Isolation of antibacterial protein from spp. and preparation of probiotic curd.

The study was aimed to isolate antagonistic lactobacilli and the molecules responsible for their antagonistic ability from curd. Preparation of probiotic curd and the ability of the selected lactobacilli to suppress the pathogen therein was also assessed. All the 116 isolates were identified as spp.

Natural Bioenhancers in Drug Delivery: An Overview.

When the bioavailability of a drug increases, a corresponding increase in the levels of that drug in the bloodstream occurs. With this, drug efficacy is augmented and the dosage required to yield a specific therapeutic effect diminishes comparably. Until recently, only a few methods have proven effective in enhancing drug bioavailability, among which are the disaggregation of micronized molecules, the use of timedrelease and topical preparations, mechanization, polymorph and crystal form selection, drug solubilisation, and the use of nanotechnology.

A Comparative Study of Different Proportions of Superdisintegrants: Formulation and Evaluation of Orally Disintegrating Tablets of Salbutamol Sulphate.

Objectives: Superdisintegrants play important role in disintegration of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs). Action of three different superdisintegrants, viz. croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate and Indion 414, were studied individually or in their binary combinations for their fast disintegrant action in ODTs of salbutamol sulphate prepared by direct compression.

Expression Profile of Markers of Apoptosis, Injury and Oxidative Stress in Human Lung Epithelium Cells-A5449 Receiving Chronic Exposure of Potential Anti-Tubercular Drug-trans-Cyclohexane-1, 4-Diamine Derivative-"9u".

Earlier, we had reported the synthesis of a library of symmetrical trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diamine derivatives and evaluated them for their anti-mycobacterium activity in the H37RV strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A range of efficacy was recorded in different derivatives and the compound "9u" having an i-propyl group substitution at the p-position was found to be the most effective. The compound "9u" was found to be safe for cytotoxic and genotoxic responses in human lung epithelium cells-A549, even up to many fold higher than that required to kill M.

An actinomycete isolate from solitary wasp mud nest having strong antibacterial activity and kills the Candida cells due to the shrinkage and the cytosolic loss.

An actinomycetes strain designated as MN 2(6) was isolated from the solitary wasp mud nest. The isolate was identified using polyphasic taxonomy. It produced the extensive branched brown substrate and white aerial hyphae that changed into grayish black.

Comparative study on the predictability of statistical models (RSM and ANN) on the behavior of optimized buccoadhesive wafers containing Loratadine and their in vivo assessment.

Objective: Buccoadhesive wafer dosage form containing Loratadine is formulated utilizing Formulation by Design (FbD) approach incorporating sodium alginate and lactose monohydrate as independent variable employing solvent casting method.

Methods: The wafers were statistically optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network algorithm (ANN) for predicting physicochemical and physico-mechanical properties of the wafers as responses. Morphologically wafers were tested using SEM.

Cyto-genotoxicity Assessment of Potential Anti-tubercular Drug Candidate Molecule-trans-cyclohexane-1, 4-diamine Derivative-9u in Human Lung Epithelial Cells A549.

Increasing incidences of multiple drug-resistance (MDR) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis are emerging as one among the serious public health threats and socio-economic burden to the third world countries including India. Last couples of decades are witnesses of the dedicated and sustained efforts made toward the development of target specific and cost-effective antimicrobial agents against MDR-M. tuberculosis.

In Vitro Flower Induction from Shoots Regenerated from Cultured Axillary Buds of Endangered Medicinal Herb Swertia chirayita H. Karst.

In vitro flowering and effective micropropagation protocol were studied in Swertia chirayita, an important medicinal plant using axillary bud explants. The Murashige and Skoog's medium (MS) supplemented with benzyl amino purine (BAP) 1.0 mg L(-1) and adenine sulfate 70.

Terrestrial actinomycetes from diverse locations of Uttarakhnad, India: Isolation and screening for their antibacterial activity.

Background And Objective: Uttarakhand region is less explored, but possess a great biodiversity. This diversity can be explored for isolation and characterization of new actinomycetes strains for seeking antimicrobial molecules. It can therefore be predicted that novel bioactive metabolite producing actinomycetes can be discovered to combat multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens.

Transformation of pWWO in Rhizobium leguminosarum DPT to Engineer Toluene Degrading Ability for Rhizoremediation.

Rhizoremediation of organic xenobiotics is based on interactions between plants and their associated micro-organisms. The present work was designed to engineer a bacterial system having toluene degradation ability along with plant growth promoting characteristics for effective rhizoremediation. pWWO harboring the genes responsible for toluene breakdown was isolated from Pseudomonas putida MTCC 979 and successfully transformed in Rhizobium DPT.

Actinomycetes from solitary wasp mud nest and swallow bird mud nest: isolation and screening for their antibacterial activity.

The aim of this study was to isolate and screen actinomycetes from solitary wasp and swallow bird mud nests for antimicrobial activity. The actinomycetes were isolated from soil of nests of solitary wasp and swallow bird, and identified on the basis of morphological characteristics and molecular biological methods. A total of 109 actinomycetal isolates were obtained from 12 soil samples (6 from each habitat) using two media.

Dissolution rate enhancement of piroxicam by ordered mixing.

