DEVELOPMENT OF FAST-DISSOLVING TABLETS OF AMLODIPINE BESYLATE BY SOLID DISPERSION TECHNOLOGY USING POLOXAMER 407 AND POLOXAMER 188

Objective: Amlodipine besylate is a calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension which is practically insoluble in water. The present study aims to design oral fast-release tablets of amlodipine besylate and to optimize the dissolution of the drug by altering the carrier concentration.Materials and Methods: Poloxamer 407 (P407) and poloxamer 188 (P188) were selected as carriers for the preparation of solid dispersion (SD) by the solvent evaporation method with different drug-polymer ratios. The prepared SDs were evaluated for the physical state, drug:carrier interactions by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy.Results: From the dissolution studies, it is confirmed that all SDs showed increased dissolution rate when compared to pure amlodipine besylate. Among the two polymers used, P407 was found to be better than P188 in enhancing dissolution efficiency. The tablets were prepared using SD of amlodipine besylate containing P407 as a carrier. The results showed that P407 SD-based tablets gave a significantly higher release of amlodipine besylate when compared with control tablets. The infrared spectral studies showed that there was no significant interaction between amlodipine besylate and its formulation with different polymers used in the preparation of SDs. XRD studies revealed that the degree of crystallinity of amlodipine besylate reduced when the concentration of carriers increased, which reveals that the drug is in amorphous nature.Conclusion: The combination of SD technology and using superdisintegrants in the formulation is a promising approach for preparing efficient, fast-dissolving tablet of poorly water-soluble drugs, viz., amlodipine besylate

A Comparative Study on the Efficacy of inhaler Formulation of Fluticasone Propionate with Budesonide and Beclomethasone Dipropionate in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)[4] is a respiratory disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation, a decline in lung function over time, and progressive impairment in quality of life. The disease has relatively high prevalence rates worldwide (5–13%) and is mainly caused not only by the inhalation of noxious substances, predominantly cigarette smoking in the Western world, but also by indoor air pollution, particularly in the developing countries. COPD is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates and a high economic and social burden, mainly due to the requirement for substantial and ongoing medical support. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and is expected to be the third leading cause by 2030. It is generally believed that despite the availability of both national and international guidelines, COPD remains substantially underdiagnosed and undertreated and is rarely regarded as a health issue of top priority. For many years, smoking cessation has been known to be the single effective intervention for reducing the risk of developing COPD and slowing its progression down .However, recent data from long-term trials have shown that initiating maintenance pharmacological treatment at early stages of the disease, when there is an opportunity to alter the progression of the disease and maximize patient benefit, may alter the clinical course of COPD and can be more effective than at later stages of the disease . Moreover, it has been demonstrated that despite the relative steroid insensitivity of airway inflammation in COPD, the combination of long-acting bronchodilator therapy with inhaled glucocorticosteroids (ICS)is beneficial for patients with severe COPD . Thus, early and optimal pharmacotherapy appears to be fundamental in the management of COPD. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of fluticasone propionate with that of budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate in COPD patients. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: This study is designed to Evaluate the efficacy of fluticasone propionate with that of budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate in improving lung function, decreasing symptoms and need for rescue medication in COPD A) To establish the effectiveness patient counselling B) To statistically analyze the variables in order to find out the significance DISCUSSION: This study I compares the efficacy of prescribed doses of inhalational steroids in COPD Patients with Fluticasone propionate 100μg twice daily, Budesonide 200 μg twice daily, Beclomethasone dipropionate 200 μg twice daily for four month period . In the present study, the demographic characteristics of the subjects were collected. Out of the 60 COPD patients collected 60% were male and 40% were females. During the study it was observed that most of the populations were from the urban area (60%) are affected as compared to rural area (40%) and this is due to certain aggravating factors like allergens, Dust, air pollution and climatic change. It was observed that 45% of patients coming to the clinic with COPD were between the age group 35-65 years of age when compare to other age groups. Patients in the age group of 46 to 50 are increasing number in this treatment. Out of the 60 patients 36 (60%) were males and 24(40%) were females. This shows that male patients were mostly affected by disorders than female patients. Out of the 60 patients 36 (60%) were from Urban area and 24(40%) were from Rural area . This shows that Urban patients were mostly affected by disorders than Rural patients due to pollution and other environmental factors. In commonly, 30% of Patients know physical illness as the Cause for COPD, 70% of patients Don’t know about physical illness as the Cause for COPD problems In commonly, 30% of Patients know about prevention for COPD eg: Smoking cessation, Improving quality, Occupational therapy, Influenza vaccinations, Pneumococcal vaccination, 70% of patients Don’t know about Cause Prevention for COPD. Out of 60 patients, 20 (33%) were in treatment with Fluticasone Inhalation. Patients showed improvement in COPD with mean value of 26.08%. CONCLUSION: The observational analysis and the laboratory parameters were showed significant improvements in Fluticasone propionate treatment than budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate. It can be concluded that fluticasone propionate is superior to budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate in improving lung function, decreasing symptoms and need for rescue medication in COPD. Patient compliance was good with all the three drugs and there is no adverse effect. All the three drugs are well tolerated at doses used in this study

MAJORIZATION OF MATRICES

It is shown that under certain conditions the column majorization of matrices is reversed for the column majorization of their corresponding Moore-Penrose inverses and preserved for the column majorization of their powers. The condition for column majorization of block matrices is determined

Isoeffect calculations based on linear quadratic equations for head and neck cancers

