Design, formulation and optimization of novel soft nano-carriers for transdermal olmesartan medoxomil delivery: In vitro characterization and in vivo pharmacokinetic assessment.

Olmesartan is a hydrophobic antihypertensive drug with a short biological half-life, and low bioavailability, presents a challenge with respect to its oral administration. The objective of the work was to formulate, optimize and evaluate the transdermal potential of novel vesicular nano-invasomes, containing above anti-hypertensive agent. To achieve the above purpose, soft carriers (viz.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 6-(2-Amino-substituted phenyl)-4-(substituted phenyl)-1,2,4-triazine-3,5(2H,4H)-dione Derivatives as Anticonvulsant Agents.

As per structural requirement essential for anticonvulsant activity, a series of new 6-(2-amino-substituted phenyl)-4-(substituted phenyl)-1,2,4-triazine-3,5-dione derivatives were designed and synthesized. All the synthesized title derivatives were assessed for in vivo anticonvulsant screening by the two most employed standard animal seizure models, maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ)-induced seizures, along with minimal motor impairment screening by rotarod test. Among all the synthesized compounds, the compound 4r showed excellent anticonvulsant activity with neither signs of neurotoxicity in the minimal motor impairment test nor signs of hepatotoxicity in the serum enzyme activity assay.

Brexpiprazole: so far so good.

This article describes the role of a newly approved antipsychotic agent brexpiprazole in the treatment of schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. This drug has high affinity for 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, D2 and α1B,2C receptors. It displays partial agonism at 5-HT1A and D2 receptors and potent antagonism at 5-HT2A and α1B,2C adrenergic receptors.

Design and synthesis of pyridazinone-substituted benzenesulphonylurea derivatives as anti-hyperglycaemic agents and inhibitors of aldose reductase - an enzyme embroiled in diabetic complications.

Thirty new aryl-pyridazinone-substituted benzenesulphonylurea derivatives (I-XXX) were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-hyperglycaemic activity in glucose-fed hyperglycaemic normal rats. Twenty-three compounds (III-XI, XIV-XVII, XIX-XXIV, XXVI and XXVIII-XXX) showed more or comparable area under the curve (AUC) reduction percentage (ranging from 21.9% to 35.

Terminalia Chebula Attenuates DMBA/Croton Oil-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Swiss albino Mouse Skin.

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate underlying molecular mechanism for antitumorigenic potential of Terminalia chebula (TC) against chemically-induced skin tumorigenesis in Swiss albino mice. It is used as herbal medicine because it exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic activity. However, the précised underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated.

Transungual Delivery of Ketoconazole Nanoemulgel for the Effective Management of Onychomycosis.

Ketoconazole (KCZ) nanoemulgel containing permeation enhancer was formulated as a vehicle for transungual drug delivery, and its efficacy to inhibit the growth of onychomycotic dermatophytes was investigated in vitro. Different components of oil-in-water nanoemulsions were moderately agitated by classical titration method and passed through a high-pressure homogenizer to formulate various nanoemulsions, which were further identified by constructing pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. Stress-stability testing was carried out for the nanoemulsions, and those that passed these tests were characterized for mean droplet size, zeta potential, morphology, pH, refractive index, viscosity and transmittance.

Elemental sulfur improves growth and phytoremediative ability of wheat grown in lead-contaminated calcareous soil.

Little is known about the effect of elemental sulfur on lead uptake and its toxicity in wheat. A pot experiment was conducted with the purpose to examine the impact of sulfur on improving Pb solubility in soil, and uptake and accumulation in wheat plants. The effect of three levels of lead (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg soil) and sulfur (0, 150, and 300 mmol/kg soil) was tested in all possible combinations.

Tannic acid alleviates lead acetate-induced neurochemical perturbations in rat brain.

Oxidative stress has been projected as a promising mechanism involved in lead exposure. The lead predisposition catalyzes oxidative reactions and generates reactive oxygen species. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of oral administration of tannic acid (TA) on behavioral deficit, antioxidative deterioration induced by lead acetate (LA) exposure on experimental rat brain.

Invasomes of isradipine for enhanced transdermal delivery against hypertension: formulation, characterization, and in vivo pharmacodynamic study.

Context Isradipine is an effective calcium channel blocker used in the management of hypertension. It undergoes extensive first pass metabolism and has low oral bioavailability. Hence we attempted to develop isradipine-loaded invasomes.

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore: a promising target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Among the neurodegenerative diseases (ND), Parkinson's disease affects 6.3 million people worldwide characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP) is a non-selective voltage-dependent mitochondrial channel whose opening modifies the permeability properties of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Pyridazinone substituted benzenesulfonamides as potent carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

A series of sulfonamide derivatives (2a-l) incorporating substituted pyridazinone moieties were investigated for the inhibition of two human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase isoforms, hCA I and hCA II. All these compounds, together with the clinically used sulfonamide acetazolamide were investigated as inhibitors of the physiologically relevant isozymes I and II. These sulfonamides showed very strong inhibition against all these isoforms with K(I)'s in the range of 0.

Application of Box-Behnken design for preparation of levofloxacin-loaded stearic acid solid lipid nanoparticles for ocular delivery: Optimization, in vitro release, ocular tolerance, and antibacterial activity.

The aim of the present study was to develop and optimize levofloxacin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for the treatment of conjunctivitis. Box-Behnken experimental design was applied for optimization of solid lipid nanoparticles. The independent variables were stearic acid as lipid (X1), Tween 80 as surfactant (X2) and sodium deoxycholate as co-surfactant (X3) while particle size (Y1) and entrapment efficiency (Y2) were the dependent variables.

