Osmotically controlled oral delivery of ciprofloxacin through asymmetric membrane capsules.

Asymmetric membrane capsules (AMCs) are based on the concept of osmotic pressure but are much simpler to manufacture. Further, they can be suitably optimized by varying the parameters like concentration of pore former, polymer, osmotic agents and solubility enhancers to cater the specific needs of a particular formulation. The main objective of the present work was to exploit the concept of AMCs for the controlled delivery of poorly soluble anti-infective drugs. Ciprofloxacin was chosen as the model drug. Nine AMCs (F1-F9) with varying concentrations of cellulose acetate [CA] (polymer-12% w/v, 16% w/v and 20% w/v) and glycerol (pore former- 50% w/w, 60% w/w and 70% w/w of polymer) were prepared. AMCs F1-F3 were discarded because of poor rigidity. 18 formulations (F4A-F9C) were prepared with the remaining 6 AMCs by varying concentrations of mannitol in the core (osmogen-15% w/w, 25% w/w and 50 % w/w of drug). F6C prepared with 16% CA, 70% glycerol and 50% mannitol gave highest release (57.93 +/- 0.93 %) after 12 h. Scanning electron microscopy revealed asymmetric structure of the membrane and osmotic release (zero order) through pores formed in situ was confirmed. Three concentrations of tartaric acid were used in F6C (T1-5%, T2-15%, T3-20%) for further optimization. T3 gave maximum release after 12 h (82.21 +/- 0.71%) and was selected as final optimized formulation. The study concluded that AMCs containing a suitable osmogen and a solublizer, can successfully deliver poorly soluble anti-infective drugs in a controlled manner.

Current Status and Future Perspective for Research on Medicinal Plants with Anticancerous Activity and Minimum Cytotoxic Value.

Cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although chemotherapy and radiotherapy enhance the survival rate of cancerous patients but they have several acute toxic effects. Therefore, there is a need to search for new anticancer agents having better efficacy and lesser side effects. In this regard, herbal treatment is found to be a safe method for treating and preventing cancer. Here, an attempt has been made to screen some less explored medicinal plants like Ammania baccifera, Asclepias curassavica, Azadarichta indica, Butea monosperma, Croton tiglium, Hedera nepalensis, Jatropha curcas, Momordica charantia, Moringa oleifera, Psidium guajava, etc. having potent anticancer activity with minimum cytotoxic value (IC50 >3µM) and lesser or negligible toxicity. They are rich in active phytochemicals with a wide range of drug targets. In this study, these medicinal plants were evaluated for dose-dependent cytotoxicological studies via in vitro MTT assay and in vivo tumor models along with some more plants which are reported to have IC50 value in the range of 0.019-0.528 mg/ml. The findings indicate that these plants inhibit tumor growth by their antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic molecular targets. They are widely used because of their easy availability, affordable price and having no or sometimes minimal side effects. This review provides a baseline for the discovery of anticancer drugs from medicinal plants having minimum cytotoxic value with minimal side effects and establishment of their analogues for the welfare of mankind.

Investigating the nitrification and denitrification kinetics under aerobic and anaerobic conditions by Paracoccus denitrificans ISTOD1.

Municipal wastewater contains multiple nitrogen contaminants such as ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. Two heterotrophic nitrifier and aerobic denitrifiers, bacterial isolates ISTOD1 and ISTVD1 were isolated from domestic wastewater. On the basis of removal efficiency of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, ISTOD1 was selected and identified as Paracoccus denitrificans. Aerobically, NH4+-N had maximum specific nitrogen removal rate (Rxi) of 7.6g/gDCW/h and anaerobically, NO3-N showed Rxi of 2.5*10-1g/g DCW/h. Monod equation described the bioprocess kinetic coefficients, µmax and Ks, obtained by regression. Error functions were calculated to validate the Monod equation experimental data. Aerobic NO3-N showed the highest YW of 0.372mg DCW/mg NO3-N among the five conditions. ISTOD1 serves as a potential candidate for treating nitrogen rich wastewater using simultaneous nitrification and aerobic denitrification. It can be used in bioaugmentation studies under varied condition.

Blood pressure control and acceptability of perindopril and its fixed dose combinations with amlodipine or indapamide, in younger patients with hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Recent hypertension guidelines recommend initiation of treatment with a fixed dose combination of two drugs for more effective and quicker blood pressure control. Few of these have been assessed for efficacy and acceptability. This study examines the short term blood pressure control and acceptability of perindopril, with or without its fixed dose combinations (FDC) with amlodipine and Indapamide in younger patients. METHODS: In a multicentre prospective observational study, patients with stage 1 hypertension were prescribed perindopril 4 mg per day. Those with stage 2 or 3 hypertension were prescribed a single tablet per day of 4 mg perindopril and 5 mg amlodipine (COVERSYL AM), or 4 mg perindopril and 1.25 mg indapamide (COVERSYL PLUS)for 45 days. The primary outcomes were the frequency of patients achieving blood pressure control and the adverse effect of pedal edema. RESULTS: Of 426 patients, with a mean age of 45 years, distributed throughout India, and an average (SD) baseline systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 157.2 (13.5)/98.6 (7.4), 303 (71.1%) achieved blood pressure control. Mean (SD) SBP/DBP decreased from baseline by 26.9 (12.6), and DBP by 15.4 (7.2) mm Hg. Few patients discontinued treatment, and the frequency of cough that interfered with sleep and ankle edema was low. CONCLUSION: In patients requiring combination antihypertensive treatment, the regimen of perindopril alone or its FDC with Indapamide or amlodipine reduces blood pressure effectively, resulting in high rates of blood pressure control over the short term, with a low frequency of side effects including cough and pedal edema.