Use and misuse of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and petrochemicals by man is causing havoc with nature, as they persist as such or as their toxic metabolites. These pollutants bioaccumulate in environment, and they ultimately reach man through various means. They are hazardous because of potential toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and genotoxicity. To rejuvenate nature, remediation methods currently available are usually expensive and might convert one toxic pollutant to another. Bioremediation methods use naturally occurring microorganisms to detoxify man-made pollutants so that they change pollutants to innocuous products that make soil fertile in the process. Taking cue from Ayurveda, Gomeya/cow dung is used as an excellent bioremediation method. Thus, utilizing freely available cow dung as slurry or after composting in rural areas, is a cheap and effective measure to bioremediate the harmful pollutants. Yet, more research in this direction is warranted to bioremediate nonbiodegradable, potentially toxic pollutants.

Concept of bioenhancers or biopotentiators was first time reported in 1929 by Bose. A bioenhancer is an agent capable of enhancing bioavailability and efficacy of a drug with which it is co-administered, without any pharmacological activity of its own at therapeutic dose used. Development and consequent isolation of these molecules, such as piperine and quercetin, is considered as scientific breakthrough. A fixed drug combination (Risorine) of rifampicin, isoniazid, and piperine is the result of this research. It contains almost 60% less dose of rifampicin because of its increased bioavailability and it also prevents resistance. This concept is mentioned as yogvahi in ayurveda and was used to increase the effect of medicines by increasing oral bioavailability, decreasing adverse effects and to circumvent parenteral routes of drug administration. More such useful and economically viable drug combinations can be developed by integrating knowledge of time tested ayurveda with modern methods of research. This review is an account of these bioenhancers, available from the natural resources.

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Introduction: The bipedal gait and consequential freedom of the upper limb in human beings has made the movements of the shoulder joint a subject of extensive investigations. The scapular angles provide the base and leverage to various muscles and have been correlated with the different movements of the shoulder joint.Methods: In the present study, different angles of scapula  namely superior, inferior, lateral, medial, acromial  and coracoid angles were measured in the North Indian population. The study was conducted on 100 scapulas (R:L = 50:50) obtained from Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Amritsar. For measuring the angles, centimetre scales and protractor were used.Results: The mean value of superior angle was observed to be 100.830 (R=100.320 : L=101.340) ; inferior angle was 63.620 (R=68.10 : L=59.140) ; lateral angle was 61.720 (R=65.90 : L=57.540) ; medial angle was 147.640 (R=151.320 : L=143.960) ; acromial angle was 106.470 (R=107.680 : L=105.260) and coracoid angle was 83.30 (R=84.240 : L=82.020).Conclusions: It was observed that all angles were higher in the right sided bones except superior angle. Also a wide range was seen in all the angles.     _______________________________________________________________________________________Keywords: acromial; coracoid; inferior; medial; superior._______________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction:Calcaneus or os calcis forms a major component of the skeleton of foot providing posterior pillars for bony arches of the foot. It is largest of seven tarsal bones of foot and forms prominence of heel. Many times anterior to calcaneal tuberosity an osteophytic outgrowth has been observed (calcaneal or heel spur) extending along entire width, for about 2-2.5 cm. The apex of spur seen embedded in plantar fascia, directly anterior to its origin. Hence, the study of calcaneal spurs has been undertaken.Materials and Methods:The material for the study consisted of 200 dry (100 right and 100 left), adult calcanei of unknown age and sex obtained from Department of Anatomy. The calcaneal enthesophytes/spurs were studied in detail and classified according to types of calcaneum.Results:Maximum incidence of calcaneal spurs were found in Type I calcanei (11%) and no calcaneal spurs were found in Type III calcanei. Total incidence of dorsal calcaneal spurs in all types of calcanei was maximal (15.5%). The incidence of plantar spurs was 6.5% being highest in Type I calcanei (4%). The incidence and type of calcaneal spurs were compared with those of previous studies and etiology of heel pain has been discussed. Correlation between type of calcanei and spurs has been studied for the 1st time.Conclusion:Calcaneal spurs are related to type of calcanei with the highest frequency in Type I and least in Type III (no spurs seen in Type III and least in Type IV). Other factors, which contribute toward increase in incidence of spurs, are increasing age and weight, concurrent orthopedic diseases, and heel pain.