Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology has made a revolutionary impact in the area of human healthcare by enabling mass production of safe, pure and effective rDNA expression products. Constructing a recombinant DNA molecule involves cutting the DNA into fragments with restriction endonucleases and rejoining the fragments in novel arrangements with ligase. Currently, several categories of rDNA products, viz. hormones of therapeutic interest, haemopoietic growth factors, blood coagulation products, thrombolytic agents, anticoagulants, interferons, interleukins and therapeutic enzymes are being produced using rDNA technology for human use.

Keywords : Recombinant DNA, Hybridoma technique, Monoclonal Antibodies, Antibiotics, Vaccines

Author : Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan

Title : Recombinant DNA technology in drug discovery

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 78-80

Naturally occurring resins have beneficial pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties. Based on the Ethnopharmacological literature, several species of natural resins used in traditional medicine were collected. In this study eleven commonly available natural resins were screened for their chemical and biological activity. Phytochemical screening of selected resins showed the presence of carbohydrates and/or glycosides, sterols and or triterpenes, flavonoids, Volatile oil and tannins. Brine shrimp lethality bioassay for the methanol extracts of different tested resinous material revealed that Olibanum, Mastic, Myrrh and Colophony were the most active with potential cytotoxic activity (LC50) at 231.0±2.02, 261.3±1.05, 575.8±1.13 and 696.2±3.05, respectively. The bio-guided biological assays revealed that Myrrh and Mastic proved to have the highest protective activity against DNA damage induced by bleomycin-iron complex with absorbance at 0.003±0.041 and 0.002±0.014 respectively. This study indicated that Olibanum, Mastic and Myrrh retained the most biological activity of all of the tested resins as potential natural antitumor agents.

Keywords : Resins, Brine shrimp, Cytotoxicity, DNA, Bleomycin, Mastic, Olibanum

Author : Farid A. Badria, Aicha M. Gabr, and Amal A. Galala

Title : Chemical and Bio-guided Evaluation of Some Natural Resins as Potential Antitumor Agents

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 81-95

The present study evaluated the mutagenic and antimutagenic protective effects of Quercus infectoria galls (QIG) against genotoxicity induced by 2-Aminoanthracene (2AA). Mice bone marrow mitotic index, chromosomal aberration, and micronucleus assay were employed to measure the genotoxicity, respectively. Mice were treated with aqueous extract of QIG (2, 5 and 7 gm/kg body weight) for 7 days. Without the dose of 2AA, no mutagenic effects were observed in bone marrow samples of the mice. QIG extract by itself did not show any harmful effects but it significantly improve mitotic activity in bone marrow cells at the dose 2 gm/kg body weight .Pre-, post- and simultaneous treatments with 2AA were carried out in vivo. It was observed that the dose 2gm/kg of QIG administrated 7 days before injection of 2AA (at the dose of 750 mg/kg) caused the most statistically significant decrease of 2AA induced chromosome aberration , micronuclei frequency and stimulate cell proliferation in bone marrow cells of mice as compared to 2AA group. Showing antimutagenic protective effects on 2AA induced mutagenicity in mice. Thus, it can be concluded from the study that aqueous extract of QIG exhibited no clastogenic effects but only possessing antimutagenic effects. This antimutagenic activity is an induction of its medicinal relevance.

Keywords : Antimutagens; Chromosomal aberration; Micronucleus assay; Mitotic index; Quercus infectoria galls; Mice bone marrow.

Author : Bushra Mohammed-Amin Mohammed

Title : Anti-mutagenic protection of Quercus infectoria galls against 2-Aminoanthracene induced genotoxicity in mice bone marrow

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 96-102

The present study includes 36 anemic and 30 control subjects. The level of serum iron, hemoglobin, RBC count, and sodium are lower in anemic patients as compared to control subjects, whereas serum calcium and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (6-PDH) had shown no significant difference between the anemic and control non anemic groups. A positive correlation of serum iron with serum potassium level was found in the anemic group.

Keywords : Anemia, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium.

