Preparation and characterization of nano liposomes of Orthosiphon stamineus ethanolic extract in soybean phospholipids

BACKGROUND: O. stamineus is a medicinal herb with remarkable pharmacological properties. However, poor solubility of the active principles limits its medicinal value. This study sought to prepare nano liposomes of OS ethanolic extract in unpurified soybean phospholipids in order to improve its solubility and permeability. OS liposomes were prepared by the conventional film method, and were characterized for solubility, entrapment efficiency, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size and zeta potential, release, absorption in everted rat intestinal sacs, and DPPH scavenging effect. RESULTS: OS liposomes showed substantial enhancement of extract’s solubility from 956 ± 34 to 3979 ± 139 μg/ml, with entrapment efficiency of 66.2 ± 0.9%. FTIR study indicates interaction between soybean phospholipids and OS extract. TEM and dynamic light scattering showed presence of round anionic nano liposomes with particle size and zeta potential of 152.5 ± 1.1 nm and −49.8 ± 1.0 mV, respectively. A study using the fluorescent probe pyrene showed the critical micellar concentration is 9.2 ± 2.9 μg/ml. Release studies showed 94 ± 0.1% release in non-formulated extract and 62.4 ± 0.1% in OS liposomes. Released extract from OS liposomes showed improvement in DPPH scavenging effect, IC50 = 23.5 ± 1.1 μg/ml compared to 32.4 ± 0.5 μg/ml in non-formulated extract. OS liposomes were stable at pH 5.5 and 7.4, but showed reversible agglomeration at pH 1.6. Absorption in everted rat intestinal sacs showed substantial improvement in permeability of 3′-hydroxy-5, 6, 7, 4″-tetramethoxyflavone, sinensetin, eupatorin, and 3 other unknown compounds. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced solubility, absorption and antioxidant effect may improve the overall pharmacological effects and medicinal value of OS ethanolic extract

Comparison of structural magnetic resonance imaging findings between neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus is often clinically challenging to diagnose, treat and monitor. Although brain magnetic resonance imaging is frequently performed before lumbar puncture in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, it is not clear from the literature whether specific brain magnetic resonance imaging findings are associated with distinct clinical features of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on published studies of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus including brain magnetic resonance imaging and the 1999 American College of Rheumatology-defined clinical neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus syndromes to determine their relationship. Pooled prevalence and risk ratio for distinct neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus associations were determined with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Of 821 studies screened, 21 fulfilled inclusion criteria. A total of 818 participants were evaluated (91% female) with 1064 neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus episodes assessed. Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus features included headache (24%), seizures (19%), cerebrovascular disease (18%), cognitive dysfunction (15%) and acute confusional state (14%). Normal magnetic resonance imaging was significant for anxiety disorder (risk ratio: 9.00; 95% confidence interval: 2.40, 33.79), autonomic disorder (risk ratio: 7.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.51, 96.06) and plexopathy (risk ratio: 5.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.81, 31.00). Highest risk ratio of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome with abnormal magnetic resonance imaging was observed for cerebrovascular disease (risk ratio: 0.15; 95% confidence interval: 0.10, 0.24) and demyelination (risk ratio: 0.11; 95% confidence interval: 0.02, 0.72). Conclusion: Normal magnetic resonance imaging in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus was the most significant correlate from our meta-analysis for psychological symptoms including anxiety and peripheral nerve features of autonomic disorder and plexopathy. The main abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging correlates included cerebrovascular disease and demyelination. Brain magnetic resonance imaging correlates poorly with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus features, and specific clinical symptoms should be the main determinants of performing magnetic resonance imaging rather than presence of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus per se

Histopathological and Biochemical evaluations of the antidotal efficacy of Nigella sativa oil on organophosphate induced hepato-toxicity

Objective: The study was designed to investigate the effects of continuous exposure of dichlorvos (DDVP) on hepatic function and hepatic histomorphology, with the possible antidotal efficacy of Nigella sativa oil (NSO).Methods: Twenty four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, with each group comprising of six rats. The groups were labelled as Sunflower oil (SFO), DDVP, DDVP+NSO and NSO. After 14 days of treatments, blood samples were collected, centrifuged and levels of ALP (Alkaline phosphatase), ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), AST (Aspartate aminotransferase) and GGT (γ-glutamyl-transferase) concentrations were estimated in the serum. The livers were removed and prepared for histopathological examinations and evaluation.Results: The findings of the study shows significant increase in the serum concentration of ALT, ALP, AST and GGT with a marked distortion in the hepatic architecture in rats administered with DDVP. However, Nigella sativa oil (NSO) was observed to ameliorate the levels of impairment in the assessed hepatic function parameters and relatively restoration in the hepatic architecture in DDVP+NSO treated animals when compared to the control and group administered with DDVPonly.Conclusion: The study concludes that impaired liver functions and histomorphological tissue distortions observed in the experimental rats following DDVP exposure were ameliorated following theadministration of NSO.Keywords: Nigella sativa, dichlorvos, antidotal effect, hepatotoxicity, liver function tes

Antiangiogenic properties of Koetjapic acid, a natural triterpene isolated from Sandoricum koetjaoe Merr

