Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2018 in |
Ten herbal medicines, Four herb choornam (Trikatu, Hingwashtak, Triphala and sitopladi) and five herbal compounds – Kutajghan Vati, Gandhak Rasayan, Sarivadi Vati, Chanderprabha Vati, Shankh Vati were tested for levels of heavy metals (Lead, copper, cadmium, iron, chromium, manganese, nickel and zinc). Both herbal extracts and herbal formulations showed the presence of heavy metals. Concentrations were higher in the herbal formulations as compared to herbal extracts. The intake of the heavy metals has been calculated by taking into account the recommended daily dose of the given Ayurvedic medicines and their calculated average daily dose (ADD). The paper discusses the significance of these quantities regarding calculated daily limit given by various international food and drug administration agencies. Iron, zinc, and copper are classified as micro-nutrients, and these metals have been reported to be deficient in the diet. The prescribed medication of tested Ayurvedic medicines provides the required intake of these micronutrients. The study concludes that the tested Ayurvedic medicines are not only safe regarding heavy metal intake but apart from...
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Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2018 in |
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), is an etiologic agent of the most life-threatening disease AIDS. HIV-1 protease (HIVP) is a key enzyme that performs an essential step in the life cycle of the virus. HIV-1 protease assembled as a dimer in the functional form and involved in cutting “polyprotein” into the proper protein-sized pieces. The two chains assemble to form a long tunnel covered by two flexible protein forms a “flaps.” The flaps open up, and the enzyme wraps around a protein chain, closing and holding it tightly in the tunnel. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is the current successful treatment approach for AIDS and protease inhibitors plays a crucial role in HAART. The drugs that target against protease consider as one of the major approaches in modern medicine. Till date, 26 anti-HIV compounds have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and 10 are HIV protease inhibitors. The antiviral resistance occurs due to a point mutation in the viral protein which has been a big...
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Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2018 in |
Gastro-retentive drug delivery system can retain the drug in the gastric region for several hours which enhances drug release and improves bioavailability. Atenolol, an antihypertensive drug has a short half-life, limited bioavailability, highly unstable at basic pH and is extensively absorbed from the stomach. These features triggered the need for developing the gastro-retentive system. In the present study, a superporous hydrogel was developed as a gastro-retentive drug delivery system. Chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) type superporous hydrogels were prepared using a gas foaming method employing glyoxal as the cross-linking agent. Sodium bicarbonate was used as a foaming agent to introduce the porous structure. Swelling behaviors of the superporous hydrogel in acidic solution were studied to investigate their applications for gastric retention device. The optimum preparation condition of superporous hydrogels was obtained from the gelation kinetics. SPH tablets of atenolol were prepared by direct compression incorporating microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, talc and sodium bicarbonate, etc. and evaluated. The super porous hydrogels were highly sensitive to pH of swelling...
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Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2018 in |
A reliable, rapid, simple and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method with UV detection was developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of strychnine in a polyherbal formulation prepared from Nux Vomica. Krimimudgara rasa, a herbal dosage form containing Strychnos nux vomica, Apium graveolens, Embellia ribes, Butea monosperma in combination. Separation of the strychnine from its major and minor degradation products was successfully achieved on a reversed-phase C-18 column using (250 mm × 4.6 mm ID, 5 µm particle size), with isocratic elution using a mixture of Methanol: KH2PO4 buffer solution (10 mmol, adjusted to pH 3 with orthophosphoric acid) (50:50 v/v) at flow rate 0.7 ml/min at 254 nm. The method was validated concerning linearity, precision, accuracy, system suitability and robustness. The responses were linear in the drug concentration range of 1 – 10 μg/ml. The percent recoveries were in the range between 98 – 101% from a mixture of degradation products. The utility of the procedure was verified by its application to a marketed formulation that was subjected to...
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Posted by admin on Dec 31, 2018 in |
Overcoming the scourge of malaria infection is possible when healthcare workers have good levels of understanding and attitudes towards the disease, which will influence their treatment practices. This study assessed healthcare workers’ levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in uncomplicated malaria treatment at primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in Plateau state, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional KAP approach to extract related data from 289 trained healthcare workers in twenty-four (24) PHC facilities. A designed and validated self-reported instruments known as Healthcare Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Instrument for Uncomplicated Malaria (HKAPIUM) (Cronbach’s alpha reliability = 0.705) were filled and returned by respondents, and the descriptive statistics of the data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®) version 23 software. Most respondents were within 38 and 47 (37.0%), and 28 – 37 (28.0%) years of age, and the majority (73.4%) were female. Many of them (31.8%) were as community health extension workers (CHEW), with only 11.4% and 0.7% as laboratory and pharmacy technicians, respectively. Those with 8...
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