BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF BROMOCRIPTINE ON HIGH FAT DIET-INDUCED BODY WEIGHT GAIN, ADIPOSITY AND BIOCHEMICAL ANOMALIES IN WISTAR RATS

 Objectives: Dopamine plays a critical role in various vital functions, including hormonal regulation, reward, emotions, and food intake. It affects on the multiple aspects of food intake that include food selection, satiety, and energy expenditure. Dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) were found to be lower in several brain regions in both obese experimental animals and humans, and it has been observed that dopamine D2 agonist bromocriptine (BC) can exert favorable metabolic changes in seasonal obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effect of chronic administration of BC a central dopamine receptor agonist on body weight gain, adiposity, and biochemical anomalies in rats.Methods: In this study, chronic administration of BC (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day, i.p) a dopamine agonist for 8 weeks along with high-fat diet (HFD) to the obese rats which were pretreated with HFD feeding for 8 weeks on the various parameters of obesity were analyzed. The effects of these treatments on body weight, feed intake (kcal), weight and size of fat pads, levels of serum glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein were analyzed.Results: Treatment with BC (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day, i.p) produced significant dose-dependent decrease (p<0.05) in body weight gain, feed intake (kcal), weight and size of fat pads, levels of serum glucose, TG, TC, and low-density lipoproteins as compared to HFD group. Moreover, the level of serum HDL was increased as compared to HFD group. BC a dopamine receptor agonist positively modulate the parameters of obesity, and the effect was comparable to orlistat, a well-reported drug for obesity.Conclusion: In conclusion, the study demonstrates that BC ameliorated established obesity and associated biochemical consequences

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF RAPID REVERSE PHASE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS ESTIMATION OF STIGMASTEROL AND β-SITOSTEROL IN EXTRACTS OF VARIOUS PARTS (LEAVES, STEMS, AND ROOTS) OF XANTHIUM STRUMARIUM LINN.

Objective: Xanthium strumarium is a cocklebur or burweed belonging to family Asteraceae and commonly found as a weed, is widely distributed in North America, Brazil, China, Malasia, and hotter part of India. The herb is traditionally used mostly in treating several ailments. The present study deals with development and validation of a reliable reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the simultaneous estimation of Stigmasterol and β-sitosterol in the various extracts of the plant.Methods: The proposed method utilizes a Qualisil Gold C18 column (250×4.6 mm), 5 µm particle size, under isocratic elution conditions with themixture of acetonitrile:ethanol:water (85:14:1 v/v/v) at 25° as a mobile phase. An effluent flow rate of 1 ml/minute and ultraviolet detection at202 nm was used for the analysis of Stigmasterol and β-sitosterol.Results: The described method was linear in the range of range of 100-500 µg/ml and 10-500 µg/ml for stigmasterol and β-sitosterol respectively, with excellent correlation coefficients. The precision, robustness, and ruggedness values were also within the prescribed limits (<2%). The recovery values were within the range, which indicates that the accuracy of the analysis was good and that the interference of the matrix with the recovery of phytosterols was low. The phytosterols were found to be stable in a stock solution for 24 hrs (percentage relative standard deviation was below 2%) and no interfering extra peaks were observed under controlled stress conditions.Conclusion: The proposed method is simple, specific, precise, accurate, and reproducible and thus can be used as appropriate method for routine analysis of X. strumarium phytosterols in quality control laboratories.Keywords: Xanthium strumarium, Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography method, Precision, Phytosterols, Quality contro

COLON SPECIFIC DELIVERY OF COMBINATION OF 5-FLUOROURACIL AND CELECOXIB: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND IN VITRO CYTOTOXICITY ASSAY