Author : Faiza Ashraf, Aziza Khanam, and Sidra Rizwan

Title : Evaluation of blood calcium and electrolytes in anemic women of Karachi

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 103-105

Malaria is a parasitic disease that is endemic in Nigeria with one of the greatest challenges being the development of resistance by Plasmodium falciparum against chloroquine and Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). Since, ethnobotanical studies have given insight on the use Nauclea latifolia (Pin cushion tree) to treat malaria, this study was aimed at validating or rejecting this claims through the extraction and fractionation of the secondary metabolites in the roots of this plant as well as evaluation of the in vivo antiplasmodial activity by comparing their effects with amodiaquine and artesunate. The extract and fractions were administered orally to albino mice by adopting the standard procedures of prophylactic, suppressive and curative antiplasmodial assay models. The following phytochemicals were relatively abundant: alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, cardiac glycosides and carbohydrates. The analysis showed that all treatment groups had significant prophylactic activities but the best three were amodiaquine, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions. However, all the treatment groups showed good chemosuppresive activity against Plasmodium berghei as follows: amodiaquine (99.2%), artesunate (98.8%), ethanol extract (96.2%) and aqueous fraction (91.3%) which showed similarity with the standard drugs. Moreover, the curative abilities of the plant roots in treating malaria infection showed that all the treatment groups significantly reduced (P < 0.05) parasite densities in mice when compared with the negative control group with % growth inhibitions as amodiaquine (98.2%) > butanol fraction (90.8%) > artesunate (90.3%) > aqueous fraction (33.8%) etc. Therefore, Nauclea latifolia roots may be used in prophylaxis, suppression of parasite growth as well as in the treatment of malaria.

Keywords : Malaria; Plasmodium berghei; Nauclea latifolia, parasite density, mean survival, % parasite growth inhibition.

Author : Asanga Edet Effiong, Eseyin Olorunfemi, Ebong Patrick, Igile Godwin, Thomas Paul Sunday, Ebong Aniekan

Title : Antiplasmodial Activity of Ethanol Extract and Fractions of Nauclea Latifolia Smith (Rubiacea) Roots

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 106-118

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid with potent insecticidal property. Cinnamon is one of the oldest medicinal plants used in traditional medicine.The present work was carried out to evaluate the effect of cinnamon aqueous extract on liver injury induced by the cypermethrin in albino rats. Animals were divided into 4 groups. Group 1: control, Group 2: given cinnamon (200mg/kg b.w.), Group 3: given cypermethrin at a dose level 1/10 LD50 for 6 weeks, Group 4: given cypermethrin and cinnamon. Liver were obtained from these groups for histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical preparations. Liver tissues of cypermethrin-treated animals showed leucocytic infiltrations, rupture of sinusoids with hemorrhages, congested blood vessels, cytoplasmic vacuolation of the hepatocytes and fatty infiltration. Histochemical results revealed depletion of carbohydrates and protein. Expression of PCNA was increased in the liver of treated rats. Biochemical results showed that cypermethrin caused elevation in ALT and AST. Treating animals with cypermethrin and cinnamon revealed an improvement in the histological, histochemical and biochemical changes with decrease in expression of PCNA. In conclusion, the administration of cinnamon aqueous extract provided significant protection against cypermethrin-induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats by its antioxidant effects.

Keywords : Cypermethrin, Cinnamon, Hepatotoxicity, Histology, PCNA, Rats

Author : Saber A.Sakr, Aml M.Hashem, Amany E.Nofal, Nahla H.El-shaer

Title : Protective Effect of Cinnamon Aqueous Extract on Cypermethrin-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 119-128

Pyrimidine is the parent substance of a large group of heterocyclic compounds and plays a vital role in many biological processes, as found in nucleic acids, several vitamins, co-enzymes and purines. Keeping this in mind new pyrimidines are synthesised by conventional method and the structures were confirmed by spectral evidence. Synthesised compounds were screened for their anti-inflammatory activity. Among the synthesized compounds compound B5P5 and B6P6 possessed maximum activity.

Keywords : Pyrimidine, phenylhydrazine and anti-inflammatory activity.

