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Nigella sativa's thymoquinone (TQM), a water-insoluble phytonutrient exhibits nephroprotective effects. This study intends to develop a self-micellizing solid dispersion (SMSD) of TQM for better biopharmaceutical and nephroprotective performance. Soluplus®-based SMSD of TQM was created and tested for physicochemical properties, solubility, and pharmacokinetics in rats. Plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), nephrotoxic indicators, and oxidative stress biomarkers were also tested. During SMSD preparation, TQM was found amorphous, boosting solubility. Minimal band changes between TQM and Soluplus® indicate insignificant drug-carrier interactions. SMSD-TQM generated fine micelles in water, improving TQM's solubility by 97.8% in 60 min. SMSD-TQM was 4.9 times more bioavailable orally in rats than crystalline TQM. In a rat model of acute renal damage by cisplatin (6 mg/kg, i.p.), SMSD-TQM (10 mg-TQM/kg, p.o.) reduced blood creatinine and BUN by 56% and 63.2%, respectively. These findings imply that SMSD-TQM may be a potent dosage option for enhancing TQM's nutrient value.

Traditional medicines including Ayurveda, Unani have been used as therapeutics in the Indian subcontinent since 5000 BC. Because of the abundance of secondary metabolites, medicinal plants are becoming priceless natural resources for better drug development. Till date almost no ethnopharmacological evidences were available on Colocasia genus except Colocasia esculenta. As a part of our continuing assessment of evidence based use of traditional medicine, we have identified bioactive polyphenols in the ethanolic leaves extract of Colocasia affinis Schott using HPLC-DAD method and evaluated its anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic potentials for the first time. Chromatographic investigation showed the presence of p-coumaric acid, trans-ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, myricetin and kaempferol in the leaves extract. Pharmacological profile exploration demonstrated its anti-inflammatory activity at a dose of 250- and 500-mg/kg in xylene-induced ear edema in mice. The extract significantly reduced the allergy like symptoms such as sneezing, scratching, rhinorrhea, redness and swelling in Tolune diisocyanate (TDI) sensitized allergy model mice at 250- and 500-mg/kg doses. Besides, the extract also exhibited reduction in the level of neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils in a dose dependent manner in the experimental animal. The extract also confirmed reduction of blood glucose levels in the experimental mice at a dose of 250- and 500-mg/kg. Therefore, it is evident that C. affinis demonstrated possesses medicinal values through its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-hyperglycaemic potentials. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 24(1): 1-10, 2021

Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of two antioxidants, namely coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and silymarin, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress and hepatic damage in ovariectomized rats. Female Long Evans rats were divided into six groups (n = 6): control, CCl4, CCl4 + CoQ10 (200 mg/kg), CCl4 + silymarin (140 mg/kg), Control + CoQ10, and Control + silymarin. Plasma and tissues from liver and kidney were analyzed for oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities using biochemical assays. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrosis were assessed by histological staining of tissue sections. Both CoQ10 and silymarin significantly lowered serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels that were detected to be higher in CCl4 rats compared to controls. Significant reduction in CCl4-induced elevated levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and advanced protein oxidation product (APOP) was observed with both antioxidants. However, in control rats, CoQ10 and silymarin did not produce a significant effect. Histological analysis revealed that CCl4 markedly increased the level of inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues, but this was significantly reduced in CCl4 + CoQ10 and CCl4 + silymarin groups. Taken together, our results suggest that CoQ10 and silymarin can protect the liver against oxidative damage through improved antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation. Thus, supplementation of the aforementioned antioxidants may be useful as a therapeutic intervention to protect liver health in chronic liver diseases.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Exposure to arsenic results delayed and deformed embryonic development. • Arsenic exposure increased the mortality rate of embryos. • Arsenic exposure may increase miscarriage or abortion rate in the pregnant mother., Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has appeared as a valuable and popular model species to study the developmental and toxicological impact of environmental pollutants. To get insights on the toxicological effect of arsenic on early embryonic development, a controlled breeding of local Bangladeshi zebrafish followed by comprehensive microscopic analysis was conducted to study the embryonic development after exposure to different concentrations of arsenic ranges from 4−120 h post-fertilization. Zebrafish embryos exposed to 2 mM of arsenic displayed distinguishable developmental delay compared to control. At three days post-fertilization, a distinct phenotype appears in arsenic-treated embryos, which can be characterized by dechorionated embryos, larger egg mass, pericardial edema, abnormal heart rate, and abnormal head development. Remarkably, the death rate of the arsenic-treated embryos was significantly higher compared to control. Collectively, these findings indicate that exposure to arsenic may result in abnormal embryonic development. These results suggest for proper management of the pregnant mother in the arsenic-exposed area, and may also explain the incidence of increased miscarriage/abortion rate in arsenic water drinking pregnant mother.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, where most cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Lung cancer is the most prevalent in men and the third most prevalent in women among all cancer types. Globally, 1.8 million new lung cancer cases were recorded in 2012, which increased to 2 million in 2018. Cancer disease burden can be diminished, and life expectancy profoundly increases when diagnosis and prognosis are made at an earlier stage. Although biopsy is the gold standard in cancer diagnosis, it is invasive, inconvenient, and expensive. Liquid biopsy, which identifies cancer biomarkers in blood, is an active area of cancer research. Recent evidence suggests that interleukins (ILs), a class of cytokines involved in diverse cellular processes such as inflammation, growth, and proliferation, play critical roles in cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to therapy. Interestingly, many studies found the association of plasma IL-6 and IL-17 levels with lung cancer prognosis. In this study, we analyzed plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-17 in lung cancer patients and healthy volunteers. We have also studied the demographic and medical records of the participants. Among the participants, 42.9% and 57.1% were female in the control group and the disease group, respectively. The age of the participants was 22-65 years, with a mean of 46.5 (SD, ± 19.7) years. Plasma IL-6 levels were strikingly different between healthy volunteers (mean ± SEM, 0.97 ± 0.15 pg/mL) and patients (mean ± SEM, 7.42 ± 1.45 pg/mL). Notably, the range was narrow in the control group (0.32-2.10 pg/mL) but wide in the disease group (0.42-23.20 pg/mL). Plasma IL-17 levels were slightly lower in the disease group (mean ± SEM, 9.40 ± 2.82 pg/mL) compared to the control group (mean ± SEM, 12.40 ± 4.41 pg/mL), although the difference was not statistically significant. Intriguingly, the mean IL-17 value reduced dramatically with chemotherapy, and further reduction occurred with radiotherapy in lung cancer patients. Together, our study supports the use of plasma IL-6 and IL-7 levels as prognostic markers in lung cancer.

Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) is an annual climbing plant, native to Asia with multiple therapeutic uses in traditional medicine. This updated review is aimed at discussing the ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, pharmacological properties, and molecular mechanisms highlighted in preclinical experimental studies and toxicological safety to evaluate the therapeutic potential of this genus. The literature from PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Springer, Science Direct, and database was analyzed using the basic keyword “Benincasa hispida.” Other searching strategies, including online resources, books, and journals, were used. The taxonomy of the plant has been made by consulting “The Plant List”. The results showed that B. hispida has been used in traditional medicine to treat neurological diseases, kidney disease, fever, and cough accompanied by thick mucus and to fight intestinal worms. The main bioactive compounds contained in Benincasa hispida have cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Further safety and efficacy investigations are needed to confirm these beneficial therapeutic effects and also future human clinical studies.

