Environment has been contaminated by heavy metals ever since the original magma of earth has solidified. One such toxin is cadmium. Cadmium that has been around since the industrial age, is considered hazardous both to us and to the environment. From time immemorial man is dependent on plants available in nature for several health benefits. , has nutritional, pharmacological and antioxidant properties, thus having several medicinal applications. In the present article, we discuss the dose and time dependent damage due to exposure to cadmium on kidneys, liver, testis, lipid profile and haematological parameters in adult Wistar rats and the protective effects of (pre-treatment) on cadmium induced damage.

Background: Cadmium (Cd), an environmental metallic toxicant with varying degrees of toxicity, exists in different oxidational or transitional states and causes various blood disorders. Cadmium (Cd) is known to affect various organs on both acute and chronic exposures. Studies have revealed that the most important tissue in body in which metabolic alterations are mainly reproduced is the blood. Moringa oleifera, originally from India, has been scientifically assessed for various medicinal applications. Aims and Objective: To examine the effect of M. oleifera aqueous extract taken from the leaf on total leukocyte count including its differentials (neutrophils and lymphocytes) in cadmium-treated rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four adult Wistar Albino rats, weighing between 180 and 200 g were broadly divided into four groups, six animals in each group, with group I being the control. Group IV was pretreated with the extract and then cadmium chloride orally for 1 day. Data were presented as mean ± SD and p p 0.05 considered significant. Result: The results portrayed that pretreatment with Moringa leaf extract, 100 mg/kg/bw, earlier to the cadmium administration exhibited a significant increase (p p 0.001) in the total leukocyte count including its differentials in comparison with the cadmium-exposed group, whereas the total WBC count was significantly decreased in group III in comparison with groups I and II. This study depicts a marked increase in the total leukocyte (T-WBC) count and its differentials in the animals pretreated with Moringa oleifera leaf extract, before the infusion of cadmium could be an indication that M. oleifera offers protection against damage to hematological parameters induced by cadmium. Conclusion: Therefore, our study suggests that aqueous leaf extract of M. oleifera enhances the immune mechanisms to fight back foreign substances when exposed to cadmium toxicity.

Preclinical Task based learning (TskBL) is a simulated learning approach in which focus for students is a real task done by a medical professional. TskBL includes standardized patient encounters and is helpful to provide Early Clinical Exposure. Our study aimed at planning, implementing and assessing TskBL among first year Medical students and comparing it to conventional method of tutorials in Physiology MBBS curriculum.This is a non-equivalent group quasi experimental study approved by Institutional ethics committee. TskBL was conducted for five topics among first year medical students of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore for three academic years. Participants  were divided into a TskBL group and a control group. Both groups attended the theory classes in Physiology, practical sessions and clinical examinations concerning the tasks. Following this, TskBL group underwent TskBL and control group underwent tutorials. Pre and post-test assessments were conducted using the MCQ test and Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE).The mean TskBL scores for MCQ (exception:Hypertension) and OSCE (exception Anemia) were significantly higher than the tutorial group. Pre test and post test scores revealed significantly higher MCQ and OSCE scores for TskBL. Tutorial group did not show a significant improvement in test scores for all the tasks.TskBL strategy could be used for many other topics are likely to be encountered by the students during clinical attachments. Small group teaching can include TskBL over tutorials to provide early clinical exposure in medical schools.