Probuphine® (buprenorphine implant): a promising candidate in opioid dependence.

Opioid dependence leads to physical dependence and addiction which finally results in profound medical, psychological and social dysfunction. One of the useful medications for opioid dependence is buprenorphine, the partial opioid agonist, which is used alone or in combination with naloxone. However, buprenorphine is the victim of its own success due to its illicit use and accidental poisoning in children.

Addiction to Snake Venom.

The nature of addiction depends on various factors. The tendency to have already used several addictive substances and to seek high sensation experiences as a result of specific personality traits may lead to extreme and peculiar forms of addictions. Even belonging to specific social and cultural background may lead to such forms of addiction such as intentional snake bite and willful envenomation.

Evaluation of antioxidant and anticancer activity of copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized using medicinally important plant extracts.

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by green chemistry approach using different plant extracts obtained from the leaves of Azadirachta indica, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Murraya koenigii, Moringa oleifera and Tamarindus indica. In order to compare their efficiency, the same copper oxide nanoparticles was also synthesized by chemical method. Phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts showed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, proteins and amino acids.

Assessment of patient medication adherence among the type 2 diabetes mellitus population with peripheral diabetic neuropathy in South India.

Objectives: The present study attempted to explore the relationship between non-adherence with medication and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in a private hospital located in South India.

Methods: A prospective study was carried out from January 2015 to December 2015. This study included 86 type 2 DM patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

An unusual case of glipizide-induced proximal myopathy.

This case report outlines a very rare case of glipizide-induced severe proximal myopathy in a 61-year-old diabetic man. After taking 10 mg glipizide for 5 months, diabetes was well controlled but the patient presented with progressive proximal muscle weakness in all the four limbs. Clinical examination and relevant investigations suggested it to be a case of proximal myopathy and might be drug induced.

Lysergic acid diethylamide: a drug of 'use'?

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), described as a classical hallucinogen, began its journey from the middle of the last century following an accidental discovery. Since then, it was used as a popular and notorious substance of abuse in various parts of the world. Its beneficial role as an adjunct to psychotherapy was much unknown, until some 'benevolent' experiments were carried out over time to explore some of its potential uses.

A case of losartan-induced severe hyponatremia.

This case report outlines a very rare case of losartan-induced severe hyponatremia in a 73-year-old type 2 diabetic patient. The patient was initiated with 50 mg daily oral losartan monotherapy for newly diagnosed moderate hypertension. After 3.

Evaluation of protective effects of diosmin (a citrus flavonoid) in chemical-induced urolithiasis in experimental rats.

Context There have not been any conclusive studies of the effects of diosmin, a modified flavanone glycoside obtained from Teucrium gnaphalodes L'Her (Lamiaceae), on urolithiasis. Objective To evaluate anti-urolithiatic effects of diosmin in ammonium chloride and ethylene glycol-induced renal stone in experimental animals. Materials and methods Thirty Sprague-Dawley were divided into five groups (n=6) receiving the following treatments, respectively, p.

Evaluation of Anti-diarrheal Potential of Hydro-alcoholic Extracts of Leaves of Murraya koenigii in Experimental Animals.

Background: The indigenous medical system of India mentions the use of Murraya koenigii leaves for the treatment of different types of diarrheas over ages.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-diarrheal activity of hydro-alcoholic extracts of leaves of Murraya koenigii and to check its effects on intestinal transits in experimental rat model.

Materials And Methods: The hydro-alcoholic extract of Murraya koenigii leaves was obtained with Soxhlet extraction method.

Simultaneous And Extended Delivery Of Stavudine, Lamivudine And Nevirapine In Fixed Dose Combination Using Sandwiched Osmotic Tablets For Hiv Therapy.

Current HIV-therapy recommends combination of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine. Stavudine and lamivudine are administered as fixed combination while nevirapine as separate dosage form which often results in poor compliance and adherence to therapy by patients and therefore, there is a need to develop dosage forms that can overcome the problems of currently available dosage forms for treatment of HIV infection. The present study developed a single unit osmotic system for simultaneous and extended delivery of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine that can ensure patients compliance and adherence to HIV-therapy.

Ascorbic acid improves stability and pharmacokinetics of rifampicin in the presence of isoniazid.

Bioavailability of rifampicin (RIF) from fixed dose combination (FDC) products remains problematic for effective control of tuberculosis (TB) owing to its degradation in the presence of isoniazid (INH) in the stomach acid environment. Ascorbic acid (ASC) is being added to the dissolution medium as well as the plasma sample as anti-oxidant to prevent degradation of RIF and also daily intake of ascorbic acid is recommended to control TB infection. However the role of ASC on the interaction between dissolution stability and in vivo bioavailability of RIF in the presence of INH has not been explored and therefore examined in the present study.

Antimicrobial efficacy and phytochemical analysis of Indigofera trita Linn.

An in vitro antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysis of various extracts of Indigofera trita L. viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts were carried out.

