Litchi chinensis is a edible fruits of soapberry family commonly known as lychee; is traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation, headache, and body pain. The present study investigated the toxicity, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity of the ethanolic crude extract of Litchi chinensis to support its traditional use in its folk medicine and to screen the phytochemical constituents. 70% ethanolic extract of seeds of Litchi chinensis (LCSE) was prepared and preliminary phytochemical screening was performed. Acute toxicity of LCSE was carried out based on OECD guidelines 423. In vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of the extract was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema and hot plate methods in Wistar albino rat's model. Results revealed that LCSE contains phenols, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, and alkaloids. LD50 values were found to be higher than 5000 mg/kg body weight; no any sign of toxicity, behavior changes, moribund, and mortality were observed in LCSE treated animals. Oral administration of LCSE at the dose of 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg produced a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent inhibition in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and hot plate. These results suggest that LCSE is non-toxic, and shows potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities over Wistar albino rats. These finding demonstrate that lychee seed extract acts as a good therapeutic candidate for the safe anti-inflammatory agents.

Background of the study: Depression is a prevalent mental disorder characterized by various symptoms, including low mood, lack of pleasure, changes in appetite and sleep, and difficulty concentrating. Antidepressants are commonly used to manage depression as well as other related disorders, such as anxiety and somatoform disorders. This study aimed to investigate the adverse drug effects experienced by adult patients who were using antidepressants at Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital in Nepal. Methods: This study was a retro-prospective, observational study consisting of 117 adult patients under antidepressant medication. The adverse drug profile for the patients was collected using an antidepressant side effect checklist developed by the NHS foundation trust. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Result: The study group consisted of adult patients using antidepressants at Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Chitwan, Nepal. The mean age of the group was 40.9 ± 12.8, with 63.2% females and 36.7% males. The most common conditions for which antidepressants were prescribed were depression (49.5%), anxiety disorder (31.6%), and somatoform disorder (13.6%). Amitriptyline was the most commonly used medication in monotherapy (64.1%), followed by escitalopram and sertraline. Dry mouth, weight gain, drowsiness, blurred vision, problems with sexual function, and an increase in appetite were the most commonly reported adverse effects. The incidence of certain adverse effects was higher in the multiple therapy group than in the monotherapy group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of adverse drug effects is high in patients taking antidepressants, especially those receiving multiple medications. Educating patients about common side effects and prescribing monotherapy whenever possible are crucial in reducing the incidence.