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Shubham Kanaujiya,1,* Dilip Kumar Arya,1,* Prashant Pandey,1 Sneha Singh,2 Giriraj Pandey,1 Shabnam Anjum,3 Md Meraj Anjum,1 Daoud Ali,4 Saud Alarifi,4 Vijayakumar MR,1 Sri Sivakumar,2 Saurabh Srivastava,5 PS Rajinikanth1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India; 2Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, India; 3Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: PS Rajinikanth, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India, Email psrajinikanth222@gmail.comBackground: The healing of burn wounds is a complicated physiological process that involves several stages, including haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling to rebuild the skin and subcutaneous tissue integrity. Recent advancements in nanomaterials, especially nanofibers, have opened a new way for efficient healing of wounds due to burning or other injuries.Methods: This study aims to develop and characterize collagen-decorated, bilayered electrospun nanofibrous mats composed of PVP and PVA loaded with Resveratrol (RSV) and Ampicillin (AMP) to accelerate burn wound healing and tissue repair.Results: Nanofibers with smooth surfaces and web-like structures with diameters ranging from 200 to 400 nm were successfully produced by electrospinning. These fibres exhibited excellent in vitro properties, including the ability to absorb wound exudates and undergo biodegradation over a two-week period. Additionally, these nanofibers demonstrated sustained and controlled release of encapsulated Resveratrol (RSV) and Ampicillin (AMP) through in vitro release studies. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) of PVP-PVA-RSV-AMP nanofibers against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was found 31± 0.09 mm and 12± 0.03, respectively, which was significantly higher as compared to positive control. Similarly, the biofilm study confirmed the significant reduction in the formation of biofilms in nanofiber-treated group against both S. aureus and E. coli. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis proved the encapsulation of RSV and AMP successfully into nanofibers and their compatibility. Haemolysis assay (%) showed no significant haemolysis (less than 5%) in nanofiber-treated groups, confirmed their cytocompatibility with red blood cells (RBCs). Cell viability assay and cell adhesion on HaCaT cells showed increased cell proliferation, indicating its biocompatibility as well as non-toxic properties. Results of the in-vivo experiments on a burn wound model demonstrated potential burn wound healing in rats confirmed by H&E-stained images and also improved the collagen synthesis in nanofibers-treated groups evidenced by Masson-trichrome staining. The ELISA assay clearly indicated the efficient downregulation of TNF-alpha and IL-6 inflammatory biomarkers after treatment with nanofibers on day 10.Conclusion: The RSV and AMP-loaded nanofiber mats, developed in this study, expedite burn wound healing through their multifaceted approach. Keywords: electrospinning, nanofiber, resveratrol, ampicillin, burn wound healing, collagen

Traditional healers have used the shrub Calotropis procera (CP) for many years for various therapies. The present study investigated the bioactive constituents of ethanolic extract of CP leaf and dried latex using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. The identification and characterization of the compounds were confirmed by examining the constituents' mass spectrum fragmentations and FT-IR spectra and comparing the results with those in the literature. The tail-flick method was used to investigate the analgesic properties of the extract and its anti-inflammatory activities using a rat model of formalin-induced oedema. Acute oral toxicity in rats was studied per OECD recommendations. Twenty male rats were divided into four groups and received an ethanolic extract of the leaves and dried milky sap of CP (200 mg/Kg) in groups 1, 2, and 3. Group 4 rats were administered aspirin 50 mg/kg as a positive control. The CP dried latex extract has the highest content of lupeol and its acetate derivative compared to its leaf extract. The CP dried latex extract inhibited inflammation more significantly than the ethanolic leaf extract and the drug indomethacin at a higher dosage (200 mg/kg). The ethanolic extracts showed analgesia comparable to aspirin. It suggests that fatty acids and their esters, particularly ethyl linoleate (8.96%), ethyl palmitate (7.99%), ethyl linoleate (6.98%), and palmitic acid (5.18%), may be valuable biomarkers for characterizing leaf and latex samples and describing the medicinal potential of CP.

Phoenix dactylifera, commonly called date palm, has great importance as a fruiting plant. The hot methanolic extract of date seeds (HMEDSE), was further fractionated into three fractions (F1, F2, and F3) through column chromatography. The three fractions were composed of various bioactive constituents which was analysed through GC-MS and FT-IR analysis. The results revealed remarkable antibacterial properties of crude HMEDSE against various pathogenic microorganisms affecting humans. The spectrum of activity of HMEDSE against various human pathogenic bacteria showed the following sequence based on its efficacy, Escherichia coli (17.6 ± 2.5 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.3 ± 2.5 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (16.3 ± 1.5 mm), Streptococcus pyogenes (15 ± 2.6 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15 ± 2 mm), and lastly, Bacillus subtilis (14.3 ± 2 mm). Furthermore, HMEDSE exhibited cytotoxicity, with an IC50 of 73.5 ± 0.5 µg/mL against MCF-7 ATCC breast cancer cells, leading to gradual apoptosis.