Synthesis and in vivo diuretic activity of some new benzothiazole sulfonamides containing quinoxaline ring system.

A series of new 6-substituted-N-[3-{2-(substituted phenyl)-ethenyl} quinoxaline-2(1H)-ylidene]-1,3-benzothiazole-2-amine (4a-f) were designed and synthesized by condensing 2-amino-benzothiazole-6-sulfonic acid amide (1) with chalcones of quinoxaline-2-one (3a-f) in a hope to obtain promising and a new class of diuretic agents. Structures of all the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral data and elemental analysis. The pharmacological studies in experimental rats indicates that compound 4c possesses excellent in vivo diuretic activity of 1.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of New Phthalazinone Derivatives as Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Proliferative Agents.

The chemistry of phthalazine derivatives has been of increasing interest since many of these compounds have found many chemotherapeutic applications. So this study aims to synthesize a library of phthalazine derivatives and to investigate their anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities. Sixteen new phthalazinone derivatives (2a-p) were synthesized and tested for their in vitro antiproliferative and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities.

Concurrent acetylation of FoxO1/3a and p53 due to sirtuins inhibition elicit Bim/PUMA mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in berberine-treated HepG2 cells.

Post-translational modifications i.e. phosphorylation and acetylation are pivotal requirements for proper functioning of eukaryotic proteins.

Systemic delivery of β-blockers via transdermal route for hypertension.

Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease worldwide. Moreover, management of hypertension requires long-term treatment that may result in poor patient compliance with conventional dosage forms due to greater frequency of drug administration. Although there is availability of a plethora of therapeutically effective antihypertensive molecules, inadequate patient welfare is observed; this arguably presents an opportunity to deliver antihypertensive agents through a different route.

Optimized permeation enhancer for topical delivery of 5-fluorouracil-loaded elastic liposome using Design Expert: part II.

Objective: To prepare and optimize the topical elastic liposome (EL)-loaded carbopol-980 gel of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) containing permeation enhancers (azone, propylene glycol (PG) and lauryl alcohol (LA)) and further evaluation for permeation flux of 5-FU, the activation energy and irritation in the rat skin.

Methods: EL formulations were prepared using phosphatidylcholine and varied surfactants (Span 60, Span 80 and Tween-80) by rotator evaporation method and optimized by experimental design. In vitro characterizations dictated the EL containing Span 80 (lipid:surfactant = 7:3) (EL3-S80) for further optimization of gel.

Leishmanicidal Activity of Piper nigrum Bioactive Fractions is Interceded via Apoptosis In Vitro and Substantiated by Th1 Immunostimulatory Potential In Vivo.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening protozoal infection chiefly impinging the rural and poor population in the tropical and sub-tropical countries. The deadly affliction is rapidly expanding after its association with AIDS, swiftly defying its status of a neglected disease. Despite successful formulation of vaccine against canine leishmaniasis, no licensed vaccine is yet available for human VL, chemotherapy is in appalling state, and the development of new candidate drugs has been painfully slow.

Evaluation of anticancer potential of Bacopa monnieri L. against MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 cell line.

Background: The ethanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri contains bacoside A and B, brahmin, cucurbitacins, and betulinic acid. Currently, cucurbitacins have also been reported for their strong anti-tumorigenic and anti-proliferative activity by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and formation of multiplied cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanolic extract of dichloromethane (DCM) fraction of B.

Intranasal delivery of paroxetine nanoemulsion via the olfactory region for the management of depression: formulation, behavioural and biochemical estimation.

Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and is used for the treatment of depression and anxiety problems, but suffers from the drawback of poor oral bioavailability (less than 50%) due to its extensive first pass metabolism. The objective of the present study was to develop a paroxetine loaded nanoemulsion (o/w type) for direct nose-to-brain delivery. Nanoemulsions were prepared by the spontaneous emulsification technique using Capmul MCM, Solutol HS 15 and propylene glycol as oil phase, surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively, for delivery of drug directly to the brain through the nasal route for better management of depression.

Alteration of Thyroid Function in Indian HER 2-Negative Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

Background: Thyroid hormones (TH) are regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which plays an important role in cell growth, differentiation, development and other aspects of metabolism. It is believed that an active hypothalamic-pituitary axis increases the susceptibility of thyroid dysfunction during systemic chemotherapy. In order to investigate the relation between thyroid function and chemotherapy the present study was designed to investigate TH in breast cancer patients receiving at least three cycles of chemotherapy.

Polarization of macrophages towards M1 phenotype by a combination of 2-deoxy-d-glucose and radiation: Implications for tumor therapy.

2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) has been found to enhance the cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs in several tumor cell lines in vitro. Systemic administration of 2-DG together with localized irradiation of the tumor leads to tumor regression and cure (disease free survival), which correlate with the differential levels of anti-tumor immunity observed in Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) bearing mice. Macrophages being a major player of the innate immune system, we investigated the activation status of splenic macrophages during radio-sensitization of EAT in mice as well as in peritoneal macrophages ex vivo and macrophagic cell line (Raw 264.

Oxaliplatin-induced Oxidative Stress Provokes Toxicity in Isolated Rat Liver Mitochondria.

Background And Aims: Oxaliplatin is a widely employed platinum-derived chemotherapeutic agent commonly used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, the benefit of this important drug is compromised by severe side effects such as neuropathy, ototoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and hematological toxicity. Recently, few studies have also suggested the occurrence of hepatotoxicity in oxaliplatin-treated patients.