Menopause is a gradual three-stage process that concludes with the end of periods and reproductive life. The antioxidant enzyme system get affected in postmenopause due to deficiency of estrogen, which has got antioxidant properties. The objective of the present study was therefore, to analyze the effect of supplementation of drumstick and amaranth leaves powder on blood levels of antioxidant and marker of oxidative stress. Ninety postmenopausal women aged 45-60 years were selected and divided into three groups viz. Group I, II and III having thirty subjects in each group. The subjects of group II and III were supplemented daily with 7 g drumstick leaves powder (DLP) and 9 g amaranth leaves powder (ALP), respectively for a period of 3 months in their diet. The subjects of group I was not given supplementation. Serum retinol, serum ascorbic acid, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were analyzed before and after supplementation. Fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin level of the subjects were also analyzed. The data revealed that supplementation of DLP and ALP significantly increased serum retinol (8.8 % and 5.0 %), serum ascorbic acid (44.4 % and 5.9 %), glutathione peroxidase (18.0 % and 11.9 %), superoxide dismutase (10.4 % and 10.8) whereas decrease in marker of oxidative stress i.e. malondialdehyde (16.3 % and 9.6 %) in postmenopausal women of group II and group III, respectively. A significant (p≤0.01) decrease was also observed in fasting blood glucose level (13.5 % and 10.4 %) and increase in haemoglobin (17.5 % and 5.3 %) in group II and group III, respectively. The results indicated that these plants possess antioxidant property and have therapeutic potential for the prevention of complications during postmenopause.

Encapsulation of Ganciclovir in lipophilic vesicular structure may be expected to enhance the oral absorption and prolong the existence of the drug in the systemic circulation. So the purpose of the present study was to improve the oral bioavailability of Ganciclovir by preparing nanosized niosomal dispersion. Niosomes were prepared from Span40, Span60, and Cholesterol in the molar ratio of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 3:2 using reverse evaporation method. The developed niosomal dispersions were characterized for entrapment efficiency, size, shape, in vitro drug release, release kinetic study, and in vivo performance. Optimized formulation (NG8; Span60:Cholesterol 3:2 molar ratio) has shown a significantly high encapsulation of Ganciclovir (89±2.13%) with vesicle size of 144±3.47 nm (polydispersity index [PDI]=0.08). The in vitro release study signifies sustained release profile of niosomal dispersions. Release profile of prepared formulations have shown that more than 85.2±0.015% drug was released in 24 h with zero-order release kinetics. The results obtained also revealed that the types of surfactant and Cholesterol content ratio altered the entrapment efficiency, size, and drug release rate from niosomes. In vivo study on rats reveals five-time increment in bioavailability of Ganciclovir after oral administration of optimized formulation (NG8) as compared with tablet. The effective drug concentration (>0.69 µg/mL in plasma) was also maintained for at least 8 h on administration of the niosomal formulation. In conclusion, niosomes can be proposed as a potential oral delivery system for the effective delivery of Ganciclovir.

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The value and importance of indigenous knowledge are now being increasingly acknowledged all over the world. For this reason, the aims of this study is not only to identify the medicinal plants used for Therapeutic Turkish Baths by local people of various areas in Turkey, but also to draw attention to the traditional knowledge that is in danger of being lost. In this study, a total of 105 people from twenty-one provinces (N=5) were interviewed. Information was gathered through scientifically guided questionnaires, interviews and general conversations and fidelity level (FL) of species were determined. According to the results of the identification, 42 plants are being used to make Therapeutic Turkish Baths for medicinal purposes in Turkey. Among them 29 plants are wild and 13 plants are cultivated plants. Most used families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae. The category that has the highest FL value is Cucumis sativus (100%) followed by Rosmarinus officinalis (93%). The lowest is Thymus vulgaris (32%). The data obtained from our informants and analyses in the present paper clearly show that folk knowledge on medicinal plants and plant uses is still alive in the studied region.

The present study was undertaken with the objectives of evolving chakli containing green gram flour and moth bean flour to find out their acceptability and nutritive value. Chakli were prepared by using refined flour, green gram flour, moth bean flour, salt, red chilli powder and refined oil by substituting refined flour with green gram flour and moth bean flour. The different samples prepared were Control , Sample 1, Sample 2 and Sample 3 in the ratios of (refinedflour:green gram flour: moth bean flour) 100, 50:25:25, 50:45:5, 50:5:45 respectively. The developed chakli were sensory evaluated using nine point hedonic scale. Results showed that overall acceptability for  Sample 3 (7.85±0.81) Chakli were lying in between the category of ‘like very much and like extremely whereas  Control (7.6±1.53)  were lying in the category of ‘like moderately and like very much’ by panelists.Highest energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat content were observed in Sample2 Chakli (520.8 kilocalories), (17.5 gram), (65.3 gram) and (22.2gram) respectively. Likewise fiber, calcium and iron content were observed in Sample 3 Chakli (2.4 gram) (108.6 milligram) and (5.84 milligram) respectively. Chakli (Sample 3) was most acceptable and analysed for proximate and mineral content along with control sample. Result shows that chakli prepared with green gram flour and moth bean flour (Sample 3) was found to be higher in protein (15.8 gram), fibre (1.9 gram), ash (2.5%), moisture (5.2%), calcium (19 milligram) and iron (1.1 milligram) than control chakli. Thus replacement of traditional food like refined flour with green gram flour and moth bean flour for preparing chakli is feasible and beneficial too and also were very accepted.