Abstract The primary objective of this research was to create injectable delivery formulations using Lactotransferrin (LTF) peptide-loaded dextran nanoparticles coated with docosahexaenoic acid. These nanoparticles, designated as LLDDNP, underwent a lyophilization process. The study encompassed a comprehensive investigation, including physicochemical characterization, in vivo assessment of biomarkers, and an examination of immune response through cytokine modulation. The zeta potential of LLDDNP was − 24.5 ± 12 mV, while their average particle size was 334.9 z.d.nm. The particles exhibited a conductivity of 2.10 mS/cm, while their mobility in the injectable dosage form was measured at − 3.65 µm cm/Vs. The scanning electron microscopy investigation, the lyophilization processes resulted in discrete particles forming particle aggregations. However, transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that LLDDNP is spherical and smooth. The thermogram showed that about 95% of LLDDNP's weight was lost at 270 °C, indicating that the particles are extremely thermal stable. The XRD analysis of LLDDNP exhibited clear and distinctive peaks at 2θ angles, specifically at 9.6°, 20.3°, 21.1°, 22°, 24.6°, 25.2°, 36°, and 44.08°, providing compelling evidence of the crystalline nature of the particles. According to proton NMR studies, the proton dimension fingerprint region of LLDDNP ranges from 1.00 to 1.03 ppm. The in vitro release of LTF from LLDDNP was found to follow zero-order kinetics, with a commendable R2 value of 0.942, indicating a consistent and predictable release pattern over time. The in vivo investigation revealed a significant impact of hepatotoxicity on the elevation of various cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8R, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ. Additionally, the presence of hepatotoxicity led to an increase in apoptosis markers, namely caspase 3 and caspase 9, as well as elevated levels of liver biomarkers such as CRP, ALP, ALT, and AST. In contrast, the treatment with LLDDNP modulated the levels of all biomarkers, including cytokines level in the treatment group extremely high significant at p

The study aimed to develop cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles. The optimal batch of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles had a + 49.9 mV zeta potential, PDI of 0.347, and % PDI of 58.9. Nanoparticle zeta size was 741.4 z. d.nm, the size in diameter was 866.7 ± 470.5 nm, and nanoparticle conductivity in colloidal solution was 0.739 mS/cm. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles had sharp endothermic peaks at temperatures at 168.6 °C. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the weight loss of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles, which was observed as 95% at 262.76 °C. XRD investigation on cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles exhibited distinct peaks at 2θ as 9.7°, 20.4°, 22.1°, 25.3°, 36.1°, 38.1°, 39.5°, 44.3°, and 64.5°, confirming crystalline structure. The 1H NMR analysis showed the fingerprint region of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles as 0.85, 1.73, and 1.00 ppm in the proton dimension and de-shielded proton peaks appeared at 3.57, 3.58, 3.58, 3.59, 3.65, 3.67, 3,67, 3,67, 3.70, 3.71, 3.77, 3.78 and 4.71 ppm. The 13C NMR spectrum showed specified peaks at 63.18, 69.20, and 70.77 ppm. The FT-IR spectra of cisplatin loaded PEGylated nanoparticles show the existence of many fingerprint regions at 3186.52, 2931.68, 1453.19, 1333.98, 1253.71, 1085.19, 1019.60, 969.98, 929.53, 888.80, 706.13, and 623.67 cm−1. The drug release kinetics of cisplatin loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles showed zero order kinetics with 48% of drug release linearity fashion which has R2 value of 0.9778. Studies on the MCF-7 ATCC human breast cancer cell line in vitro revealed that the IC50 value 82.08 µg /mL. Injectable nanoparticles had good physicochemical and cytotoxic properties. This method is novel since the application of the PEGylation processes leads to an increased solubility of chitosan nanoparticles at near neutral pH.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an adjuvant novel non-invasive treatment technique in the field of plastic surgery for treating different wounds. This technique utilizes 100% oxygen at pressures above the atmospheric pressure. In our study, we are discussing about eight different cases in the field of plastic surgery. HBOT plays an important role in the treatment for different pathological conditions. It involves a hundred percent breathing of oxygen in a closed chamber for a certain period of time. HBOT main mechanism of action is hyper oxygenation but also enhances the immunity by antimicrobial properties and improves stem cell production.

Background: Ear keloids form after ear piercing in genetically predisposed young adults, causing cosmetic disfigurement and negative psycho-social impact, and reducing quality of life. Total excision of ear keloids leads to loss of ear tissue distorting ear framework and reconstruction to restore esthetically pleasant ear causes scarring and more aggressive keloids. Rate of recurrence is higher than 80% when surgical excision alone is done. Aims and Objectives: The study was conducted to compare the efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) or 5-fluorouracil (5 FU) as monotherapy, combined TAC+5 FU and multi-modal therapy (TAC+5 FU+surgical excision) for keloids of the ear. Materials and Methods: The prospective comparative study included 30 patients who presented to the out-patient clinic of plastic surgery department of Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, Salem for a duration of 2 years from January 2021 to December 2022. Patients were categorized into three groups based on size of ear keloids, Group I (10) – Injection TAC (A) or 5- FU (B), Group II (10): Injection TAC+5-FU, and Group III (10): Injection TAC+5- FU+Surgical excision (A – neoadjuvant+adjuvant; B – only adjuvant). Results: Of a total of 30 patients, Group IIIA showed significant reduction of keloid with least side effects, most pleasing cosmetically (Patient and observer scar assessment scale 1/10). No recurrence in follow up. Conclusion: Multi-modal therapy consisting of neoadjuvant TAC+5-FU, surgical excision, and adjuvant TAC+5 FU offers the best long-term results for large ear keloids.

