PLANTAGO OVATA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON CULTIVATION, BIOCHEMICAL, PHARMACEUTICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS.

The basic aspire of current study was to review different aspects of Plantago ovata together with its cultivation, growth, biochemistry, pharmaceutical and pharmacological attributes. Plantago ovata belongs to family Plantaginaceae. It is an annual herb, indigenous to Mediterranean region especially Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. Different electronic databases (Medline, Science Direct, Springer link, Pubmed, Google and Google Scholar) were analyzed for the literature on medicinal properties of Plantago ovata. The literature analysis has revealed that Plantago ovata has been endowed with diverse pharmaceutical and pharmacological activities. It is widely used in numerous medicines owing to its both pharmaceutical properties such as mucilage, superdisintegrant, gelling agent, suspending agent as well as pharmacological actions like anti-diarrheal, anti-constipation, wound healer, hypocholestrolemic and hypoglycemic. Thus, Plantago ovata can be employed in the manufacture of a number of pharmaceutical products as well as a safe and efficacious ethnobotanical remedy in several health problems.

ASSESSMENT OF GUAR AND XANTHAN GUM BASED FLOATING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM CONTAINING MEFENAMIC ACID.

We aimed to assess guar and xantban gum based floating drug delivery system containing mefenamic acid. Floating tablets of nefenamic acid were formulated with different concentrations of guar and xanthan gum via wet granulation method. The flow properties of granules that is: bulk density, tapped density, flow rate, Carr index, Hausner's ratio, compressibility index and angle of repose as well as physical parameters of the compressed tablets including: hardness, friability, thickness and swelling indices were determined and found to be good. Xanthan gum was superior to guar gum in maintaining drug release, but a combination of polymers was found to be the best for achieving sustained release up to 12 h due to the synergistic effect of both gums. Drug release mechanism was best explained by Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies showed absence of any visible interaction. Stability studies at 40°C (75% RH) showed that the formulation was stable at elevated temperature. It can be concluded that floating tablets can be used as a sustained release matrix due to their superior characteristics.

5'-NUCLEOTIDASES OF NAJA NAJA KARACHIENSIS SNAKE VENOM: THEIR DETERMINATION, TOXICITIES AND REMEDIAL APPROACH BY NATURAL INHIBITORS (MEDICINAL PLANTS).

Present study was carried out regarding enzymatic assay for 5'-nucleotidase enzymes present in snake venom Naja naja karachiensis and to evaluate twenty eight medicinal plants as their antidotes. Elevated enzymatic activities i.e., 119, 183, 262 and 335 U/mL were observed in 10, 20, 30 and 40 µg of crude venom, respectively, in dose dependent manner. Among various plant extracts only two (Bauhinia vaiiegate L. and Citms linion (L.) Burm. f.) were found 94% effective at 160 µg to neutralize 112 U/mL activities (p 0.5) while reference standard was proved 93.2% useful at 80 pg to halt 111 U/mL activities. Cedrus deodara G. Don, Enicostemna hyssopifolium (Willd.) Verdoom, Terminalia arjuma Wight & Am. and Zingiber officinalis Rosc. (at 160 µg) were found ≥90% effective (0.5 ≥ p ≥ 0.1) while Citrulus colocynthis, Fogonia cretica L., Rhazya stticta Dcne and Stenolobiun stans (L.) D. Don (at 320 µg) were proved 90% effective (0.05 ≥ p ≥ 0.02). The remaining plant extracts were observed abortive (p ≥ 0.001) in neutralization of 5'-nucleotidases enzymatic actions. This study emphasizes further characterization of active plant extracts to further explore the antivenom influences of these herbal remedies against deleterious effects produced by 5'-nucleotidase enzymes after snake bite envenomation.

Albumin as a drug delivery and diagnostic tool and its market approved products.

Albumin is one of the most extensively studied endogenous proteins which are used in the fabrication of drug delivery and diagnostic technologies during last 10 years. This review provides a summary of products involving the use of albumin as a drug delivery tool for getting better the pharmacokinetics of a drug by developing the targetted drug delivery systems and diagnosing the pathologies. Using albumin, following market approved products have been developed: Levemir and Victoza (antidiabetic product), Abraxane (antimetastatic breast cancer product), and Nanocoll and Albures (for lymphoscintigraphy and diagnosis of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis).

Quince seed mucilage/ß-cyclodextrin/Mmt-Na+-co-poly (methacrylate) based pH-sensitive polymeric carriers for controlled delivery of Capecitabine.