Author : Vudumula Kotireddy, K. Venkata Ramana and Venkata Rao Vutla

Title : Synthesis, and biological evaluation of new pyrimidine derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory agents

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 129-132

Antifungal activities of crude aqueous and methanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica on some fungal isolates were determined. Standard microbiological methods and methods in phamacognosy were used to determine phytochemistry, for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), and antibiotic-extract interaction. The results obtained from this research showed higher quantity of saponins in methanolic extracts while terpenes were more in aqueous extracts. The antifungal effect showed by the extracts increased with increasing concentrations (12.5 mg/mL, 25.0 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL, 100 mg/mL, 200 mg/mL) on Aspergillus niger (inhibition zone range: 10.2 ± 0.2 mm-19.5 ± 0.1 mm) Penicillium sp. (inhibition zone range: 6.0 ± 0.2 mm-16.3 ± 0.5 mm) and Candida albicans (inhibition zone range: 8.3 ±2.0 mm- 18.0 ± 1.2 mm) for both methanolic and aqueous extracts. Aqueous extracts showed higher potency than methanolic extracts (p < 0.01). Activity index as high as 1.8 was observed. MIC as low as 125 µg/mL and 250 µg/mL were also observed. Combined extract and nystatin at MIC and ½ MIC showed synergy against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, but showed indeterminate effect on Penicillium sp. The traditional use of Neem plant for treating diverse infectious diseases is hereby justified, while its combination with synthetic antifungal drugs when necessary would be effective.

Keywords : methanolic extracts, aqueous extracts, synergy, antagonistic, infectious disease

Author : A.A. Adegoke and N.U. Asamudo

Title : Antifungal activity and Nystatin Interaction with crude aqueous and Methanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica (Neem) on some fungal isolates

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 133-138

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of several forms of glutamic acid found in foods, in large part because glutamic acid (an amino acid) is pervasive in nature. MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. MSG has been used for more than 100 years to season food, with a number of studies conducted on its safety. Under normal conditions, humans can metabolize relatively large quantities of glutamate, which is naturally produced in the gut by exopeptidase enzymes in the course of protein hydrolysis. The median lethal dose (LD50) is between 15 and 18 g/kg body weight in mice and rats, respectively, five times greater than the LD50 of salt (3 g/kg in rats). The use of MSG as a food additive and the natural level of glutamic acid in foods are not toxicological concerns in humans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have given MSG it’s generally recognized as safe (GRAS) designation. A popular belief is that large doses of MSG can cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort, known as ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ (CRS), but double-blind tests fail to find evidence of such a reaction. The European Union classifies it as a food additive permitted in certain foods and subject to quantitative limits.

Keywords : MSG, Chinese restaurant syndrome, oxidative stress, appetite enhancer, oral care

Author : Tushar Kanti Bera, Sanjit Kumar Kar, Prem Kumar Yadav, Prithwiraj Mukherjee, Shankar Yadav, Bishal Joshi

Title : Effects of monosodium glutamate on human health: A systematic review

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 139-144

Potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer are majority of oral diseases effecting oral cavity. In spite of advances in treatment modalities, the survival rate of these patients has not been improved due to their adverse effects. To overcome these adverse effects alternative medicines such as turmeric, aloevera, neem, green tea, photo dynamic therapy, CO2 laser and stem cell culture etc are used. The aim of our review is to highlight on the applications of above mentioned alternative therapies in management of oral mucosal lesions.

Keywords : Herbs, oral cavity, apoptosis, photodynamic therapy, stem cell, CO2 laser

Author : Girish Katti, Syeda Arshiya Ara, Farahath Mujahid, Taranum Fatima, Bhagyashree M Patil

Title : Alternative therapy in management of oral lesions- A review

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 145-149

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally with more than one million adults overweight and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. It pose a major risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart diseases, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, orthopedic disorders and certain forms of cancer. Siddha medicine is one of the oldest Indian system of medicine which is believed to be originated more than 10,000 years ago. It takes human and nature as a part of closed system. In siddha, obesity has been dealt by various siddhas regarding its causes, signs and symptoms. Siddha being a medical science constitutes both preventive aspects as well as treatment aspects. This article reviews about the siddha medicinal herbs possessing hypolipidemic and anti-obesity property.

Keywords : Obesity, Hyperlipidemia, Siddha Medicine, Medicinal herbs

Author : Dr R. Meera and Dr K. Sivaranjani

Title : Anti-obesity and hypolipidemic activity of siddha drugs: A review

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 150-161

Background: Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is indigenous to the Indian continent and highly revered for its medicinal uses within the Ayurvedic and Siddha medical systems. Many in vitro, animal and human studies attest to tulsi having multiple therapeutic actions including adaptogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and immunomodulatory effects. Yet to date there are very few studies pertaining to the antipyretic activity. Objective: To compare the anti-pyretic property of aqueous form of Ocimum Sanctum Linn (tulsi) fresh leaves, in different doses with that of standard drug, in experimentally induced acute fever in animal models. Methodology: Adult Wistar Albino Rats of both sex weighing 125-150 grams were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6); First group were the standard drug (control) subjects (Paracetamol 100 mg/kg), the second and the third groups were the test group (Tulsi 400mg/kg & 800mg/kg). After recording the initial temperature, fever was induced by injecting 15% of brewer’s yeast. 18 hrs post challenge, each rat was fed orally with standard and test drugs respectively. Temperature were recorded at basal level, and at 30, 60, 120 and 180 minutes respectively. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction of temperature in the tulsi treated group. Conclusion: Fever control was comparable with that of standard drug.

