A Handbook of Emergencies in ENT- Head and Neck Surgery.

This handbook is a unique addition in the field of emergencies in otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery. The authors had done their best to provide the good handbook. The authors have mentioned all the emergency conditions very precisely which helps the reader to find it. It is user-friendly in terms of reading. A Chapter in burns has been included in the handbook which is good and helpful. The nutshell mentioned within the chapter is like the cherry on the top for the handbook. The emergency procedure which is mentioned in detail helps the reader to find it easy for performing the procedure. All the features make this 262 pages handbook worthy of inclusion in any otorhinolaryngologists' library. It is particularly suitable for residents, medical doctors who work in emergency, General practitioner, Pediatricians and Otorhinolaryngologists. This handbook consists of variety of chapters and images depicting the emergency conditions in otorhinolaryngology. They are organized in a logical fashion: section A: The ear with variety of emergency conditions. Section B: The nose and paranasal sinuses with variety of emergency conditions. Section C: The throat and head and neck with variety of emergency conditions. Section D: Burns and Trauma. Section E: Emergency procedures. The main purpose of this handbook is to tackle the ENT emergencies in which the authors have been successful in fulfilling their job. However, I found the addition of mucormycosis chapter to be more relevant in current scenario. Nonetheless, the image quality could be better and on the cover page it is good to mask the identity of the patient. The handbook is published on high quality glossy paper with size that fits the pocket. So, this handbook is highly recommended for the residents, general practioners, pediatricians and the otorhinolaryngologists for immediate consultation during emergency management of ENT cases.

Intermittent-contact local dielectric spectroscopy of nanostructured interfaces.

Local dielectric spectroscopy (LDS) is a scanning probe method, based on dynamic-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), to discriminate dielectric properties at surfaces with nanometer-scale lateral resolution. Until now a sub-10 nm resolution for LDS has not been documented, that would give access to the length scale of fundamental physical phenomena such as the cooperativity length related to structural arrest in glass formers (2-3 nm). In this work, LDS performed by a peculiar variant of intermittent-contact mode of AFM, named constant-excitation frequency modulation, was introduced and extensively explored in order to assess its best resolution capability. Dependence of resolution and contrast of dielectric imaging and spectroscopy on operation parameters like probe oscillation amplitude and free amplitude, the resulting frequency shift, and probe/surface distance-regulation feedback gain, were explored. By using thin films of a diblock copolymer of polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), exhibiting phase separation on the nanometer scale, lateral resolution of at least 3 nm was demonstrated in both dielectric imaging and localized spectroscopy, by operating with optimized parameters. The interface within lamellar PS/PMMA was mapped, with a best width in the range between 1 and 3 nm. Changes of characteristic time of the secondary (ß) relaxation process of PMMA could be tracked across the interface with PS.

In silico study to predict promiscuous T cell and B cell-epitopes derived from the vaccine candidate antigens of Plasmodium vivax binding to MHC class-II alleles.

Malaria is one of the major causes of health and disability globally, even after tremendous efforts to eradicate it. Till date no highly effective vaccine is available for its control. The primary reason for the low efficacy of vaccines is extensive polymorphism in potential vaccine candidate antigen genes and HLA polymorphisms in the human population. This problem can be resolved by developing a vaccine using promiscuous peptides to combine the number of HLA alleles. This study predicted T and B cell epitopes (promiscuous peptides) by targeting PPPK-DHPS and DHFR-TS proteins of Plasmodium vivax, using different in silico tools. Selected peptides were characterized as promiscuous peptides on the basis of their immunogenicity, antigenicity and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, to confirm their immunogenicity, these peptides were utilized for molecular modelling and docking analysis. For determining the requisite affinity with distinct HLA Class-I, and HLA Class-II alleles, only five peptides for DHFR-TS and 3 peptides for PPPK-DHPS were chosen as promiscuous peptides. The D1 peptide has the maximum binding energy with HLA alleles, according to HLA-peptide complex modelling and binding interaction analyses. These findings could lead to the development of epitope-based vaccinations with improved safety and efficacy. These epitopes could be major vaccine targets in P. vivax as they possess a higher number of promiscuous peptides. Also, the B cell epitopes possess maximum affinity towards different alleles as analyzed by docking scores. However, further investigation is warranted in vitro and in vivo.