The present study attempted to scrutinize the protective effect of the methanolic extract of P. chaba stem bark against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats, along with the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to identify phytochemicals, which were further docked in the catalytic site of CYP2E1 and the MD simulation for system that plays a major role in the bio-activation of toxic substances that produce reactive metabolites, leading to hepatotoxicity. P. chaba stem methanol extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) were treated orally with the negative control and the negative control silymarin (50 mg/kg) groups. Phytochemical profiling was conducted using GC-MS. In in-silico studies, PyRx software was used for docking analysis and the stability of the binding mode in the target active sites was evaluated through a set of standard MD-simulation protocols using the Charmm 27 force field and Swiss PARAM. Co-administration of P. chaba at both doses with APAP significantly reduced the APAP-augmented liver marker enzymes ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH, along with serum albumin, globulin, hepatic enzymes, histopathological architecture, lipid profiles, total protein, and total bilirubin, and elevated the levels of MDA. The GC-MS analysis indicated that P. chaba extract is enriched in fatty acid methyl esters (46.23 %) and alkaloids (10.91 %) and piperine is represented as a main phytochemical. Among all the identified phytochemicals, piperine (-8.0 kcal/mol) was found to be more interacting and stable with the binding site of CYP2E1. Therefore, all of our findings may conclude that the P. chaba stem extract and its main compound, piperine, are able to neutralize APAP-induced hepatic damage.

The current investigation was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant properties of ethanolic extract of Alternanthera bicolor and to assess the potential hypoglycemic effect of the extract in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. HPLC-DAD method was used to determine polyphenolic compounds present in the extract. Different in vitro assays (i.e. DPPH radical scavenging activity test, reducing power test, NO radical inhibition assay and scavenging of hydrogen peroxide) were used to determine the antioxidant potential of the plant. Antidiabetic activity was evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic mice by glucose tolerance test and standard biochemical analyses. HPLC-DAD analysis of the extract confirmed the presence of (+)-catechin hydrate, caffeic acid, quercetin and kaempferol. A. bicolor showed potent antioxidant activities in DPPH radical, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging assays. Moreover, A. bicolor showed potent reducing power and dose-dependent increment of total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the plant showed potent hypoglycemic activities in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Ethanolic extract of the plant at doses of 200- and 400-mg/kg body weight (administered orally for 3 weeks) significantly decreased the elevated levels of blood glucose, lipid peroxidation product TBARS, hydroperoxides and nitric oxide in experimental animals. Apart from these activities, the ethanolic extract of the plant restored the reduced catalase function in liver. From this study, we can conclude that ethanolic extract of A. bicolor exhibited hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 18(1): 49-60, 2019 (June)

Tropical rivers used for water supply, irrigation and tourism have effects on anthropic activities. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of different pollutants in the aquatic environment of the Guaribas river water and their possible cytogenotoxic effects. For this, the presence of heavy metals and cyanobacteria along with the possible cytogenotoxic effects in the aquatic environment were evaluated at the city of Picos-PI/Brazil, of its upstream, within and downstream regions. The results suggest that the electrical conductivity, total dissolved oxygen and solids, turbidity, color, chlorine and total phosphorus were above the allowed levels by the country’s legislation, especially at the points associated with the main city. Water collected from the within and downstream regions showed a significant cytotoxic and mutagenic effects, regardless of seasons, where a positive correlation was observed between the genetic damage and heavy metal contents. Furthermore, mutagenic cyanotoxins were also found in the samples. These results pointed out that the Guaribas river contains physical and chemical contaminants, and cyanotoxins, that can cause genetic damages, suggesting a bad impact on the aquatic ecosystem, human and other animals directly or indirectly dependent on it. In conclusion, adequate attention is required to establish toxicogenic biomonitoring programs for the other tropical rivers in Brazil.

Black Seed Oil (BSO), obtained from the seeds of black cumin (Nigella sativa), has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects. The present study was aimed to develop a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) of BSO, to improve hypotriglyceridemic and hepatoprotective function. SEDDS-BSO formed fine micelles with a mean droplet size of 183 nm and improved the dispersion behavior of BSO in water as evidenced by at least 2.6-fold higher dispersibility compared with BSO. In the CCl4-treated rat model of acute hepatic injury, SEDDS-BSO (10 mg-BSO/kg, p.o.) led to 91.7% and 86.8% reductions of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, respectively, suggesting that SEDDS-BSO could attenuate hepatotoxicity compared to BSO. In addition, repeated oral administration of SEDDS-BSO (10 mg-BSO/kg, p.o.) for 7 days had a potent hypotriglyceridemic effect on rats with corn-oil-induced hypertriglyceridemia compared to BSO. Therefore, the SEDDS approach might be an efficacious dosage option to enhance the nutraceutical properties of BSO.

Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of two antioxidants, namely coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and silymarin, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl

Phytol (PYT) is a diterpene member of the long-chain unsaturated acyclic alcohols. PYT and some of its derivatives, including phytanic acid (PA), exert a wide range of biological effects. PYT is a valuable essential oil (EO) used as a fragrance and a potential candidate for a broad range of applications in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry. There is ample evidence that PA may play a crucial role in the development of pathophysiological states. Focusing on PYT and some of its most relevant derivatives, here we present a systematic review of reported biological activities, along with their underlying mechanism of action. Recent investigations with PYT demonstrated anxiolytic, metabolism-modulating, cytotoxic, antioxidant, autophagy- and apoptosis-inducing, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulating, and antimicrobial effects. PPARs- and NF-κB-mediated activities are also discussed as mechanisms responsible for some of the bioactivities of PYT. The overall goal of this review is to discuss recent findings pertaining to PYT biological activities and its possible applications.

Beta (β)-caryophyllene (BCAR) is a major sesquiterpene of various plant essential oils reported for several important pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, antimicrobial, and immune-modulatory activity. Recent studies suggest that it also possesses neuroprotective effect. This study reviews published reports pertaining to the neuropharmacological activities of BCAR. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, MedLine Plus, and Google Scholar with keywords "beta (β)-caryophyllene" and other neurological keywords were searched. Data were extracted by referring to articles with information about the dose or concentration/route of administration, test system, results and discussion, and proposed mechanism of action. A total of 545 research articles were recorded, and 41 experimental studies were included in this review, after application of exclusion criterion. Search results suggest that BCAR exhibits a protective role in a number of nervous system-related disorders including pain, anxiety, spasm, convulsion, depression, alcoholism, and Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, BCAR has local anesthetic-like activity, which could protect the nervous system from oxidative stress and inflammation and can act as an immunomodulatory agent. Most neurological activities of this natural product have been linked with the cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), especially the CB2R. This review suggests a possible application of BCAR as a neuroprotective agent.

The development of combined anticancer therapeutic techniques has drawn increased attention for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. In this work, we synthesized Near Infrared (NIR) responsive ICG (I) functionalized hexagonal boron-nitride (hBN) as photothermal therapeutic agent (hBNI) and Doxorubicin (Dox)-conjugated Hyaluronic acid (HA) as tumor targeted chemotherapeutic agent (d-HA-Dox). Using adhesion properties of Dopamine (d), the hBNI has been integrated with d-HA-Dox to make a tumor targeted photothermal chemotherapeutic agent (hBNI/d-HA-Dox). The nanostructure of hBNI/d-HA-Dox has been studied using 1H NMR, FTIR, UV-vis-NIR and AFM images. Our in vitro results have provided evidence that hBNI/d-HA-Dox can efficiently damage targeted cancer cells while healthy cells are less affected suggesting that the targeted hBNI/d-HA-Dox nanoparticles work as a complementary antitumor agent with its synergistic co-therapeutic power.

