Curcumin as a permeability enhancer enhanced the antihyperlipidemic activity of dietary green tea extract.

BACKGROUND: Green tea has polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins; mainly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC) and epicatechin (EC), out of which EGCG is of higher abundance. EGCG has shown preventive role in hypercholesterolemia. However, due to low oral bioavailability, a need arises to improve its membrane permeability and transporter-mediated intestinal efflux. Therefore, an attempt was made to enhance permeability and bioavailability of EGCG using curcumin to treat hyperlipidemia. Further, it was formulated in herbal tea bags to achieve patient compliance. METHODS: EGCG extracted from green tea leaves was confirmed by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography. Green tea extract (GTE), curcumin and their mixtures were subjected to Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry for compatibility studies. Powder formulation was prepared comprising GTE, curcumin, sucralose and cardamom. RESULTS: Ex-vivo study was performed on everted goat intestine, analyzed by HPLC and demonstrated highest permeation of GTE:curcumin (220:50) (53.15%) than GTE (20.57%). Antihyperlipidemic activity was performed in rats for 15 days. Blood sample analysis of rats of test groups (formulation and GTE solution) fed on high fat diet showed (mg/dl):cholesterol 80 and 90, triglycerides 73.25 and 85.5, HDL 50.75 and 46, LDL 43.9 and 46, VLDL 14.65 and 17.1 respectively with significant lipid regulating effect. CONCLUSION: Curcumin enhanced permeability of EGCG. Therefore, P-glycoprotein pump inside intestine can be potential mechanism to enhance permeability of EGCG. Thus, EGCG-curcumin herbal tea bag is promising nutraceutical to treat hyperlipidemia in day-to-day life achieving patient compliance.

Recent diagnostic techniques for the detection of Alzheimer's disease: a short review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological condition that affects millions of individuals around the world and for which there are few effective therapies. Dementia is characterized by the formation of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which is followed by neurotoxicity, which results in memory loss and mortality. Pathogenesis occurs several years before the onset of disease. As the disease-modifying drugs are most effective in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, biomarkers for early detection of disease and their development are crucial. This review discusses the diagnostic utility, benefits, and limitations of traditional techniques such as neuroimaging, cognitive testing, positron emission tomography, and biomarkers, as well as the novel techniques such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, immunotherapy, and blood test approaches for early detection, understanding, and treatment of AD.

Development of Thymol Microsponges Loaded in situ Gel for the Treatment of Periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis is an oral disease categorized by disturbance of periodontal tissue and the creation of periodontal pockets. Thymol (TH) loaded microsponge in situ gelling systems was formulated for local action in the periodontal cavity for the management of periodontitis. METHODS: Solvent evaporation technique was utilized for the preparation of microsponges. A Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) was used to screen the high risk variables impacting the characteristics of the (TH) microsponges and further optimized using Box-Behnken design. The optimized microsponges were then characterized by DSC, SEM, antimicrobial activity, in-vitro release, and then incorporated in the in situ gelling system. A ligature model was used to induce periodontitis in Sprague Dawley rats. RESULTS: The microsponges showed good characteristics, such as particle size, entrapment efficiency, and mucoadhesiveness of 45 µm, 92.99 ± 0.2%, 96 ± 0.26%, respectively. SEM revealed the spherical morphology of the microsponges with sustained release of TH for 10h and antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and C. albicans. Treatment with Thymol Loaded in situ Gel (THLMG) showed a decrease in gingival inflammation and tooth mobility as well as in serum biochemical parameters like serum Creactive proteins, leucocyte count, alkaline phosphatase, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, when compared to disease group. The histopathological study of the periodontium confirmed a significant reduction of inflammation and alveolar bone destruction (p<0.05) in rats. CONCLUSION: THLMG decreased the infiltration of inflammatory cells and prevented osteoclastogenesis and osteoblast apoptosis, which further favored a decrease in inflammation and alveolar bone loss in periodontitis. Thus, THLMG could be a better alternative to synthetic antimicrobials and antibiotics to treat periodontitis.