Actinoalloteichus spitiensis sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from a cold desert of the Indian Himalayas.

An actinobacterial strain, RMV-1378T, isolated from a cold desert of the Indian Himalayas, was subjected to polyphasic taxonomic characterization. The strain formed branching, non-fragmenting vegetative hyphae and did not produce diffusible pigments. Neither aerial mycelium nor spore formation was observed. The G+C content of the DNA was 72.0 mol%. The strain had chemotaxonomic characteristics typical of the genus Actinoalloteichus and was closely related (99.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) to Actinoalloteichus cyanogriseus, currently the only Actinoalloteichus species with a validly published name. However, the results of DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed 51.9 % relatedness with the type strain of A. cyanogriseus. On the basis of the above data and the physiological and biochemical distinctiveness of RMV-1378T (=MTCC 6194T=JCM 12472T=DSM 44848T), this strain should be classified as the type strain of a novel species of Actinoalloteichus, for which the name Actinoalloteichus spitiensis sp. nov. is proposed.

Chitosan microspheres as a potential carrier for drugs.

Chitosan is a biodegradable natural polymer with great potential for pharmaceutical applications due to its biocompatibility, high charge density, non-toxicity and mucoadhesion. It has been shown that it not only improves the dissolution of poorly soluble drugs but also exerts a significant effect on fat metabolism in the body. Gel formation can be obtained by interactions of chitosans with low molecular counterions such as polyphosphates, sulphates and crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. This gelling property of chitosan allows a wide range of applications such as coating of pharmaceuticals and food products, gel entrapment of biochemicals, plant embryo, whole cells, microorganism and algae. This review is an insight into the exploitation of the various properties of chitosan to microencapsulate drugs. Various techniques used for preparing chitosan microspheres and evaluation of these microspheres have also been reviewed. This review also includes the factors that affect the entrapment efficiency and release kinetics of drugs from chitosan microspheres.

Inhibitory effect of dibenzoylmethane on mutagenicity of food-derived heterocyclic amine mutagens.

Dibenzoylmethane (DBM), a structural analogue of curcumin (a bioactive phytochemical present in a widely used spice turmeric) was screened for its inhibitory effect against seven cooked food mutagens (heterocyclic amines): 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1), in both TA98 and TA100 strains of Salmonella typhimurium using Ames Salmonella/reversion assay in the presence of Aroclor1254-induced rat liver S9 homogenate. DBM has been reported to antagonize the mutagenicity of several chemical carcinogens in vitro and has recently been shown to be even more effective than curcumin in suppressing the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in rats. But there are no reports regarding its antimutagenic properties against cooked food mutagens. Results of the present investigations clearly indicate that dibenzoylmethane is a very potent antimutagenic agent, that could effectively inhibit mutagenicity induced by all the tested cooked food mutagens in both the frame shift (TA98) as well as the base pair mutation sensitive (TA100) strains of S. typhimurium. These highly potent inhibitory effects of dibenzoylmethane against heterocyclic amines observed in our preliminary investigations strongly warrant further studies of its efficacy as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

Inhibitory effect of curcumin and its natural analogues on genotoxicity of heterocyclic amines from cooked food.

Curcumin (C) and its natural analogues demethoxycurcumin (dmC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (bdmC), known for their potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects, were tested for their possible inhibitory effects against seven cooked food mutagens (heterocyclic amines): 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1), in both TA98 and TA100 strains of Salmonella typhimurium using Ames Salmonella/reversion assay in the presence of Aroclor induced rat liver S9 homogenate. In the present investigations, curcumin as well as its two natural analogues i.e., dmC and bdmC were found to be highly effective in suppressing genotoxicity of all the tested cooked food mutagens in a dose-dependent manner, in both the frame shift (TA98) as well as base pair mutation sensitive (TA100) strains of S. typhimurium. However, bdmC appeared to be a relatively less active antimutagen compared to C and dmC. More than 80% inhibition of mutagenicity was observed at 200 microg/plate in case of C and dmC in both TA98 and TA100 against all tested cooked food mutagens. Where as, bdmC showed 39-79% inhibition in TA100 and 60-80% inhibition in TA98, at a dose of 200 microg/plate. These findings warrant further biochemical, enzymatic and in vivo investigations in animal models as well as in humans to establish the chemoprotective effect of these agents against mutagenic heterocyclic amines found in cooked food.

Nimesulide: some pharmaceutical and pharmacological aspects--an update.

