Comparative Evaluation of Azadirachta indica (Neem) Chip and Soft Tissue Diode Lasers as a Supplement to Phase i Periodontal Therapy in Localized Chronic Moderate Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Introduction. The current trial aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of neem chip and diode laser as a local drug delivery (LDD) agent as a supplement to phase I periodontal therapy in treatment of localized chronic moderate periodontitis. Materials and Methodology. Fourteen systemically healthy participants with 4-6 mm deep periodontal pockets at least in three quadrants (with no alveolar bony defect amenable to respective or regenerative osseous surgery, as seen in orthopantomograph) were selected for the trial. One week after phase I therapy, 10% absorbable chip of neem (commercially prepared by staff of a pharmacy college, Sheriguda, India) was placed in the periodontal pocket on one site, and soft tissue diode laser pocket sterilization was performed on the other site of the arch. Remaining one site was considered as a control. Parameters recorded clinically were plaque index (PI), papillary bleeding index (PBI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and relative attachment level (RAL) measured at baseline, 21st day, and one month postoperatively. Results. Statistically significant improvements were observed in all clinical parameters at one month as compared to baseline for both treatment groups. Conclusion. Neem chip supplemented with phase I therapy showed best improvement in clinical parameters followed by laser supplemented with phase I therapy in comparison to phase I therapy alone at one month follow-up. Clinical Significance. Neem chips are nature's products, affordable without side effects, with a potential to be used as a local drug delivery agent in treating moderate chronic periodontitis

Neuroprotective effects of combined trimetazidine and progesterone on cerebral reperfusion injury

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury induces multi-dimensional damage to neuronal cells through exacerbation of critical protective mechanisms.Targeting more than one mechanism simultaneously namely, inflammatory responses and metabolic energy homeostasis could provide additional benefits to restrict or manage cerebral injury. Being proven neuroprotective agents both, progesterone (PG) and trimetazidine (TMZ) has the potential to add on the individual therapeutic outcomes.We hypothesized the simultaneous administration of PG and TMZ could complement each other to synergize, or at least enhance neuroprotection in reperfusion injury. We investigated the combination of PG and TMZ on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced cerebral reperfusion injury in rats. Molecular docking on targets of energy homeostasis and apoptosis assessed the initial viability of PG and TMZ for neuroprotection. Animal experimentation with MCA induced ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats was performed on five randomized groups.Sham operated control group received vehicle (saline) while the other four I-R groups were pre-treated with vehicle (saline), PG (8 ​mg/kg), TMZ treated (25 ​mg/kg), and PG ​+ ​TMZ (8 and 25 ​mg/kg) for 7 days by intraperitoneal route. Neurological deficit, infarct volume, and oxidative stress were evaluated to assess the extent of injury in rats. Inflammatory reactivity and apoptotic activity were determined with alterations in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and DNA fragments. Reperfusion injury inflicted cerebral infarct, neurological deficit, and shattered BBB integrity.The combination treatment of PG and TMZ restricted cellular damage indicated by significant (p ​< ​0.05) decrease in infarct volume and improvement in free radical scavenging ability (SOD activity and GSH level). MPO activity and LPO decreased which contributed in improved BBB integrity in treated rats. We speculate that inhibition of inflammatory and optimum energy utilization would critically contribute to observed neuroprotection with combined PG and TMZ treatment. Further exploration of this neuroprotective approach for post-recovery cognitive improvement is worth investigating

Investigation of Volumetric and Acoustic Properties of Procainamide Hydrochloride in Aqueous Binary and (Water + Amino Acid) Ternary Mixtures at Different Temperatures

For effective drug design and development, an integrated process utilizing all available information from structural, thermodynamic, and biological studies plays a very important role. To understand the energy basis of molecular interactions utilizing various thermodynamic methods, volumetric and acoustic studies are vital early in the development process of any drug toward an optimal energy interaction profile while retaining a good pharmacological assay. In this article, we are reporting the data of densities (ρ) and speeds of sound (<i>u</i>) of an antiarrhythmic agent, namely, procainamide hydrochloride in an aqueous binary and aqueous solution of amino acids, i.e., l-alanine and l-valine at <i>T</i> = (298.15, 308.15 and 318.15) K. Different thermodynamic parameters such as the apparent molar volume (<i>V</i>_ϕ) of the solute, the isentropic compressibility (κ_s) of the solution, and the apparent molar isentropic compressibility (κ_ϕ) of procainamide hydrochloride in water and aqueous solutions of l-alanine and l-valine have been computed using the density and speed of sound data at different temperatures. The limiting apparent molar volume (<i>V</i>_ϕ⁰) of solute and the limiting apparent molar compressibility (κ_ϕ⁰) of solute in binary and ternary aqueous solutions have been obtained by extrapolating the plots. The results have been interpreted in light of the competing solute–solute and solute–solvent interactions