Mangifera indica

To date, the effective preventive paradigm against mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is required. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether Mangifera indica fruit extract, a substance possessing antioxidant and cognitive enhancing effects, could improve memory impairment, cholinergic dysfunction, and oxidative stress damage in animal model of mild cognitive impairment. Male Wistar rats, weighing 180–200 g, were orally given the extract at doses of 12.5, 50, and 200 mg·kg−1 BW for 2 weeks before and 1 week after the bilateral injection of AF64A (icv). At the end of study, spatial memory, cholinergic neurons density, MDA level, and the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px enzymes in hippocampus were determined. The results showed that all doses of extract could improve memory together with the decreased MDA level and the increased SOD and GSH-Px enzymes activities. The increased cholinergic neurons density in CA1 and CA3 of hippocampus was also observed in rats treated with the extract at doses of 50 and 200 mg·kg−1 BW. Therefore, our results suggested that M. indica, the potential protective agent against MCI, increased cholinergic function and the decreased oxidative stress which in turn enhanced memory. However, further researches are essential to elucidate the possible active ingredients and detail mechanism

Composite HPMC and sodium alginate based buccal formulations for nicotine replacement therapy

Smoking cessation is of current topical interest due to the significant negative health and economic impact in many countries. This study aimed to develop buccal films and wafers comprising HPMC and sodium alginate (SA) for potential use in nicotine replacement therapy via the buccal mucosa, as a cheap but effective alternative to currently used nicotine patch and chewing gum. The formulations were characterised using texture analyser (tensile and hardness, mucoadhesion), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and swelling capacity. Drug loaded films and wafers were characterised for content uniformity (HPLC) whilst the drug loaded wafers only were further characterised for in vitro drug dissolution. SA modified and improved the functional properties of HPMC at optimum ratio of HPMC: SA of 1.25: 0.75. Generally, both films and wafers (blank and drug loaded) were amorphous in nature which impacted on swelling and mucoadhesive performance. HPMC-SA composite wafers showed a porous internal morphology with higher mucoadhesion, swelling index and drug loading capacity compared to the HPMC-SA composite films which were non-porous. The study demonstrates the potential use of composite HPMC-SA wafers in the buccal delivery nicotine

Synthesis of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4 hydroxybutyrate)/chitosan/silver nanocomposite material with enhanced antimicrobial activity

This work aims to shed light in the fabrication of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-44%-4-hydroxybutyrate)[P(3HB-co-44%4HB)]/chitosan-based silver nanocomposite material using different contents of silver nanoparticle (SNP); 1-9 wt%. Two approaches were applied in the fabrication; namely solvent casting and chemical crosslinking via glutaraldehyde (GA). A detailed characterization was conducted in order to yield information regarding the nanocomposite material. X-ray diffraction analysis exhibited the nature of the three components that exist in the nanocomposite films: P(3HB-co-4HB), chitosan, and SNP. In term of mechanical properties, tensile strength, and elongation at break were significantly improved up to 125% and 22%, respectively with the impregnation of the SNP. The melting temperature of the nanocomposite materials was increased whereas their thermal stability was slightly changed. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that incorporation of 9 wt% of SNP caused agglomeration but the surface roughness of the material was significantly improved with the loading. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were completely inhibited by the nanocomposite films with 7 and 9 wt% of SNP, respectively. On the other hand, degradation of the nanocomposite materials outweighed the degradation of the pure copolymer. These bioactive and biodegradable materials stand a good chance to serve the vast need of biomedical applications namely management and care of wound as wound dressing

Innovative Methods and Applications in Mucoadhesion Research.

The present review is aimed at elucidating relatively new aspects of mucoadhesion/mucus interaction and related phenomena that emerged from a Mucoadhesion workshop held in Munster on 2-3 September 2015 as a satellite event of the ICCC 13th-EUCHIS 12th. After a brief outline of the new issues, the focus is on mucus description, purification, and mucus/mucin characterization, all steps that are pivotal to the understanding of mucus related phenomena and the choice of the correct mucosal model for in vitro and ex vivo experiments, alternative bio/mucomimetic materials are also presented. Then a selection of preparative techniques and testing methods are described (at molecular as well as micro and macroscale) that may support the pharmaceutical development of mucus interactive systems and assist formulators in the scale-up and industrialization steps. Recent applications of mucoadhesive systems (including medical devices) intended for different routes of administration (oral, gastrointestinal, vaginal, nasal, ocular, and intravesical) and for the treatment of difficult to treat pathologies or the alleviation of symptoms are described

