Spontaneous reporting (SPR) and intensive monitoring are the conventional systems used for detecting, recording, and reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Using spontaneous reporting a lot of successes has been made as existing ADRs were identified and new ones prevented through this methods. The aim of this appraisal was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and the practice of medical students with regards to ADRs reporting and to see if differences exist between the level of study and genders. The questionnaire was adopted, modified, and validated from previous studies. It comprised of 25 questions. It was administered year-IV and V medical students of Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. The data collected were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20, currently known as IBM SPSS Statistics. The response rate was 74%. Among the 108 participants, 80% got the definition of ADRs correct; 63% of them knew the precise functions of pharmacovigilance (PV). In addition, 82% strongly agreed that ADR reporting is health care workers responsibility; 82% also said PV should be taught in detail. Meanwhile, 99% have noticed patient experiencing ADRs; 67% said even mild ADRs should be reported. The outcome of this study showed good knowledge and attitude with respect to ADRs and PV among the medical students surveyed. Unfortunately, the practice of medical students was found to be unsatisfactory. There is a need to upgrade the students teaching the curriculum with respect to ADRs monitoring.
Methanol, ethanol, Tween 20 and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are widely used as dissolving agents in Artemia salina lethality test (aka brine shrimp lethality test [BSLT]) to screen the pharmaceutical properties of natural products. Nevertheless, there is lack of toxicity level of these solvents against brine shrimp. High concentration of these organic solvent might be toxic for this zoology invertebrate and interfere in the experimental outcomes. To avoid this, permissible concentration of the solvents used in BSLT was identified. BSLT was performed to evaluate the toxicity effect of Tween 20, methanol, ethanol and DMSO at 24 h post-treatment time point against A. salina. The suggested maximum working concentration (v/v) for DMSO, methanol, ethanol was found to be 1.25% and that for Tween 20 was 0.16%. LC50 for the solvents were 8.5% (DMSO), 6.4% (methanol), 3.4% (ethanol) and 2.5% (Tween 20). The findings have shown a toxicity level among the solvents in descending order as Tween 20 > ethanol > methanol > DMSO. DMSO is a safer solvent to be used in BSLT compared with other tested solvents, whereas Tween 20 has been shown to be the most stringent solvent among the tested solvents. The findings are resourcefully useful to avoid interference of solvents in the assessment of natural products using BSLT.
A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) and ultraviolet (UV) methods were developed and validated for the quantitative determination of Ambroxol hydrochloride (AMH) in pharmaceutical dosage form. HPLC was carried out by reversed phase (RP) technique on an RP-18 column with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water (pH 3.5 adjusted with orthophosphoric acid [60:40, v/v]). UV method was performed with the λmax at 250 nm. Both the methods showed good linearity, reproducibility, and precision. No spectral or chromatographic interferences from the tablet excipients were found in UV and HPLC. The method was successfully applied to commercial tablets. Validation parameters such as linearity, precision, accuracy, and specificity were determined. The HPLC Limit of detection (LOD) and Limit of quantification (LOQ) for Ambroxol were found to be 1 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. The UV LOD and LOQ for Ambroxol were found to be 1 and 4 μg/ml, respectively. The results were statistically compared using one-way analysis of variance. The proposed economical method could be applicable for routine analysis of AMH and monitoring of the quality of marketed drugs.
Most of the drugs which are used for wound healing are imported in Mongolia. It is required to develop drug formulation and increase local productions used for the treatment of wound healing. For the purpose of solving the above problems, we aimed to prepare new drug formulation from Cacalia hastata L. for the treatment of wound healing. Cacalia hastata L. is a medicinal plant, member of the family Asteraceae. Cacalia hastata L. is widely used for the Mongolian traditional medicine to treat wound healing, gastric ulcer, poisoning fever, liver fever, bile fever, oral cavity, and gynecological diseases. We prepared Cacalia gel from semi-solid extract of Cacalia hastata L. using various excipients such as gel former, solvent, neutralizer, antimicrobial preservative, and humectant. Gel formulation was standardized by such criteria, as the amount of biologically active compound, appearance (color, smell), pH, viscosity, and bacterial contamination. Stability testing of gel formulation was studied by long-term method. The quality of the Cacalia gel which was stored in room temperature, its appearance, viscosity, and amount of biological active compound were stable. The stability testing of the gel formulation from Cacalia hastata L. is continued.