Background: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, has become an important target in cancer therapy. Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Koetjapic acid (KA) is a seco-A-ring oleanene triterpene isolated from S. koetjape. The solvent extract of this plant species was shown previously to have strong antiangiogenic activity; however the active ingredient(s) that conferred the biological activity and the mode of action was not established. Given the high concentration of KA in S. koetjape, an attempt has been made in this study to investigate the antiangiogenic properties of KA.Results: Treatment with 10-50 μg/ml KA resulted in dose dependent inhibition of new blood vessels growth in ex vivo rat aortic ring assay. KA was found to be non-cytotoxic against HUVECs with IC40.97 ± 0.37 μg/ml. KA inhibited major angiogenesis process steps, endothelial cell migration and differentiation as well as VEGF expression.Conclusions: The non-cytotoxic compound, KA, may be a potent antiangiogenic agent; its activity may be attributed to inhibition of endothelial cells migration and differentiation as well VEGF suppression

Are hospitals delivering appropriate VTE prevention? The venous thromboembolism study to assess the rate of thromboprophylaxis (VTE start)

The 7th conference of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP7) provides recommendations on the type, dose, and duration of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but the extent to which hospitals follow these criteria has not been well studied. Discharge and billing records for patients admitted to any of 16 acute-care hospitals from January 2005 to December 2006 were obtained. Patients 18 years or older who had an inpatient stay ≥2 days and no apparent contraindications for thromboprophylaxis were grouped into the categories of critical care, surgery and medically ill before being assessed for additional VTE risk factors based on the diagnostic criteria outlined in ACCP7. For patients at risk, the recommended type (mechanical or pharmacologic), dose, and duration of thromboprophylaxis was identified based on the guidelines and compared to the regimen actually received, if any. Among the 258,556 hospitalized patients, 68,278 (26.4%) were determined to be at risk of VTE without apparent contraindications for thromboprophylaxis. The proportions of patients who received the appropriate type, dose, and duration of thromboprophylaxis were 10.5, 9.8, and 17.9% for critical care, medical, and surgical patients, respectively. Of those at risk, 36.8% received no thromboprophylaxis and an additional 50.2% received thromboprophylaxis deemed inappropriate for one or more reasons. The implementation of ACCP7 guidelines for type, dosage, and duration of thromboprophylaxis is low in patients at risk of VTE. There is a need for physicians and health systems to improve awareness and implementation of recommended thromboprophylaxis

Effects of complexity of handwashing instructions on handwashing procedure replication in low-income urban slums in Bangladesh: a randomized non-inferiority field trial

Abstract Handwashing instructions vary in complexity, with some recommending multiple steps. To assess whether complex handwashing instructions changed handwashing procedure replication, we conducted a randomized non-inferiority trial in a low-income area, Dhaka. We randomly assigned mothers and children aged 5–10 years to one of three handwashing instruction sets: simple (N = 85 mothers/134 children), moderate (N = 75 mothers/148 children), or complex (84 mothers/147 children). Simple instructions had three steps: wet, lather, and rinse hands, and moderate included the simple instructions plus steps to scrub palms, backs of hands, and dry hands in the air. Complex instructions included moderate instructions plus steps to scrub between fingers, under nails, and lather for 20 s. After baseline, cue cards were used to promote handwashing instructions, and adherence after 2 weeks of interventions was evaluated. Compliance with handwashing procedure replication to all instructions in simple, moderate, and complex increased after the intervention among mothers and children. Compliance to all instructions in the simple group was higher in the simple group (100%) compared to all instructions in moderate (47%) and complex instruction groups (38%). Simple handwashing steps are easier to remember for long time periods compared to complex steps.</jats:p

A mild alkali treated jute fibre controlling the hydration behaviour of greener cement paste

To reduce the antagonistic effect of jute fibre on the setting and hydration of jute reinforced cement, modified jute fibre reinforcement would be a unique approach. The present investigation deals with the effectiveness of mild alkali treated (0.5%) jute fibre on the setting and hydration behaviour of cement. Setting time measurement, hydration test and analytical characterizations of the hardened samples (viz., FTIR, XRD, DSC, TGA and free lime estimation) were used to evaluate the effect of alkali treated jute fibre. From the hydration test, the time (t) required to reach maximum temperature for the hydration of control cement sample is estimated to be 860 min, whilst the time (t) is measured to be 1040 min for the hydration of a raw jute reinforced cement sample. However, the time (t) is estimated to be 1020 min for the hydration of an alkali treated jute reinforced cement sample. Additionally, from the analytical characterizations, it is determined that fibre-cement compatibility is increased and hydration delaying effect is minimized by using alkali treated jute fibre as fibre reinforcement. Based on the analyses, a model has been proposed to explain the setting and hydration behaviour of alkali treated jute fibre reinforced cement composite

Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in intensive care unit patients

Aspiration in critically ill patients frequently causes severe co-morbidity. We evaluated a diagnostic protocol using routine FEES in critically ill patients at risk to develop aspiration following extubation. We instructed intensive care unit physicians on specific risk factors for and clinical signs of aspiration following extubation in critically ill patients and offered bedside FEES for such patients. Over a 45-month period, we were called to perform 913 endoscopic examinations in 553 patients. Silent aspiration or aspiration with acute symptoms (cough or gag reflex as the bolus passed into the trachea) was detected in 69.3% of all patients. Prolonged non-oral feeding via a naso-gastric tube was initiated in 49.7% of all patients. In 13.2% of patients, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was initiated as a result of FEES findings, and in 6.3% an additional tracheotomy to prevent aspiration had to be initiated. In 59 out of 258 patients (22.9%), tracheotomies were closed, and 30.7% of all 553 patients could be managed with the immediate onset of an oral diet and compensatory treatment procedures. Additional radiological examinations were not required. FEES in critically ill patients allows for a rapid evaluation of deglutition and for the immediate initiation of symptom-related rehabilitation or for an early resumption of oral feeding