Background: Reduction in brain serotonin (5-HT) levels contributes to depression. Nicotine may have antidepressant properties and smokers self-medicate underlying depression. Epidemiological findings suggest that smokers more often demonstrate depressive symptoms than non-smokers and depressed patients are less likely to cease smoking. Therefore, the study was planned to evaluate the effect of nicotine on serotonin levels in brain of depressed rats.Methods: Antidepressant action of study drugs was evaluated using isolation induced hyperactivity model in rats. Rats were divided into five groups with six rats in each group. Study groups: Vehicle in normal rats 1 ml/kg (subcutaneous); vehicle after isolation 1ml/kg (subcutaneous); imipramine 10 mg/kg (intraperitoneal) for 7 consecutive days; single dose of nicotine 0.4 mg/kg (subcutaneous); single dose of nicotine 0.2 mg/kg (inhalational). Brain serotonin assay was carried out. The statistical significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey test (p<0.05).Results: Serotonin levels (55.93ng/g of brain tissue) in rats after isolation were significantly less than in normal rats (335.87ng/g) (p<0.001). In imipramine treated group, serotonin levels (301.4ng/g) after isolation were highly significant as compared to serotonin levels in vehicle treated group after isolation (p<0.001). Nicotine administered by subcutaneous and inhalational route showed significantly higher brain serotonin levels, i.e. 175ng/g and 254.62ng/g respectively as compared to vehicle treated rats after isolation (p<0.001).Conclusions: Single dose nicotine (inhalational) produced significant antidepressant action comparable to that of seven days’ treatment of standard antidepressant drug imipramine in rats. In rats, nicotine by both routes i.e. subcutaneous and inhalational increased serotonergic activity.

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Background: For decades, it has been observed that mental health is shrouded in stigma and discrimination. The scope, severity, and expense of impairment and costs to people, families, and societies are staggering. Mental illnesses are among the most frequent illnesses, affecting over a quarter of the population in any given year. According to national institute of mental health and neurosciences, Bangalore, the prevalence of schizophrenia has been considered as 4/1000 for all ages and both sexes. Aim and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to as follows: (1) To evaluate adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients with schizophrenia who received antipsychotic treatment and (2) to compare ADRs in typical versus atypical antipsychotic agents in schizophrenic patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 schizophrenic patients were enrolled for evaluating adverse effects to antipsychotic drugs. During the research, all ethical precautions were taken. All patients were followed up by medical history, history of drugs, and any severity of adverse drug reaction. Causality assessment was graded by Naranjo scale. Result: Among all of the antipsychotic drugs, risperidone (05%), quetiapine (04%), and aripiprazole (04%) have shown lowest propensity to cause serious adverse event. These drugs are most commonly prescribed drugs and are least likely to affect quality of life of patient. However, the risk of extrapyramidal symptoms is lower with olanzapine (05%) than haloperidol (34%) and even in case with risperidone at higher dose (20%). Although atypical antipsychotics such as olanzapine (46%) have shown maximum potential to produce metabolic side effect such as dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia compared to that of other antipsychotics. Conclusion: The most common adverse effects were found with typical and atypical antipsychotics such as weight gain, drowsiness, constipation, sedation, dyslipidemia, and hypotension.

Background: Wound can be defined as disruption of cellular, anatomical, or functional continuity of living tissues. Nicotine causes damage to the epithelial layer of blood vessel and delays wound healing. It plays an important pathogenic role in impaired wound healing. Although in the last millennium, topical use of nicotine has been reported. It promotes collagen synthesis and, in turn, promotes wound healing. The role of topical nicotine on wound healing is controversial. Therefore, it was planned to evaluate and compare wound healing activity of various doses topical nicotine in rats. Aim and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of topical nicotine on wound healing in an excision wound model in rats. Materials and Methods: For evaluation of the wound healing effects of the nicotine, excision wound model was used. Nicotine was applied topically in a dose of 1.5 g%, 3.0 g%, and 6.0 g% petroleum base. Petroleum jelly served as control for topical nicotine. Dressing done by applying topical nicotine until (20 days) complete wound healing was observed. Parameters evaluated were surface area of wound and percentage closure. Results: Findings of this show that, on day 4, nicotine 3.0 g% and 6 g% the wound surface area were more as compared to control. On day 12, nicotine 6.0 g% showed significantly more wound surface area than control (P < 0.05). Percentage wound contraction with topical nicotine (6.0 g%) was less as compared to control on day 4, 8, and 12 (P < 0.001). On day 16, percentage wound contracture with topical nicotine (6.0 g%) contraction was significantly less as compared to control (P < 0.05). Although percentage wound contraction with topical nicotine (all preparations) and control was similar on day 20. Conclusion: Finding shows that topical nicotine impairs wound healing in a dose related pattern during initial stages of healing in an excision wound model. However, there is no delay in wound healing with any dose of topical nicotine.

Background: As of 2018, 2.1 billion people nearly 30% of the world’s population are either obese or overweight. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. It is an emerging health problem with major adverse effects on health. It is a risk factor for many chronic diseases but is best known for its role in metabolic syndrome, which can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as cardiovascular diseases. Anti-obesity drugs are available but have many side effects. Voglibose, an antidiabetic drug, is an alpha glucosidase inhibitor which shows promising results in the reduction of body weight with minimal side effects.Methods: Voglibose (7 mg/kg) was administered to rats fed with normal laboratory chows and high fat diet to see its effect on body weight, body mass index, abdominal and thoracic circumference, and lipid profile at the end of 12 weeks.Results: Administration of voglibose significantly reduced food consumption, feed efficiency and increase in body weight induced by high fat diet in rats. Rats fed on normal diet also showed reductions in the same parameters, suggesting its weight lowering effect. Reductions in the anthropometric measurements, hypolipidemic effects and glucose lowering effects were also observed.Conclusions: Voglibose prevented high fat diet-induced obesity and improvement in metabolic profile, which ultimately has systemic effects on body weight in rats. Further studies are needed to see its potential therapeutic use in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and related complications.