Fungi with high ability to crunch multiple Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the pelagic sediments of Gulfs of Gujarat.

Marine ecosystem harbors diverse microbial diversity adapted to varied environmental conditions and stress. Gujarat possesses a wide coastline with unique and diverse niche in its two Gulfs. PAHs enter marine environments through various anthropogenic discharges and act as a threat to environment due to their xenobiotic nature. In the present study, sediment cores were collected across 4 coordinates, each from Gulf of Kutch and Khambhat; while one from Arabian sea. These samples were enriched for fungal growth in basal medium supplemented with naphthalene, pyrene, phenanthrene, anthracene and fluoranthene. Eight isolates were obtained from 3 samples and checked for tolerance against 5 PAHs followed by assessment of their biodegradation ability. Penicillium ilerdanum NPDF1239-K3-F21 and Aspergillus versicolor NPDF190-C1-26 showed >75% ability to degrade multiple PAHs. The results reveal the potential of fungal isolates from pelagic sediment for further in situ optimization and application in PAH removal from contaminated soil and sediment.

Formulation of orodispersible tablets of ondansetron HCl: investigations using glycine-chitosan mixture as superdisintegrant.

The objective of this investigation was to prepare orodispersible tablets (ODTs) of ondansetron HCl using a direct compression method. A combination of glycine and chitosan was used as a disintegrating system and these tablets were compared for mechanical strength and disintegration time with those containing superdisintegrants. The Plackett-Burman screening design was used to screen the independent variables [concentration of glycine (X(1)), concentration of chitosan (X(2)), concentration of ondansetron HCl (X(3)) and tablet crushing strength (X(4))] which were found to actively influence the dependent variables [disintegration time in the oral cavity (DT), wetting time (WT), and water absorption ratio (WAR)]. Further, a central composite design was used to formulate additional ODTs of ondansetron HCl for estimating response in the extended spherical domain. The regression analysis (performed using Statistica-7.0) of quadratic fit revealed that DT or WT and WAR were 99% and 98% correlated with active factors (X(1), X(2) or X(3)), respectively. The data showed that disintegration time of optimized ondansetron HCl ODTs was not significantly different (p<0.05) from ODTs prepared using Croscarmellose sodium or Crospovidone.

Understanding the mechanism for paradoxical effect of ionized and unionized chitosan: Orodispersible tablets of Ondansetron Hydrochloride.

The objective of the present investigation was to formulate and evaluate orodispersible tablets (ODTs) of ondansetron HCl possessing sufficient mechanical strength by wet granulation or direct compression method. A combination of glycine and chitosan was employed for providing a sweet tasting disintegrating system. The evaluation of ODTs prepared by a wet granulation method revealed that in vitro disintegration time (DT) as well as wetting time (WT) increased and water absorption ratio (WAR) decreased with an increase in concentration of chitosan (as binder). However, an opposite relationship was obtained when ODTs were prepared by direct compression method. The FTIR spectra and DSC analysis indicated that the -NH3+ moieties of chitosan interacted with COO- moieties of glycine in ODTs prepared by the wet granulation method. However, chitosan was found to be present in the unionized state in ODTs prepared by direct compression method. Furthermore, in vitro as well as in vivo disintegration tests revealed that ODTs containing the chitosan-glycine mixture were superior to those containing well known superdisintegrants. The results suggested that the chitosan-glycine system not only improved disintegration time but also made it possible to prepare ODTs with higher crushing strength as compared to tablets containing superdisintegrants.

A novel approach to optimize and formulate fast disintegrating tablets for nausea and vomiting.

The aim of this study was to optimize and formulate fast disintegrating tablets (FDTs) for nausea and vomiting using aminoacetic acid, carmellose and sodium alginate with enough mechanical strength. Ondansetron HCl (water soluble) or domperidone (water insoluble) drug were added to FDTs and their disintegration behaviour was evaluated. Plackett Burman Screening Design was used to screen the independent active process variables [concentration of aminoacetic acid (X (1)), concentration of carmellose (X (2)) and tablet crushing strength (X (3))] which were found to actively influence the dependent variables [disintegration time in the mouth (DT), wetting time (WT), and water absorption ratio (WAR)] for both the drugs. Also, the coefficients of active variables (DT, WT and WAR) of FDTs containing domperidone was found to be significantly different (P < 0.05) from the coefficients of active factors (X (1), X (2) and X (3)) containing ondansetron HCl FDTs. Further, FDTs containing domperidone was prepared according to central composite design for estimating the effect of active factors (X (1), X (2), X (3)) in extended spherical domain. The regression analysis of quadratic fit revealed that DT, WT and WAR were 98% correlated with active factors (X (1), X (2) or X (3)). The optimized domperidone FDTs were further compared with superdisintegrants (croscarmellose sodium or crospovidone). The data revealed that optimized domperidone FDTs were better than domperidone FDTs containing croscarmellose or crospovidone. Hence, this novel excipients combination can be used for delivery of water insoluble drugs in place of superdisintegrants.

Preparation and optimization of mouth/orally dissolving tablets using a combination of glycine, carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium alginate: a comparison with superdisintegrants.

The purpose of the research was to prepare metoclopramide HCl mouth/orally dissolving tablets (MDTs) using glycine, carboxy methyl cellulose and sodium alginate with sufficient mechanical integrity and disintegration time comparable to superdisintegrants. Application of Plackett-Burman design revealed that concentration of glycine (X(1)), concentration of carboxy methyl cellulose (X(2)) and tablet crushing strength (X(4)) were found to actively influence the dependent variables (disintegration time in oral cavity (DT), wetting time (WT), porosity (P(0)) and water absorption ratio (WA). Additional MDTs were prepared utilizing central composite design for estimating extended effect in a spherical domain. The regression statistics (performed using Statistica(R)-7.0) of quadratic model revealed that DT, WT, P(0) were 97% correlated with active factors (X(1), X(2) or X(4)). The results revealed that optimized MDTs were capable of simulating DT comparable to MDTs containing croscarmellose sodium or crospovidone. Further, it can be envisaged that optimized MDTs were found to be superior to MDTs containing croscarmellose sodium or crospovidone in terms of friability and tablet crushing strength.