Cancer is a complex multifactorial disease and leading causes of death worldwide. Despite the development of many anticancer drugs, there is a reduced survival rate due to severe side effects. The nontargeted approach of convention drugs is one of the leading players in context to toxicity. Hyaluronan is a versatile bio-polymer and ligand of the receptor (CD44) on cancer cells. The MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cell lines treated with hyaluronic acid-paclitaxel (HA-PTX) showed the distinguishing morphological features of apoptosis. Flow cytometric analysis showed that HA-PTX induces apoptosis as a significant mode of cell death. The activation level of tumor suppressor protein (p53) increased after PTX treatment in MCF-7, but no changes observed in HT-29 might be due to hereditary mutations. The lack of suppression in AKT and Rho A protein suggest the use of possible inhibitors in future studies which might could play a role in increasing the sensitivity of drug towards mutated cells line and reducing the possibilities for cancer cell survival, migration, and metastasis.
Breast cancer is among the frequently occurring cancer worldwide. The foremost underline aim of this study was to determine the growth inhibitory effect along with mechanistic study of a Bruguiera gymnorrhiza extract on MCF-7. The cytotoxicity activity was determined by using the MTS assay. Butanol extract exhibited the maximum cytotoxicity activity against the MCF-7 cells with IC50 of 3.39 μg/mL, followed by diethyl ether and methanol extract (IC50 at 16.22 μg/mL and 37.15 μg/mL, respectively) at 72 h. The DeadEndTM Colorimetric Apoptosis Detection System confirmed the induction of apoptosis (via DNA fragmentation) in MCF-7 cells. Both butanol and diethyl ether extracts of B. gymnorrhiza significantly increase the caspase-3 level. However, the diethyl ether extract induced higher caspase-9 levels compared to caspase-8, suggesting that the intrinsic pathway was the major route in the process of apoptosis. Thin-layer chromatography profiling demonstrated the presence of phenolic, terpene, and alkaloid compounds in crude methanol, diethyl ether, and butanol extracts. The phytochemicals present in the extracts of B. gymnorrhiza might have the potential to be a future therapeutic agent against breast cancer.
This study aims to investigate the potential of bioactive secondary metabolites contained in Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) J.F Pruski leaves as novel plant-derived anticancer agent. Qualitative bioactive compound contents in the methanolic extract of S. trilobata leaves were screened using phytochemical method. Antioxidant evaluation was carried out using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay; antibacterial - using well diffusion method on Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi; and cytotoxicity - using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on MCF-7 cell line and Vero Cell. It was found that the methanolic extract exhibited antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 124.34 μg/mL. The inhibition zone values against E. coli and S. thypi (at extract concentration of 100 mg/mL) were 34.33 and 36 mm, respectively. In vitro MTT assay showed that our extract successfully reached 96% mortality with LC50 = 189.287 μg/mL, where the selective index of 2.5 suggest its selectivity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. In conclusion, the data of biological activities suggest the potential development of methanolic extract from S. trilobata leaves as a phytomedicine for breast cancer treatment.
Categorized as a Biopharmaceutics Classification System Class II drugs, atorvastatin (ATV) exhibits low aqueous solubility and bioavailability thus presenting an obstacle and great challenge to formulation researchers. Numerous studies are available in regard to the solubility enhancement of ATV, but very few actually describe this phenomenon in terms of thermodynamics and the solute-solvent interaction. Arginine (ARG) is an amino acid that has been reported to enhance the solubility of the highly insoluble wheat protein gluten through hydrogen bonding and π electron-cation interaction. To our knowledge, ARG has never been investigated as a solubility enhancement agent of aqueous insoluble drugs. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the solute-solvent and solute-cosolute interactions and derive thermodynamic parameters that bolstered the solubility of ATV in the presence of ARG. We examined the electrolytic conductance and densities of ATV-ARG binary system covering the temperature ranging from 298.15 K to 313.15 K. Conductometric and volumetric parameters such as limiting molar conductance, association constants, limiting partial molar volumes, and expansibility values were calculated. Additionally, thermodynamic parameters (ΔG(0), ΔH(0), ΔS(0), and Es) involved in the association process of the solute in the aqueous solution of ARG were also determined.
Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death worldwide. The adverse side effects of currently available drugs urge to find more effective and safe remedial agents. Alternative candidates from natural resources are of great consequence in the emerging of new drugs. Pandanus tectorius (Pandanaceae) was traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to cure certain diseases. Thus, the current study conducted to elucidate the potency of P. tectorius fruit as antiatherosclerosis and antihypercholesterolemia agents through the regulation of high density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor (scavenger receptor [SR]-B1) gene expression and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase reductase (HMGCR) in vitro, respectively. The P. tectorius fruit was noncytotoxic against the HepG2 cell line confirmed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The P. tectorius fruit successfully upregulates the SR-B1 gene expression and downregulate the HMGCR. Moreover, anin vivo study showed that P. tectorius has good activity on the upregulation of HDL and subsequently downregulation of total cholesterol level. Moreover, P. tectorius fruit did not show any increase in toxicity biomarkers serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase in vivo. These results found that P. tectorius fruits have potency as the preventive agent for hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis via SR-B1 and HMGCR mechanisms of action.