BCT adoption remains to be a promising way to achieve food security and safety in many developing countries. This paper explores the impact of blockchain technology adoption on household farm income. Based on a simple random sampling method, a cross sectional survey was conducted in the year 2023 to collect data from 240 sample farmers including 120 BCT adopters and 120 non-adopters in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. The information regarding socio-economic profiles like age, gender, educational status, farming experience, farm size, extension agency contact, training programmes attended, access to technological information were collected from sample farmers through personal interviews. The present research used a treatment effect analysis with propensity score matching approach to assess the impact of blockchain technology adoption on household’s farm income. Results showed a significant increase in farm income as a result of blockchain technology adoption among sample farmers. PSM approach estimated that the blockchain technology adopters earned higher farm income of ₹25829.16 as compared to non-adopters. Hence the findings provide empirical evidence that blockchain technology adoption in agriculture can contribute to improve quality food production and enhance farm income.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the exocrine glands and is caused by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) mutations. Lung disease is the leading cause of morbidity in patients. Target-specific treatment of CF has been achieved using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The purpose of this article is to discuss the possibility of treating CF with mAbs through their significant target specificity. We searched electronic databases in Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 1984 to 2021. We discussed the critical role of targeted therapy in cystic fibrosis, as it will be more effective at suppressing the molecular networks. After conducting a critical review of the available literature, we concluded that it is critical to understand the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying CF prior to incorporating biologics into the therapy regimen. Omalizumab, Mepolizumab, Benralizumab, Dupilumab and KB001-A have been successfully screened for asthma-complicated CF, and their efficacies have been well reported. Despite the availability of effective targeted biologics, treating CF has remained a difficult task, particularly when it comes to reduction of secondary inflammatory mediators. This review emphasizes the overall views on CF, the immunological mechanism of CF, and the prospective therapeutic use of mAbs as potential targeted biologics for enhancing the overall status of human health.

Nanotechnology is a rapidly expanding discipline, and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) are at the forefront of this development. They offer various possible clinical and pharmaceutical research applications and numerous other fields. A quantitative review technique called bibliometric analysis uses statistics, data mining, and mathematics to find emerging trends in a particular academic topic. It is currently more widely utilized and is employed in many academic subjects. As a result, the current study looked through Scopus-indexed research documents on SLNs from 2012 to 2022 to assess the growth and expansion of this body of knowledge and predict its course in the future. The VOSviewer package and Scopus Analytics were used to conduct the bibliometric analysis. VOSviewer offers two distinct viewing modes: network and overlay visualization. A total of 3768 journal articles (n ​= ​3709) and conference papers (n ​= ​59) were extracted. The number of research documents published by 12,367 authors was steadily increasing annually. Gene therapy, development and detection methods, bioavailability, and controlled release have been important research subjects. Souto, E.B., of the University of Porto in Portugal, is considered the most prolific and frequently cited scholar. Punjab University (India) is the top-publishing institution. India is the leading country in the number of publications and research collaborations. The International Journal of Pharmaceutics is the top source. The current results keep pace with global scientific efforts in nanotechnology and successfully integrate them into the pharmaceutical industry.

Vaccination is a groundbreaking approach in preventing and controlling infectious diseases. However, the effectiveness of vaccines can be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of adjuvants, which are substances that potentiate and modulate the immune response. This review is based on extensive searches in reputable databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The goal of this review is to provide a thorough analysis of the advances in the field of adjuvant research, to trace the evolution, and to understand the effects of the various adjuvants. Historically, alum was the pioneer in the field of adjuvants because it was the first to be approved for use in humans. It served as the foundation for subsequent research and innovation in the field. As science progressed, research shifted to identifying and exploiting the potential of newer adjuvants. One important area of interest is nano formulations. These advanced adjuvants have special properties that can be tailored to enhance the immune response to vaccines. The transition from traditional alum-based adjuvants to nano formulations is indicative of the dynamism and potential of vaccine research. Innovations in adjuvant research, particularly the development of nano formulations, are a promising step toward improving vaccine efficacy and safety. These advances have the potential to redefine the boundaries of vaccination and potentially expand the range of diseases that can be addressed with this approach. There is an optimistic view of the future in which improved vaccine formulations will contribute significantly to improving global health outcomes.