Nimesulide, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is administered orally or rectally twice daily for a variety of inflammation and pain states. This is a unique NSAID, not only because of its chemical structure but also because of its specific affinity to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), thus exerting milder effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa. Current data on selective COX-2 inhibitors suggest that they may have an efficacy similar to that of standard NSAIDs. Initial general clinical experience with selective COX-2 inhibitors appears to show that they are particularly promising in individuals at risk because of renal diseases, hypertension or congestive heart failure. Various experimental models and clinical studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory efficacy of nimesulide. Nimesulide is superior, or at least comparable in efficacy, to other NSAIDs, but is better tolerated and has less potential for adverse reactions. Thus, selective COX-2 inhibitors should have anti-inflammatory effects devoid of side effects on the kidney and stomach. They may also demonstrate new important therapeutic benefits as anticancer agents as well as help prevention of premature labour and even retard the progression of Alzheimer's disease. No clinically significant drug interactions have been reported for nimesulide. Not much has been reported about the pharmaceutical aspects of nimesulide. Its poor aqueous solubility poses bioavailability problems in-vivo. This could be overcome by the formation of inclusion complexes with beta-cyclodextrin, as has been reported by various researchers. However, absence of any in-vivo data regarding the relative absorption of nimesulide from beta-cyclodextrin complex compared with that from conventional formulations of the drug makes the use of such fast-releasing complexes rather questionable. Only a limited number of assay procedures (HPLC, spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric) for the determination of nimesulide and its metabolite in plasma/urine samples or in dosage forms have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this review is to provide a concise overview of the pharmacological and pharmaceutical profile of nimesulide. Various investigations carried out recently are reported, although older references to research performed on nimesulide have also been included, where appropriate.

Mucin production in the middle ear in response to lipopolysaccharides.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the response of middle ear tissue to establish the lowest dose of lipopolysaccharide to induce mucin production in a rat otitis media model. METHODS: Twenty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats' eustachian tubes were obstructed before transtympanic inoculation of the bulla tympanica with 35 microL of Krebs Ringer or 1, 10, 100, or 1000 microgram/mL lipopolysaccharide. After 7 days the effusion and a lavage were collected for mucin ELISA measurement, and tissue was collected for histologic evaluation. RESULTS: Mucin secretion was significantly increased in the 100 microgram/mL 51.20 +/- 13.6 microgram/mL (SE) and 1000 microgram/mL 69.42 +/- 8.57 microgram/mL groups when compared with the Krebs Ringer control group 1.84 +/- 0.28 microgram/mL (P < 0.05). Histologic evaluation shows goblet cell metaplasia and hyperplasia in the middle ear epithelium in the 1000 and 100 microgram/mL groups. CONCLUSIONS: The histology and ELISA results suggest that a middle ear effusion is generated with a dose of lipopolysaccharide as low as 100 microgram/mL.

Aggressive surgical treatment of digital papillary adenocarcinoma.

The case of a 38-year-old white man with digital papillary adenocarcinoma is presented. It is a lesion of the skin often occurring in the digits of the hand or of the feet. This disease is rare and has not been reported in the plastic surgical or orthopedic literature to date. A case report is presented here along with our rationale for aggressive surgical treatment consisting of amputation.

The gastric augment single pedicle tube catheterizable stoma: a useful adjunct to reconstruction of the urinary tract.

Since 1990 we have used stomach for bladder augmentation and continent urinary diversions in 73 patients, of whom 15 received a gastric tube catheterizable stoma and are the subject of this report. The gastric tube receives its blood supply from the same vascular pedicle as the gastric patch and, therefore, it can be moved anywhere along with the patch. The tube is then reimplanted in the reservoir or bladder following the Mitrofanoff principle and brought to the skin as a catheterizable stoma. Patient age ranged from 12 to 60 years. Three patients underwent augmentation cystoplasty and 12 received a composite gastrointestinal continent reservoir (in 10 a prior bowel conduit was detubularized and used as part of the reservoir). The appendix was either previously removed (10 patients) or not suitable as a catheterizable limb (4). All patients are continent. Catheters used to empty the reservoir varied from 12F to 18F. Complications included an early traumatic perforation of the tube in 1 patient, distal stenosis in 1 and mucosal redundancy in 1. Of these patients 2 required revision. Two patients had mild peristomal skin irritation without ulceration. Anatomical and technical aspects of this procedure are presented. In summary, we believe the gastric augment single pedicle tube to be a useful tool for the reconstructive urologist, which in select cases may obviate the need for additional bowel anastomosis to create a tapered intestinal catheterizable limb.