Nanotechnology is reshaping health care strategies and is expected to exert a tremendous impact in the coming years offering better healthcare facilities. It has led to not only therapeutic drug delivery feasibility but also to diagnostics. Materials in the size of nano range (1-100 nm) used in the design, fabrication, regulation, and application of therapeutic drugs or devices are classified as medical nanotechnology and nanopharmacology. Delivery of more complex molecules to the specific site of action as well as gene therapy has pushed forward the nanoparticle-based drug delivery to its maximum. Areas that benefit from nano-based drug delivery systems are cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, blood disorders and orthopedic-related ailments. Moreover, development of nanotherapeutics with multi-functionalities has a considerable potential to fill the gaps that exist in the present therapeutic domain. In cancer treatment, nanomedicines have superiority over current therapeutic practices as they can effectively deliver the drug to the affected tissues, thus reducing drug toxicities. Along this line, polymeric conjugates of asparaginase and polymeric micelles of paclitaxel have recently been recommended for the treatment of various types of cancers. Nanotechnology-based therapeutics and diagnostics provide greater effectiveness with less or no toxicity concerns. Similarly, diagnostic imaging holds promising future applications with newer nano-level imaging elements. Advancements in nanotechnology have emerged to a newer direction which use nanorobotics for various applications in healthcare. Accordingly, this review comprehensively highlights the potentialities of various nanocarriers and nanomedicines for multifaceted applications in diagnostics and drug delivery, especially the potentialities of polymeric nanoparticle, nanoemulsion, solid-lipid nanoparticle, nanostructured lipid carrier, self-micellizing anticancer lipids, dendrimer, nanocapsule and nanosponge-based therapeutic approaches in the field of cancer. Furthermore, this article summarizes the most recent literature pertaining to the use of nano-technology in the field of medicine, particularly in treating cancer patients.

Background: Centilla asiatica L is a medicinal herb that has been widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. Asiatic Acid (AA), a triterpene and a known component of this herb, has been shown to display important biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic, neuroprotective, anxiolytic and antidepressant, hepatoprotective, pancreas protective, and cardio- protective. Objective: This review focuses on AA’s anti-cancer effects on the basis of published literature found in a number of databases such as PubMed and Science Direct. Emphasis has been given to the mechanisms of action of its anti-cancer effect. Methods: A literature survey was conducted using known databases such as PubMed and Science Direct using the keywords ‘Asiatic acid’, pairing with ‘cancer’, ‘tumor’, ‘anti-cancer effect’, ‘cytotoxic effect’, ‘anti-tumor activity’, ‘cell line’, ‘animal cancer’, and ‘human cancer’. Results: Findings suggest that AA exerts anti-cancer effects in several test systems through various pathways, including oxidative/antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, apoptotic cell death, necrosis, anti-angiogenesis, inhibition of proliferation and cell migration, and chemoprevention. Conclusions: AA may be an effective plant-based cancer chemotherapeutic agent and a promising lead for the development of potent anticancer drugs.

The internet has become an essential part of our daily life. But excessive usage can have a negative impact on the physical health of its users. Over the last decade, the use of Social Media (Facebook) has been increasing rapidly and the younger generations getting addicted to it. But all possible health impacts of excessive use of internet are yet to be thoroughly evaluated, especially in such a developing country as Bangladesh. The present study aims to understand possible health deteriorations from excessive use of Facebook in a cohort of university students of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1186 students from two public universities and 1472 from several private universities of Bangladesh using a comprehensive questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test to understand the association between Facebook usage behaviors and physical health status. We found that ~70% of the students used the internet for at least 4–6 hours/day, and ~27% of them used Facebook for >3 hrs. Students frequently use social media (mostly Facebook) for news and social communication. About 50% of the students reported wasting time on Facebook and going to sleep late because of it. Importantly, 47.3% students reported that excessive use of Facebook results sleeping disturbance and has a negative impact on the concentration of daily works/studies (p < 0.001). In addition, they experienced several other health problems, including worsening eyesight (71.2%), headaches (15.4%), back and neck pain (28%). Although not statistically important, a fair number of students sought medical attention due to the daily excessive use of internet (p-value = 0.112). These findings demands better understanding of the all possible impacts of using excessive internet among the University students, which can help take the necessary initiatives to encourage good use of the internet. Further extension of this study is suggested at all education levels to reveal the full scenario of degree of excessive internet use and its impact on the healths of Bangladeshi students., Highlights • ~70% University students of Bangladesh use internet for at least 4–6 hrs/day, among them ~27% use Facebook for >3 hrs. • Around half of the students felt using Facebook wasted time and reported sleeping disturbances. • Excessive use of internet caused problems such as weakening vision, occasional and frequent headaches, and back and neck pain., Facebook, Student, Time, Health, Bangladesh.

