Erythromycin is a known prokinetic (cholecystokinetic) drug. Recently, erythromycin has been linked to the occurrence of arrhythmias and cardiac death due to QT prolongation. Azithromycin is similar to erythromycin in structure, but has the least arrythmogenic tendency among all the macrolides. This study was aimed at determining the comparative cholecystokinetic effects of erythromycin and azithromycin. Twenty four apparently healthy males were studied in pre-prandial and postprandial states. Thirty minutes before the study (after an overnight fast), the subjects took 500 mg azithromycin and erythromycin in a randomized cross over method. Immediately before the ingestion of a standardized liquid meal, the length, width and height of the gallbladder was measured in each subject to obtain the ellipsoid volume using real time sonography and in supine position. After the ingestion of the liquid meal, the gallbladder measurements were obtained every 5 min for 40 min. The gallbladder contraction index (GBCI) was calculated for each period as a percentage change in volume using the fasting volume as the initial volume in all the calculations. The weight, height and age of each subject were obtained. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software; paired t-tests were used to compare GBCI values in erythromycin and azithromycin interventions. P<0.05 was the criterion for statistical significance. In majority of the periods, erythromycin showed significantly higher GBCI values than azithromycin; azithromycin showed higher GBCI values in few points. Erythromycin has cholecystokinetic superiority over azithromycin. From tolerance point of view, azithromycin should be the preferred drug as it does not have significant drugdrug interaction and may be a potential new treatment of cholestasis.

Isoniazid induced hepatotoxicity is a major concern in patients taking anti tuberculosis treatment and prophylaxis. It can result in elevated serum liver enzymes and hepatic failure. The aim of the study was to evaluate the phytochemicals and ameliorative effects of aqueous extracts of Brysocarpus coccineus on serum liver enzymes in isoniazid (INH) induced hepatotoxicity in adult male Wistar rats. Thirty six (36) adult male Wistar rats were divided into six groups of six rats each and were treated orally for 30 days as follows: Group I: 1 ml/kg of distilled water; group II: Isoniazid (27 mg/kg); group III: Isoniazid (27 mg/kg) + Livolin forte (20 mg/kg); group IV: Isoniazid (27 mg/kg) + B. coccineus (200 mg/kg); group V: Isoniazid (27 mg/kg) + B. coccineus (400 mg/kg); group VI: Isoniazid (27 mg/kg) + B. coccineus (800 mg/kg).At the end of the experiments, the Wistar rats were sacrificed and sera obtained for liver enzymes assay, whereas the liver tissue was also harvested and used for histological studies. Tanins, saponins, alkaloids and flavonoids were quantitatively present at 2.29%, 18.05%, 23.24% and 18.99%, respectively. There was an increase in the serum AST and ALT in the isoniazid treated group, which was reversed by livolin forte and the aqueous extracts at a dose of 200 mg/kg, however the extracts increased the serum levels of AST and ALT at higher doses, which was however not significant (p > 0.05) when compared to the controls. There was evidence of a reduction in hepatocytes