Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist prevents l-arginine induced immune dysfunction independent of gonadal steroids: Relates with a decline in elevated thymus and brain nitric oxide levels.

The present study was carried out to find out the effect of leuprolide, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor agonist, on l-arginine induced immunosuppression, and relates with brain and thymus levels of nitric oxide (NO). Further, the effect of leuprolide was studied in sham operated, ovariectomized and castrated mice to understand the role of sex steroids in l-arginine induced immunosuppression. Treatment with l-arginine (250, 500, 1000 mg/kg/i.

SCFA Receptors in Pancreatic β Cells: Novel Diabetes Targets?

Nutrient sensing receptors are key metabolic mediators of responses to dietary and endogenously derived nutrients. These receptors are largely G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and many are gaining significant interest as drug targets with a potential therapeutic role in metabolic diseases. A distinct subclass of nutrient sensing GPCRs, two short chain fatty acid (SCFA) receptors (FFA2 and FFA3) are uniquely responsive to gut microbiota derived nutrients (such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate).

Developmental pyrethroid exposure causes long-term decreases of neuronal sodium channel expression.

Pyrethroid insecticide use has increased over recent years because of their low to moderate acute toxicity in mammals. However, there is increasing concern over the potential detrimental effects of pyrethroids on developing animals. Most recently, we have shown that developmental exposure to deltamethrin results in long-term neurobehavioral effects.

High performance thin layer chromatography fingerprinting, phytochemical and physico-chemical studies of anti-diabetic herbal extracts.

Introduction: Herbal medicines have gained increasing popularity in the last few decades, and this global resurgence of herbal medicines increases their commercial value. However, this increasing demand has resulted in a decline in their quality, primarily due to a lack of adequate regulations pertaining to herbal medicines.

Aim: To develop an optimized methodology for the standardization of herbal raw materials.

Antioxidant potential and its relationship with polyphenol content and degree of polymerization in Opuntia elatior Mill. fruits.

Background: Opuntia elatior Mill. (Nagaphani) fruits are traditionally recommended as an expectorant, remedy for whooping cough, asthma, gonorrhea, ulcers, tumors, in the treatment of diarrhea and syphilis. Many of these diseases are allied with oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

A possible role of endogenous central corticotrophin releasing factor in lipopolysaccharide induced thymic involution and cell apoptosis: effect of peripheral injection of corticotrophin releasing factor.

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of endogenous peripheral and central corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on thymic involution and apoptosis. Administration of LPS (100 μg/mouse, ip) led to thymic involution, to a decrease of CD4+CD8+ thymocyte subset, and to fragmentation of thymic DNA. Pretreatment of LPS challenged mice with intracerebroventricular α-helical CRF (a CRF antagonist) attenuated the effect of LPS however, intraventricular administered α-helical CRF failed to affect LPS response on thymus.

Effect of piperine on inhibition of FFA induced TLR4 mediated inflammation and amelioration of acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Piperine, a main component of Piper longum Linn. and Piper nigrum Linn., is a plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist selectively augments thymopoiesis and prevents cell apoptosis in LPS induced thymic atrophy model independent of gonadal steroids.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes acute thymic atrophy, a phenomenon that has been linked to immune dysfunction and poor survival during sepsis. The systemic response to LPS involves a rise in glucocorticoids and proinflammatory cytokines which contribute greatly to thymic involution and apoptosis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog exerts thymopoietic regulatory effects and possesses immunostimulant properties.

Anti-nephrotoxic activity of some medicinal plants from tribal rich pockets of Odisha.

Background: Gentamicin, a strong cationic drug accumulated at biological membranes causes net increase in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation leading to necrotic changes in renal tubles and consequently precipitates acute nephrotoxicity. Several phytoconstituents and plants extracts demonstrated significant anti-oxidant and cyto-protective activities. Vitex negundo Linn.

Microemulsion based topical hydrogel of sertaconazole: formulation, characterization and evaluation.

A microemulsion (ME) based hydrogel had studied as a topical delivery of sertaconazole (STZL) for effective eradication of cutaneous fungal infection. The existence of microemulsion region was investigated in pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and various ME formulations were prepared using oleic acid, Tween 80, propylene glycol and water. Hydrogel of STZL microemulsions (HSM) were prepared in Carbopol 940 (0.

Involvement of NFκB in the antirheumatic potential of Chenopodium album L., aerial parts extracts.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chenopodium album L. (C. album) is commonly known as Bathua in Hindi (Family: Chenopodiaceae).

Effect of microemulsion in topical sertaconazole hydrogel: in vitro and in vivo study.

Purpose: A topical microemulsion (ME)-based hydrogel was developed to enhance permeation of an antifungal drug, sertaconazole (STZL) for effective eradication of cutaneous fungal infection.

Methods: Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were used to determine the existence of MEs region. ME formulations were prepared with oleic acid, Tween 80, propylene glycol (PG) and water.

Gradient HPLC-DAD determination of paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride, cetirizine in tablet formulation.

Present work describes the development and validation of a simple and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) procedure for the analysis of phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHE), paracetamol (PAR) and cetirizine dihydrochloride (CET), in pharmaceutical mixture. The method was applied successfully on tablet dosage form. Effective chromatographic separation of PHE, PAR and CET was achieved using a Kinetex-C18 (4.

