An eco-friendly HPLC-UV method for the determination of risedronate in its bulk and tablet dosage form with application to content uniformity,dissolution and stability testing

Risedronate is a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The current work aims to develop a novel green HPLC-UV method for the rapid analysis of risedronate sodium in bulk and tablet formulation. The analyzed samples were separated on Waters Atlantis dC18 (150 mm × 3.9 mm; 5 μm) column using a green mobile phase consisting of potassium phosphate buffer pH 2.9 and potassium edetate buffer pH 9.5 in a ratio of 1:2, the final pH was adjusted to 6.8 with phosphoric acid, the mobile phase was pumped at a rate of 1.0 mL/min, with column temperature set at 30 °C, eluted samples were detected at 263 nm and the chromatographic run time was 3.0 min. The method was found to be linear over the concentration range of 14–140 μg/mL with a correlation coefficient (r²) of 0.9994. Accuracy and precision were evaluated from three QC samples (LQC, MQC and HQC) together with the five calibrators where the percentage accuracy was found to be 101.84%. Processed quality control samples of risedronate sodium were tested for stability at different conditions, short term, long term and freeze- thaw stability. The current method was further extended to study the content uniformity of Actonel® tablets following United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) guidelines. The proposed method was fully validated as per ICH guidelines.     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Thal and Cholistan deserts,Punjab, Pakistan

Parasitology Research - Toxoplasma (T.) gondii is an important zoonotic protozoan infecting humans and a wide range of animals. In this study, we determine the seroprevalence and risk factors...     

Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers

Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were disposed directly into the Saguenay River of the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) by local aluminum smelters (Quebec, Canada) for 50 years (1926–1976). PAHs in the river sediments are likely etiologically related to gastrointestinal epithelial cancers observed in 7% of 156 mature (>19-year old) adult beluga found dead along the shorelines. Because DNA adduct formation provides a critical link between exposure and cancer induction, and because PAH–DNA adducts are chemically stable, we hypothesized that SLE beluga intestine would contain PAH–DNA adducts. Using an antiserum specific for DNA modified with several carcinogenic PAHs, we stained sections of paraffin-embedded intestine from 51 SLE beluga (0–63 years), 4 Cook Inlet (CI) Alaska beluga (0–26 years), and 20 beluga (0–46 years) living in Arctic areas (Eastern Beaufort Sea, Eastern Chukchi Sea, Point Lay Alaska) and aquaria, all with low PAH contamination. Stained sections showed nuclear light-to-dark pink color indicating the presence of PAH–DNA adducts concentrated in intestinal crypt epithelial lining cells. Scoring of whole tissue sections revealed higher values for the 51 SLE beluga, compared with the 20 Arctic and aquarium beluga (P = 0.003). The H-scoring system, applied to coded individual photomicrographs, confirmed that SLE beluga and CI beluga had levels of intestinal PAH–DNA adducts significantly higher than Arctic and aquarium beluga (P = 0.003 and 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, high levels of intestinal PAH–DNA adducts in four SLE beluga with gastrointestinal cancers, considered as a group, support a link of causality between PAH exposure and intestinal cancer in SLE beluga. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:29–41, 2019. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

In vitro wound healing activity of 1-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxy-2-naphthalene-carboxaldehyde (HDNC) and other isolates of Aegle marmelos L.: Enhances keratinocytes motility via Wnt/β-catenin and RAS-ERK pathways

Wound healing is a complex process in which injured skin and tissues repaired by interaction of a complex cascade of cellular events that generates resurfacing, reconstitution and restoration of the tensile strength of injured skin. It follows β-catenin, extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt signaling pathways. Aegle marmelos L., generally known as bael is found to act as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-ulcer agent. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that this Indian traditional medicinal plant, A. marmelos flower extract (AMF) was used for wound injury. Henceforth, the current study was investigated to ascertain the effect of its active constituents in vitro wound healing with mechanism involve in migration of cells and activation of β-catenin in keratinocytes, inhibition of PGE₂ in macrophages and production of collagen in fibroblasts. We have taken full thickness wound of rats and applied AMF for 2 weeks. Cutaneous wound healing activity was performed using HaCaT keratinocytes, Hs68 dermal fibroblasts and RAW264.7 macrophages to determine cell viability, nitric oxide production, collagen expression, cell migration and β-catenin activation. Results shows that AMF treated rats demonstrated reduced wound size and epithelisation was improved, involved in keratinocytes migration by regulation of Akt signaling, beta-catenin and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. AMF and its active constituent’s increased mRNA expression, inhibited nitric oxide, PGE₂ release, mRNA expression of mediators in RAW 264.7 macrophages and enhances the motility of HaCaT keratinocytes in vitro wound healing of rats.     

