Karnataka

Nigella sativa (Black seed) is a plant which has been used for centuries for medicinal and culinary purposes and reported to possess a number of pharmacological properties that include anti-parasitic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Its oil is used as condiment, carminative, food preservative, analgesic and to treat many ailments in different parts of world. It has been extensively used in Unani system of medicine as a natural remedy for a number of diseases such as asthma, inflammation, cough, eczema, fever and gastrointestinal disturbances. It also has galactagogue, abortifacient, emmenagogue and uterotonic activity which makes it useful in amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, puerperal sepsis and to improve lactation. Many active principles have been isolated from Nigella sativa seed including thymoquinone, nigellone, and fixed oils. This review is an attempt to highlight the therapeutic uses of Nigella sativain Unani medicine and pharmacological properties.

Training is the attainment of knowledge, skills, and competencies as an outcome of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. Training in a regulated environment is a continuous process that should be adaptable from a single business unit to an entire organization. Training entails providing, developing, and reconfirming knowledge, skills and core competencies to meet business requirements. This paper will create a framework by which specific requirements for setting up and maintaining an effective and complaint training program are explained by providing overview of vital training topics.

Geriatrics accounts for 7% of the total world population. As age advances apartfrom health, sleep quality also becomes compromised in geriatrics. In addition, an increased incidenceof insomnia has been noted in the elderly. As a result geriatric population constitutes the largestconsumers of hypnotics. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of hypnotics prescribedfor insomnia in the geriatric population. A prospective study for a period of ten months wascarried out in the geriatric population who consumed at least one hypnotic during their hospital stay. A total of 93 patients were included in the study. Data was collected from the patient's case report forms.The sleep quality was assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the patients were categorizedbased on their PSQI score. A total of 93 patients who met the inclusion criteria were includedin the study. Among them 49(53%) were female and 44(47%) were male. 59(63%) patients of thestudy population were experiencing trouble in falling asleep, 47(51%) were complaining of lessduration of sleep and 43(46.2%) were complaining early morning awakening as their major sleepcomplaint. The analysis of sleep quality by PSQI revealed that a total of 29% (27) patients had scoredless than 5 points (PSQI score) and had good quality sleep and the rest 71% (66) patients were foundto have poor quality of sleep. Zolpidem was found to be most effective for providing fast onset of sleep,diazepam for duration of sleep and clonazepam to reduce the early morning awakening. A statisticallysignificant improvement of sleep quality was observed in alprazolam 0.5mg and 0.25mg with a p-valueof 0.001 and 0.002 respectively.

To assess efficacy of different classes of drugs in therapy of low back pain. A prospective observational study was carried out over a period of 12 months in which a total of 300 patients with low back pain were enrolled and divided equally into three groups – group 1 (NSAIDs), group 2 (muscle relaxant ±NSAIDs) and group 3 (muscle relaxant ± NSAIDs ± neurotropic drugs). Efficacy of drugs was assessed using oswestry low back disability questionnaire at baseline, 3 weeks and 6 weeks, and the disability index was calculated. There was a male predominance in the study population with a mean age of 39.76 ± 9.40 years. Mean percentage reduction in disability index was maximum in group 2 (54.66±9.85), followed by group 3 (51.33 ± 6.95) and group 1 (46.78 ± 10.12). A significant inter-group difference (p

Terminalia pallida brandis and Boswellia ovalifoliolata most commonly found plants in the south India. Methanolic and nHexane extract of Terminalia pallida roots and Boswellia ovalifoliolata roots were analysed for antioxidant activity. The In-vitro methods for antioxidant activity are based on the principle of inhibition of free radicals.Present study provides focus on the reducing power assay and the free radical scavenging activity of both the plants in both the extracts. It was observed that Terminalia pallida roots and Boswellia ovalifoliolata roots have demonstrated dose dependent reducing property.

Inflammation plays key role in various diseases such as asthma, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation is defined as the local response of living mammalian tissues to tissue injury due to any agent. It is a body defense reaction in order to eliminate or limit the spread of injurious agent as well as to remove the consequent necrosed cells and tissues. Leucas aspera is a used orally as stimulant, anthelmintic, laxative, diaphoretic, for the treatment of headache, asthma, and bronchitis. The decoction of roots, stem of Leucas aspera is used orally for high fevers, for influenza, and for malarial fevers. Cassia tora commonly is used as tonic, carminative and stimulant. According to Ayurveda the leaves and seeds are acrid, laxative, antiperiodic, anthelmintic, ophthalmic, liver tonic, cardiotonic and expectorant. This study was aimed to evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of the roots of Leucas aspera and Cassia tora.

The hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous extracts of S. venulosa (AESV) and S. wallichiana (AESW) leaves on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage in albino rats was investigated. Animals were pretreated with the AESV (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) and AESW (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) for 15 days and then challenged with CCl4 (1 ml/kg body weight) in olive oil (1:1 v/v) on the 15th day. The degree of protection was measured by using biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxalate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein and total bilirubin. Further the effects of both the extracts on catalase (CAT), peroxidase (Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were estimated in both CCl4 treated and extract treated groups. Oral administration of AESV and AESW (500 mg/kg body weight) significantly protected from CCl4-induced elevation in SGOT, SGPT, ALP, total bilirubin, total protein and decrease in the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes namely SOD, CAT and Px. The extracts (AESV and AESW at 500 mg/kg body weight) also protected against histopathological damage induced by CCl4 such as distorted hepatocytes and necrosis. The present study suggests that AESV has potent antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity when compared to AESW. Key words: Schefflera species, hepatoprotective, CCl4, antioxidant enzymes.

This research has focused on the incorporation of the thiadiazole moiety into versatile pyridine ring because of their biological properties. In order to explore the possibilities of some altered biological action author envisaged that by designing the Schiff base derivatives of 1, 3, 4-thiadiazole moiety may exhibit anticancer properties. These novel 1,3,4-thiadiazole Schiff base compounds have been synthesized by microwave-assisted synthesis and screened for their cytotoxicity on HeLa, HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cell lines.The key intermediate 2-(4-fluorophenyl)pyridine-3-carboxylic acid was obtained by hydrolysing the ester 3 in presence of KOH and methanol.Thus obtained compound 4 was treated with thiosemicarbazide and phosphorous oxychloride and cyclized in microwave inorder to get the intermediate 5-[2-(4-fluorophenyl) pyridin-3-yl]-1, 3, 4-thiadiazol-2-amine. The amine 5 was reacted with different aldehydes (a-h) in presence of catalytic amount of acetic acid and obtaineda series of novel Schiff base derivatives 6a-6h. These compounds were characterized by MS, 1H-NMR,IR and elemental analysis. Most of the compounds in this series have exhibited moderate cytotoxicity onall the three human cell lines at different concentrations, but two compounds 6f and 6h showed good inhibition towards liver carcinoma cell lines having IC50 of 23.8µMand 13.4µM respectively.

A simple, sensitive, accurate and specific stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the estimation of clopidogrel bisulphate in bulk. In the present study, extensive testing of clopidogrel bisulphate in different stress conditions were carried out as per the ICH guidelines Q1A (R2). The system consisted of a pump (Shimadzu, prominence, LC20AD), with 20µl sample injector, along with a PDA (Shimadzu, prominence, SPDM20A) detector at a wavelength of 254nm. Data was compiled using Shimadzu LC Solution software. The degraded products formed under various stress conditions were separated successfully from the drug by using a PHENOMENEX C8 Column (150 x 4.6mm, 5µm) with binary gradient conditions. Acetonitrile: phosphate buffer of pH 2.0 was used as mobile phase at flow rate of 1.2ml/min. Clopidogrel bisulphate was exposed to various stress conditions like oxidation, hydrolysis, photolysis and neutral decomposition. Clopidogrel bisulphate, which was found to degrade considerably in acidic, photo and oxidative conditions, was found to be stable in alkaline and neutral conditions. Apart from the formation of minor degraded products under accelerated conditions, the drug was reasonably stable in solid state. A good linear relationship over the concentration range of 150-500µg/ml was shown. Validation of the method was carried out as per the ICH guidelines. The method developed was found to be precise, accurate, specific and selective. Clopidogrel bisulphate showed degradation in 5M Hydrochloric acid at 80oC, in 3% hydrogen peroxide for 5min the drug showed around 35% of degradation, when exposed to sunlight for 15 min, formed around 25-30% of degradation products. Statistical analysis shows that the method is reproducible and selective for the estimation of clopidogrel bisulphate in dosage form.

In order to achieve rapid action and sustained release, we have fabricated dual type of mini-tablets of Diclofenac Sodium enclosed in a single capsule. 10 formulations of rapid release (IF1-10) mini tablets were prepared using sodium starch glycolate, Cross povidone and Micro crystalline cellulose. 12 formulations of sustained release (SF1-12) mini tablets were prepared by using HPMC, carbopol, Ethyl cellulose, xanthan gum and guar gum. All formulations were evaluated for pre-compression and post-compression parameters. Drug Excipient interaction was determined by FTIR, Short term stability studies were carried out at 40 0C /75 % RH for 3 months. Pre-formulation and studies conformed that all formulations showed better flow property. In vitro studies showed that all mini tablets in combination released more than 55 % within 30 min whereas marketed tablet Voveran SR 100 showed only 11 % release indicating the rapid drug release and the release was extended up to 80 % in 20th hour indicating the sustainability of the release. Natural polymers, Xanthan gum and guar gum containing formulations showed above 90 % in 12th hour indicating little rapid drug release when compared to synthetic polymers. FTIR report indicated no interaction of drug with excipients. Stability studies showed no significant loss in drug content, release profile and physical appearance. Hence it can be concluded that, the release profiles duel type mini tablets were quite promising for once a day formulation.