Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2017 in |
Cognitive impairment in elderly is a growing public health concern, and is mainly caused by dementia of various etiologies. Hence, it is important to explore possible measures to mitigate the risk of dementia. Curcumin, active ingredient of turmeric (Curcuma longa) is used in curry and has shown protective effect on cognition. This study aims to explore the association between curcumin consumption in curry form and cognitive function in elderly population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 randomly selected residential homes for elderly in Ipoh, Malaysia. A total of 162 subjects aged ≥ 60 years without major physical and mental health problems were selected. The variables included demographic variables, fitness and social activities and frequency of curry consumption. Association of cognitive function with curry consumption and other variables was tested using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The data was analysed by chi-square and logistic regression using SPSS17.0. Curry consumption, at least once a week was a significant protective factor for cognition based on logistic regression analysis (OR = 0.152; 95%...
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Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2017 in |
In their fight for supremacy and survival, microorganisms have been developing and devising various methods to inactivate the action of antibiotics. The numbers of drug resistant microorganisms with reduced susceptibility to various antibiotics are increasing. Therefore, new infection-fighting strategies are required to control microbial infections. The interaction between potent chemicals and living system contribute to the understanding of life processes and provide effective methods for treatment, prevention and diagnosis of many diseases. Phenol Schiff bases like chalcone imines and flavone imines were screened for their antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The in vitro activity of the compounds was evaluated by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and the MIC was determined for a few selected compounds. Most of the compounds showed significant antimicrobial activity. The compounds were found toxic to bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, S. typhimurium, Shigella flexneri and Proteus species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be resistant to most of the compounds. It was noted that all...
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Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2017 in |
A variety of Nano-biomaterials are synthesised, characterised and tested to find out their potentialities by global scientific communities, during the last three decades. Among those, nanostructured ceramics, cements and coatings are being considered for major use in orthopaedic, dental and other medical applications. The development of novel biocompatible ceramic materials with improved biomedical functions is at the forefront of health-related applications, all over the world. Understanding of the potential biomedical applications of ceramic nanomaterials will provide a major insight into the future developments. This study reviews and enlists the prominent potential biomedical applications of ceramic nanomaterials, like Calcium Phosphate (CaP), Tri-Calcium Phosphate (TCP), Hydroxy-Apatite(HAP), TCP+HAP, Si substituted HAP, Calcium Sulphate and Carbonate, Bioactive Glasses, Bioactive Glass Ceramics, Titania-Based Ceramics, Zirconia Ceramics, Alumina Ceramcis and Ceramic Polymer...
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Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2017 in |
Docetaxel (Doc) is an antitumor drug used to treat various types of cancers. However, it has certain limitations in clinical use due to its side effects. The major objective of this study was to assess the antitumor activity and cardiotoxicity of the Doc loaded in a nanoemulsion formulated with the garlic oil (Doc-NEGO) in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice. One hundred mice were split into five groups (n = 20). Groups I and II served as untreated mice and untreated EAC-bearing mice, respectively. Groups III-V represented the EAC-bearing mice administered orally by Doc-NEGO, NEGO and Doc dissolved in distilled water, respectively. The antitumor activity included the measurement of the mean survival time (MST) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the tumor ascetic fluid. The cardiotoxicity was identified by determining the serum enzymes and analyzing the oxidative stress in the heart tissue. It has been found that the z-average diameters of the nanoparticles of NEGO and Doc-NEGO, determined by the zetasizer, were 63.19 ± 1.85 nm and 110.43 ±...
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Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2017 in |
Peptide drugs are poorly absorbable and are also susceptible to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). To overcome the physiological and morphological barriers for the peptide / poorly absorbable drug delivery, mucopenetrative and mucoadhesive properties of drug carriers have to be considered. Mucoadhesion can prolong the residence time of drug carriers at the absorption sites, improved drug absorption and controlled release of drug from the device used. The particles with smaller size were likely to diffuse much faster into the mucus layer, provided that diffusion of the particles into the mucus layer should obey Stokes-Einstein equation. The adhesiveness of the nanoparticles (NPs) in suspension form helps to improve bioavailability. Chitosan (CS) based or CS-coated NPs represent another common group of mucoadhesive systems. Moreover, NPs made of such polymers were used to enhance the bioavailability, and also the mucoadhesion of proteins, peptides and DNA to the mucosal tissues. This review focuses on the mechanism of gastrointestinal mucoadhesion of NPs for peptide/poorly absorbable...
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