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SUMMARY Objective: To study the effect of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) on experimental cataract in rats and rabbits.
Methods: Two models of experimental cataract were induced: (1) Galactosaemic cataract in rats by
30% galactose, (2) Naphthalene cataract in rabbits by 1 gm/kg naphthalene. Ocimum sanctum (O.S.)
was administered orally in both models at two dose levels 1 and 2 gm/kg of body weight for curative
and prophylactic effects. The study was conducted for 40 days.
Results: O.S. delayed the onset of cataract as well as the subsequent maturation of cataract significantly
in both models. In addition to delay in reaching various stages of development of cataract, IV stage
did not develop with high doses till completion of 40 days of experimental period.
Conclusion: O.S. delayed the process of cataractogenesis in both models. The higher doses are
more effective and have aot promising prophylactic role rather than curative one. This effect is more
clear in galactosaemic c&r&t.
Table 1. Plan of study period. “Z” test was applied to know the significance
Group Subgroup Model of Dose (gm/kg)
of preventive effect. In some animals appearance
(n=6) Cataract of O.S./Saline of cataract and its progression from first stage to
subsequent stages was delayed or even arrested.
Normal - - -
Student’s t-test was applied to calculate the sig-
Control la - G Saline nificance of delaying effect on the development of
experimental cataract in all groups.
II II-C-A G 1
II-C-B G 2
RESULTS
Ill III-P-A G 1
Ill-P-B G 2 Normal
Rats and rabbits kept under standard conditions
Control lb - N Saline
and diet did not elicit any abnormality in the eyes
IV IV-C-A N 1 or lens during study.
IV-C-B N 2 Cataract control
V V-P-A N 1 Saline treated control rats subjected to galactosae-
mic challenge showed 100% response (Table 2).
V-P-A N 2
Similarly all rabbits subjected to naphthalene
C = Curative group. O.S. started from the first day of challenge developed cataract (Table 3).
cataractogenic challenge.
P = Prophylactic group. OS. started 10 days prior to the Effect of O.S. in galactosaemic cataract
cataractogenic challenge. (Table 2)
G = Galactosaemic cataract; N = Naphthalene cataract.
Curative group
O.S. significantly delayed the appearance as well
Drug as its progression to various stages with both doses
Fresh leaves of O.S. were crushed in concentration of 1 and 2 gm/kg. Mature cataract was not developed
of 1 gm/5 ml of distilled water at room temperature. in any rat.
It was administered orally at two dose levels of
1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg body weight in both curative Prophylactic group
and prophylactic groups. O.S. was found to be highly effective when it was
administered 10 days prior to cataractogenic
Examination of eyes challenge. Lenticular opacity appeared after a sig-
Eyes were examined daily by oblique illumination nificant delay and its progress to further stages was
and direct ophthalmoscopy for noting changes in also affected, especially with 2 gm/kg dose. Stage
lens. Slit lamp examination was done as and when III and IV were not observed and cataract progressed
required till the end of experimental period. Initiation only to stage II.
and progression of lenticular opacity was graded
into four stages15. First stage-invasion of lens by Effect of O.S. in naphthalene cataract (Table 3)
vacuoles on periphery. Second stage-presence of
linear opacities in naphthalene cataract; structural Curative group
and vacuolar opacities in centre of lens in galac- In this group at both the dose levels O.S. inhibited
tosaemic cataract. Third stage-presence of plaques progression of cataract as evidenced by significant
and clouding of lens; and Fourth stage-mature cata- delay in reaching various stages of cataractogene-
ract. sis.
Statistical analysis Prophylactic group
Observations showed two types of effects of O.S. Mature cataract did not appear in any animal. Len-
In some animals development of experimental cata- ticular opacity was arrested at stage II only in high
ract was prevented completely and even first stage dose. Results were found to be statistically signifi-
of cataract could not appear during 40 days of study cant for both initiation and progression of cataract.
18 P. SHARMA, S. KULSHRESHTHA AND A.L. SHARMA
Table 2. Effect of Ocimum sanctum in galactosaemic cataract Table 3. Effect of Ocimum sanctum in naphthalene cataract
Group Stage Rats Developing Day (Mean&D) Group Stage Rabb Developing Day (Mean&D)
(n=6) of No. cataract of appearance (n=6) of -its cataract of appearance of
cataract % of cataract cataract No. % cataract
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f
INDIAN PHARMACOLOGICAL SOCIETY AWARDS - 1997
N.N. DUTTA PRIZE D. Kumar, H.C. Tripathi, S.K. Mishra,S.K. Tandon, V. Ravi Prakash
and S.C. Mishra
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Division of Standardization,
I.V.R.I., lzatnagar - 243 122, (U.P.)
UVNAS PRIZE Doodipale S. Reddy, Manjeet Singh, Sujata Ghosh and N.K. Ganguly
Department of Pharmacology, University Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Punjab University, Chandigarh - 160 014.