Abstract The present study was carried out to develop cisplatin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CCNP) and cisplatin-loaded chitosan nanoparticle surface linked to rituximab (mAbCCNP) as targeted delivery formulations. The two formulations (CCNP and mAbCCNP) exhibited significant physicochemical properties. The zetapotential (ZP) values of CCNP and mAbCCNP were 30.50 ± 5.64 and 26.90 ± 9.09 mV, respectively; while their particle sizes were 308.10 ± 1.10 and 349.40 ± 3.20 z.d.nm, respectively. The poly dispersity index (PDI) of CCNP was 0.257 ± 0.030 (66.6% PDI), while that of mAbCCNP was 0.444 ± 0.007 (57.60% PDI). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that CCNP had endothermic peaks at temperatures ranging from 135.50 to 157.69 °C. A sharp exothermic peak was observed at 95.79 °C, and an endothermic peak was observed at 166.60 °C. The XRD study on CCNP and mAbCCNP revealed distinct peaks at 2θ. Four peaks at 35.38°, 37.47°, 49.29°, and 59.94° corresponded to CCNP, while three distinct peaks at 36.6°, 49.12°, and 55.08° corresponded to mAbCCNP. The in vitro release of cisplatin from nanoparticles followed zero order kinetics in both CCNP and mAbCCNP. The profile for CCNP showed 43.80% release of cisplatin in 6 h (R2 = 0.9322), indicating linearity of release with minimal deviation. However, the release profile of mAbCCNP showed 22.52% release in 4 h (R2 = 0.9416), indicating linearity with sustained release. In vitro cytotoxicity studies on MCF-7 ATCC human breast cancer cell line showed that CCNP exerted good cytotoxicity, with IC50 of 4.085 ± 0.065 µg/mL. However, mAbCCNP did not elicit any cytotoxic effect. At a dose of 4.00 µg/mL cisplatin induced early apoptosis and late apoptosis, chromatin condensation, while it produced secondary necrosis at a dose of 8.00 µg/mL. Potential delivery system for cisplatin CCNP and mAbCCNP were successfully formulated. The results indicated that CCNP was a more successful formulation than mAbCCNP due to lack of specificity of rituximab against MCF-7 ATCC human breast cancer cells.

Artemisia arborescens is a medicinal and aromatic plant used in traditionally by the people of Saudi Arabia. This research attempts to evaluate the bioactive constituents of the plant using organic solvents, as well as the antibacterial and anticancer properties of plant extracts. The Phytochemical analysis of methanol extract revealed eleven bioactive constituents, identified by comparing their retention periods and GC-MS profiles to account for 52.45 percent of the studied extract. In the meantime, the extract of pet ether had demonstrated the presence of sixteen significant constituents, six of which were distinct sesquiterpene derivatives. In lipophilic plant extract, three higher alkanes made up 12.49% of the total. These higher alkanes were tetratriacontane (6.55%), hentriacontane (4.17%), and octacosane (1.77%). Studies on antimicrobial activity have revealed that both methanolic and petroleum ether extracts had a broad spectrum of activity against specific human pathogens. Both extracts, however, failed to exhibit any anti-Candida albicans activity. Methanolic extract not shown inhibition in the cell growth of MCF-7 cell, but petroleum ether extract had shown significant anti-cancer activity against MCF-7 cell with an IC50 of 13.49 µg/mL. the results obtained show that A. arborescens have a lot of potential for further research into variety of biological functions, against cancer and microbes.

This work aimed to identify the bioactive constituents of Ducrosia anethifolia Boiss eaves through cold methanolic extract. The GC–MS study of cold methanolic extract showed the presence of various pharmaceutically important bioactive compounds with unique peaks at specified retention time. The significant compounds are α-linoleic acid, α-sitosterol, n-hexadecanoic acid, palmitic acid β-monoglyceride, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol and benzoic acid, methyl ester. The FT-IR study showed them fingerprint region at 3326.80, 2943.53, 2831.74, 1450, 1110.67 and 1020.80 cm−1. The FT-IR study suggested the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, saponins, fatty acids and squalene. Oral administration of Ducrosia anethifolia Boiss leaves powder (DLP) (100 mg/kg body weight) was successfully reduced the blood sugar level after 14 d treatment in STZ (50 mg/kg bodyweight) induced diabetic rats significantly from 327.93 ± 24.5 to 171 0.03 ± 3.78 mg/dL. Furthermore, DLP (400 mg/kg body weight) was showed 74 ± 1.9 % inhibition of ulcer. The results of this study showed that DLP has both anti-diabetic and anti-ulcer characteristics when tested in vivo.

This study investigated the anti-ulcer properties of raw olive leaf powder (OLP) and its immunomodulatory potential through the cytokine network. The efficacy of OLP extract in treating stomach ulcers in rats in ethanol-induced models was examined using a single dosage (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) in groups 4, 5, and 6. The OLP demonstrated substantial anti-ulcer action even at 100 mg/kg. The activity was better at 400 mg/kg and almost equivalent to the conventional omeprazole treatment at 20 mg/kg in group 3. The cytokine network was studied in groups 1, 2, 3, and 6. The cytokine network was efficiently regulated by reducing the production of cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. The levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were also lowered in groups 3 and 4 considerably at p < 0.05. It is interesting to note that the expression of IFN was greater in animals treated with OLP in group 4, as compared to animals treated with omeprazole in group 3, as well as animals from the disease control group 2, when analyzed at a significance level of p < 0.05. The results revealed that OLP has intriguing potential for anti-ulcer action, and possesses immunomodulatory capabilities to control inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers.