Histamine H1 receptor (H1R) gene is upregulated in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), and its expression level is strongly correlated with the severity of allergic symptoms. We previously reported isolation of the putative anti-allergic compound, 4-methoxybenzofuran-5-carboxamide (MBCA) from Tephrosia purpurea and its chemical synthesis (Shill et al., Bioorg Med Chem 2015;23:6869-6874). However, the mechanism underlying its anti-allergic activity remains to be elucidated. Here, we report the mechanism of MBCA on phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)- or histamine-induced upregulation of H1R gene expression in HeLa cells, and in vivo effects of MBCA were also determined in toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI)-sensitized rats. MBCA suppressed PMA- and histamine-induced upregulation of H1R expression at both mRNA and protein levels and inhibited PMA-induced phosphorylation of PKCδ at Tyr(311) and subsequent translocation to the Golgi. Furthermore, MBCA ameliorated allergic symptoms and suppressed the elevation of H1R and helper T cell type 2 (Th2) cytokine mRNAs in TDI-sensitized rats. Data suggest that MBCA alleviates nasal symptoms in TDI-sensitized rats through the inhibition of H1R and Th2 cytokine gene expression. The mechanism of its H1R gene suppression underlies the inhibition of PKCδ activation.

Beta (β)-caryophyllene (BCAR) is a major sesquiterpene of various plant essential oils reported for several important pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, antimicrobial, and immune-modulatory activity. Recent studies suggest that it also possesses neuroprotective effect. This study reviews published reports pertaining to the neuropharmacological activities of BCAR. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, MedLine Plus, and Google Scholar with keywords "beta (β)-caryophyllene" and other neurological keywords were searched. Data were extracted by referring to articles with information about the dose or concentration/route of administration, test system, results and discussion, and proposed mechanism of action. A total of 545 research articles were recorded, and 41 experimental studies were included in this review, after application of exclusion criterion. Search results suggest that BCAR exhibits a protective role in a number of nervous system-related disorders including pain, anxiety, spasm, convulsion, depression, alcoholism, and Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, BCAR has local anesthetic-like activity, which could protect the nervous system from oxidative stress and inflammation and can act as an immunomodulatory agent. Most neurological activities of this natural product have been linked with the cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), especially the CB2R. This review suggests a possible application of BCAR as a neuroprotective agent.

Epilepsy is a neurological disease affecting people of all ages worldwide. Side effects of antiepileptic drugs and their association with oxidative stress stimulate the search for new drugs, which would be more affordable with fewer adverse effects. Accordingly, the aim of the present work is to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of anacardic acid (AA), a natural compound extracted from cashew liquid (Anacardium occidentalis), in murine models, as well as its antioxidant actions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. AA (>90% purity) was tested, in vivo, in male Swiss mice (25–30 g) with four convulsive models, (1) pentylenetetrazole, (2) pilocarpine, (3) electroshock, and (4) kainic acid, at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, body weight (B.W.) Additionally, the effective dose, toxic dose, and protective index studies were also performed. Results revealed that AA exhibits anticonvulsive effects in models 1, 3, and 4, with a mean effective dose (ED50) of 39.64 (model 1) >100 mg/kg, B.W. (model 2), and 38.36 (model 3); furthermore, AA displays a protection index of 1.49 (model 1)

The crude hydroalcoholic extract of Cassia sophera Linn. leaves were investigated for its possible analgesic and antipyretic activities in rodents. The peripheral analgesic activity of C. sophera leaves was studied using acetic acidinduced writhing in mice and central analgesic activity was evaluated by using heat-induced pain in mice. The antipyretic activity of HECS was studied in Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. All these experiments were done at the doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight. Intraperitoneal administration of C. sophera hydroalcoholic extract (HECS) produced significant (P