BackgroundThe linear quadratic model has led to various methods for the calculation of isoeffect relationships in radiotherapy. In this model, the tissue sensitive parameters α and β usually appear as a ratio, α/β. These parameters are used to describe the response of normal tissues to radiation insult. Different radiation induced biological end points in specific tissues and organs are associated with the characteristics of the α/β ratio. The linear quadratic model has been used clinically to address questions relating to changes in fractions in treatment schedules.AimThe process of treating cancer with ionizing radiation is complex and subject to dosimetric errors which may potentially result in early or late complications. Our objective was to correct such errors through the application of the incomplete repair linear quadratic model.Materials/MethodsRepair mechanisms are affected if, owing to dosimetric error, excess dose is delivered in single or multiple fractions. Corrections for such errors were simulated, for different clinical situations, in order to avoid late fibrosis in head and neck cancers.ResultsNSD, CRE, and TDF approach could not predict, onset of proliferation, overall treatment time, late and early complications, but linear quadratic model calculations predicts isoeffective schedules successfully with above parameters.ConclusionsIn head and neck cancers, a number of parameters influence the results of treatment. Isoeffect calculations show the risk factors responsible for fibrosis and spinal cord damage and therefore may be used to calculate dose reductions for all remaining fractions, rather than applying shielding

Effect of Industrial Effluent on the Growth of Marine Diatom, Chaetoceros simplex (Ostenfeld, 1901)

The marine centric diatom,Chaetoceros simplex (Ostenfeld, 1901) was exposed to five different concentrations of industrial effluent for 96 hrs to investigate the effect on growth. The physico-chemical parameters viz. colour, odour, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, alkalinity, hardness, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, inorganic phosphate, total phosphorous, reactive  silicate, calcium and magnesium were estimated in the effluent. The Ammonia  (326 μg. L-1), Nitrite (19.53 μg. L-1) and Nitrate (471.4 μg. L-1) were observed at higher levels. About 50% of the cell density of C. simplex reached a lesser dilutions of effluent viz. 1:625 and 1:1250 than the control. The highest cell density (14.3 × 104 cell ml-1) was recorded in 1:10000 diluted effluent followed by control and the lowest cell density was observed in 1:625 diluted effluents. From the results, it is evidenced that the lower volume of effluent discharge into higher volume of water could not affect the growth rate of phytoplankton. It is more important that to reduce the effect of pollution and environmental sustainability. @JASEMJ. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. December, 2010, Vol. 14 (4) 35 - 3

Statistical Properties of Fluctuations: A Method to Check Market Behavior

We analyze the Bombay stock exchange (BSE) price index over the period of last 12 years. Keeping in mind the large fluctuations in last few years, we carefully find out the transient, non-statistical and locally structured variations. For that purpose, we make use of Daubechies wavelet and characterize the fractal behavior of the returns using a recently developed wavelet based fluctuation analysis method. the returns show a fat-tail distribution as also weak non-statistical behavior. We have also carried out continuous wavelet as well as Fourier power spectral analysis to characterize the periodic nature and correlation properties of the time series.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, Econophys-IV, Kolkata, 200

Status of exploitation of seerfishes in the Indian seas

Seerfish production from the Indian seas during the past five decades from 1950s to 1990s, showed an increasing trend. The annual catch increased from 4,505 t in 1953 to 54,8761 in 1998. The average annual catch during the five decadal periods k-aried from 7,278 t in 1950-'59 to 41,575 t in 1990-'99 contributing 1.5% and 1.75% respectively to the total marine fish catch of India. However, the rate of increase through the successive decades decreased indicating the attainment of op- ;imum level of production currently. During 1950-'59, the east coast contributed more (60%) than the west coast (40%), which changed to 36:64 during 1990-'99. iVmong the maritime states of India, Gujarat (25.88%), Maharashtra (16.09%), familnadu (13.59%), Kerala (13.07%) and Andhra Pradesh (12.68%) were the prime seerfish producers during 1990-'99. Gill net (64.8%) was the dominant gear, folowed by trawl (17.4%) and hooks and line (4%) with an average catch rate of 8.1 <g/unit, 0.24 kg/hr and 3.7 kg/unit respectively during 1995-'99. Among the five species, the fishery was sustained only by two species viz., the king seer Scomberomorus commerson and the spotted seer S.guttatus

Stock assessment of coastal tunas in the Indian seas

Tuna and billfish production from the Indian coastal waters, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands during the period 1985-'99 averaged 40,204 t. The contribution by E.affinis, Athazard, T.tonggol, K.pelamis and T.albacares (young ones) were 18,5041,6,8521,3,093 t, 3,3921 and 2,2111 respectively. Drift gill net was the major gear employed in the coastal tuna fishery. The length frequency data collected on the above species during 1990-'98 at seven centres along the Indian coast were analysed employing FiSAT programme to estimate their growth and mortality parameters, exploitation rates and relative yield per recmit

Status of exploitation of coastal tunas in the Indian seas

Tuna and billfish production from Indian seas during the period 1985-'99 evinced an increasing trend and the landings fluctuated between 24,287 t (1987) and 53,6621 (1992). The average annual production during the said period was 40,2041, contributing to 3.6% of the total pelagic fish landings and 1.8% of the total marine fish landings. On an average, 24% of the total tuna and billfish production during 1991-'99 was contributed by northwest coast, 2% by Andaman and Nicobar islands and 14.9% by Lakshadweep. Among the maritime states, Kerala (36 %), Gujarat (18.1%) Tamilnadu (11.6%), Maharashtra (5.9%), Kamataka (5%), Andhra Pradesh (4.4 %) and Goa (2%) were the prime tuna producing states