Background: Female sterilisation is the most common method of contraception worldwide and laparoscopic tubal sterilisation is increasingly considered as a day-surgery procedure. Therefore, pain following this procedure should be seriously addressed. Instillation of 200 to 300 mg of ropivacaine intraperitoneally has been proven effective in controlling pain after laparoscopic tubal ligation (LTL). However, extreme caution must be taken as potential serum toxicity has been reported with the instillation of 150 mg of intraperitoneal ropivacaine. In search of the lowest, most effective dose, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 112.5 mg of ropivacaine intraperitoneally in reducing post-operative pain after LTL. Methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial was conducted in an ambulatory care centre in Malaysia. Sixty-two patients scheduled for LTL were recruited. Two patients were excluded from the trial because of intraoperative complications. Sixty patients were randomised to either the placebo group (intraperitoneal normal saline, n = 30) or the ropivacaine group (intraperitoneal ropivacaine, n = 30). Pain scores (using a visual analogue score), and the need for additional analgesia were assessed at 15, 60, 120, and 240 minutes post-LTL. Results: We observed no significant differences in pain scores or the need for additional analgesia between the groups. Conclusion: 112.5 mg of ropivacaine administered intraperitoneally is not more effective than normal saline in decreasing post-operative pain after LTL.

This work aimed to identify the bioactive constituents and antibacterial activity of a cold methanolic extract of Olea europaea leaves. GC–MS analysis of the cold methanolic extract of the leaves of O. europaea L. revealed several unique bioactive compounds, including 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, n-hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenamide, (Z)-, hexadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester, squalene, 2-(2-Hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-3,5,6-trimethylpyrazine, Benzoic acid, 4-formyl-, methyl ester, 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, Vitamin E etc. The FT-IR spectrum revealed distinct fingerprint regions at 3313, 2943, 2831, 1662, 1590, 1449, 1300, 1111, and 1020 cm−1. The fingerprinting region is associated with the presence of several bioactive chemicals as determined by GC–MS analyses. The methanolic extract of O. europaea leaves revealed a broader spectrum of antibacterial activity. On the other hand, the spectrum of activity was substantially narrower than that of standard ciprofloxacin discs.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the protective action mechanism of 4-4(hydroxyl-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butane against Sodium tellurite (ST) induced nephrotoxicity in rats. ST is a hazardous substance used in metallurgical and glassware industries, but its renal toxicities have not been well established before. Rats were distributed into four groups, six rats contain in each group. Normal control group given only vehicles only, toxic group given ST 8.5 mg/kg p o, treated groups given ST and 4-(hydroxyl-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butane(100 mg/kg bwt), and positive control given only treatment drug 4-(hydroxyl-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butane (100 mg/kg bwt) daily for 14 days. ST administration increases an alteration in biochemical, oxidative stress, cytokines markers, and morphological changes in toxic group. When it was treated with 4-(hydroxyl-3- methoxyphenyl)-2-butane significantly (p 0.05) changes have been seen in positive control as compared to normal control. In conclusion, 4(hydroxyl-3 methoxyphenyl)-2-butane successfully defended the kidney from oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and necrosis against ST intoxication. Thus, significant improvements were reflected and confirms with the improvement in histopathological changes.

Amikacin sulfate-loaded dextran sulfate sodium nanoparticles were formulated, lyophilized (LADNP), and then analyzed. The LADNP had a −20.9 ± 8.35 mV zeta potential, PDI of 0.256, and % PDI of 67.7. The zeta average nano size of LADNP was 317.9 z. d.nm, while the dimension of an individual particle was 259.3 ± 73.52 nm, and nanoparticle conductivity in colloidal solution was 2.36 mS/cm. LADNP has distinct endothermic peaks at temperatures at 165.77 °C, according to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the weight loss of LADNP, which was observed as 95% at 210.78 °C. XRD investigation on LADNP exhibited distinct peaks at 2θ as 9.6°, 10.4°, 11.4°, 18.9°, 20.3°, 24.4°, 28.2°, 33.2°, 38.9°, and 40.4° confirming crystalline structure. The amikacin release kinetics from LADNP revealed zero order kinetics with a linear release showed zero order kinetics with 37% of drug release in 7 h and had an R2 value of 0.99. The antibacterial effect of LADNP showed broad-spectrum activity against tested human pathogenic bacteria. The preset study demonstrated that LADNP is a promising antibacterial agent.

The present study was designed to discover novel secondary antibiotic metabolites from Actinomycetes species from the soil of Rijal Almaa, Saudi Arabia. A laboratory-scale benchtop fermentation was utilized for the demonstration of antibiotics from the soil actinomycetes. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis of the fermented product (FP) was carried out, which showed unique fingerprint regions indicating the presence of phenolic hydroxyl groups, aliphatic compounds, carboxylic groups, esters, isothiocyanate, etc. GC-MS analysis of the FP depicted the unique structures of secondary metabolites, such as cyclononasiloxane octadecamethyl, cercosporin, ethyl iso-allocholate, octadecane, 3-ethyl-5-(2-ethylbutyl), dasycarpidan-1-methanol (acetate), heptadecane, 9-hexyl-, phthalic acid-butyl, and octadecane, 3-ethyl-5-(2-ethylbutyl). The TGA analysis showed the thermal stability of FP and the initial weight loss in FP was observed at 277.29 °C. The 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of FP analysis demonstrated the various characteristic peaks presence of secondary metabolites. The XRD analysis at 2θ revealed distinct particles based on specific diffraction peaks. A set of six human bacterial pathogens, namely, the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), were utilized for screening. The FP exhibited promising antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial organisms. The antibacterial spectrum of activity was greater for E. coli and B. subtilis than for K. pneumoniae.