All Slums are Not Equal: Maternal Health Conditions Among Two Urban Slum Dwellers

Background:

Pregnant women inhabiting urban slums are a “high risk” group with limited access to health facilities. Hazardous maternal health practices are rampant in slum areas. Barriers to utilization of health services are well documented. Slums in the same city may differ from one another in their health indicators and service utilization rates. The study examines whether hazardous maternal care practices exist in and whether there are differences in the utilization rates of health services in two different slums.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out in two urban slums of Aligarh city (Uttar Pradesh, India). House-to-house survey was conducted and 200 mothers having live births in the study period were interviewed. The outcome measures were utilization of antenatal care, natal care, postnatal care, and early infant feeding practices. Rates of hazardous health practices and reasons for these practices were elicited.

Results:

Hazardous maternal health practices were common. At least one antenatal visit was accepted by a little more than half the mothers, but delivery was predominantly home based carried out under unsafe conditions. Important barriers to utilization included family tradition, financial constraints, and rude behavior of health personnel in hospitals. Significant differences existed between the two slums.

Conclusion:

The fact that barriers to utilization at a local level may differ significantly between slums must be recognized, identified, and addressed in the district level planning for health. Empowerment of slum communities as one of the stakeholders can lend them a stronger voice and help improve access to services.     

Infective endocarditis in patients with congenitally malformed hearts: characterization of the syndrome in a developing country

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac surgery for correction or palliation of congenital cardiac disease in infancy and childhood remains a privilege that is rarely accessible to two-thirds of the world's population. This imbalance has created a unique spectrum of illness in patients with underlying congenital cardiac disease and complicating infective endocarditis in developing countries, including Pakistan. In this study, we characterize endocarditis as seen in such patients presenting in Karachi. PATIENTS AND SETTINGS: We reviewed retrospectively patients admitted to Aga Khan University with underlying congenitally malformed hearts and endocarditis between 1991 and 2004. RESULTS: We identified 48 patients with endocarditis according to the modified Duke Criterions, with just over half the cases (54%) classified as definite endocarditis. Of the patients, 23 (49%) patients were more than 16 years old. Uncorrected left-to-right-shunts, tetralogy of Fallot, and congenital mitral valvar disease were the most common underlying defects. Patients with cyanotic defects, particularly of the complex type, were underrepresented (4%). Only 11 (22.9%) of the patients had a previous palliative or corrective surgery. In one-third of the patients (16), streptococcal species were identified as the microbiologic cause of endocarditis, and 22 (45.8%) had culture-negative endocarditis. In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci caused endocarditis in only one patient each. There were no differences in mortality or complications between cyanotic and acyanotic congenital defects. Surgery was performed in nine (18.7%) patients with endocarditis, and of these, 13 (27.1%) died. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the developed world, endocarditis in the developing countries, such as Pakistan, complicates uncorrected left-to-right shunts and tetralogy of Fallot, probably because patients with complex cyanotic defects fail to survive long after birth due to the lack of available surgery. Almost half of patients had culture-negative endocarditis, likely related to several factors.     

Correction: Pharmacophore-based approaches in the rational repurposing technique for FDA approved drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 Mpro

Correction for ‘Pharmacophore-based approaches in the rational repurposing technique for FDA approved drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 M^pro’ by Vishal M. Balaramnavar et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 40264–40275, DOI: 10.1039/D0RA06038K.

The authors regret that the name of one of the authors (Talha Jawaid) was shown incorrectly in the original article. The corrected author list is as shown above.The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.     

Standardization and Wound-Healing Activity of Petroleum,Ethanolic and Aqueous Extracts of Ficus Benghalensis Leaves

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - Wound healing is the repair process of injury on the skin and other soft tissues. After injury, an inflammatory response occurs and tissue cells below the dermis...     

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction of Major Phenolic Components from Flowers of Ghav-Patta (Argyreia Speciosa Linn.) Via Response Surface Model

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) or ultrasonic extraction technology has been used for the isolation of bioactive compounds from Argyreia speciosa (Linn. f.)...