n. one of a group of drugs closely related to the *sulphonamides in structure and therapeutic actions. Sulphones possess powerful activity against the bacteria that cause leprosy and tuberculosis. The best known sulphone is *dapsone.
Habitat: The Himalayas at high altitudes.
English: Field Horsetail.Ayurvedic: Ashwa-puchha (non- classical).Action: Haemostatic, haemopoietic, astringent, diuretic. Used for genitourinary affections (urethritis, enuresis, cystitis, prostatitis), internally as an antihaemorrhagic and externally as a styptic.
The ashes of the plant are beneficial in acidity of the stomach and dyspepsia.Key application: Internally in irrigation therapy for post-traumatic and static inflammation, and for bacterial infections and inflammation of the lower urinary tract and renal gravel.The British Herbal Compendium reported weak diuretic, haemostyptic, vulnerary and mild leukocytosis causing actions.The haemostatic substance has been shown to act orally, it has no effect on blood pressure and is not a vasoconstrictor.The herb contains 10-20% minerals, of which over 66% are silicic acids and silicates; alkaloids, including nicotine, palustrine and palustrinine; flavonoids, such as iso-quercitrin and equicertin; sterols, including cholesterol, isofucosterol, campesterol; a sa- ponin equisitonin, dimethyl-sulphone, thiaminase and aconitic acid. Diuretic action of the herb is attributed to its flavonoid and saponin constituents, Silicic acid strengthens connective tissue and helps in healing bones.... equisetum arvenseOnly a small minority of those exposed to M. leprae develop the disease. The incubation period is 3–5 years or longer. The major clinical manifestations involve skin and nerves: the former range from depigmented, often anaesthetic areas, to massive nodules; nerve involvement ranges from localised nerve swelling(s) to extensive areas of anaesthesia. Advanced nerve destruction gives rise to severe deformities: foot-drop, wrist-drop, claw-foot, extensive ulceration of the extremities with loss of ?ngers and toes, and bone changes. Eye involvement can produce blindness. Laryngeal lesions produce hoarseness and more serious sequelae. The diagnosis is essentially a clinical one; however, skin-smears, histological features and the lepromin skin-test help to con?rm the diagnosis and enable the form of disease to be graded.
Although the World Health Organisation had originally hoped to eliminate leprosy worldwide by 2000, that has proved an unrealistic target. The reason is an absence of basic information. Doctors are unable to diagnose the disorder before a patient starts to show symptoms; meanwhile he or she may have already passed on the infection. Doctors do not know exactly how transmission occurs or how it infects humans – nor do they know at what point a carrier of the bacterium may infect others. The incidence of new infections is still more than 650,000 cases a year or about 4.5 cases per 10,000 people in those countries worst affected by the disease.
Treatment Introduction of the sulphone compound, dapsone, revolutionised management of the disease. More recently, rifampicin and clofazimine have been added as ?rst-line drugs for treatment. Second-line drugs include minocycline, o?oxacin and clarithromycin; a number of regimens incorporating several of these compounds (multi-drug regimens – introduced in 1982) are now widely used. A three-drug regime is recommended for multi-bacillary leprosy and a two-drug one for parcibacillary leprosy. Dapsone resistance is a major problem worldwide, but occurs less commonly when multi-drug regimens are used. Older compounds – ethionamide and prothionamide
– are no longer used because they are severely toxic to the liver. Corticosteroids are sometimes required in patients with ‘reversal reaction’. Supportive therapy includes physiotherapy; both plastic and orthopaedic surgery may be necessary in advanced stages of the disease. Improvement in socio-economic conditions, and widespread use of BCG vaccination are of value as preventive strategies. Early diagnosis and prompt institution of chemotherapy should prevent long-term complications.... leprosy
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