This study investigates the phytoremediation efficiency of stem cuttings of Portulaca oleracea L. grown in Cu and Cd-contaminated soils collected from six major arterial roadsides in Coimbatore, India. The levels of Cu and Cd extractable by diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) were tested in all soils. Furthermore, plant growth parameters and the accumulation of Cd and Cu were tested after stem cuttings were grown for 30 days in all soils. The DTPA-extractable levels of Cu (8.45 to 35.34 μg/g) and Cd (0.18 to 3.10 μg/g) showed wide ranges of variations between sites. Furthermore, levels of Cu were higher in all soils (3.46 to 135.92 times higher) than Cd. After 30 days of growth, significant variation was not found between the soils in the plants' number of leaves (39 ± 2.0 to 41 ± 1.5 leaves), length of roots (8.0 ± 0.7 to 8.7 ± 0.7 cm), and fresh weight (11.40 ± 0.59 to 11.73 ± 0.36 g). The accumulation of Cu was higher (by 2.45 to 5.92 times) than that of Cd in all plants. The calculated accumulation factor (transport of Cu and Cd from soil to plants) was higher for Cd (3.01 to 39.22) than Cu (1.24 to 4.59). There was no clear trend between the order of DTPA-extractable Cu and Cd in soil, Cu and Cd accumulation in plants, and the calculated accumulation factor. Considering the accumulation efficiency of P. oleracea for Cu and Cd, this plant could be explored further for the removal of metals from roadside soils.

The purpose of this study was to develop injectable nanocrystals (NC) from stem exudate gel (EG) from Caralluma retrospiciens (Ehrenb) using the technique of nanoprecipitation. The NC had a zeta potential of −5.58 ± 4.27 mV. Size distribution analysis showed that it ranged in size from 100 to 300 nm. The polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.467, while its percentage PDI was 68.4. Scanning electron microscopic analysis and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed the morphological features of NC as discrete crystals with rough surfaces. The mobility of NC was 5.5 µm.cm/Vs, while its conductivity was 0.16 mS/cm. Antibacterial studies showed broad activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of NC against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) were 6, 8, 8, 4, 8, and 6 % (w/v), respectively. The antibacterial effect was highest against K. pneumoniae (25.6 ± 1.5 mm), followed by E. coli (25.5 ± 1.8 mm), P. aeruginosa (24.1 ± 1.2 mm), S. pyogenes (22.2 ± 1.2 mm), S. aureus (21.83 ± 1.2 mm) and B. subtilis (20.33 ± 1.8 mm). In this study, the cytotoxicity properties of NC were determined against MCF-7 breast cancer cells ATCC. The NC failed to inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 cells against the even at 300 µg/mL concentration. These results indicated that the NC is a promising antibacterial injectable dosage form.

The present study focused on demonstrating the induction of humoral and cell-mediated immunity through the establishment of a cytokine network. We hypothesized the anti-inflammatory, pro-inflammatory, and IgE antibody levels after vaccination with lyophilized recombinant HBsAg-loaded docosahexaenoic acid nanovesicles (LRPDNV), and the efficacy compared well with standard commercial recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. The cytokine network was efficiently regulated by striking a balance between pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8R, and IL-12 and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ immune response on the 14th and 30th day after primary and booster immunization. The acute phase protein CRP level was increased due to IL-6 after immunizing with LRPDNV. On the other hand, the IgE level was not significantly increased to induce any allergic reactions after immunization with LRPDNV. The study concluded that after immunizing with LRPDNV, a significant immunological response was established, implying that DHA nanovesicles have significant potential as an adjuvant method for delivering recombinant HBsAg protein. On the other hand, following immunization with LRPDNV, the IgE level was not noticeably elevated enough to cause any adverse reactions. The study concludes that a robust immune response was developed after immunizing with LRPDNV and suggests that DHA nanovesicles have much potential to deliver recombinant HBsAg protein.

Carfilzomib (CFZ) is an anticancer medication acting as a selective proteasome inhibitor. However, it can cause cardiovascular problems, increasing mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate whether zingerone (ZRN) could help reduce carfilzomib-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar albino rats. Rats were divided into five groups of six animals each. The first group received normal saline as a control (NC); the second group received multiple doses (six) of CFZ (4 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (IP); the third and fourth groups received zingerone (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg oral) along with six doses of CFZ for 16 days; and the fifth group received only 100 mg/kg zingerone orally. Hematological, biochemical, oxidative stress, and histopathological studies confirmed the findings of CFZ-induced cardiotoxicity. We found that ZRN significantly attenuated the effects of CFZ on oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant properties of glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Additionally, ZRN reduces inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers, such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and caspase-3. Overall, zingerone prevents carfilzomib-induced cardiotoxicity in rats, as evidenced by histopathological studies.