Keywords : Ocimum Sanctum Linn (tulsi), Effectiveness, Paracetamol, Pyrexia

Author : Pushpam M, Durairajan P, Arumugam P, Patric Joshua P

Title : Comparison of antipyretic effectiveness between standard drugs with different doses of Ocimum sanctum linn (Tulsi)

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 162-167

Abacavir is an antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV/AIDS. Lamivudine (2′,3′-dideoxy-3′-thiacytidine, commonly called 3TC) is a potent nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (nRTI). Dolutegravir (DTG) is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of HIV infection. Dolutegravir is an integrase inhibitor. A combination product of the above three drugs is being marketed under the brand name of Triumeq in India. In the present study focus is laid on this triple combination drug, The retention times of Lamivudine, Abacavir and Dolutegravir were found to be 2.2 min, 2.9 min & 7.4 min respectively. Regression coefficient r2 value was 0.999 for Lamivudine, Abacavir and Dolutegravir and the response was linear. The percentage mean recovery of Lamivudine, Abacavir and Dolutegravir were found to be 100.04, 99.73 and 100.29% respectively. %RSD values of repeatability and intermediate precision were ≤2 and the method is precise. The solution stability studies of method indicate that the Lamivudine, Abacavir and Dolutegravir drugs were stable up to 24 hours. Hence, the developed method can be successfully employed for routine quality control of Lamivudine, Abacavir and Dolutegravir in drug testing laboratories and pharmaceutical industries.

Keywords : Lamivudine, Abacavir, Dolutegravir, RP-HPLC, HIV

Author : Rajkumar Prava, Ganapathy Seru, Vamsi Krishna Pujala and Surendra Babu Lagu

Title : RP-HPLC method development and validation for the simultaneous determination of lamivudine, abacavir and dolutegravir in pharmaceutical dosage forms

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 168-181

The bactericidal activity of aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum against selective Vibrio species was evaluated. Vibrios are marine bacterium, responsible for disease outbreak affecting commercial production of shrimp species especially Penaeus monodon. Vibrios were cultivated on Thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS) agar and seven colonies of Vibrio species were isolated based on their colony morphology. The plant extract was prepared from Ocimum tenuiflorum and its antibacterial activity was evaluated against Vibrio species. The antibacterial activity was tested by using the disk diffusion method, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) methods.

Keywords : TCBS, MIC, MBC, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Penaeus monodon

Author : A. Sivaraj , B. Palani, B. Senthilkumar

Title : Bactericidal activity of Ocimum tenuiflorum leaf extract against selective Vibrio species of Penaeus monodon culture hatchery

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 182-185

The aim of present work was to develop a simple and sensitive, HPTLC for the quantitative estimation of Betamethasone Valerate in its single component cream formulations (20 g). Betamethasone Valerate was chromatographed on silica Gel 60 F254 TLC plate using Ethyl Acetate: n- Heptane: Toluene: Ethanol (5.1:2.4:1.2:0.3 v/v/v/v) as mobile phase. Betamethasone Valerate in methanol scanned by Camag TLC scanner 4 with UV visible detector over wavelength range 200 to 400 nm, showed Rf value of 0.34 at wavelength 246 nm and selected for further studies. The method was validated in terms of linearity (1-9 μg/ml), precision (intra-day variation 1.40, inter-day variation 1.71), accuracy (84 to 96%) and specificity. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for Betamethasone Valerate were found to be 0.97 μg/spot and 2.96 μg/spot, respectively. It can be concluded from the results that the proposed method was accurate, precise and consistent the determination of Betamethasone Valerate in dosage form. This method was validated as per ICH guideline Q2 (R1). Results suggest that this method can be used for routine estimation of Betamethasone Valerate in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Keywords : Betamethasone Valerate, Toluene, Ethanol, n-heptane, Ethyl acetate, HPTLC.

