Effect of exogenous selenium at a dose of 10 mug/kg body weight on the testicular toxicity induced by nicotine in rats was investigated. Male albino rats were maintained for 60 days as follows: (1) control group (normal diet), (2) nicotine group (0.6 mg /kg body weight), (3) selenium (10 microg/kg body weight), and (4) nicotine (0.6 mg/kg body weight) + selenium (10 microg/ kg body weight). Administration of nicotine caused reduction in sperm count and sperm motility. Activity of HMG CoA reductase and concentration of cholesterol were increased in the testes of the nicotine administered group. Activities of testicular enzymes 3beta hydroxysteroid dehyrogenase (3 betaHSD), 17beta hydroxysteroid dehyrogenase (17 betaHSD) were decreased. Levels of testosterone in the serum were also reduced. However, the extent of these alterations was lesser in the group administered with nicotine along with selenium. Analysis of plasma revealed reduced quantity of cotinine in the group co-administered with nicotine along with selenium in comparison with the nicotine group. Nondetectable levels of nicotine were present in the co-administered group. This indicates altered metabolism of nicotine when administered along with selenium.

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Sida cordifolia is a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family used in many ayurvedic preparations. This study aimed at assessing the effects of ethanolic extract of Sida cordifolia root on quinolinic acid (QUIN) induced neurotoxicity and to compare its effect with the standard drug deprenyl in rat brain. Rats were divided into six groups: (1) control group (2) QUIN (55 microg/100 g bwt/day) (3) 50% ethanolic plant extract treated group (50 mg/100 g bwt/day) (4) Deprenyl (100 microg/100 g bwt/day) (5) QUIN (55 microg/100 g bwt/day) + 50% ethanolic plant extract treated group (50 mg/100 g bwt/day) (6) QUIN (55 microg/100 g bwt/day) + Deprenyl (100 microg/100 g bwt/day). At the end of the experimental period a status of lipid peroxidation products, protein peroxidation product, activities of the scavenging enzymes and the activities of the inflammatory markers were analyzed. Results revealed that the lipid peroxidation products decreased and the activities of the scavenging enzymes increased significantly in the brain of the plant extract treated group, deprenyl treated group and also in the coadminstered groups. The activities of markers of inflammatory responses such as cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase were found to be significantly increased in the QUIN treated rats and this was decreased upon the administration of plant extract and deprenyl. In short, the study revealed that 50% ethanolic extract of Sida cordifolia has got potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity and the activity is comparable with the standard drug deprenyl.

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An effective electrochemical sensor based on ‘poly L- methionine/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified glassy carbon electrode (poly(L-Met)/ERGO/GCE))’ has been developed for the individual and simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) and tyrosine (Tyr). From a clinical point of view, simultaneous determination of these analytes is very important and a sensor for the same has not yet been reported. This sensor offers sensitive, reproducible, and selective determination of 5-HIAA and Tyr. Experimental parameters for the effective determination of the analytes were optimized. Under optimized conditions, quantification of 5-HIAA is possible within the range 1.0 × 10-5 M to 8.0 × 10-7 M and for Tyr in two ranges, 1.0 × 10-5 M to 5.0 × 10-6 M and 7.0 × 10-5 M to 2.0 × 10-5 M. The limit of detection and limit of quantification obtained for 5-HIAA using poly(L-Met)/ERGO/GCE are 5.0 × 10-7 M and 8.0 × 10-7 M, respectively, and for Tyr, 1.0 × 10-6 M and 5.0 × 10-6 M, respectively. The sensor was successfully applied for the determination of both 5-HIAA and Tyr in artificial urine and blood serum samples.