The objective of this study was to characterize the bioactive ingredients and antiulcer effects of Lactuca sativa leaves. Several bioactive chemicals were found in the cold methanolic extract of Lactuca sativa leaves after gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) research: 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, cyclononasiloxane, octadecamethyl-, n-hexadecanoic acid, Hexadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl, octadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester, 9-octadecenamide, (Z)-, hexadecanoic acid, stigmasterol, benzothiazole, ethyl iso-allocholate, and octacosane. Distinct fingerprint regions in GCMS indicated the existence of bioactive compounds. The leaf powder of Lactuca sativa (LPL) demonstrated substantial antiulcer properties at 400 mg/kg, which was almost equivalent to the standard drug at 20 mg/kg. The cytokine network was efficiently regulated by reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were also considerably lowered at p < 0.05 significant level.

Cyclophosphamide is an anticancer drug with a wide spectrum of clinical uses, but its typical side effects are multiple complications, including nephron toxicity. The possible molecular mechanism of the nephroprotective action of sesamin (SM) against cyclophosphamide (CP) induced renal toxicity was investigated in rats by understanding oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines. In this study, rats were arbitrarily grouped into the following four groups: a normal control group (CNT); a CP-induced toxicity group; a treatment group with two doses of sesamin SM10 and SM20; a group with sesamin (SM20) alone. A single dose of CP (150 mg/kg body, i.p.) was administered on day 4 of the experiments, while treatment with SM was given orally for seven days from day 1. The group treated with SM showed a significant protective effect against CP-induced renal damage in rats. Treatment with SM significantly increased the antioxidant enzymes (GSH, CAT, and SOD) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Thus, SM significantly overcame the elevated kidney function markers (creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and uric acid) by attenuating oxidative stress. The SM also significantly reduced the elevated cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα) and caspase-3 in the treated group. Histopathological studies confirmed the protective effect of sesamin (SM) on CP-induced nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, the current findings support the nephroprotective effect of sesamin against CP-induced renal injury.

Recombinant HBsAg-loaded docosahexaenoic acid nanovesicles were successfully developed, lyophilized (LRPDNV) and characterized for their physico-chemical properties. The zetapotential (ZP) of LRPDNV was −60.4 ± 10.4 mV, and its polydispersity (PDI) was 0.201, with a % PDI of 74.8. The particle sizes of LRPDNV were 361.4 ± 48.24 z. d.nm and 298.8 ± 13.4 r.nm. The % mass (r.nm) of LRPDNV in a colloidal injectable system was 50, its mobility value was −3.417 µm cm/Vs, while the conductivity of the particles was 0.728 (mS/cm). Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis showed smooth morphological characteristics of discrete spherical LRPDNV. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of LRPDNV revealed that LRPDNV is thermostable. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed a discrete crystalline structure of LRPDNV at 2θ. Nuclear magnet resonance (NMR) studies (1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectrum showed the discrete structure of LRPDNV. The immunogenicity study was performed by antibody induction technique. The anti-HBs IgG levels were elevated in Wistar rats; the antibody induction was observed more in the product (LRPDNV) treatment group when compared to the standard vaccine group. The level of antibodies on the 14th and 30th day was 6.3 ± 0.78 U/mL and 9.24 ± 1.76 U/mL in the treatment and standard vaccine groups, respectively. Furthermore, the antibody level on the 30th day in the treatment group was 26.66 ± 0.77 U/mL, and in the standard vaccine group, the antibody level was 23.94 ± 1.62 U/mL. The LRPDNV vaccine delivery method released HBsAg sustainably from the 14th to the 30th day. The results of this study indicate the successful formulation of DHA nanovesicles which have great potential as an adjuvant system for the delivery of recombinant HBsAg protein.

Out of 19,046 goats aged between 5 and 6 month and slaughtered at an abattoir in Dubai between September 2012 and March 2014, 57 carcasses were objected at meat inspection due to the presence of bladder worms of the coenurus type. The majority showed single cysts that were cut out but 10 carcasses had to be discharged due to the presence of multiple cysts and with a maximum number of 41 coenuri. In the majority of carcasses, cysts were located in the legs (n=45) followed by abdominal muscles (n=16), diaphragm (n=14) and shoulder (n=13). Loin, rack, renal fat, heart, neck, masseter were other cyst locations. The size of the detected parasitic cysts ranged from 0.7 ml to 90 ml. The maximum number of 1,102 scolices was counted in an 86 ml coenurus found in the leg of a goat. Cysticercus tenuicollis was another cestode larval stage found in livers of 302 goats. A mixed infection with both parasites was detected in 35 carcasses.

The objective of the present study is to establish radiation standards for absorbed doses, for clinical high energy linear accelerator beams. In the nonavailability of a cobalt-60 beam for arriving at Nd, water values for thimble chambers, we investigated the efficacy of perspex mounted extrapolation chamber (EC) used earlier for low energy x-rays and beta dosimetry. Extrapolation chamber with facility for achieving variable electrode separations 10.5mm to 0.5mm using micrometer screw was used for calibrations. Photon beams 6 MV and 15 MV and electron beams 6 MeV and 15 MeV from Varian Clinac linacs were calibrated. Absorbed Dose estimates to Perspex were converted into dose to solid water for comparison with FC 65 ionisation chamber measurements in water. Measurements made during the period December 2006 to June 2008 are considered for evaluation. Uncorrected ionization readings of EC for all the radiation beams over the entire period were within 2% showing the consistency of measurements. Absorbed doses estimated by EC were in good agreement with in-water calibrations within 2% for photons and electron beams. The present results suggest that extrapolation chambers can be considered as an independent measuring system for absorbed dose in addition to Farmer type ion chambers. In the absence of standard beam quality (Co-60 radiations as reference Quality for Nd,water) the possibility of keeping EC as Primary Standards for absorbed dose calibrations in high energy radiation beams from linacs should be explored. As there are neither Standard Laboratories nor SSDL available in our country, we look forward to keep EC as Local Standard for hospital chamber calibrations. We are also participating in the IAEA mailed TLD intercomparison programme for quality audit of existing status of radiation dosimetry in high energy linac beams. The performance of EC has to be confirmed with cobalt-60 beams by a separate study, as linacs are susceptible for minor variations in dose output on different days.