Author : Neha Sharad Sinnarkar and Manisha S. Phoujdar

Title : Development and validation of HPTLC method for determination of betamethasone valerate in API and pharmaceutical dosage form

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 186-190

The aim of the present study is to tackle ever increasing out of pocket health expenditure by the poor people, the Government of India has brought in National Health Mission with many strategies .One of the essential strategies is rational usage of drugs. To assess the status of drug used at the field level, a cross sectional observational study was conducted with the help of the a questionnaire developed based on WHO indicators for rational drug use at Urban Health Center at Nandambakkam attached to Sri Muthukumaran Medical College & Research Institute involving 200 out patients in a period of ten weeks. The center do not have Essential Drug List (EDL) and Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG). Under the prescribing indicators, 80 %( 79%+2.35) of drugs prescribed were by Generic names. Percentage of Drugs prescribed from the EDL was 100%.Under the patient care indicator average consultation time was 2.38minutes (2.30+18 secs), which is very very less indicating less attention received by the patients. Patients’ knowledge of correct dosage is also inadequate. Under the faculty Indicators regarding availability, almost all the drugs were available except a few, that too for a short period. The outcome of study indicate that the EDL and STG should be made available at the center moreover the medical officers as well as pharmacist, should be trained in handling of the drugs appropriately to improve at the centers rational drug usage.

Keywords : Rational Drug Usage, National Health Mission, WHO indicators of RDU, Essential Drug List

Author : P. Durai Rajan, A.K. Rajendran and A. Kasthuri

Title : Evaluation of drug use in the Urban Health Centre of tertiary health care using drug use indicators developed by WHO

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 191-194

The aim of present work was to develop a simple and sensitive, HPTLC for the quantitative estimation of Telmisartan in its single component tablet formulations (40 mg). Telmisartan was chromatographed on silica Gel 60 F254 TLC plate using Toluene:Methanol (7:3 v/v/v) as mobile phase. Telmisartan in methanol scanned by Camag TLC scanner 4 with UV visible detector over wavelength range 200 to 400 nm, showed Rf value of 0.46 at wavelength of 299 nm and selected for further studies. The method was validated in terms of linearity (1-3 ng/ml), precision (intra-day variation 1.61, inter-day variation 2.73), accuracy (81.55 to 87.51%) and specificity. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for Telmisartan were found to be 0.25 ng/spot and 0.7 ng/spot, respectively. It can be concluded from the results that the proposed method was accurate, precise and consistent the determination of Telmisartan in Tablet dosage form. This method was validated as per ICH guideline Q2 (R1). Results suggest that this method can be used for routine estimation of Telmisartan in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Keywords : Telmisartan, Toluene, Methanol, HPTLC.

Author : Snehal Narendra Chandurkar and Manisha S. Phoujdar

Title : Development and validation of HPTLC method for determination of Telmisartan in API and pharmaceutical dosage form

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 195-199

AIM: The aim of study is to investigate the changes of knee joint effusion before and after osteoarthritis of knee, using musculoskeletal Ultrasonograpy. DESIGN: Prospective, follow-up study. SETTING: Department of Physiotherapy, Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical sciences, Karimnagar. METHODS AND MATERIALS: 20 cases of unilateral knee osteoarthritis were assessed by PHILPS EnviSor CH D Ultrasonographic examination of knee effusion. Subjects were prospectively assigned to the follow-up treatment of Interferential stimulation and Non-thrust Manual exercise (including Knee, Hip and and Leg muscles. A 15 session treatment program, 30 minute per day was performed for KOA. OUTCOME MEASURES: Before and after intervention, we assessed knee joint effusion through ordinal scale. T –test was used for comparison between pre and post treatment results in respectively. RESULTS: 12 cases (women 7, men 5) were identified and a total 20 subjects of knee OA. The mean score of effusion (2.75); T-value (2.20%) in the nonthrust manual exercise and interferential current. CONCLUSION: Significantly reduction in knee effusion in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Keywords : Knee osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal ultrasonography, Knee effusion, Interferential current

Author : Dr. E. Babu Sridhar

Title : A study on knee joint effusion with osteoarthritis by musculoskeletal ultrasonography- before and after management

Volume/Issue : 2017;5(5)

Page No : 200-202