A sensitive, rapid and cost-effective RP-HPLC-UV method for detection and quantification of bedaquiline in physiological fluid (pH 7.4).

Bedaquiline, a highly lipophilic molecule, is used in the treatment regimen of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. A rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis is tuberculous pericarditis. studies utilising animal pericardium can be used to investigate whether this drug is capable of diffusing across pericardial tissue into simulated pericardial fluid (pH 7.

Advances in immunomodulatory strategies for host-directed therapies in combating tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) maintains its infamous status regarding its detrimental effect on global health, causing the highest mortality by a single infectious agent. The presence of resistance and immune compromising disease favours the disease in maintaining its footing in the health care burden despite various anti-TB drugs used to fight it. Main factors contributing to resistance and difficulty in treating disease include prolonged treatment duration (at least 6 months) and severe toxicity, which further leads to patient non-compliance, and thus a ripple effect leading to therapeutic non-efficacy.

Plants used to treat skin diseases in northern Maputaland, South Africa: antimicrobial activity and in vitro permeability studies.

Context: Ethnobotanical claims of medicinal plants used in northern Maputaland are limited. Objectives To establish scientific validity for a selection of the plants used in Maputaland to treat skin diseases.

Materials And Methods: Aqueous and dichloromethane-methanol extracts were prepared from 37 plant species which were collected from four rural communities in Maputaland.

The effect of five artificial sweeteners on Caco-2, HT-29 and HEK-293 cells.

Context: Artificial sweeteners (AS) have been associated with tumor development (including colon cancer) in both animals and humans although evidence has been conflicting.

Objectives: Additional research was thus conducted by studying the effects of 5 AS on the morphology, cell proliferation and DNA in cells by utilizing Caco-2, HT-29 (colon) and HEK-293 (kidney) cell lines.

Materials And Methods: Cells were exposed to sodium cyclamate, sodium saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame-K (0-50 mM) and aspartame (0-35 mM) over 24, 48 and 72 hours.

In vitro transcorneal diffusion of the antimicrobial macrolides azithromycin and clarithromycin and the impact on microbial keratitis.

Purpose: To compare the in vitro penetration of azithromycin and clarithromycin across both human and rabbit corneas.

Methods: In vitro diffusion studies were performed on frozen-thawed (liquid nitrogen, -80 degrees C) corneas using a flow-through diffusion apparatus (24 hours, 20 degrees C, 1.5 mL/h).