Unveiling Annona Reticulata's Bioactive Arsenal for Enhanced Antibiotic Effects.

OBJECTIVE: To study the antibacterial and phytochemical activities of bioactive elements in the leaves of Annona reticulata Linn, a historically used Bangladeshi medicinal plant. METHODS: Shade-dried and crushed plant leaves were soaked with various solvents to obtain samples for different chemical analyses. All extracts were selected for antimicrobial, physicochemical, and Pharmacological investigations. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay, and broth microdilution methods determined potentiation of the activities of the antibiotic antibacterial activity of the plant extracts was investigated using either gram-positive or gram-negative pathogenic wild-type bacteria. RESULTS: From the initial phytochemical and pharmacological studies, it was clear that all extracts, methanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, of the leaves of A. reticulata, were proven to process potent bioactive constituents. While differential antimicrobial properties were found to be possessed by all extracts, methanolic extract was the most potent one against all tested microorganisms. It also has potentiated the activities of antibiotics in E. coli. CONCLUSION: Bioactive constituents in the plant extracts were shown to possess phytochemical and antimicrobial activities. More investigation is needed to segregate the chemical components responsible for the respective phytochemical and antimicrobial activities.

Biomedical waste generation in Puducherry Government General Hospital and its management implications.

In India, not much attention has been paid to the management of biomedical waste (BMW). The present paper describes the collection and disposal of BMW in the Government General Hospital (GH) of Puducherry, India. The authors document (a) the lack of segregation between infections and noninfectious BMW as well as a failure to implement the prescribed rules for proper management of BMW; (b) improper treatment and transportation and the final disposal of BMW along with municipal garbage; and (c) an inadequate training of personnel, insufficient personal protective equipment, and a lack of knowledge regarding the proper use of such equipment. The authors recommend the establishment of standards and periodic monitoring along with effective training of personnel.

Evaluation of effectiveness of Mass Vaccination Campaign against Peste des petits ruminants in Chhattisgarh state, India.

The study evaluated the effectiveness of 'Mass Vaccination Campaign (MVC)' implemented against the contagious transboundary OIE notified Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats on the lines of 'pulse polio campaign' for humans in Chhattisgarh state, India. The effectiveness was evaluated on the axes of adequacy, financial viability under with and without MVC through differencing under various scenarios and options and programme impact from a farmer's perspective. The adequacy evaluation revealed that the reported outbreaks, diagnosed and death cases declined under PPR-MVC inconsonance with increased vaccination coverage. Furthermore, the seroconversion increased during post PPR-MVC implies elevated immunity levels in the sheep and goat population. The estimated mean mortality loss was USD 45.2 and USD 16.5 per animal in goats and sheep, respectively, whereas the treatment and opportunity cost of labour was USD 1.9 and USD 2.5 per animal respectively. Under the low PPR incidence scenario, benefit: cost ratio, net present value and internal rate of return were 4.9:1, 48.9 million USD and 146.6%, whereas it was 12.4:1,142.7 million USD and 430.4% and 13.5:1,156.7 million USD and 430.4% under medium and high incidence scenarios. Furthermore, the option of vaccinating 100% risk population during the first year followed by 30% during subsequent years to cover naïve population will maximize benefits than 100% coverage every year; nevertheless, benefits outweighs cost manifolds in both of these options. The farmers had a positive opinion on the overall services provided under PPR-MVC and the results provide the empirical evidence on effectiveness of 'mass vaccination' for its replication in other states of India or countries with similar socio-economic and rearing environments.

Development of smart hydrogels of etherified gum ghatti for sustained oral delivery of ropinirole hydrochloride.

Gum Ghatti (GG) is a water soluble complex polysaccharide obtained from Anogeissus latifolia. Due to its non toxic and excellent emulsifying characteristics, it was widely used in different pharmaceutical preparations. Currently another facet was explored for its utility as release retardant polymer in oral controlled drug delivery system. As GG solely was incapable of forming microspheres therefore modification of GG to Sodium carboxymethyl (NaCMGG) derivative was done by carboxymethylation process and its gel forming capacity was explored by the use of trivalent cation (Aluminium chloride) which results into complete microbead system in a complete aqueous environment for controlled delivery of Ropinirole Hydrochloride (RHCl). Rheological property of NaCMGG showed pseudoplastic shear thinning behavior. Spherical shape of bead was observed under scanning electron microscope. Depending upon the formulation variables, Drug entrapment efficiency (DEE) varies from 47.66±3.51 % to 71.4±2.65%., and 80 to 90% drug was released in 6h in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer. Drug release was governed by both fickian diffusion and polymer relaxation simultaneously. Compatible environment for drug entrapment was established by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thus the modified derivative NaCMGG could be a promising polymer in biomedical application.