Changes in Clinical Practice amongst Nepalese Otolaryngologists during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background COVID-19 pandemic changed clinical practices more so for otolaryngologists due to inevitable risk of exposure. Objective To assess the changes in the clinical practice among Nepalese otolaryngologists during this pandemic. Method It was an observational study conducted as an online survey in the first two weeks of December 2020. A questionnaire pertaining to changes in clinical practice was mailed to 190 registered otolaryngologists working in various provinces of Nepal. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel 2007 and analysed in percentages. Result Out of the 77 (40.5%) who responded, nearly 50% resumed clinical practice after a month of national lockdown restarting everyday consultation by 64.9% mostly in hospital setting (81.8%) after screening patients via fever clinic by 87%. Modifications in clinical examinations was mostly done for neck (85.7%), oral cavity (44.2%) and nose (29.8%) examination with least with for ear examination (3.9%) Regular endoscopic evaluation was avoided by 19.4%. Only around 57% used adequate personal protective equipment. There was 93.5% reduction in elective operations. Mandatory COVID test was done by 89.6% mostly with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (95.9%) prior to semi-urgent case. Conclusion Changes in clinical practice were adapted to mitigate viral transmission. The changes were evident in the outpatient department where most patients were screened for fever and modifications made in the clinical examinations. Personal protective equipments were worn when available. Operative lists were limited to semi-urgent and urgent cases with covid testing customarily done for semi-urgent cases.

Woodfordia fruticosa extract supplementation stimulates the growth of Lacticaseibacillus casei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus with adapted intracellular and extracellular metabolite pool.

AIM: To investigate the effect of Woodfordia fruticosa extract (WfE) on two probiotic bacteria: Lacticaseibacillus casei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. METHODS AND RESULTS: WfE supplementation at 0·5 and 1 mg ml-1 stimulated probiotic growth (P < 0·05), enhanced adhesion to CaCO2 cells (P < 0·05) while inhibiting foodborne pathogens Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (P < 0·05). 1 H-NMR based metabolomic studies indicated higher glucose : lactate and glucose : acetate in the extracellular matrix with significant variation (P < 0·05) in intracellular concentrations of lactate, acetate, glutamate, dimethylamine, phenylalanine, branched-chain amino acids and total cellular lipid composition. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis showed a chemical shift from saturated to unsaturated lipids with WfE supplementation. PCA plots indicated clear discrimination between test groups, highlighting variation in metabolite pool in response to WfE supplementation. CONCLUSION: Phytonutrient-rich WfE exhibited prebiotic-like attributes, and probiotic bacteria showed altered metabolite pools as an adaptive mechanism. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first report providing insights into the prebiotic-like activity of WfE on gut representative probiotics. The extended metabolomic studies shed light on the positive interaction between phytonutrients and beneficial bacteria that possibly help them to adapt to a phytonutrient-rich WfE environment. WfE with potential prebiotic attributes can be used in the development of novel synbiotic functional products targeting gut microbial modulation to improve health.

Comparison of Outcomes of Conventional Septoplasty Versus Endoscopic Septoplasty using Freer's Incision in Symptomatic Deviated Nasal Septum.

Background Septoplasty techniques have evolved over the years with endoscopic septoplasty gaining popularity in the recent times. Objective To compare the outcomes of conventional septoplasty with endoscopic septoplasty using Freer's incision in symptomatic deviated nasal septum. Method It was a prospective, randomized and comparative study done at Department of ENTHead and Neck Surgery, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from July 2018 to August 2019. A total of 70 patients with symptomatic deviated nasal septum were allocated randomly into two groups. Group A underwent conventional septoplasty whilst Group B underwent endoscopic septoplasty using Freer's incision. Sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT-10) score was recorded pre-operatively and post -operatively between four to six weeks of surgery. Paired and independent 't' test for mean was used as a statistical tool. Result Out of 70 patients, 57(81.43%) were males and 13(18.57%) females. The age group mostly affected was in the third and fourth decades with total 47 patients (67.14%). In the conventional group, the pre-op mean SNOT-10 score was 11.46 (SD±3.6) while post-op mean SNOT-10 score was 2.60 (SD±1.9), the difference being statistically significant (p value 0.00001). Similarly, in the endoscopic group, pre-op mean SNOT10 score was 12.06 (SD±4.88) and post-op mean SNOT- 10 score was 3.37 (SD±2.71) with the difference being statistically significant (p value 0.00001). Comparison of post-operative mean SNOT-10 score between two techniques was not statistically significant (p value 0.17). Conclusion Both conventional and endoscopic septoplasty techniques using Freer's incision were equally effective in improving symptoms due to deviated nasal septum.

Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Hypothyroidism.

Background Pregnancy is an important event in reproductive years of women life. It has a reversible effect on the thyroid gland and its functions. The role of thyroid gland function and conception has been known for a long time. The most common thyroid gland dysfunction in pregnancy is hypothyroidism. It is estimated that the prevalence is 1.5-4.4% of pregnant women. It is known to cause complications during pregnancy leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Objective To observe the pregnancy outcomes in patients with hypothyroidism. Method This is a retrospective study conducted from January 2015 to December 2018. Two hundred and thirty nine patients with hypothyroidism were included. They were investigated for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free tri iodothyronin (FT ), free thyroxine (FT ) levels and for auto-antibodies against thyroperoxidase (anti TPO). All these patients after the detection of hypothyroidism were under thyroxine hormone replacement. Result Amongst 239 ladies with hypothyroidism 97.5% came from hilly region. Seventy seven (32%)of them had history of abortions. Twenty three (9.8%) of them had antepartum hemorrhage. Eleven (4.6%) had preeclampsia during this pregnancy. Seven (2.9%) had fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Seven (2.9%) had fetuses with preterm delivery. Twenty seven (11.3%) of fetuses had APGAR Score of < 6. Conclusion Of 239 women with hypothyroidism, many had history of recurrent abortions and also complications during antenatal period like preeclampsia, abruption placenta, IUGR and preterm delivery. After thyroxine replacement, risk is much lowered and it has a positive outcome.

Remote sensing based deforestation analysis in Mahanadi and Brahmaputra river basin in India since 1985.

Land use and land cover (LULC) change has been recognized as a key driver of global climate change by influencing land surface processes. Being in constant change, river basins are always subjected to LULC changes, especially decline in forest cover to give way for agricultural expansion, urbanization, industrialization etc. We used on-screen digital interpretation technique to derive LULC maps from Landsat images at three decadal intervals i.e., 1985, 1995 and 2005 of two major river basins of India. Rain-fed, Mahanadi river basin (MRB) attributed to 55% agricultural area wherein glacier-fed, Brahmaputra river basin (BRB) had only 16% area under agricultural land. Though conversion of forest land for agricultural activities was the major LULC changes in both the basins, the rate was higher for BRB than MRB. While water body increased in MRB could be primarily attributed to creation of reservoirs and aquaculture farms; snow and ice melting attributed to creation of more water bodies in BRB. Scrub land acted as an intermediate class for forest conversion to barren land in BRB, while direct conversion of scrub land to waste land and crop land was seen in MRB. While habitation contributed primarily to LULC changes in BRB, the proximity zones around habitat and other socio-economic drivers contributed to LULC change in MRB. Comparing the predicted result with actual LULC of 2005, we obtained >97% modelling accuracy; therefore it is expected that the Dyna-CLUE model has very well predicted the LULC for the year 2025. The predicted LULC of 2025 and corresponding LULC changes in these two basins acting as early warning, and with the past 2-decadal change analysis this study is believed to help the land use planners for improved regional planning to create balanced ecosystem, especially in a changing climate.

Extended Spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) Producing Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) Urinary Pathogens in a Children Hospital from Nepal.

Background Multidrug resistant in clinical bacterial isolates has increasingly been reported through out the world and is associated with high morbidity, mortality and increased health care costs. It is important to determine the status of multidrug resistance pattern to understand the current resistance trend so that appropriate antibiotics can be used in practice. Objective To determine the antibiotic resistant profile and prevalence of extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing multidrug resistant strains in pediatric patients of Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Method Urine sample was cultured by standard microbiological techniques and bacterial isolates were identified using different biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and extended spectrum ß-lactamase detection was carried out using combined disc method as recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Result All together 65 different bacteria were isolated and subsequently identified. E. coli was the most common isolate with 46 (71%) isolates 63% of these isolates were multidrug resistant. Gram negative isolates were most resistant to nalidixic acid (81.97%) followed by ampicillin (69.35%) and co-trimoxazole (69.35%). The extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing isolates were 43% among total isolates. Conclusion Higher rate of Extended Spectrum ß-lactamase production among multidrug resistant isolates suggested routine extended spectrum ß-lactamase testing in clinical isolates.

