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Rhinacanthus nasutus (R. nasutus) leaf extract was prepared and standardized to obtain rhinacanthins rich extract that contained total rhinacanthin-C (Rn-C) of not less than 70% w/w. Rn-C was also isolated from the standardized R. nasutus leaf extract (SRLE). SRLE was investigated on pain and inflammatory models in parallel with its main naphthoquinone constituent, Rn-C in order to compare their efficacy in experimental animals. The analgesic activities of SRLE and Rn-C were evaluated by the acetic acid-induced writhing test, a hot-plate test and formalin test at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg. The anti-inflammatory activities were investigated by carrageenan induced paw edema and the cotton pellet induced granuloma in rats at doses of 80, 160, and 320 mg/kg. SRLE and Rn-C inhibited the acetic acid induced writhing in a dose dependent manner; inhibited the early phase of the formalin test at 80 mg/kg and the late phase at 40 and 80 mg/kg. However, none of the tested doses were effective in protecting against the hot plate test. In the animal models of inflammation, SRLE and Rn-C dose dependently inhibited edema formation in the carrageenan induced paw edema and suppressed granuloma formation in the cotton pellet induced granuloma in rats. The effects of SRLE in these tests were similar to those of the Rn-C. This study confirms the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of SRLE and Rn-C in animal models as well as demonstrating that they have a similar efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to community-based point-of-care, low-cost, and sensitive tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics remains an unmet need. Objective: The objective of this study was to combine principles in nanotechnology, TB biology, glycochemistry, and engineering, for the development of a nanoparticle-based colorimetric biosensing assay (NCBA) to quickly and inexpensively detect acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum samples. Methods: In NCBA, the isolation of AFB from sputum samples was accomplished through glycan-coated magnetic nanoparticles (GMNP) interacting with AFB and then using a simple magnet to separate the GMNP-AFB complex. Acid-fastness and cording properties of mycobacteria were utilized to provide visually observable red-stained clumps of bacteria that were surrounded by brown nanoparticles under a light microscope on prepared smears. The NCBA technique was compared against sputum smear microscopy (SSM) and Xpert MTB/RIF in 500 samples from patients that were suspected to have TB. Results: Statistical analysis showed that NCBA had sensitivity and specificity performances in perfect agreement with Xpert MTB/RIF as gold standard for all 500 samples. SSM had a sensitivity of 40% for the same samples. Conclusion: NCBA technique yielded full agreement in terms of sensitivity and specificity with the Xpert MTB/RIF in 500 samples. The method is completed in 10–20 min through a simple process at an estimated cost of $0.10 per test. Implementation of NCBA in rural communities would help to increase case finding and case notification, and would support programs against drug-resistance. Its use at the first point-of-contact by patients in the healthcare system would facilitate quick treatment in a single clinical encounter, thus supporting the global "End TB Strategy" by 2035. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]