Objective: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and celecoxib (Cel) combination offered additive effect in the treatment of colon cancer. However, physicochemical and biopharmaceutical attributes of both drugs deliver suboptimal concentration at the site of action. The objective of the current study is the development of a microparticulate drug delivery system loaded with a combination of 5-FU and Cel to achieve prolonged drug delivery in colon cancer. Methods: 5-FU and Cel combination were loaded in Eudragit coated chitosan (CH) microspheres (MSs) and characterized. Results: The average particle size of the MSs was in the range of 2.7±0.9μm to 4.8±1.1μm. A substantial drug encapsulation efficiency of 71.30±2.3% as obtained for 5-FU as compared to 35.20±1.9% of Cel in the tailored microparticles. The drug loading capacity of 6.5 mg/10 mg and 2.3 mg/10 mg was obtained for 5-FU and Cel, respectively. By Eudragit S 100 (Ed) coating, significant pH-dependent release profile was achieved, and no drug release was observed in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The developed MSs exhibited the release of 92.1±2.9% of 5-FU in 8h whereas 18.9±0.7% Cel was found to be released from the developed MSs. The drug-loaded MSs exhibited appreciable potency against HT-29 cells with an IC50 value of 35.9 μM. Conclusion: The results indicated that these microparticles are a promising vehicle for selectively targeting drugs to the colon in the chemotherapy of colon cancer

Study of knowledge, attitude, practices regarding PPIUCD among antenatal women at a tertiary care centre in Northern India

Background: PPIUCD has been introduced in the national family welfare program since March 2010 in several states. AN IUCD can be inserted in 48 hours postpartum, referred to here as postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device. This study was done to assess the Knowledge, attitude and practice of postpartum Intrauterine contraceptive device in antenatal patients at a tertiary care centre in Northern India.Methods: This is a questionnaire based cross sectional observational study including 350 antenatal women attending antenatal OPD over a period of 6 months.Results: Out of these 350 women, 126 women (36%) had knowledge of PPIUCD. only 30 % of women had previous knowledge about PPIUCD however only 10 % of women practiced it in the past. After appropriate counselling 18% of women agreed for insertion of PPIUCD after this delivery.Conclusions: The study concludes that the antenatal women had poor knowledge regarding PPIUCD. Practices were even worse. This might be attributed to low education ,  refusal by family especially male partner, and religious beliefs. But once appropriate knowledge and information is provided, attitude gradually changes

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR ESTIMATION OF ARIPIPRAZOLE IN SWAB SAMPLES ON PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT SURFACES FOR CLEANING VALIDATION

Objective: To validate simple analytical method and its application in the determination of residual aripiprazole in production area equipment and to confirm the efficiency of cleaning procedure.Methods: The swab sampling and UV method for residual estimation of aripiprazole in swab samples from equipment surfaces after manufacturing of three consecutive batches of aripiprazole 10 mg uncoated tablets were developed and validated.Results: The swab sampling method was developed and validated in order to obtain the suitable recovery (>90%). The swabs were saturated with acetonitrile. The UV method was developed using UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 255 nm. The calibration curve was linear (r2 =1.0000) over a concentration range of 1-30 µg/ml. The LOD and LOQ were 0.43 µg/ml and 1.32µg/ml, respectively. No interference from swab solution was observed and samples were stable for 24h. The determined concentration varying from 1.00-5.687µg/swab was well below the calculated limit of contamination i.e., 24.2µg/swab or 24.2 µg/25 cm2.Conclusion: The results obtained from cleaning procedure confirmed that the proposed procedure was able to remove aripiprazole from equipment surfaces below the value of 10 ppm criteria. So the proposed validated UV method with appropriate swab wipe procedure could be applicable for cleaning validation on residues of aripiprazole

Fetal Doppler for prediction of adverse perinatal outcome in preeclampsia in a low resource setting