Analysis of cancer biomarkers has enormous promise for advancing our molecular understanding of illness and facilitating more precise and timely diagnosis and follow-up care. MicroRNA, exosomes, ctDNA, CTCs, and proteins are only some of the circulating biomarkers that can be detected by liquid biopsy instead of the more intrusive and time-consuming process of doing a tissue biopsy. As the cancer diagnosis bio-markers reveal ultra-low levels in the early stages of the disease, highly sensitive approaches are urgently required. Researchers have taken an interest in a optical biosensor for detecting cancer biomarkers as a potential tool for early disease diagnosis. These techniques have the potential to aid in the development of effective treatments, ultimately leading to a higher rate of patient survival. This review briefly discuss the i) understanding of cancer and biomarkers for early diagonosis purpose ii) Molecular methods and ii) biosensor-based diagnostics. The reseach primary focus on advancement in biosensor design using various concepts ie., Electrochemical, Chemiluminescence and Colorimetric, Surface plasmons (SP), Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), Fluorescence, Fiber-based sensors, Terahertz based biosensors, and Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). As a result of the local electric field amplification around plasmonic (usually gold and silver) nanostructures, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a rapid, selective, and sensitive alternative to conventional laboratory analytical methods, making significant strides in a number of biosensing applications but still under developing stage to be used as diagnostic tool in clinical research.
Third molar impaction is considered a prevalent issue. The research aimed to study the pervasiveness and pattern of impaction in Karbala/Iraqi population. Orthopantomograms were studied regarding its angulation, impaction depth, and correlation with ramus. The outcomes manifested that the prevalence of 3rd impacted molars was 34.71%, with the proportion of male to female as 0.83:1. Impacted mandibular 3rd molars were significantly encountered. The prevalence of vertical angulation, mesioangular, horizontal, and inverted were significantly associated with the impacted mandibular 3rd molars (P < 0.05). However, the prevalence of distoangular and bucco/lingual was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the upper impacted 3rd molars. Level C of impaction was significantly (P < 0.05) the most typical level in the maxilla impacted the 3rd molar, and level A and level B of impaction were significantly (P < 0.05) the most prevalent level correlated with the mandibular 3rd molar impaction. Class II was significantly (P < 0.05) the frequently occurring condition subsequent to Classes III and I. In conclusion, the impaction of 3rd molars was significantly predominant in females and lower jaw. The vertical angulation, level C of impaction associated with maxillary 3rd molars and levels A and B of impaction related with mandibular 3rd molars, and Class II are the most encountered conditions.
Isolation and determination of antibacterial compounds from plants are essential to obtain a new antibacterial as a substitute for conventional resistant antibiotics. This study aims to isolate and identify a new robustaflavone as antibacterial activity from Garcinia latissima Miq. leave. In this study, the isolation process was carried out using column chromatography followed by preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC) based on the TLC profile. The fraction D was tested for anti-bacterial Bacillus subtilis using the TLC bioautography method. The isolates obtained were then identified using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence. The Activity assay of the isolate was performed using the microdilution method. A pure compound obtained the result of the separation process with eluent n-hexane: Ethyl acetate (3:2) with Rf 0.6. This spot follows the spot in the contact bioautographic result of fraction D, the spot with Rf 0.6 gives an inhibition zone. After identifying and purifying the isolate were known as Robustaflavone, this compound has activity against B. subtilis with a (minimum inhibitory concentration) value of 2500 ppm. Robustaflavone successfully isolated and identified from G. latissima leave and its antibacterial activity.
The link between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoporosis is unclear and yet to be understood. The study goals were to detect the prevalence of osteoporosis and investigate its predictors among COPD patients. This is a longitudinal study conducted in a tertiary care setting. During the study, patients' bone mineral density was checked, pulmonary parameters were recorded, and a risk assessment tool was validated. Based on T-score, more than 50% of subjects were osteoporotic. Spirometric parameters were significantly lower among osteoporotic patients. For the risk assessment tool, a cutoff point of 34 made the optimum balance between sensitivity and specificity (0.867 and 0.087, respectively) with a generated area under the curve of 0.934. Severe COPD patients were four times at higher risk of getting osteoporosis, forced expiratory volume (FEV) % predicted, and FEV/forced vital capacity was inversely related to the risk of osteoporosis. Patients with severe dyspnea had twice the risk of getting osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was prevalent among COPD patients, and severe COPD patients were at higher risk of getting osteoporosis.