BACKGROUND Indiscriminate usage of injections and lack of safe practices during injection administration have been reported worldwide. Unnecessary and unsafe injection usage not only increases the financial burden but are also responsible for spreading blood borne diseases including HIV, HBV and HCV. To attain a better understanding of the situation of injection usage in Bangladesh, a study was conducted at six Upazilla Health Complexes (UHCs), which are primary healthcare units in Bangladesh. METHOD The study involved the retrospective collection of treatment sheets of 1048 in-patients at six UHCs from January 2009 to June 2009. The data was then analyzed using statistical tests. RESULTS Among the patients investigated, 60.11% of the patients received injections and among them the male population received more injection than the female population (males vs. females = 62.50% vs. 55.85%). Patients below 12 years of age received the highest proportion of injections and highest usage of injections was observed in the month of March. The average number of injection(s) prescribed to a patient was 2.44 incurring a prescription cost of 280.22 Taka (USD 3.92 approx.). Injections were mostly prescribed in patients who were diagnosed with physical assault and acute watery diarrhea where intravenous fluids and antibiotics were most widely prescribed. Non-compliance to recapping of used injections was very common which accounted for 22.22% needle stick injuries. CONCLUSION The data suggest that indiscriminate and unsafe injection practices were occurring in all UHCs. Such practices resulted in financial losses as well as compromising safety for healthcare providers and patients.

A novel naturally occurring compound with a benzofuran skeleton was isolated from a plant, Tephrosia purpurea collected in Bangladesh. The chemical synthesis of this compound confirmed its structure, and preliminary biological results showed its suppressive activity towards histamine H1 gene expression. One isomer and four derivatives were also synthesized, and their suppression activity was investigated. Although only small quantities of this compound can be isolated from its natural source, a 10 g scale synthesis was demonstrated by the newly developed method.

The objectives of the present study were to investigate phytochemical screening and to assay cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts of leaves of two medicinal plants, Aglaonema hookerianum Schott (Family: Araceae) and Lannea grandis Engl. (Family: Anacardiaceae) available in Bangladesh. The brine shrimp lethality bioassay showed that the ethanolic extracts of Aglaonema hookerianum and Lannea grandis possessed cytotoxic activities with LC50 5.25 (microg mL(-1)) and 5.75 (microg mL(-1)) and LC90 10.47 (microg mL(-1)) and 9.55 (microg mL(-1)), respectively. Two extracts obtained from leaves were examined for their antibacterial activities against some gram positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus, also gram negative strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi and Vibrio cholerae. Agar disc diffusion method was applied to observe the antibacterial efficacy of the extracts. Results indicated that both plant extracts (500 microg disc(-1)) displayed antibacterial activity against all of the tested microorganisms. These results were also compared with the zones of inhibition produced by commercially available standard antibiotic, Amoxicillin at concentration of 10 microg disc(-1). Observed antibacterial properties of the ethanolic extract of Aglaonema hookerianum Schott and Lannea grandis Engl. showed that both plants might be useful sources for the development of new potent antibacterial agents.