In current work, quince seed mucilage and ß-Cyclodextrin based pH regulated hydrogels were developed using aqueous free radical polymerization to sustain Capecitabine release patterns and to overcome its drawbacks, such as high dose frequency, short half-life, and low bioavailability. Developed networks were subjected to thermal analysis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, equilibrium swelling, and in-vitro release investigations to assess the network system's stability, complexation, morphology, and pH responsiveness. Thermally stable pH-responsive cross-linked networks were formed. Nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared by incorporating Capecitabine-containing clay into the swollen hydrogels. All the formulations exhibited equilibrium swelling ranging from 67.98 % to 92.98 % at pH 7.4. Optimum Capecitabine loading (88.17 %) was noted in the case of hydrogels, while it was 74.27 % in nanocomposite hydrogels. Excellent gel content (65.88 %-93.56 %) was noticed among developed formulations. Elemental analysis ensured the successful incorporation of Capecitabine. Nanocomposite hydrogels released 80.02 % longer than hydrogels after 30 h. NC hydrogels had higher t1/2 (10.57 h), AUC (121.52 µg.h/ml), and MRT (18.95 h) than hydrogels in oral pharmacokinetics. These findings imply that the pH-responsive carrier system may improve Capecitabine efficacy and reduce dosing frequency in cancer therapy. Toxicity profiling proved the system's safety, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility.

Formulation design and development of matrix diffusion controlled transdermal drug delivery of glimepiride.

BACKGROUND: The present work was conducted to prepare and evaluate transdermal patches with optimization of suitable polymeric blend of poly(meth) acrylates (Eudragit®) (Ammonio Methacrylate Copolymer Ph Eur) for sustained transdermal delivery of glimepiride. METHOD: Polymeric matrix transdermal films were prepared by using Ammonio Methacrylate Copolymer Ph Eur RL 100 and Ammonio Methacrylate Copolymer Ph Eur RS 100 as the film former, and dibutyl phthalate (30% w/w) as the plasticizer. Patches were characterized by physical appearance, thickness, weight variation, folding endurance, percentage erosion, swelling index, moisture content, and moisture uptake capacity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies and differential scanning calorimetry analysis of physical mixtures of contents were performed to identify any chemical and physical interaction between drug and excipients. Five different enhancers (isopropyl myristate [IPM], Span® 80, Tween® 20, eucalyptus oil, and limonene) were employed at three different concentrations of polymer (2%, 5%, and 10% w/w) in order to enhance permeation through rabbit skin. In vitro drug release studies were performed at pH 7.4, and scanning electron microscopy was conducted to elucidate surface morphology before and after the drug release. In vitro permeation studies through rabbit skin were performed on Franz diffusion cells and permeation kinetics followed the Higuchi model. RESULTS: Results of in vitro permeation studies revealed that these enhancers not only increased drug release but also augmented the skin permeation of glimepiride. CONCLUSION: IPM was the most effective enhancer with the highest permeation flux of 51.763 µg/cm2/hr, and the enhancement effect of different enhancers on glimepiride permeation through rabbit skin was in the rank order of IPM > eucalyptus oil > Span® 80 > Tween® 20> limonene.

Development of ß-cyclodextrin-based hydrogel microparticles for solubility enhancement of rosuvastatin: an in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The aim of this study was to enhance the solubility of rosuvastatin (RST) calcium by developing ß-cyclodextrin-g-poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid [AMPS]) hydrogel microparticles through aqueous free-radical polymerization technique. Prepared hydrogel microparticles were characterized for percent entrapment efficiency, solubility studies, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, zeta size and potential, swelling and release studies. Formulations (HS1-HS9) have shown entrapment efficiency between 83.50%±0.30% and 88.50%±0.25%, and optimum release was offered by formulation HS7 at both pH levels, ie, 1.2 (89%) and 7.4 (92%). The majority of microparticles had a particle size of less than 500 µm and zeta potential of -37 mV. Similarly, optimum solubility, ie, 10.66-fold, was determined at pH 6.8 as compared to pure RST calcium, ie, 7.30-fold. In vivo studies on fabricated hydrogel microparticulate system in comparison to pure drug were carried out, and better results regarding pharmacokinetic parameters were seen in the case of hydrogel microparticles. A potential approach for solubility enhancement of RST calcium and other hydrophobic moieties was successfully developed.

