A three-pronged formulation approach to improve oral bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of two lipophilic drugs with gastric lability.

The aim of present study was to co-administer curcumin (CRM) liquisolid pellets and coated duloxetine hydrochloride (DXH) pellets in rats to treat neuropathic pain (NP) associated with chronic constriction injury (CCI). To formulate liquisolid pellets of CRM, it was first dissolved in Tween-80 and then adsorbed on the porous surface of MCC PH102 and Syloid XDP that were used as carrier and coating materials, respectively. Central composite design was used to optimize the liquisolid formulation. The results of powder X-ray diffraction studies, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy showed complete solubility of drug in Tween-80 followed by its complete adsorption on the porous surface of Syloid XDP and MCC PH102. Both DXH and liquisolid CRM powders were converted into pellets using extrusion-spheronization. DXH pellets were further coated with Eudragit S100 to bypass the gastric pH. About 32.31-fold increase in dissolution rate of CRM present in liquisolid formulation was observed as compared to its unprocessed form. Similarly, the dissolution profile in 0.1 N HCl for Eudragit S100-coated DXH showed complete protection of drug for 2 h and complete release after its introduction in buffer medium (0.2 M phosphate buffer pH 6.8). he pharmacokinetic studies carried out on rats revealed 7.3-fold increase in bioavailability of CRM present in liquisolid pellets and 4.1-fold increase in bioavailability of DXH present in coated pellets was observed as compared to their unprocessed pellets. This increase in bioavailability of drugs caused significant amelioration of CCI-induced pain in rats as compared to their unprocessed forms. The histological sections showed better improvement in regeneration of nerve fibers in rats.

Modulation of cerebral malaria by curcumin as an adjunctive therapy

Cerebral malaria is the most severe and rapidly fatal neurological complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection and responsible for more than two million deaths annually. The current therapy is inadequate in terms of reducing mortality or post-treatment symptoms such as neurological and cognitive deficits. The pathophysiology of cerebral malaria is quite complex and offers a variety of targets which remain to be exploited for better therapeutic outcome. The present review discusses on the pathophysiology of cerebral malaria with particular emphasis on scope and promises of curcumin as an adjunctive therapy to improve survival and overcome neurological deficits.

Modulation of cerebral malaria by curcumin as an adjunctive therapy.

Cerebral malaria is the most severe and rapidly fatal neurological complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection and responsible for more than two million deaths annually. The current therapy is inadequate in terms of reducing mortality or post-treatment symptoms such as neurological and cognitive deficits. The pathophysiology of cerebral malaria is quite complex and offers a variety of targets which remain to be exploited for better therapeutic outcome. The present review discusses on the pathophysiology of cerebral malaria with particular emphasis on scope and promises of curcumin as an adjunctive therapy to improve survival and overcome neurological deficits.

Antimicrobial activity of selected herbal extracts.

METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF OLEORESINS OF ARAUCARIA BIDWILLI HOOK: and aerial parts of Cytisus scoparius Linn. Were screened for antimicrobial activity against two bacterial strains-Bacillus subtilis (Gram Positive) and Escherichia coli (Gem negative), and two fungal strains - Candida albicans and crytococcus neoformans by two-fold serial dilution technique. The results showed that all the microorganisms used were sensitive to the extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for A. bidwilli were found to be 31.25 µg/ml for Bacillus subtilis and 500 µg/ml for all other organisms used in the study. In case of C. Scoparius, the MIC values were 250 µg/ml for B. Subtilis and 500 µg/ml for allthe other strains used. However, in comparison the ampicillin (MIC: 62.5 µg/ml), and Amphotericin-B (MIC: 125 µg/ml ), the activities of both the extracts were less except A. bidwilli against B.Subtilis.