Orientational relaxations in solid (1,1,2,2)tetrachloroethane.

We employ dielectric spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulations to investigate the dipolar dynamics in the orientationally disordered solid phase of (1,1,2,2)tetrachloroethane. Three distinct orientational dynamics are observed as separate dielectric loss features, all characterized by a simply activated temperature dependence. The slower process, associated to a glassy transition at 156 ± 1 K, corresponds to a cooperative motion by which each molecule rotates by 180° around the molecular symmetry axis through an intermediate state in which the symmetry axis is oriented roughly orthogonally to the initial and final states. Of the other two dipolar relaxations, the intermediate one is the Johari-Goldstein precursor relaxation of the cooperative dynamics, while the fastest process corresponds to an orientational fluctuation of single molecules into a higher-energy orientation. The Kirkwood correlation factor of the cooperative relaxation is of the order of one tenth, indicating that the molecular dipoles maintain on average a strong antiparallel alignment during their collective motion. These findings show that the combination of dielectric spectroscopy and molecular simulations allows studying in great detail the orientational dynamics in molecular solids.

Molecular diffusion and dc conductivity perfectly correlated with molecular rotational dynamics in a plastic crystalline electrolyte.

We probe the ionic conduction and the molecular dynamics in a pure and lithium-salt doped dinitrile molecular plastic crystal. While the diffusion of the Li(+) ions is decoupled from the molecular reorientational dynamics, in the undoped plastic crystal the temperature dependence of the mobility of dinitrile ions and thus of the conductivity is virtually identical to that of on-site molecular rotations. The undoped material is found to obey the Walden and Stokes-Einstein rules typical of ideal liquid electrolytes, implying that an effective viscosity against diffusion can be defined even for a plastic crystalline phase. These surprising results, never reported before in a translationally ordered solid, indicate that in this dinitrile plastic crystalline material the timescale of translational diffusion is perfectly correlated with that of the purely reorientational on-site dynamics.

Shikimic acid, a base compound for the formulation of swine/avian flu drug: statistical optimization, fed-batch and scale up studies along with its application as an antibacterial agent.

The sudden outbreak of swine flu has increased the global demand of shikimic acid which is an industrially interesting compound, as it is used as a key starting material for the synthesis of a neuraminidase inhibitor Tamiflu(®), for the treatment of antiviral infections such as swine flu. Statistical optimization and evaluation of medium components for the production of shikimic acid by Citrobacter freundii is addressed in the present investigation. Plackett-Burman design was applied for the screening of the most significant variables affecting shikimic acid production, where glucose, asparagine, KH2PO4, CaCO3 and agitation rate were the most significant factors. Response surface methodology was also employed to study the interaction among the most significant variables through which shikimic acid production increased to 12.76 g/L. Further, fed-batch studies resulted in the production of 22.32 g/L of shikimic acid. The scalability of the process was also confirmed by running 14 L bioreactor (7.5 L production medium) where 20.12 g/L of shikimic acid was produced. In addition the antibacterial activity of the shikimic acid produced was analysed against four Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria and it was found to have a greater inhibition effect against the Gram negative bacteria.

Microbial degradation of chitin waste for production of chitosanase and food related bioactive compounds.

Ecological samples rich in microbial diversity like cow dung, legume rhizosphere, fish waste and garden soil were used for isolation of chitosan-degrading microorganisms. Selected isolates were used for production of chitosanase and food related bioactive compounds by conversion of biowaste. Production of glucosamine (Gln), N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), chitooligosaccharides (COS), antioxidants, antibacterial compounds and prebiotics was carried out by microbial fermentation of biowaste. The highest chitosanase activity (8 U/mL) was observed in Aspergillus sp. isolated from fish market waste and it could produce Gln and NAG while Streptomyces sp. isolated from garden soil was able to produce COS along with Gln and NAG. Radical scavenging activity was observed in culture supernatants of 35% of studied isolates, and 20% isolates secreted compounds which showed positive effect on growth of Bifidobacterium. Antibacterial compounds were produced by 40% of selected isolates and culture supernatants of two microbial isolates, Streptomyces zaomyceticus C6 and one of garden soil isolates, were effective against both gram positive and negative bacteria.

Flexural and acoustic phonon-drag thermopower and electron energy loss rate in silicene.