Micronized piroxicam was mixed with lactose, mannitol, sorbitol, maltitol and sodium chloride to produce ordered mixture in a glass vial by manual hand shaking method. The effect of excipients, surfactant, superdisintegrant, drug concentration and carrier particle size on dissolution rate was investigated. Dissolution rate studies of the prepared ordered mixtures revealed that all water soluble excipients increased the dissolution rate of piroxicam when compared to the dissolution rate of piroxicam or its suspension.

A temperature and salt-tolerant L-glutaminase from gangotri region of uttarakhand himalaya: enzyme purification and characterization.

Purification and characterization of halotolerant, thermostable alkaline L-glutaminase from a Bacillus sp. LKG-01 (MTCC 10401), isolated from Gangotri region of Uttarakhand Himalaya, is being reported in this paper. Enzyme has been purified 49-fold from cell-free extract with 25% recovery (specific activity 584.

Screening of actinomycetes from earthworm castings for their antimicrobial activity and industrial enzymes.

Actinomycetes from earthworm castings were isolated and screened for their antimicrobial activity and industrial enzymes. A total of 48 isolates were obtained from 12 samples of earthworm castings. Highest numbers of isolates were recovered from forest site (58.

Effect of bioadhesion on initial in vitro buoyancy of effervescent floating matrix tablets of ciprofloxacin HCL.

The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of bioadhesion on the initial in vitro buoyancy behaviour of effervescent matrix tablets of ciprofloxacin HCl (CIPRO). Tablets were prepared by direct compression using HPMC K4M and Carbopol 971P as hydrophilic-controlled release polymers, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) as gas-generating agent, polyplasdone XL, Explotab and Ac-Di-Sol as swelling agents. Tablets were evaluated for normal and modified initial in vitro floating behavior, floating duration, swelling behavior and in vitro drug release studies.

Scanning electron microscopy of Streptomyces without use of any chemical fixatives.

A new, short, and quick method was developed for preparation of specimen for observing Actinomycetes of genus Streptomyces by scanning electron microscopy. The cultures were directly grown on stubs and coated with a film of gold without using any fixative and dehydrating procedures. Using this simple preparation procedure, surface of intact sporing structures of Streptomyces was observed over a range of magnifications.

Polymeric ocular hydrogels and ophthalmic inserts for controlled release of timolol maleate.

Background: Ophthalmic drug delivery systems are the challenging subject for the researchers because of delicate nature of ocular membrane and preventive barriers leading to less than 1 % of Bioavailability. Reasons for reduced bioavailability are due to rapid pre corneal elimination, tear turnover, lacrimal drainage, blinking and degradation by enzymes. Less bioavailability causes short duration of action and increased frequency of administration.

Biochemical studies on hemoglobin modified with reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen transporting metalloprotein in the red cells of blood in mammals and other animals. Hemoprotein-mediated oxidative stress is thought to play a major role in pathophysiology of cerebral hemorrhage, blast pressure injury, crush injury, myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. Hemoglobin undergoes oxidation-reduction reactions that lead to both generation and consumption of highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

Detection of anti-tuberculosis activity in some folklore plants by radiometric BACTEC assay.

Aims: The anti-tubercular drugs are less effective because of the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains of M. tuberculosis, so plants being an alternative source of anti-microbial compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-tuberculosis potential of the plants using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a rapid screening model for detection of anti-mycobacterial activity and further to evaluate the active plants for anti-tuberculosis activity against M.

Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels: a novel ophthalmic drug delivery system.

Background: Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic, polymeric networks capable of imbibing large amounts of water or biological fluids on stimulation, such as pH, temperature and ionic change.

Aim: To develop hydrogels that are sensitive to stimuli, i.e.

Biodegradation of naphthalene and anthracene by chemo-tactically active rhizobacteria of populus deltoides.

Several naphthalene and anthracene degrading bacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of Populus deltoides, which were growing in non-contaminated soil. Among these, four isolates, i.e.

Preparation and evaluation of microencapsulated fast melt tablets of ambroxol hydrochloride.

Natural resources in general and plant materials in particular are receiving more attention due to their safety as pharmaceutical excipients. Present work assessed the potential of a natural polysaccharide, pectin to mask the bitter taste of ambroxol hydrochloride, by microencapsulation technique, and its possibility to formulate as a fast disintegrating dosage form. Taste masking is an important developmental challenge in fast dissolving drug delivery system since it dissolves or disintegrates in the patient's mouth in close proximity to the taste buds.

Biochemical and cellular toxicology of peroxynitrite: implications in cell death and autoimmune phenomenon.

Reactive nitrogen species include nitric oxide (.NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) and nitrogen dioxide radical (NO2*). Peroxynitrite is a reactive oxidant, produced from nitric oxide (*NO) and superoxide anion (O(2*-), that reacts with a variety of biological macromolecules.

Detection of virulence genes in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from paper currency.

Background: Infection with Staphylococcus aureus was initially considered a major problem in hospitals, but over the last few decades the incidence of community-acquired infection has also increased. Paper currency has recently been identified as another mode of spread by which community-acquired S. aureus infection may be transmitted, since paper currency is frequently transferred from one person to another.