Development of a sensitive HPTLC method for quantification of nimbolide in Azadirachta indica and its dosage form.

An improved and sensitive High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed for determination of anticancer compound, nimbolide in different parts of Azadirachta indica and its dosage form. A quick and simple ultrasonication technique was used for the preparation of sample solutions. Separation of the components was achieved on precoated TLC plates by using optimized tertiary mobile phase consisting of n-hexane:ethyl acetate:acetic acid (6:4:0.

Screening and characterization of extracelluar L-asparaginase producing Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88, isolated from Taptapani hotspring of Odisha, India.

Objective: To screen and isolate an eco-friendly, a thermophilic and potent L-asparaginase producing bacterium, with novel immunological properties that may obviates hypersensitivity reactions.

Methods: In the present study bacterial strain isolated for extracellular L-asparaginase production from hotspring, identified by morphological, biochemical and physiological tests followed by 16S rDNA technology and the L-asparaginase production ability was tested by both semi quantitative and quantitative enzymatic assay.

Results: The bacterial strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis strain hswx88 (GenBank Accession Number: JQ237656.

Formulation, in vitro drug release study and anticancer activity of 5-fluorouracil loaded gellan gum microbeads.

5-Fluorouracil loaded calcium-zinc-gellan and calcium-zinc-gellan-ethyl cellulose microbeads were successfully prepared by simple ionotropic gelation and oil in water ionotropic gelation technique, respectively. Prepared microbeads were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and evaluated for particle size, drug content, encapsulation efficiency, drug release and cell cytotoxicity study. Microbeads formed were spherical with rough surface.

Preparation and statistical optimization of alginate based stomach specific floating microcapsules of simvastatin.

The present study involves preparation and characterization of floating microcapsules with simvastatin as model drug for prolongation of gastric residence time. The main objective is to improve solubility of simvastatin beta-CD complex (1:2) by co-precipitation method and then to deliver the same in sustained release dosage form. Sustained-release simvastatin microcapsules were prepared by the ionic gelation technique, using carbopol 941 as swellable floating polymer.

Chandipura Virus: an emerging tropical pathogen.

Chandipura Virus (CHPV), a member of Rhabdoviridae, is responsible for an explosive outbreak in rural areas of India. It affects mostly children and is characterized by influenza-like illness and neurologic dysfunctions. It is transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies.

Hypolipidemic and antihyperlipidemic effects from an aqueous extract of Pachyptera hymenaea (DC.) leaves in rats.

Hypolipidemic and antihyperlipidemic effect from an aqueous extract Pachyptera hymenaea were studied and volatile constituents from the extract were analysed by GC-MS. Extract was administered to normal and diet-induced hypercholestrolemic rats for 28days and serum lipid profiles were estimated. An oral dose, at 200mg/kg/day, resulted in significant declines in plasma LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) by 44.

In vitro evaluation of domperidone mouth dissolving tablets.

In the present research work mouth dissolving tablets of domperidone were developed with superdisintegrants like crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium and sodium starch glycollate in various concentrations like 3%, 4% and 6% w/w by direct compression method. All formulations were evaluated for physical characteristics of compressed tablets such as weight variation, hardness, friability, content uniformity, in vitro disintegration time, wetting time and in vitro dissolution study. Among all, the formulation F3 (containing 6% w/w concentration of crospovidone) was considered to be the best formulation, having disintegration time of 9 s, wetting time of 15 s and in vitro drug release of 99.

Nephroprotective effect of Bauhinia variegata (Linn.) whole stem extract against cisplatin-induced nephropathy in rats.

The nephroprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of Bauhinia variegata (Linn.) whole stem against cisplatin-induced nephropathy was investigated by an in vivo method in rats. Acute nephrotoxicity was induced by i.

Anticataleptic and antiepileptic activity of ethanolic extract of leaves of Mucuna pruriens: A study on role of dopaminergic system in epilepsy in albino rats.

Objective: To assess the anticataleptic and antiepileptic activity of leaves of Mucuna pruriens in albino rats.

Materials And Methods: Haloperidol-induced catalepsy (HIC), maximum electro-shock (MES) method, pilocarpine-induced Status epilepticus (PISE) and single-dose effect of M. pruriens were employed.

Design and evaluation of a nanoparticulate system prepared by biodegradable polymers for oral administration of protein drugs.

The present work was about the preparation of nanoparticles by a complex coacervation process using the biodegradable polymers Chitosan and sodium alginate and to evaluate their suitability for oral administration of proteins. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein for incorporation into the nanoparticulate system. The prepared BSA-loaded nanoparticles were characterized for size, morphology, zeta potential, BSA encapsulation efficiency and subsequent release kinetics.

Taste masking of Etoricoxib by using ion-exchange resin.

The present study was carried out in order to mask the bitter taste of the Etoricoxib by complexation with cation-exchange resin, Indion 204. The drug resin complexes (DRC) were prepared by batch process and efficient drug loading was obtained by using inactivated form of resin in the drug-resin ratio 1:3.3 with 30 min swelling time of resin in 25 mL of water with 5 min stirring time.