This paper describes the initial experience of quality assurance (QA) tests performed on the millennium multi-leaf collimator (mMLC) for clinical implementation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using sliding window technique. The various QA tests verified the mechanical and dosimetric stability of the mMLC of linear accelerator when operated in dynamic mode (dMLC). The mechanical QA tests also verified the positional accuracy and kinetic properties of the dMLC. The stability of dMLC was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using radiographic film and Omnipro IMRT software. The output stability, variation in output for different sweeping gap widths, and dosimetric leaf separation were measured. Dose delivery with IMRT was verified against the dose computed by the treatment planning system (TPS). Monitor units (MUs) calculated by the planning system for the IMRT were cross-checked with independent commercial dose management software. Visual inspection and qualitative analysis showed that the leaf positioning accuracy was well within the acceptable limits. Dosimetric QA tests confirmed the dosimetric stability of the mMLC in dynamic mode. The verification of MUs using commercial software confirmed the reliability of the IMRT planning system for dose computation. The dosimetric measurements validated the fractional dose delivery.

The objective of this study was to conduct an audit on QA aspects of treatment delivery by the verification of the treatment fields′ position on different days to document the efficiency of immobilization methods and reproducibility of treatment. A retrospective study was carried out on 60 patients, each 20 treated for head and neck, breast, and pelvic sites; and a total of 506 images obtained by electronic portal imaging device (EPID) were analyzed. The portal images acquired using the EPID systems attached to the Varian linear accelerators were superimposed on the reference images. The anatomy matching software (Varian portal Vision. 6.0) was used, and the displacements in two dimensions and rotation were noted for each treated field to study the patient setup errors. The percentages of mean deviations more than 3 mm in ′lateral (X) and longitudinal (Y)′ directions were 17.5%, 11.25%, and 7.5% for breast, pelvis, and head and neck cases respectively. In all cases, the percentage of mean deviation with more than 5 mm error was 0.83%. The maximum average mean deviation in all the cases was 1.87. The average mean SD along X and Y directions in all the cases was less than 2.65. The results revealed that the ranges of setup errors are site specific and immobilization methods improve reproducibility. The observed variations were well within the limits. The study confirmed the accuracy and quality of treatments delivered to the patients.

3 Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy (3D-CRT) planning software helps in displaying the 3D dose distribution at different levels in the planned target volume (PTV). Physical or dynamic wedges are commonly applied to obtain homogeneous dose distribution in the PTV. Despite all these planning efforts, there are about 10% increased dose hot spots encountered in final plans. To overcome the effect of formation of hot spots, a manual forward planning method has been used. In this method, two more beams with multi-leaf collimator (MLC) of different weights are added in addition to medial and lateral wedged tangent beams. Fifteen patient treatment plans were taken up to check and compare the validity of using additional MLC fields to achieve better homogeneity in dose distributions. The resultant dose distributions with and without presence of MLC were compared objectively. The dose volume histogram (DVH) of each plan for the PTV was evaluated. The 3D dose distributions and homogeneity index (HI) values were compared. The 3D dose maximum values were reduced by 4% to 7%, and hot spots assumed point size. Optimizations of 3D-CRT plans with MLC fields improved the homogeneity and conformability of dose distribution in the PTV. This paper outlines a method of obtaining optimal 3D dose distribution within the PTV in the 3D-CRT planning of breast cases.

There is need for simple methods for checking consistency of beam outputs and energy in linear accelerators used for radiotherapy. A method was designed by the department using perspex phantom with which the dosimetric data of two medical linear accelerators (Clinac 600 CD, Clinac 2300 CD) were evaluated over a period of 30 months. The efficacy of methods followed was checked. Routine beam consistency checks were designed for photon beams with 15 cm/ 5 cm depth ionizations in perspex phantom and variable depth combinations for electron beams. Calculated ionization ratios were compared with measured values to show their significance. The dose/MU for all radiation beams was maintained within 2% accuracy over the period of 30 months. Clinac 600 CD machine showed decreasing trend of cGy/MU, while Clinac 2300 CD showed increasing trend of cGy/MU over a period, which needed tuning of monitor chamber two times each. Tuning of output to achieve standard value was carried out once, for all electron energies when the output dose/MU exceeded 3%. During one week (June 2005), there were slight changes in electron energy detected using the ratio method, which did not recur anytime afterwards. The methods designed are adequate to find the consistency in the beam output and energies in the radiotherapy linacs.