We have performed a comprehensive numerical and analytical examination of two crucial transport aspects in silicene: the phonon-drag thermopower,Sp, and the electron's energy loss rate,Fe. Specifically, our investigation is centered on their responses to out-of-plane flexural phonons and in-plane acoustic phonons in silicene, a two-dimensional allotrope of silicon as a function of electron temperature,T,and electron concentration,n,upto the room temperature. It is found that the calculated quantities have a non-monotonic dependence for the phonon modes for both parameters(T and n)considered while analytical results predict definite dependencies up to the complete low-temperature Bloch-Gruneisen (BG) regime. To provide a more comprehensive picture, we contrast the complete numerical outcomes with the approximated analytical BG results, revealing a convergence within a specific range of temperature and carrier concentration. In light of this convergence, we put forth suggestions to elucidate the underlying factors responsible for this behavior. A comparison based on the magnitude of the calculated quantities can be made from the figures between the two considered phonon modes, which clearly shows that the out-of-plane flexural phonons are effective throughout the considered temperature range. This observation leads us to posit that the dominating contribution of the out-of-plane flexural phonon modes hinges upon the deformation potential constant and phonon energy associated with the phonon mode. Our study carries significant implications for estimating the electrical and thermal properties of silicene and provides valuable insights for the development of devices based on silicene-based technologies.

Unveiling the anti-echinococcal efficacy of amide-based compounds: An in-silico and in-vitro study.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a significant global public health concern, particularly in regions where livestock rearing is prevalent. Despite its impact on morbidity and mortality, CE has received insufficient attention compared to other neglected tropical diseases. The complexities in CE management arise from challenges in early detection, effective treatment, and parasite eradication. The present study addresses this gap by exploring innovative therapeutic approaches using amide-based compounds. In recent years, computational approaches and in-vitro studies have become prominent in neglected tropical disease drug discovery. Leveraging insights from previous studies on amide-based compounds with anti-parasitic potential, this study systematically designed, synthesized, and characterized a library of 30 amide compounds. The research integrated in-silico screening, molecular docking, and in-vitro experimentation to assess the anti-echinococcal potential of these compounds. The study identified five promising amide compounds, namely 3,5-dinitro-N-p-tolylbenzamide, N-p-tolyl-1-naphthamide, N-p-tolyl-4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzamide, 4-pentyl-N-p-tolylbenzamide, and 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoro-N-p-tolylbenzamide, based on their docking scores. These compounds were synthesized and characterized through various spectroscopic techniques, confirming their structural integrity. The in-vitro cytotoxicity assay on HepG2 cell lines revealed varying degrees of cytotoxicity for the synthesized compounds. Notably, 4-pentyl-N-p-tolylbenzamide demonstrated the least cytotoxicity. Subsequent scolicidal activity assessments on E. granulosus protoscoleces demonstrated the potent protoscolicidal activity of N-p-tolyl-1-naphthamide, indicating its potential as an effective anti-echinococcal agent. Overall, this study presents a comprehensive exploration of amide-based compounds as potential therapeutic agents against CE. The findings contribute to the development of innovative strategies for CE treatment, addressing the urgent need for effective and safe drugs in managing this neglected tropical disease.

In silico investigation on sensing of tyramine by boron and silicon doped C60 fullerenes.

The present communication deals with the adsorption of tyramine neurotransmitter over the surface of pristine, Boron (B) and Silicon (Si) doped fullerenes. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to investigate tyramine adsorption on the surface of fullerenes in terms of stability, shape, work function, electronic characteristics, and density of state spectra. The most favourable adsorption configurations for tyramine have been computed to have adsorption energies of - 1.486, - 30.889, and - 31.166 kcal/mol, respectively whereas for the rest three configurations, it has been computed to be - 0.991, - 6.999, and - 8.796 kcal/mol, respectively. The band gaps for all six configurations are computed to be 2.68, 2.67, 2.06, 2.17, 2.07, and 2.14 eV, respectively. The band gap of pristine, B and Si doped fullerenes shows changes in their band gaps after adsorption of tyramine neurotransmitters. However, the change in band gaps reveals more in B doped fullerene rather than pristine and Si doped fullerenes. The change in band gaps of B and Si doped fullerenes leads a change in the electrical conductivity which helps to detect tyramine. Furthermore, natural bond orbital (NBO) computations demonstrated a net charge transfer of 0.006, 0.394, and 0.257e from tynamine to pristine, B and Si doped fullerenes.

