FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF BILAYERED FLOATING TABLET OF DILTIAZEM DRUG

Aim of study was to develop bilayered floating drug delivery for treatment of hypertension by delivering loading and maintenance dose for fast achievement of peak plasma concentration and maintaining the same respectively. The prepared drug loaded bilayered floating tablets were evaluated for pre and post compression parameters. Stability study of the promising formulation was also performed. The tablets were prepared by direct compression method. The loading dose was delivered in the form of immediate release layer prepared by different super-disintegrations and maintenance dose was delivered through sustained release layer prepared by using polymers like HPMC K15M and Carbopol 934P. Both the immediate release layer and sustained release layers were separately optimized and then combined to optimize the bilayered floating tablets. No interactions were found between drug and excipients. Formulation containing crosscarmellose sodium shows immediate drug release. Formulation Containing HPMC K15M shows sustained release action and bilayered formulations FB7 shows releases up to 12 hours with good buoyancy and total floating time. All the Bilayered floating formulations buoyant up to 12 hrs. Bilayered floating tablets with release characteristics offer critical advantages such as, site specificity with improved absorption and efficacy. This technology can be inculcated to various medicaments which have stomach as the major site of absorption. Key words: Diltiazem, Bilayered floating tablet, sustain release table

Green Tea Potentially Ameliorates Bisphenol A-Induced Oxidative Stress: An In Vitro and In Silico Study

The present investigation was an attempt to elucidate oxidative stress induced by bisphenol A on erythrocytes and its amelioration by green tea extract. For this, venous blood samples from healthy human adults were collected in EDTA vials and used for preparation of erythrocytes suspension. When erythrocyte suspensions were treated with different concentrations of BPA/H2O2, a dose-dependent increase in hemolysis occurred. Similarly, when erythrocytes suspensions were treated with either different concentrations of H2O2 (0.05–0.25 mM) along with BPA (50 μg/mL) or 0.05 mM H2O2 along with different concentrations of BPA (50–250 μg/mL), dose-dependent significant increase in hemolysis occurred. The effect of BPA and H2O2 was found to be additive. For the confirmation, binding capacity of bisphenol A with erythrocyte proteins (hemoglobin, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) was inspected using molecular docking tool, which showed presence of various hydrogen bonds of BPA with the proteins. The present data clearly indicates that BPA causes oxidative stress in a similar way as H2O2 . Concurrent addition of different concentrations (10–50 μg/mL) of green tea extract to reaction mixture containing high dose of bisphenol A (250 μg/mL) caused concentration-dependent amelioration in bisphenol A-induced hemolysis. The effect was significant (P<0.05). It is concluded that BPA-induced oxidative stress could be significantly mitigated by green tea extract

Assessment of quality of life in vitiligo patients in terms of clinical severity and psychological burden in a tertiary care hospital: An observational study

Background: Vitiligo is characterized depigmented macules and patches over the skin. It has a major impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients, many of whom feel distressed and stigmatized by their condition. Aim: To assess QoL in vitiligo patients in terms of clinical severity and psychological burden. Materials and Methods: An observational study on 60 patients with age ≥16 years was conducted at an outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected in a predesigned pro forma. The QoL of patients and family members was assessed using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Family DLQI (FDLQI), respectively. The clinical severity was measured using Vitiligo Area Severity Index (VASI) and psychological burden by Vitiligo Impact Score-22 (VIS-22) questionnaire. Results: Sixty patients were included in the study. The mean age was 35.27 ± 2.24. Male-to-female ratio was 1.1:1. About 51.7% of patients were married. Majority of patients were students (30%). The time of presentation after disease onset was 5 years. About 20% of subjects had positive family history. The common sites were face (75%), lower limb (71.67%), and upper limb (60%), with leukotrichia in 11.7% of patients. The mean VASI score at baseline and at 1-month of follow-up after starting treatment was 4.11 ± 0.38 and 3.59 ± 0.58, respectively. The mean DLQI, FDLQI and VIS-22 score were 11.73 ± 0.80, 10.58 ± 0.71, and 37.32 ± 1.53, respectively. VIS-22 and VASI score correlated with changes in DLQI (P < 0.059). Conclusion: Vitiligo largely impairs the QoL of patients. The more the clinical severity (high VASI score), the higher the psychological burden, impairing QoL of patients, and family members

Analysis of gene expression in pancreatic islets from diet-induced obese mice

In insulin-resistant status such as obesity, failure of pancreatic islets to increase insulin secretion leads to diabetes. We sought to screen for the islet genes that facilitate islet adaptation to obesity by comparing gene expression profiles between two strains of obesity-prone inbred mice with different propensities for hyperglycemia. C57BL/6J and AKR/J were fed regular rodent chow or high-fat diet, after which islet morphology, secretory function, and gene expression were assessed. AKR/J had lower blood glucose and higher insulin levels compared with C57BL/6J mice on regular rodent chow or high-fat diet. Insulin secretion was 3.2-fold higher in AKR/J than C57BL/6J mice following intraperitoneal glucose injection. Likewise, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated islets was higher in AKR/J. Additionally, islet mass was 1.4-fold greater in AKR/J compared with C57BL/6J. To elucidate the factors associated with the differences in islet function, we analyzed the gene expression profiles in islets in AKR/J and C57BL/6J mice. Of 14,000 genes examined, 202 were upregulated and 270 were downregulated in islets from diet-induced obese AKR/J mice compared with C57BL/6J mice. Key genes involved in islet signaling and metabolism, e.g., glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor, sterol Co-A desaturase 1 and 2, and fatty acid desaturase 2 were upregulated in obese AKR/J mice. The expression of multiple extracellular matrix proteins was also increased in AKR/J mice, suggesting a role in modulation of islet mass. Functional analyses of differentially regulated genes hold promise for elucidating factors linking obesity to alterations in islet function

DNA-graphene interactions during translocation through nanogaps

<div><p>We study how double-stranded DNA translocates through graphene nanogaps. Nanogaps are fabricated with a novel capillary-force induced graphene nanogap formation technique. DNA translocation signatures for nanogaps are qualitatively different from those obtained with circular nanopores, owing to the distinct shape of the gaps discussed here. Translocation time and conductance values vary by ∼ 100%, which we suggest are caused by local gap width variations. We also observe exponentially relaxing current traces. We suggest that slow relaxation of the graphene membrane following DNA translocation may be responsible. We conclude that DNA-graphene interactions are important, and need to be considered for graphene-nanogap based devices. This work further opens up new avenues for direct read of single molecule activitities, and possibly sequencing.</p></div