Freeze -drying of tertiary butyl alcohol /water cosolvent systems

The objective of this study was to identify significant formulation and processing variables affecting levels of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in freeze-dried solids prepared from TBA/water cosolvent systems. The TBA concentration above which eutectic crystallization takes place was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Model formulations were subjected to extremes of freezing rate by either dipping in liquid nitrogen or by slowly freezing on the shelf of a freeze-dryer. On the basis of these studies, the most important determinant of residual TBA level is the physical state of the solute. For freeze-dried sucrose, residual TBA levels were approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher than freeze-dried glycine and were significantly affected by initial TBA concentration and freezing rate. For the sucrose/TBA/water system, relatively low residual TBA levels were obtained when the initial TBA level was above the threshold concentration for eutectic crystallization of TBA, whereas samples freeze-dried from solution containing TBA concentrations below this threshold contained significantly higher levels of TBA. Formulations of sucrose/TBA/water which were frozen rapidly contained residual TBA levels which were approximately twice those measured in the same formulation after slow freezing and drying under the same conditions. For the sucrose/TBA/water system, the temperature and time of secondary drying had only minimal influence on residual TBA in the freeze-dried solid. At low initial TBA concentrations (2%), residual TBA increases with increased cake thickness, perhaps because of the influence of depth of fill on effective freezing rate. In addition, the feasibility of preparing freeze-dried solids of tobramycin base and tobramycin sulfate that readily break apart to form powders which can be poured from the vial was investigated by incorporating TBA as a cosolvent into the formulation. Frozen solutions of tobramycin base and tobramycin sulfate in water and in various concentration of t-butanol (TBA) were characterized by thermal analysis and freeze dry microscopy, and trial batches were prepared. For tobramycin base, rehumidification of freeze-dried solids, followed by additional secondary drying results in crystallization of tobramycin base, which results in residual TBA levels well below 1%. For tobramycin sulfate, TBA/water eutectic crystallization is critical to minimize residual TBA in the freeze-dried solids. Formulations containing tobramycin sulfate allow the TBA/water eutectic mixture to crystallize readily as compared to tobramycin base, which promotes TBA removal during primary drying. Annealing at −20°C after the initial freezing process was shown to result in significantly lower residual TBA levels and significantly less vial-to-vial variability in residual TBA than without annealing by promoting eutectic crystallization of the TBA/water mixture

“Rhizoproduct”, a biofertilizer containing spores of Bacillus cereus strain RS87 for early rice seedling enhancement and with potential for partial fertilizer substitution

The objectives of this study were to investigate the seed to seedling enhancement of Rhizo-product under laboratory conditions and to explore the efficacy of the product for partial fertilizer substitution in rice growth and yield production under submerged soil. Results showed that rice seedlings treated with Rhizo-product was significantly promoted compared to the non-bacterized control. Greenhouse experiments revealed that the growth parameters of all rice cultivars treated at 50% recommended fertilizer rate (RFR) and supplemented with Rhizo-product were better than, or equal to, the growth parameters of rice plants treated with full fertilizer rate (FFR) alone. Additionally, yield production of all rice cultivars receiving 50% RFR supplemented with the product was similar to rice treated with FFR alone. In conclusion, Rhizo-product stimulated early rice seed to seedling growth and exhibited growth and yield production at 50% RFR that was comparable to growth and yield production at FFR

Freeze-Drying of tert-Butanol/Water Cosolvent Systems: A Case Report on Formation of a Friable Freeze-Dried Powder of Tobramycin Sulfate

ABSTRACT: A case study is presented in which a tert-butanol (TBA)/water cosolvent system was found to be a useful means of producing freeze-dried tobramycin sulfate that readily forms a loose powder upon agitation in a specialized application in which a critical quality attribute is the ability to pour the sterile powder from the vial. Both formulation and processing variables are important in achieving acceptable physical properties of the cake as well as minimizing residual TBA levels. Liquid/liquid phase separation was observed above critical concentrations of both drug and TBA, resulting in a two-layered lyophilized cake with unacceptable appearance, physical properties, and residual TBA levels. However, the choice of tobramycin sulfate and TBA concentrations in the single-phase region of the phase diagram resulted in a lyophilized solid that can readily be poured from vials. Crystallization of TBA before drying is critical to achieving adequately low residual TBA levels, and this is reflected in the effect of thermal history of freezing on residual TBA levels, where rapid freezing results in incomplete crystallization of TBA and relatively high levels of residual solvent. Annealing at a temperature above T g 0 of the system after an initial freezing step significantly reduces the level of residual TBA. Secondary drying, even at increased temperature and for extended times, is not an effective method of reducing residual TBA levels.