DEVELOPMENT OF A PROLONGD RELEASE GASTRORETENTIVE TABLET FORMULATION OF LEVOFLOXACIN

Objective: The present investigation concerns the design and evaluation of floating tablets of Levofloxacin, which after oral administration prolong the gastric residence time and increased drug bioavailability. Methods: Levofloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent used to treat severe or life-threatening bacterial infections. The present work was designed to formulate floating tablet of Levofloxacin with various swelling agents. Formulations were prepared using various concentrations of Guar gum, Carbopol, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose and Ethyl Cellulose by direct compression technique. The selected batches were evaluated for various parameters like weight variation, thickness, diameter, friability, floating lag time, duration of floating, swelling index, content uniformity and in-vitro drug release. The data obtained from the in-vitro dissolution studies of optimized batch F7 were fitted in different models. Results: The optimized formulation F7 showed 99.25% drug content, floating lag time of 10 min and swelling index of 40%. Drug release mechanism was found to be zero order along with higuchi release kinetics exhibiting diffusion along with dissolution of the drug from the tablet by non fickian mechanism. Conclusion: Levofloxacin floating tablets exhibited increased gastric residence time, there by improved bioavailability and therapeutic effect of the drug. Keywords: Levofloxacin, Gastro retentive, Guar gum, Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, Ethyl Cellulose, Carbopol

Study of Prevalence of Preoperative Corneal Astigmatism in Patients with Senile Cataract at a Tertiary Care Institute in South India

Background. The prevalence of corneal astigmatism in patients with cataract has not been well documented in both rural and urban areas of Indian population. Purpose. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of corneal astigmatism before cataract surgery in adult age group population of rural Andhra Pradesh. Materials and methods. A Prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study was carried out from March 2019 to December 2019 in patients presenting for cataract surgery. Axial length, and intraocular lens power were measured, Keratometric values were measured with an auto refractokeratometer, and astigmatism was calculated. Data was analysed using SPSS software. Results. This study included 1000 eyes of 1000 patients with a mean age of 61.81 ± 8.94 years. The mean astigmatism was 0.80 ± 0.72 D and the mean keratometry was 44.12D ± 1.71 D. A total of less than 1D astigmatism is seen in 67.5% eyes, 23.3% eyes had astigmatism between 1.00 and 1.99 D, 4.6% eyes had 2-2.99D, and ≥3D in 0.8% eyes and no astigmatism in 3.8% eyes. Against the rule astigmatism was seen in 49.8% cases, with the rule astigmatism is found in 31.8% of eyes and oblique astigmatism in 14.9% of eyes. With the increasing age, the WTR percentage decreased while the ATR percentage increased. Conclusion. Our study showed that significant numbers of patients have preoperative corneal astigmatism, affecting the quality of vision after cataract surgery. Majority of patients have corneal astigmatism < 1.00D, which can be corrected by low-cost procedures like steep axis phaco, limbal relaxing incisions, and opposite clear corneal incisions, especially in developing countries like India, and less percentage of candidates require expensive toric IOLs

Conjunctival graft from pterygium tissue itself in primary pterygium surgery

Background: The aim of a study was to assess the efficacy of a new surgical technique that uses conjunctival tissuefrom the pterygium itself as a graft with a 180-degree rotation and fibrin glue in the primary pterygium surgery. Material and methods: For this non-comparative, interventional study, 36 eyes from 36 patients with primary pterygium were operated on between January 2019 and December 2019. Pterygium was used to create a thin conjunctival graft (CAG) layer in this technique. This pterygium layer was entirely separated from the underlying fibrovascular tissue and retained on the corneal surface. A thin conjunctival graft was transferred to the bare sclera bed with the epithelial side up and rotated 180° before adhering to the bare sclera bed with fibrin glue. The primary outcome was the recurrence of pterygium. Other secondary variables included graft edema and graft retraction. Results: The primary outcome was the recurrence of pterygium. Graft edema and graft retraction were considered as other complications. The average age was 47.5 years, with an 8-month follow-up. According to the study, the patients had an 8.3% recurrence rate (3 eyes out of 36). Graft edema was the only significant complication (52.77%, 19 eyes out of 36), which resolved without intervention. Graft retraction was the second most common complication, accounting for 27.7% of all cases (10 eyes out of 36). Conclusion: In this technique, there is no tissue wastage (as in excision), no trauma to the normal area (as in conjunctival autograft), no suture-related complications, and shorter operating time. This technique can be used as a safe and alternative to CAG for patients in whom CAG cannot be performed with very low recurrence rates and complications