Besides adenovirus, pneumonia can also be caused by bacteria. One of the most common bacteria causing the pneumonia is Klebsiella pneumoniae. Currently, treatment by antibiotics has been widely used. Nevertheless, the increasing failure of existing antibiotics because of antibiotic resistance resulted by bacterial pathogens has become a serious problem to human health. Hence, there is a need for a new antibacterial potential agent against K. pneumoniae as an alternative treatment to the pneumonia to prevent the risk of a severe pneumonia for both healthy people and those already infected with the pneumonia. This study, therefore, investigated the antibacterial activity of some selected plants (Pandanus tectorius, Nypa fruticans, Sonneratia alba, Phaleria macrocarpa, Hibiscus tiliaceus, and Pongamia pinnata) against K. pneumoniae. In this study, samples were extracted successively by cold maceration using hexane and methanol. Antibacterial activity was determined by well and disc diffusion methods. Each fraction was prepared by two-fold dilutions from 20 mg/mL to 0.156 mg/mL. All data were analyzed in triplicate replication and presented as mean values ± standard deviation. Results showed that all methanol fractions of selected plants had antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae, and well-diffusion method showed better antibacterial results compared to the agar well-diffusion method. The strongest activity was obtained by methanol fraction of S. alba leaf, followed by P. pinnata leaf, Nypa fruticans bark, H. tiliaceus leaf, P. macrocarpa leaf, and P. tectorius leaf with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) value between 0.625 and 5.0 mg/mL. Phytochemical screening revealed that all methanol fractions were rich in flavonoid content, which could have contributed to their antibacterial activity.
The present study evaluated the physicochemical characterization and cytotoxicity activity of chitosan and chito-oligosaccharides (COSs). The extraction of chitosan and COSs was executed by chemical hydrolysis. The physicochemical characterization and deacetylation (DA) value were determined using an FTIR. The molecular weight was determined by using the Mark-Houwink equation. The physical parameters such as solubility, water-binding capacity (WBC), and fat-binding capacity (FBC) were determination as per equation (i), (ii), and (iii) respectively. The cytotoxic activities of chitosan and COS against MCF-7, HepG2, HeLa-6, and 3T3 were performed by MTS assay. The COS induced enhance cytotoxicity with IC50 0.87 and2.21 mg/ml against MCF-7 and HepG2 respectively. However, COSs seem to be more sensitive toward the cell lines with the relative potential of MCF-7 > HepG2 > HeLa. Hence, the results showed promising future perspectives of chitosan and COS to develop biodegradable, antibacterial, cytotoxic naturally derived polysaccharides for cancer drug delivery and smart wound dressings.
The issue of male germ line mutagenesis and the effects on developmental defects in the next generation has become increasingly high profile over recent years. Mutagenic substance affects germinal cells in the testis. Since the cells are undergoing different phases of cell division and maturation, it is an ideal system to study the effect of chemotherapeutic agents. There are lacunae in the literature on the effect of sorafenib on gonadal function. With background, a study was planned to evaluate the effects of sorafenib on sperm count and sperm motility in male Swiss albino mice. Male Swiss albino mice were used for the study. The animals were segregated into control, positive control (PC) and three treatment groups. PC received oral imatinib (100 mg/kg body weight) and treatment groups received 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight of sorafenib orally for 7 consecutive days at intervals of 24 h between two administrations. The control group remained in the home cage for an equal duration of time to match their corresponding treatment groups. The animals were sacrificed at the end of 1(st), 2(nd), 4(th), 5(th), 7(th), and 10(th) weeks after the last exposure to drug, respectively. Sperm suspensions were prepared and introduced into a counting chamber. Total sperm count and motility were recorded. There was a significant decrease in sperm count and sperm motility by sorafenib which was comparable with the effect of PC imatinib. Sorafenib adversely affects sperm count and sperm motility which are reversible after discontinuation of treatment.
In this study, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein 64 (MPT64) protein was constructed without any tags to facilitate the purification using column affinity chromatography, but the MPT64 must be obtained as a pure protein. This study was purpose to ensure the efficient extracting method to purify protein MPT64 directly from the polyacrylamide gel. The crude extract of extracellular protein containing MPT64 protein was separated into single protein band and the targeted protein which is located in the size of 24 kDa was excised. Each of the six bands was collected in a sterile microtube to be eluted using electroelution and the optimized of the passive-elution method. Both the elution methods demonstrated the purity level of the MPT64 protein by detecting a solely band on the gel at the 24 kDa. Among the variety of passive-elution time, the highest MPT64 protein concentration was 0.549 mg/ml after elution for 72 h. However, the electroelution result provided higher MPT64 protein concentration, i.e., 0.683 mg/mL. However, based on the recognition of the purified MPT64 protein on commercial detection kit of MPT64 protein, it showed that the positive result was only showed by the passive-elution extracting protein. Therefore, for purifying the protein MPT64 from the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels, the efficient method was passive elution.