SYNTHESIS AND BIOSYNTHESIS OF β-LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS

In 1928 Fleming observed the antibacterial action of penicillin at St.Maryt's Hospital, London, on a plate seeded with staphylococci that had been contaminated with a strain of penicillium natatum.More than ten years later H. W. Florey and E. Chain and their colleagues at Oxford University showed that crude preparations of penicillin had chemotherapeutic properties which seemed at the time to be almost miraculous. This marked the beginning of investigations that were to lead to the widespread use of β-lactam antibiotics in medicine.     

SICHUAN INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE OF ANTIBIOTICS

SICHUAN INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE OF ANTIBIOTICS is one of the main institution engaged in the research and development of microbial drugs in China anddirectly under the leadership of State Pharmaceutical Administration of China. SICHUAN INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE OF ANTIBIOTICS was establishedin 1965. Located in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Now it employs 484 personnels including 306 research staffs among which 50 were senior title and more than 100 persons possess medium title.     

THE NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE ASSAYS TO BACTERIAL GROWTH INHIBITION FOR THE CONTROL OF ANTITUMOUR ANTIBIOTICS

Antitumour Antibiotics Antibacterial activity,in mose cases,led to the discovery and isolationof antitumour antibiotics although,becauseof their high toxicity,they areseldom considered for clinical treatmentof infections.Antibacterial propertieshave,however,continued to beused as the basis for their standardisationand control.The use of inhibitionof microbial growth by these drugs forthese purposes offers several advantagesof which relative simplicity,thepossibility of some level of automatonand the attainment of a high degreeof precision,are notable.An obviousquestion that must arise from such     

WHANAUNGATANGA – A PROCESS IN THE TREATMENT OF MAORI WITH ALCOHOL- AND DRUG-USE RELATED PROBLEMS

Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand have advocated that culturally-based care requires goals and processes specifically defined within their ethnocultural context. Positive cultural identity and pride have been posited as integral to achieving wellbeing for Maori. A sample of Maori in treatment for alcohol- and drug-use associated problems was reported to believe that a sense of belonging to an iwix)(“tribe”) could contribute to the recovery process. Data relating to “tribal” affiliation, cultural self-identity and upbringing of that sample is presented. The key concepts of whanau(“family”) and whanaungatanga(“relationships”) in the treatment process for Maori are explored and the implications of their utility discussed. The findings highlight the complexity of providing treatment that is cognizant of ethnocultural factors     

EFFECT OF β-ARTEETHER TREATMENT ON ERYTHROCYTIC METHEMOGLOBIN REDUCTASE SYSTEM IN PLASMODIUM YOELII NIGERIENSIS INFECTED MICE

Background: The methemoglobin reductase system plays a vital role in maintaining the equilibrium between hemoglobin (Hb) and methemoglobin (MetHb) in blood. Exposure of red blood cells to an oxidative stress (pathological/physiological) may cause impairment in this equilibrium. Objective: The status of MetHb and the related reductase system was studied during Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (P. y. nigeriensis) infection and β-arteether treatment in mice. Methods: Mice were divided into four groups. Normal group, normal mice treated withβ-arteether, P. y. nigeriensis infected mice and P. y. nigeriensis infected mice treated with β-arteether. Results: The present investigation revealed a marked decrease in the activity of MetHb reductase, with concomitant rise in MetHb levels during P. y. nigeriensis infection in mice erythrocytes (P<0.001) as compared to normal mice. However, the activities of the associated enzymes viz., lactate dehydrogenase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase were found to be increased with progressive rise in parasitemia.β-Arteether treatment (12.5 mg/kg body weight) of infected mice (parasitemia 20–25%) from day 5 of post infection resulted in complete clearance of parasitemia on day 7 of post infection, which was accompanied by restoration of all the altered above mentioned indices to near normal levels as compared to infected mice (P<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that there is a marked impairment of methemoglobin and methemoglobin reductase system during P. y. nigeriensis infection in mice. β-Arteether treatment of infected mice resulted in complete clearance of parasitemia which also caused the restoration of methemoglobin and methemoglobin reductase system to near normal levels.     

STUDY OF THE MUTAGENICITY OF “HYPIRAN” AND “SANKOL” IN HUMAN BLOOD CELLS AND COMPARISON WITH HYDROGEN PEROXIDE BY SINGLE CELL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS (SCGE) OR COMET ASSAY

ABSTRACT

Due to the increased use and availability of herbal medicinal products, it has been necessary to perform investigations pertaining to their toxicological safety. The aim of this study was to use the rapid and sensitive technique of Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) or “Comet Assay” to assess the mutagenic potential of two such products: “Hypiran” and “Sankol.” The results were compared against positive (hydrogen peroxide) and negative (no mutagen) control groups. The instances of DNA damage were observed in 25 randomly selected cells and viewed under a fluorescence microscope following electrophoresis and staining with ethidium bromide. Both microscopic inspection and calculation of the number of affected/damaged cells were encouraging and were comparable to the observations of previous studies using SCGE. The total instances of cell damage in the presence of “Hypiran” increased as the dose increased, with all 25 cells exhibiting fragmentation at the highest dose. However, “Sankol” only exhibited some damage (8–12% of cells) at all doses. The results obtained suggest that in vitro, “Hypiran” produces dose dependent DNA damage and therefore may possess some mutagenic potential. Compared to the positive control, no significant DNA damage was observed with “Sankol” and hence this compound may have no mutagenic potential. However, further study is required before a full evaluation of these products can be made.