Preparation and Characterization of Tetrahydrocurcumin-Loaded Cellulose Acetate Phthalate/Polyethylene Glycol Electrospun Nanofibers.

A simple composite electrospun nanofiber of cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) loaded with tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) was developed in this study, and the in vitro diffusion of THC was evaluated. The nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The formulated nanofiber (NF) with THC has smooth morphology with diameter of around 300-500 nm.

Nanocarriers for brain specific delivery of anti-retro viral drugs: challenges and achievements.

HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic and the deleterious effects of human immunodeficiency virus in the brain cannot be overlooked. Though the current anti-retro viral therapy is able to reduce the virus load in the peripheral tissues of the body, the inability of the anti-retro viral drugs to cross the blood brain barrier, as such, limits its therapeutic effect in the brain. The development of newer, successful nanoparticulate drug delivery systems to enhance the feasibility of the anti-retro viral drugs to the brain, offers a novel strategy to treat the AIDS-related neuronal degradation.

Status Epilepticus: An Overview.

Status epilepticus (SE) is an emergency situation, where immediate and effective treatment is required in least possible time as it is associated with neuronal damage, systemic complications, substantial morbidity and mortality depending on status type, duration, age and etiology. In the past few years, morbidity and mortality rate were improved, probably may be due to aggressive use of anti-epileptic drugs in emergency situations. Present literature gives an overview of the conditions leading to SE and its management guidelines in hospital and out of hospital setting emphasizing on the available drug therapies.

A novel vesicular transdermal delivery of nifedipine - preparation, characterization and in vitro/in-vivo evaluation.

Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker extensively used in the treatment of anginal and hypertension. On oral administration it undergoes extensive first pass metabolism, which outweighs its absorbance through gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and bioavailability of the drug in systemic circulation. As an alternative to oral route transdermal route of drug delivery was developed.

DNA double strand breaks as predictor of efficacy of the alpha-particle emitter Ac-225 and the electron emitter Lu-177 for somatostatin receptor targeted radiotherapy.

Rationale: Key biologic effects of the alpha-particle emitter Actinium-225 in comparison to the beta-particle emitter Lutetium-177 labeled somatostatin-analogue DOTATOC in vitro and in vivo were studied to evaluate the significance of γH2AX-foci formation.

Methods: To determine the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) between the two isotopes (as - biological consequence of different ionisation-densities along a particle-track), somatostatin expressing AR42J cells were incubated with Ac-225-DOTATOC and Lu-177-DOTATOC up to 48 h and viability was analyzed using the MTT assay. DNA double strand breaks (DSB) were quantified by immunofluorescence staining of γH2AX-foci.