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INTRODUCTION: With the tremendous increase in number of mobile phone users world wide, the possible risks of this technology have become a serious concern. OBJECTIVE: We tested the effects of mobile phone exposure on spatial memory performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats (10-12 weeks old) were exposed to 50 missed calls/day for 4 weeks from a GSM (900/1800MHz) mobile phone in vibratory mode (no ring tone). After the experimental period, the animals were tested for spatial memory performance using the Morris water maze test. RESULTS: Both phone exposed and control animals showed a significant decrease in escape time with training. Phone exposed animals had significantly (~3 times) higher mean latency to reach the target quadrant and spent significantly (~2 times) less time in the target quadrant than age- and sex-matched controls. CONCLUSION: Mobile phone exposure affected the acquisition of learned responses in Wistar rats. This in turn points to the poor spatial navigation and the object place configurations of the phone-exposed animals

Soxhlet extracts of seeds of Dolichos biflorus and rhizomes of Bergenia ligulata were tested for their in vitro antilithiatic/anticalcification activity by the homogeneous precipitation method. The extracts were compared with an aqueous extract of cystone (a marketed preparation) for their activities. Also a combination of the extracts of the two plants was tested. Extracts of Dolichus biflorus showed activity almost equivalent to cystone while Bergenia ligulata showed less activity and the combination was not as active as the individual extracts.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the anti-arthritic potential of the plant Justicia gendarussa using two different rat models. MATERIALS AND METHOD:The anti-arthritic potential of the alcoholic extract of the plant Justicia gendarussa was evaluated using the Freund's adjuvant-induced and collagen-induced arthritic rat models. The rats were treated with the ethanolic extract of Justicia gendarussa and with standard aspirin. RESULTS: The ethanolic extract of Justicia gendarussa showed significant anti-arthritic activity that was statistically similar to that of aspirin. Our results suggest that the alcoholic extract of Justicia gendarussa exhibits significant anti-arthritic potential.