Anti-Aging Potential of Phytoextract Loaded-Pharmaceutical Creams for Human Skin Cell Longetivity.

The exposure to ultraviolet radiations (UVR) is the key source of skin sunburn; it may produce harmful entities, reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to aging. The skin can be treated and protected from the injurious effects of ROS by using various pharmaceutical formulations, such as cream. Cream can be loaded with antioxidants to quench ROS leading to photo-protective effects. Moreover, modern medicines depend on ethnobotanicals for protection or treatment of human diseases. This review article summarizes various in vivo antioxidant studies on herbal creams loaded with phyto-extracts. These formulations may serve as cosmeceuticals to protect skin against injurious effects of UVR. The botanicals studied for dermatologic use in cream form include Acacia nilotica, Benincasa hispida, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Camellia sinensis, Nelumbo nucifera, Capparis decidua, Castanea sativa, Coffea arabica, Crocus sativus, Emblica officinalis Gaertn, Foeniculum vulgare, Hippophae rhamnoides, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Malus domestica, Matricaria chamomilla L., Moringa oleifera, Morus alba, Ocimum basilicum, Oryza sativa, Polygonum minus, Punica granatum, Silybum marianum, Tagetes erecta Linn., Terminalia chebula, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Vitis vinifera. The observed anti-aging effects of cream formulations could be an outcome of a coordinating action of multiple constituents. Of numerous botanicals, the phenolic acids and flavonoids appear effective against UVR-induced damage; however the evidence-based studies for their anti-aging effects are still needed.

Recent developments in sweat analysis and its applications.

Currently, the clinical use of sweat as biofluid is limited. The collection of sweat and its analysis for determining ethanol, drugs, ions, and metals have been encompassed in this review article to assess the merits of sweat compared to other biofluids, for example, blood or urine. Moreover, sweat comprises various biomarkers of different diseases including cystic fibrosis and diabetes. Additionally, the normalization of sampled volume of sweat is also necessary for getting efficient and useful results.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester and therapeutic potentials.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a bioactive compound of propolis extract. The literature search elaborates that CAPE possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties. The principal objective of this review article is to sum up and critically assess the existing data about therapeutic effects of CAPE in different disorders. The findings elaborate that CAPE is a versatile therapeutically active polyphenol and an effective adjuvant of chemotherapy for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and diminishing chemotherapy-induced toxicities.

Current and future lymphatic imaging modalities for tumor staging.

Tumor progression is supported by the lymphatic system which should be scanned efficiently for tumor staging as well as the enhanced therapeutic outcomes. Poor resolution and low sensitivity is a limitation of traditional lymphatic imaging modalities; thus new noninvasive approaches like nanocarriers, magnetic resonance imaging, positron-emission tomography, and quantum dots are advantageous. Some newer modalities, which are under development, and their potential uses will also be discussed in this review.

Silymarin-Laden PVP-Nanocontainers Prepared Via the Electrospraying Technique for Improved Aqueous Solubility and Dissolution Rate

Abstract The aim of the present research was to develop a silymarin-laden PVP-nanocontainer providing ameliorated aqueous solubility and dissolution of the drug. Several silymarin-laden formulations were formed with varying quantities of PVP and SDS via the solvent evaporation method using the electrospraying technique. The influence of the hydrophilic carriers on solubility and dissolution was explored. The solid-state characterization was carried out by particle-size analysis, PXRD, DSC, FTIR and SEM. All of the formulations demonstrated better solubility and dissolution than did silymarin plain powder. Both the SDS and PVP had positive effects on solubility and dissolution of silymarin in the aqueous media. An increased solubility was attained as the drug/PVP ratio was 1/4; however, further increase in PVP did not provide significant improvement. In particular, a nanocontainer formulation prepared with silymarin, PVP and SDS (1/4/0.5, w/w/w) exhibited the best solubility (26432.76 ± 1749.00 μg/mL) and an excellent dissolution (~92 % in 20 min) than did silymarin plain powder. Also, it demonstrated similar dissolution profiles compared to a commercial product; therefore, might be bioequivalent to the commercial product (f 1 = 3 and f 2 = 69). Moreover, cumulative undersize distribution values as represented by X10, X50 and X90 were 201 ± 21.01 nm, 488 ± 36.05 nm and 392 ± 48.10 nm, respectively. The drug existed in the amorphous state in the PVP-nanocontainers with no strong chemical bonding with other excipients. Thus, this formulation might be used for more effective administration of silymarin via the oral route.