Development and Ex vivo evaluation of Rasagiline Mesylate mucoadhesive microemulsion for intranasal delivery using Box-Behnken design

Rasagiline mesylate (RM), an irreversible, selective inhibitor of MAO-B enzyme, is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease as oral tablets. It has low oral bioavailability (36%) due to hepatic first pass metabolism. Oral route of administration is associated with nausea and vomiting. Hence present research work was aimed to develop intranasal RM- loaded mucoadhesive microemulsions for brain targeting via olfactory pathway. The microemulsions were developed using Box Behnken design and evaluated for globule size, PDI, Zeta potential, pH, viscosity and ex vivo permeation on excised porcine nasal mucosa. Based on drug solubility, Capmul MCM, Tween 20 and Transcutol P were selected as oil, surfactant and cosurfactant respectively. Microemulsions were prepared by water titration method. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed and the levels of surfactants, oil were selected. The influence of independent variables such as oil, Smix and water on responses size, zeta potential and flux were studied with the help of polynomial equations, contour plots and 3D response surface plots generated by design expert software. Optimized microemulsion formulation (ME18) was composed of oil (Capmul MCM), Smix (Tween 20: Transcutol P; 1:1), water and drug in the ratio 5:42:65:5.The globule size, zeta potential and flux of the optimized microemulsion was 150 nm, -29.6 mV and 291.7 μg/cm2/h respectively. Mucoadhesive agent (Chitosan) was added at 0.5% concentration to optimized microemulsion formulation (MME18). The size, zeta potential and flux of the MME18 was 176.4 nm, 12.1 mV and 323.1 μg/cm2/h respectively. The flux of ME18 and MME 18 was significantly higher than drug solution. The enhancement ratio of MME 18 was 4.2 times to that of drug solution, indicating potential advantage of microemulsion formulation.

Effect of vagbhattokta tambula sevana as per ayurveda on mukha roga

The diseases of oral cavity termed as Mukharoga in Ayurveda which involve various pathological conditions such as; Danta Gata Roga and Austha Gata Roga etc. Ayurveda described that Mukharogas may occur at different site of oral cavity and Acharya Charaka has mentioned 64 Mukha rogas in Swayathu Chikitsa Adhyaya depended on Doshik predominance. Vatika Mukha Roga, Paittik Mukha Roga, Kaphaja Mukha Roga and Sannipatika Mukha Roga are some disease of oral cavity emphasized in Ayurveda classic. Vagbhattokta Tambula Sevana is an Upkrama of Dinacharya practices since long in India and it alter pathological manifestation of Mukha rogas. Considering this fact present article described effect of Vagbhattokta Tambula Sevana as an Upkrama of Dinacharya.

Bioactive potential of Pseudomonas alcaliphila isolated from a marine sponge against human pathogens

Metabolite extraction is considered as one of the important steps in metabolomics, the marine metabolite are the new source of the most antimicrobial agents used in both pharmacological and biological applications. In the present study, sponge associated bacterial metabolites was investigated. A total of 20 bacterial strains were isolated from the sponge Haliclona sp., All the strains were screened primarily with cross streaking method against human bacterial pathogens. The potent isolate was chosen based on the good inhibitory activity and metabolite extraction was achieved using chloroform: methanol mixture. The metabolites were then checked for their antimicrobial activity by disk diffusion and also minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. Out of 20 bacterial strains, only one strain selected based on the good inhibitory activity against pathogens and the strain was identified as Pseudomonas alcaliphila based on the biochemical and16S rRNA sequencing. The results revealed that the metabolites exhibited high activity and it was found that Klebsiella pneumoniae was inhibited high with the diameter of 22 mm followed by Salmonella Typhi (15 mm), E.coli (12 mm), and Bacillus subtilis (15 mm). The MIC was observed at 31.25 µg/ml against all pathogens. Results of TLC exhibited the Rf value at 0.86 and the FTIR results revealed the presence of C=o, amide bond, amino acids and methoxy groups. In GC-MS results showed that the metabolites mostly contain fatty acids and alkenes compounds. Thus, this marine active compound was considered as a novel compound for biological applications and may be a potential drug for therapeutic use.

Validated stability indicating assay method for tenofovir implementing design of experiment approach for forced degradation

Tenofovir, an antiretroviral drug known as nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was evaluated for its degradation behavior. The study involved optimization of forced degradation study using the design of experiment (DoE) approach and validation of developed stability indicating assay method (SIAM) for tenofovir. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Kromasil C18 column using mixture of methanol and ammonium acetate buffer pH 8.5 as mobile phase in isocratic elution mode. Detection was done using PDA detector. Tenofovir showed degradation at alkali, acid hydrolysis and oxidative condition while it was stable to photolysis and thermal stress condition. The optimization of forced degradation conditions, like hydrolytic and oxidative, was done by application 3n full factorial designs, which helped to obtain desired drug degradation. The proposed method was successfully validated as per ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines.