Chemopreventive effect of montelukast in n-nitroso n-methyl urea induced mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of montelukast sodium; selective reversible cysteinyl leukotriene D4-receptor antagonist in N-nitroso N-methyl urea (NMU) induced mammary carcinogenesis in virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Materials And Methods: Thirty rats were divided into five groups (normal control, disease control, montelukast1 mg/kg, montelukast10 mg/kg, tamoxifen10 mg/kg) of six animals each. The drug was administered in two doses,1 mg/kg,and 10 mg/kg orally and compared with the standard drug tamoxifen (10 mg/kg)p.

Antioxidant activities of Indigofera cassioides Rottl. Ex. DC. using various in vitro assay models.

Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant potential of methanolic leaf extract of Indigofera cassioides (MEIC) using various in vitro antioxidant assay systems.

Methods: Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of MEIC was assayed by using different in vitro models like ABTS, DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical. Reductive ability of the extract was tested by the complex formation with potassium ferricyanide.

Effect of silymarin on streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy is the major cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Silymarin is a flavonoid mixture obtained from Silybum marianum. Various preclinical and clinical studies have revealed that it has antidiabetic activity.

Association of apolipoprotein E ε4 allele with cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy and interaction with phenytoin monotherapy.

Cognitive impairment implicates many factors beyond phenytoin monotherapy in patients with epilepsy. Apolipoprotein E ε4 allele has been reported to play a role in severe memory impairment that ultimately progresses to Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, knowledge about its role in cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy is lacking. Our study proposes the possible involvement of the APOE ε4 allele in cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy which is further worsened by phenytoin monotherapy.

A comparative effect of atorvastatin with other statins in patients of hyperlipidemia.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of atorvastatin compared with simvastatin and pravastatin in patients of hyperlipidemia.

Materials And Methods: This was a randomized, parallel group, open-label study conducted at KG hospital, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. Twenty hyperlipidemia patients each taking atorvastatin 20 mg, pravastatin 20 mg and simvastatin 20 mg tablets were selected for the study after clinical and baseline investigations.

In vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of Indigofera cassioides Rottl. Ex. DC.

Objective: To evaluate the antitumor, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of methanolic leaf extract of Indigofera cassioides (MEIC) against transplantable tumors and human cancer cell lines.

Methods: MEIC was investigated for its short term cytotoxicity on EAC and DLA cells by trypan blue dye exclusion method and in vitro cytotoxicity on HeLa, HEp-2, HEpG-2, MCF-7, HT-29, Vero and NIH 3T3 cells by MTT assay. In vivo antitumor activity was studied on EAC and DLA tumor bearing mice.

Antitumor Activity of Prosopis glandulosa Torr. on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) Tumor Bearing Mice.

The antitumor activity of ethanol extract of Prosopis glandulosa Torr. (EPG) was evaluated against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumor model in Swiss albino mice on dose dependent manner. The activity was assessed using survival time, average increase in body weight, hematological parameters and solid tumor volume.

Antitumor and cytotoxic activities of methanol extract of Indigofera linnaei Ali.

Methanol extract of Indigofera linnaei (MEIL) was investigated for antitumor, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities against transplantable tumors and human cancer cell lines. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in HeLa, Hep-2, HepG-2, MCF-7, HT-29, Vero and NIH 3T3 cells by MTT assay and in vivo antitumor activity with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and Dalton's ascites lymphoma (DLA) tumor-bearing mice. Activity was measured by monitoring the mean survival time, effect on hematological parameters, antioxidant enzyme levels and solid tumor volume.

Effect of a diabetes counseling programme on knowledge, attitude and practice among diabetic patients in Erode district of South India.

The prevalence of diabetes in India has grown over the past decade. Diabetic patients develop complications due to poor awareness regarding the disease and inadequate glycemic control. Patient education is the most effective way to lessen the complications of diabetes and its management.

In vivo Evaluation of Single Dose Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine Formulation with Chitosan Microspheres.

Chitosan adsorbed microspheres containing tetanus toxoid were prepared in the size range of 10 mum to 75 mum, by emulsion-cross linking technique at different speeds of agitation. The amount of tetanus toxoid incorporated into chitosan microspheres were estimated by limes flocculation test and in vivo evaluation of tetanus toxoid adsorbed chitosan microspheres were determined by toxin neutralization method using albino mice. The results of in vivo release for the batches of 10 mum and 25 mum correlates with the results of in vitro in which both the batches passes the limit of IP standard (4 Lf) where as, for the batches of 50 mum and 75 mum, the in vitro release of tetanus toxoid was 2 Lf.

A comparative antimicrobial study on the essential oil of the leaves of various species of cupressus.

The essential oil of leaves of various cupressus species Viz., C.glauca, C.

Preliminary phytochemical studies on bark of commiphora berryi (arn) engllor.

Commiphora berryi (Arn)Englor (Burseraceae) is a well known plant in Tamil nadu, India. It is used in several parts of the state for various medicinal properties. The present work summarizes preliminary phyto chemical study of bark of this plant.