Background: To assess the usefulness of fetal Doppler in predicting adverse perinatal outcome in preeclampsia.Methods: All the women with preeclampsia from 30 weeks onwards were enrolled in the study. The umblical artery (UA) Systolic-diastolic (S/D) ratio>2standard deviation (SD) or UA-Pulsatility Index (PI) and UA-Resistive Index (RI) >2SD were taken as abnormal. The middle cerebral artery (MCA) was visualized and cerebroumblical PI ratio calculated. MCA-RI2SD (RR 4.46, 95% CI 1.40-14.17) and RI>2SD (RR 3.36, 95% CI 1.03-10.61) and MCA RI2SD predicted acute fetal distress in labour (RR 2.33, 95% CI 1.21-4.47), there was no association on multivariate regression analysis.Conclusions: This study showed UA-S/D ratio and UA-RI>2SD are significant predictors of perinatal deaths and immediate neonatal resuscitation in preeclampsia. Acute fetal distress in labour or neonatal nursery admission could not be predicted

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF UV SPECTROSCOPIC METHODS FOR SIMULTANEOUS ESTIMATION OF SALBUTAMOL SULPHATE AND DOXOPHYLLINE IN COMBINED SOLID DOSAGE FORM

Objective: Salbutamol sulphate (SBS) and doxophylline (DOX) was used for the treatment of asthma and bronchitis. In the present study, two simple, accurate, precise, reproducible and economical UV-spectroscopic methods (A and B) for simultaneous estimation of SBS and DOX in tablet dosage form have been developed.Methods: In the present study the simultaneous estimation of SBS and DOX was carried out by two methods. Method A employs solving of simultaneous equations based on the measurement of absorbance at two wavelengths, 272 nm and 276 nm which are the ðœ†max values of SBS and DOX respectively in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Method B is based on the principle of Q-Analysis where in, absorbance was measured at 225 nm (iso-absorptive point, ðœ†1) and 276 nm (ðœ†max of DOX, ðœ†2) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4).Results: Both SBS and DOX shows linearity at all the selected wavelengths and obeys beer's law in the concentration range of between 0.2-1.6ðœ‡g/ml and 0.1-3.5μg/ml at 276 nm; 0.2-1.6 µg/ml and 0.1-4.5 µg/ml at 272 nm and 0.2-2.0µg/ml and 0.2-3.5μg/ml at iso-absorptive point 225 nm. Recovery studies for SBS and DOX were performed and the percentage recovery for both the drugs was obtained in the range of 97.45-98.63% (Method A) and 97.49–98.87 % (Method B) confirming the accuracy of the proposed method.Conclusion: Both the methods showed good reproducibility and recovery with % RSD less than 2. Statistical validation of the data shows that the proposed methods can be successfully applied for the routine analysis of drugs in commercial tablets. Hence, it could be used in the analysis of laboratory samples and marketed formulations containing these two drugs in combined dosage form without the interference of common excipients

Reappraisal of risk factors in neoplastic lesions of the cervix uteri

Background: Carcinoma of uterine cervix is most common cancer amongst women in developing countries and rates the second most common cancer in women throughout the world. Despite possible correlation with factor like age, sexual activity, multiparity, smoking, alcohol, oral contraception and low socio economic status, suggested by various researchers, the exact role and a true causal association between these factors and carcinoma cervix has not been proved as yet.Methods: Two hundred and fiftyfour (254) patients with cervical lesions were screened for carcinoma of the cervix and 195 were found to be suffering from malignant and intraepithelial lesions. 59 patients had benign lesion of the cervix.Results: The commonest risk factor encountered in the study was early age at intercourse (84.25%) followed by multiparity (64.56%), illiteracy (64.56%), sexually transmitted disease (61.02%), bad hygiene (43.70%), low socio-economic class (42.91%), and tobacco use in decreasing order. These factors have complex interrelationship with each other e.g. low socioeconomic status is commonly associated with bad hygiene, illiteracy, multiparity and early age at first intercourse (p<0.001).Conclusions: Early detection of benign lesions and decrease in number of risk factors in an individual being minimum at lower age is probably associated with benign part of the spectrum of disease while constant presence of these factors leads to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia followed by truly invasive disease. Intervention at any point with decrease of or absence of risk factors can stop these premalignant lesions to become malignant