Clinical efficacy of Ashwattha Choorna Lepa in the management of Mukhapaka

Mukha (mouth) is one of the important parts of body and it is exposed to various risk factors due to the bad habits like tobacco chewing and smoking etc. Mukhapaka is pathological condition related to Mukha which occurs due to the simple cut, eating hot food items, unhygienic cleaning, vitamins deficiencies and adverse reaction of antibiotics. Lalasrava, Glani, Dugdha Dwesha, Vyatha and Nasa Shwasa etc. are general symptoms of Mukhapaka. As per ayurveda Mukha Rogas is Pittaja Nanatmaja and Rakta Pradoshaja Vikara and around 20% of population is suffering with this problem. Ayurveda described various treatment modalities for the management of Mukhapaka; Ashwattha Choorna Lepa is one of them, present article established efficacy of Ashwattha Choorna Lepa in Mukhapaka. The study concluded that Lepan-Karma with ayurveda formulation Ashwattha Choorna offers beneficial effects in mouth ulcer.

Preparation and characterizations of Graphene oxide and Graphene NPs

An eco-friendly and inexpensive process of reduction of Graphene oxide using extract of Amla juices is here in reported. The objective is to reduce Graphene oxide to Graphene nanoparticles. The crystallite size of nanoparticles Graphene was confirmed by XRD analysis. FTIR spectral analysis revealed the reduction of Graphene oxide using extract of Amla juices. The morphology of the synthesized Graphene was examined by TEM analysis and SAED pattern. From Graphene oxide which was prepared by Hummer method is reduced to Graphene by using Amla juices as reducing agent. To synthesize Graphene nanoparticles using a cost effective green method and to analyze how Graphene improves a device with respect to cost, production and efficiency. The toxicity of the Graphene nanoparticles will be reduced through the green method.

Morpho-Anatomical studies of Atalantia racemosa Wight ex Hook., an important medicinal plant of Chittoor Dt. of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Atalantia racemosa Wight ex Hook., belongs to the family Rutaceae and is widely used as ethnomedicine in and around chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh for various ailments. In this paper we attempted for authenticity in morphological identification of Atalantia racemosa with the Morpho-anatomical studies of root, stem and leaf inorder to provide a scientific basis for this important medicinal plant. The observations on taxonomical, macroscopical and microscopical characters confirmed that A. racemosa has apparent anatomical distinctiveness and peculiarities which differentiate with any adulterant taxa.

Isolation and characterization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi from the rhizospheric soil of some medicinal plants

The present investigation was carried out to estimate the colony forming units of indigenous fungi and to study the diversity and Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) of some medicinal plants. The study was also aimed to estimate and isolate the Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) spore population from the rhizospheric soil of some important medicinal plants from the Botanical garden of College campus. All the selected medicinal plants i.e., Mentha sp. Ocimum sanctum, Bryophyllum sp. Adhatoda vasica, and Andrographis paniculata showed a very good diversity of rhizospheric soil fungi. The highest number of Colony forming unit (c.f.u) was estimated in Mentha sp (162/10-1) followed by Bryophyllum sp. (156/10-1), Andrographis paniculata (91/10-1), Adhatoda vasica (72/10-1) and Ocimum sanctum (68/10-1). Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) spore population was also estimated in all the medicinal plants. The higest number of AM spores was estimated in Andrographis paniculata (121/50gm-1) followed by Ocimum sanctum (112/50gm-1), Adhatoda vasica (94/50gm-1), Bryophyllum sp.(89/50gm-1) and Mentha sp (75/ 50gm-1). The rhizospheric soil fungal diversity including mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus sp.) also was found to be beneficial for increasing the photosynthetic activity and uptake of phosphorus in medicinal plants. Thus, the use of AM inoculum can increase the yield of medicinal plants along with their secondary metabolites to utilize on a sustainable basis as a traditional and herbal medicine for the human welfare.

Prediction of high CPT yielding ecotypes of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Graham) Mabb. in Western Ghats using Ecological Niche Modeling

Camptothecin (CPT) is one of anticancer drug that is widely used for treating various cancers. In India, the drug is primarily sourced from natural habitats of the red listed species Nothapodytes nimmoniana. Ecological niche models are potential tools to define and predict the “ecological niche” of a species that exhibit ecological variations. The predicted ecological niche of a species indicates their survival fitness against Bioclimatic variables. The habitat suitability was predicted using Maxent for different ecotypes of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Graham.) Mabb. In this study the synonymised populations of N. nimmoniana in the Western Ghats were cogitated as five different ecotypes. The predicted habitat suitability of different ecotypes were evaluated and correlated against CPT content using high performance thin layer chromatography. The study shows a significant positive correlation between the predicted habitat quality and chemical content. The ecotypes growing in sites predicted as highly suitable showed high content of camptothecin compared to those growing in poorly suitable sites. Thereby enabling precise identification of “chemical hot-spots” which will eventually establish a strong foot hold on monoculture of the species, an effort towards conservation.