mg/kg dose.

Antipsychotic treatment has been documented as the mainstay for the management of schizophrenia. Evidence in literature has suggested that the management of negative symptoms of schizophrenia continues to be a treatment challenge. Therefore, residual negative symptoms can become more pervasive and visible after the treatment of positive symptoms, leading to an impaired marked deficit in the vital daily functions of patients. We present a case series of three patients with a past psychiatric history of schizophrenia who presented to the psychiatric emergency with acute symptoms of schizophrenia. Following antipsychotic treatment, all these patients showed improvement of positive symptoms, however, profound negative symptoms of schizophrenia became visible. The negative symptoms include anhedonia, amotivation, alogia, affective flattening, and passive social withdrawal. We added bupropion to manage the negative symptoms, and all three patients achieved a good treatment response. This case series suggests that the anti-depressive effects of bupropion might be a valuable treatment option in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

microscopy, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) and culture. The NAAT test used was Gen-Probe APTIMA Combo 2, confirmed by the Aptima GC mono-assay. Results 152 cases were identified; 63% of cases were in men, 75% were heterosexual. The median age was 25 years (IQR 20e33.5). 24% had previously had gonorrhoea, 29% had concurrent sexually transmitted infections and 5% had HIV co-infection. 88% of patients received correct treatment as per British Association for Sexual Health and HIV guidelines. 76% were offered TOC; of these, 43% attended for TOC. TOC was negative in all patients tested (NAAT and/or culture). 4% of patients attending TOC were retreated because of re-infection risk. 22% (82/369) of partners were tested and treated for gonorrhoea; however, written or official verification of this was limited. Discussion Our data show that a high proportion, though not all, of patients are offered correct treatment at our centre, but only 43% return for TOC. Of those who return, persistent infection, to date, has not been detected at our centre. This may indicate that guidelines can be refined to direct TOC towards populations at greater risk of persistent or resistant gonorrhoea infection. More data regarding the best time to offer TOC is also required, as earlier TOC may improve uptake.

Background and objectivesIn recent years, there has been an increase in the US imprisonment rate. A substantial percentage of those incarcerations are for drug-related offenses. The authors investigated the relationship between the pattern of substance use and drug-related offenses across a broad spectrum of various sociodemographic attributes of the incarcerated population in the United States. MethodsCross-sectional data from the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates conducted by the Bureau of Judicial Statistics were extracted with inmates who reported possession of a drug at the time of arrest as a primary outcome of interest. Using SAS 9.4 statistical software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, USA), the authors used multivariate analyses to determine the odds ratios between various sociodemographic attributes of the inmates and possession of substance at the time of the arrest. Logistic regression analysis for age groups in relation to substance possession at the time of arrest is presented in the form of an adjusted odds ratio and their respective confidence interval at p ≤0.5. ResultsOut of the total 23,798 inmates who reported possession of a drug at the time of arrest, 34.07% were Non-Hispanic Whites, and 31.5% were within the age group of 25-34 years. Only 59.47% of inmates were employed 30 days before the arrest, and 58.02% had less than a high school education. Different patterns of drug use were linked with different types of drugs found in their possession at the time of the arrest. Possession of cannabis at the time of arrest was highest in the age group 18-24 years compared to other age groups (odds ratio: 1.362; 95% CI: 1.159 -1.602). Inmates with a history of stimulant or hypnotic use were more likely to have another psychoactive substance during a time of the arrest. Only 8.46% of inmates had psychiatric and psychological treatment as part of their sentence. ConclusionsA large proportion of incarcerations in the US is because of drug-related offenses, with most of the burden on the younger age group. Inmates should receive psychiatric and psychological treatments for substance use as part of their sentencing while in prison and after release as a form of targeted intervention for this vulnerable group.

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