Pandemism of swine flu and its prospective drug therapy.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by influenza A H1N1 virus. The current pandemic of swine flu is most probably due to a mutation-more specifically, a re-assortment of four known strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1. Antigenic variation of influenza viruses while circulating in the population is an important factor leading to difficulties in controlling influenza by vaccination. Due to the global effect of swine flu and its effect on humans, extensive investigations are being undertaken. In this context, Tamiflu is the only available drug used in the prophylaxis of this disease and is made from the compound shikimic acid. Due to the sudden increase in the demand of shikimic acid, its price has increased greatly. Thus, it is necessary to find an alternative approach for the treatment of swine flu. This review presents the overall information of swine flu, beginning from its emergence to the prevention and treatment of the disease, with a major emphasis on the alternative approach (bacterial fermentation process) for the treatment of swine flu. The alternative approach for the treatment of swine flu includes the production of shikimic acid from a fermentation process and it can be produced in large quantities without any time limitations.

Inhibition of P. falciparum PFATP6 by curcumin and its derivatives: a bioinformatic study.

Curcumin, a yellow spice has been shown to have many pathological uses including cancer and malaria. Recent experimental data have shown the inhibitory effect of curcumin and its two derivatives on the growth of Plasmodium falciparum in cell culture at low micromolar concentrations. Previous studies have suggested that Ca(2+)­ATPase (PfATP6) of P. falciparum is the target of many antimalarial drugs. However, the mechanism of inhibition of Ca(2+)­ATPase (PfATP6) is not known. In addition, it is not clear which specific isomeric form of curcumin is the most potent inhibitor of P. falciparum. Here we address this issue using bioinformatics tools. We generated a molecular model of Ca(2+)­ATPase (PfATP6) of P. falciparum and carried out molecular docking of all curcumin analogues of Zinc database of compounds (zinc.docking.org). Two molecular docking programs Glide and FlexX were used to determine binding feasibility of 351 analogues of curcumin. The comparison of docking parameters showed, more than 20 analogues are better ligands of PfATP6 than curcumin itself. . The binding of curcumin and its analogues to PFATP6 is mediated by both hydrophobic and polar interactions. Our results suggest that curcumin analogues are promising lead compounds for the development of antimalarial drugs.

Wound-healing and cytokine-modulating potential of medicinal oil formulation comprising leaf extract of Murraya koenigii and olive oil.

The study investigated the wound healing effect of medicinal oil (MO) formulation prepared from Murraya koenigii leaves extract (methanolic) incorporated in olive oil. The MO was visually transparent, homogenous, smooth in texture, the viscosity grade was observed as 140 cP and easily spreadable. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly reduced to 82.3 ± 3.5, 156 ± 6.2, 137.3. ± 5.5 pg/ml, respectively after treatment with MO when compared to disease control animals that showed IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels of 170 ± 6, 265 ± 7, and 288.6 ± 11, pg/ml respectively. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokine in povidone iodine solution (PIS) group was 95.3 ± 3, 162 ± 6, 177.6 ± 8.9 pg/ml of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α respectively. Interestingly, the wound-healing efficacy of MO was found better as compared to povidone iodine treated standard group and concluded that MO has excellent wound healing effect.

Physical characterization and wound healing properties of Zamzam water.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the quality of Zamzam water, holy water for Muslims and consumed for its medicinal value. The present study demonstrates the physicochemical characterization and wound healing property of Zamzam water. The physicochemical characterization of Zamzam water samples was analyzed for dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, redox potential, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and zeta size. The microbial quality of Zamzam water was also assessed by exposing water samples to open air. In this work, Zamzam water was also screened for the medicinal value through wound healing properties in Wistar rats. Zamzam water exhibited a unique physicochemical characterization with high levels of dissolved oxygen, zeta potential, polydispersity index, redox potential, total dissolved solids, and conductivity before exposure to open air. After open air exposure, Zamzam water resisted the growth of bacteria. The wound healing properties of Zamzam water in vivo showed a 96% of healing effect on 12th day observation. The wound healing was achieved by modulating pro-inflammatory cytokine such as interleukin -1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor -α (TNF-α). Followed by the level of apoptosis markers caspase-9 and caspase-3 were reduced. The present study proved that Zamzam water is a good-quality water and showed excellent wound healing property. Therefore, Zamzam water can be used for pharmaceutical formulations.