Objectives Urinary tract infection is the second most common clinical indication for empirical antibiotic treatment in primary and secondary health care settings. The incidence of diabetes mellitus throughout the world is increasing strikingly and in the long run, it has some major effects on the genitourinary system which makes diabetic patients more liable to urinary tract infection. This study is designed to reveal the distribution of uropathogens in diabetic patients according to age and sex, and corresponding resistance patterns. Methods A six-month retrospective review of urine culture assay data from August 2009 to January 2010 from randomly selected 85 patients who suffered from both urinary tract infection and diabetes was conducted. Relevant information was retrieved and analyzed statistically using Microsoft® Excel 2002 software. Results The study showed that females are more vulnerable to pathogenic attack than males throughout a wide age distribution. In terms of pathogenic distribution, Escherichia coli was the highest followed by Streptococcus sp., Acinetobacter, Klebsiella pneumoniae and few others. Though Meropenem showed no resistance with E. coli, Acinetobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae, in the case of Streptococcus sp. it exhibited resistance of 25%. Amikacin exhibited only 3% resistance with E. coli, whereas no resistance with Acinetobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and most interestingly showed 75% resistance with Streptococcus sp. Gentamicin exhibited no resistance with Acinetobacter while 26.9%, 50% and 87.5% resistance with E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus sp. respectively. Hence, Nitrofurantoin exhibited less resistance 11.9% compared to 12.5% resistance with E. coli and Streptococcus sp. Nitrofurantoin was highly prone to resistance with Acinetobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae (100%, 50% respectively). Cephalosporins (cephradine, cefixime, ceftriaxone, cefepime etc.) showed moderate resistance (avg. 50%), whereas amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin showed the highest resistance in all these cases. Conclusion Pathogens are mostly resistant to antibiotics including amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, cephalosporins and nitrofurantoin, with few exceptions including gentamicin, amikacin and meropenem.

Key words: Ficus Hispida Linn.; DPPH free radical scavenging; antioxidant; cytotoxicityDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8035 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 29-36

This study is aimed to estimate general knowledge and awareness of patients regarding use of antibiotics to find out possible reasons of irrational use of antibiotics in Bangladesh. It was a questionnaire based crosssectional health survey conducted on 350 subjects aged 18 or over who came to get service at three tertiary healthcare centers named Dhaka Medical College (DMC) Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC) Mitford Hospital and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was found from the study that the general knowledge of the patients about the indication of antibiotics was very poor. Majority of the patients did not know the appropriate use of antibiotics. Only 26% respondents answered correctly that antibiotics are indicated for bacterial infections. In addition, 38.97% of them also did not know that an antibiotic is a prescription drug and should not be used without doctor’s prescription. The awareness about the patients towards use of antibiotics was also poor. A very high percentage of the patients (51.71%) answered that they do not complete the full course of therapy. Surprisingly, 39.14% of the patients replied that they stop antibiotics when the symptoms disappear and remarkably 14.29% just make the dose double if they forget to take due dose. On the other hand, 28.86% of the patients said that they do not maintain dosing schedule during the course of therapy. Moreover, prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in cold and fever was also extremely high (60.86%). This study indicates that there is an urgent need of health education for the community to increase knowledge and awareness about use of antibiotics to decrease the self-medication and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Key words: Antibiotics; General Knowledge; Awareness; Tertiary Healthcare Center; Health Education DOI: 10.3329/sjps.v3i1.6799S. J. Pharm. Sci. 3(1): 54-58

The ethanolic extract of the dried fruit of Solanum nigrum Linn. (Family: Solanaceae) was assessed for its possible analgesic, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of carbohydrate, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroids, glycosides, and gums. In acetic acid induced writhing in mice, the ethanolic extract (250 and 500mg/kg) exhibited significant (p

Background Citrus macroptera has been used as a culinary fruit and medicinal plant in traditional medicine system in Bangladesh. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of phenolic compounds in Citrus macroptera peel powder and the protective effect of Citrus macroptera against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in rats. Methods The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters such as liver marker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) and oxidative stress parameters. Histopathological changes in the liver of different groups were also studied. Results Administration of CCl4 increased the serum ALT, AST, ALP enzymatic activities and lipid peroxidation products but decreased the cellular antioxidant activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in rats which were brought back to near normal levels by the treatment with Citrus macroptera. Citrus macroptera administration has also shown to decrease the necrotic zones, fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in CCl4 treated rats. HPLC-DAD analysis of Citrus macroptera extract showed the great presence of caffeic acid and (−) epicatechin. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that Citrus macroptera exerts hepatoprotective activity via promoting the antioxidant defense against CCl4-induced oxidative liver damage.