The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education of medical, dental and non-medical healthcare professionals in Bangladesh : findings and connotation

Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had an appreciable impact on the education of all medical, dental, and non-medical healthcare professional (HCP) students. These included the closure of universities necessitating a rapid move to e-learning and new approaches to practical’s. However initially, there was a lack of knowledge and expertise regarding e-learning approaches and the affordability of internet bundles and equipment. We initially con-ducted two pilot studies to assess such current challenges, replaced by a two-stage approach including a full investigation involving 32 private and public universities during the early stages of the pandemic followed by a later study assessing the current environment brought about by the forced changes. Top challenges at the start of the pandemic included a lack of familiarity with e-learning approaches, cost of the internet, lack of IT equipment and the quality of the classes. Universities offered support to staff and students to a varying degree to address identified challenges. Since then, e-learning approaches have widened the possibilities for teaching and learning at convenient times. However, challenges remain. In conclusion, there were considerable challenges at the start of them pandemic. Several key issues have been addressed with hybrid learning here to stay. Remaining challenges include a lack of ICT equipment. However, new innovations will continue

In-vitro free radical scavenging activity of Ixora coccinea L

Antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Ixora coccinea L. was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging assay, reducing power and total antioxidant capacity using phosphomolybdenum method. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the extract of the flower of I. coccinea possesses flavonoids, steroids and tannin materials. The extract showed significant activities in all antioxidant assays compared to the standard antioxidant in a dose dependent manner and remarkable activities to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be attributed to the high amount of hydrophilic phenolics. In DPPH radical scavenging assay the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 100.53 μg/mL while ascorbic acid had the IC50 value 58.92 μg/mL. Moreover, I. coccinea extract showed strong reducing power and total antioxidant capacity

Efficacy of Homeopathy in Children with Retinoblastoma (RB): A Review

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rapidly developing cancer that develops from the immature cells of a retina, the light-detecting tissue of the eye and is the most common malignant tumor of the eye in children. There are very few known risk factors for retinoblastoma, but the main gene changes inside cells that can lead to retinoblastoma are now fairly well known. Early in fetal development, well before birth, cells in the retina of the eye divide to make new cells to fill the retina. At a certain point, these cells normally stop dividing and become mature retinal cells. But sometimes something goes wrong with this process. Instead of maturing, some retinal cells continue to grow out of control, which can lead to retinoblastoma. The article aims in describing the role of homeopathy in managing RB. The use of homeopathic remedies is raising in the modern area especially in chronic disease as well as DNA mutations like RB and is proved effective in clinical practice. Managing cases of RB in homeopathy is an art. However, more scientific research studies are needed to be done to validate the effectiveness, and explain the safety profile of homeopathic remedies for their anti-retinoblastoma potential. Because, homoeopathy system of medicine is stand on law of similia i.e. Similia Similibus Curenture

Stamford Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences In Vitro Nitric Oxide Scavenging Activity of Ethanol Leaf Extracts of Four Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants

The ethanol leaf extracts of four medicinal plants named Hibiscus mutabilis, Leucas aspera, Ixora coccinea and Polyalthia longifolia were examined for their possible regulatory effect on nitric oxide (NO) levels using sodium nitroprusside as a NO donor in vitro. Most of the extracts tested demonstrated direct scavenging of NO and exhibited significant activity and the potency of scavenging activity was in the following order: Leucas aspera> Ixora coccinea> Hibiscus mutabilis> Polyalthia longifolia. All the evaluated extracts exhibited a dose-dependent NO scavenging activity. The ethanolic leaf extract of Leucas aspera showed the greatest NO scavenging effect of 80.50 % at 320 µg/ml with IC50 value of 94.15 µg/ml as compared to the positive control ascorbic acid where 74.56 % scavenging was observed at similar concentration with IC50 value of 62.48 µg/mL. The maximum NO scavenging of Ixora coccinea, Hibiscus mutabilis and Polyalthia longifolia were 79.65 %, 78.60 % and 70.67 % with IC50 values of 43.72 µg/ml, 147.64 µg/ml and 167.08 µg/ml respectively. The present results suggest that these plants might be potent and novel therapeutic agents for scavenging of NO and the regulation of pathological conditions caused by excessive generation of NO and its oxidation product

Hossain et al., 2009 Stamford Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity of

Michelia champaca (Magnoliaceae) is a large medicinal plant which is traditionally used against a number of diseases including inflammatory conditions. In the present study crude methanol extract of M. champaca leaf was investigated for possible antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity. The extract showed remarkable antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity assays. In both DPPH radical and NO scavenging assay, the extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity and the IC50 values in DPPH radical scavenging and NO scavenging assays were found to be 30.07 µg/ml and 15.42 µg/ml, respectively while the IC50 values of ascorbic acid were 12.5 µg/ml and 4.07 µg/ml, respectively. Total antioxidant activity of the extract increased in a dose dependent manner. Analgesic activity of the crude extract was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing model of pain in mice. The crude extract at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg b.w doses displayed significant (p < 0.001) reduction in acetic acid induced writhing in mice with a maximum effect of 68.7 % reduction at 400 mg/kg b.w. which is comparable to the standard, diclofenac sodium (78.2 %). The extract was also investigated for cytotoxic potential using Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay. In this bioassay the extract showed significant toxicity to Brine Shrimp nauplii with the LC50 value of 11.22 µg/ml. Results of the present study suggest that M. champaca leaf extract possesses strong antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity

Methocel K4M Premium Matrix Tablets

In the present study Ciprofloxacin HCl sustained release matrix tablet was prepared by utilizing different grades of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) polymers such as Methocel K4M CR, Methocel K4M Premium & Methocel K15M CR by direct compression method. Different amount of Methocel K15M CR was used to develop matrix builder in the three proposed formulations (F1-F3) for the study of release rate retardant effect at 5%, 6%, and 7 % of total weight of tablet matrix respectively. The dissolution study of Methocel K15M CR based tablet matrices of those proposed formulations were carried out in the simulated gastric medium (pH 1.3) for 8 hours using USP dissolution apparatus II. Similarly Methocel K4M premium was used to develop matrix builder in another three proposed formulations (F4-F6). It was found that formulations F-4 (15%), F-5 (17%) and F-6 (18.3%) met the desired release rate of Ciprofloxacin HCl for 8hrs period. Th