Karnataka

One of the challenges faced by scientific community is that of adverse and deterioting side effects of psychotropic agents, which are popularly known as neuroleptic induced extrapyramidal adverse effects. Neuroleptic induced movement disorders pose a significant burden to patients, often resulting in non-adherence, disease relapse, and decreased quality of life. Evidence indicates that drugs which potentiate or attenuate neuroleptic induced catalepsy in rodents might aggravate or reduce the extrapyramidal signs respectively in human beings. It is being appreciated that many plant drugs can be explored for their protective nature against such adverse and toxic effects on account of their ascribed effects.

This present review is progress in selected nanotechnology topics and some possible applications. This attempt mainly focused on Different Classes of Nanoparticles (Ceramic nanoparticles, Metallic particles, Carbon nanomaterials, Quantum dots) and Applications of Nanotechnology in Pharmaceuticals (Diagnosis, Pharmacology and Therapy, Molecular Diagnosis) and Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems and Toxicity of Nanoparticles. Nanoparticles mainly use aims to minimize drug degradation upon administration, prevent undesirable side effects, and increase drug bioavailability and the fraction of the drug accumulated in the pathological area.

The structural and therapeutic diversity coupled with commercial viability of small heterocyclic molecules has fascinated organic and medicinal chemist. So, a great deal of research was carried out in the field of heterocyclic containing sulphur and nitrogen, because of their immense biological importance. The thiadiazole derivatives posses’ different pharmacological and biological activity. Hence, the search for never effective antimicrobial agents is imperative. It focuses on the problems of cross resistance and better activity against variety of infections. The majority of 1, 3, 4-thiadiazoles are based on the cyclisation of thiaosemicarbazide derivative incorporating this basic structural unit. The structure of new compounds prepared during present investigation has been authentically established by their IR, 1H NMR and Mass spectral studies. The antimicrobial activity of thiadiazole derivatives also reported some of these derivatives exhibit significant and broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. All the synthesized compounds were screened for antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, E coli and Pseudomonas aureginosa by Disc diffusion method using ciprofloxacin as a standard against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Key Words: Thiadiazole, Thiosemicarbazide, Antimicrobial, Cyclization, Screening 

To evaluate the use of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines in elderly patients aged over 60 years. Prospective, cross sectional, descriptive type of study was carried out in the general medicine department of a 640 bedded multispecialty tertiary care teaching hospital, South India. Benzodiazepines were prescribed in 79.6% patients, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in 12.3% and tricyclic antidepressants in 8.27%. The study identified 81.7% inappropriateness in prescriptions. Initiation of treatment with high dose after admission contributed to 32.6% while prescribing without proper indication accounted for 31.7%. Significant reduction of inappropriateness (48%) was observed during the post implementation phase, especially in the number of prescriptions of tricyclic antidepressants. The initial dose of alprazolam was reduced to 0.25 mg in all elderly patients. Prescribing benzodiazepines without proper indication reduced from 31.7% to 22%. Long acting benzodiazepines were not prescribed during this phase. The study demonstrated an overall improvement in the prescribing pattern of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines in elderly patients. Key Words: Antianxiety agents, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, elderly, prescriptions.

The changes in polyphenols and caffeine alkaloid compositions of black tea, due to the variations of fermentation temperature were investigated. Black tea was manufactured by fermentation at various temperatures such as 26oC (Control) 30o, 36o and 40o where the tea leaves were fermented initially for 45-50 minutes at an private factory. During this oxidation process, withered and rolled leaf looses its green colour acquiring copper red to brown colour. Drying terminates these biochemical changes and remove moisture thereby the colour of fermented leaves turns from copper red to black and fermentation is arrested. Total polyphenols content were determined colorimetrically using Folin-Ciocalteau method and caffeine was isolated from all the samples by Liquid-Liquid extraction using chloroform. The results showed that increase in fermentation temperature significantly increases caffeine content whereas polyphenols content showed a great reduction at 30o, 36o and 40o. However further studies are needed to evaluate the organoleptic characters such as taste and aroma.

The aim of this study is to find the usage of antimicrobials in hospital section and to study the frequency of morbidity and mortality. The present study was undertaken to screen rational use of antimicrobials in inpatient department (IPD). Prescriptions from medicine, surgery, obstetrics (OBG) were collected over a period of nine months. Prescriptions containing antimicrobial drugs were analyzed for appropriateness in dose, dosage, duration of therapy. In our study we found that, out of 362, 179 were males and 189 were females. In that most commonly Cephalosporinns 142 (39.22%), Quinolones 128 (35.35%), Antiprotozoal 63 (17.40%) followed by Macrolides, Aminoglycosides, Penicillines, and Anthelmentics were prescribed. Our findings indicate an urgent need for the establishment of proper guidelines, dissemination of information to practitioners and supervision of antimicrobial usage in low income countries like India. Irrational and unnecessary drug use can be expensive and harmful leading to resistance. Key words: Antimicrobials, Prescription, Health Care

Lornoxicam is comparatively a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which is selective cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 (COX 1 and 2) inhibitors. Lornoxicam is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that exhibits its anti inflammatory, analgesic and anti pyretic activities in animal models and it is presently available in the market only as tablet dosage form. It is preferred in the treatment of adults with osteoarthritis, acute pain rheumatoid arthritis, postoperative dental pain and primary dysmenorrhoea. The present study was undertaken with an intention to develop a stable and effective parenteral formulation, containing the drug Lornoxicam. Lornoxicam is a light sensitive and insoluble water soluble drug but unstable at higher temperature in water. So the effects of various co solvents in the solubility of  Lornoxicam have been evaluated. Lornoxicam was tried with co solvents such as PEG-400, β-cyclodextrin and Sodium Lauryl sulphate. The drug was made into injection formulation for administered as a SVP. Various batches of Lornoxicam injection formulation were prepared in order to assess the influence of heat, light, atmospheric oxygen and antioxidant on the stability of the drug and the formulations were also subjected to accelerated stability test. Out of all trials, formulation containing Sodium Lauryl sulphate was found to be more soluble, stable and passed all tests satisfactorily.

Barlaria buxifolia Linn is one of the medicinal plants well documented traditionally in Ayurveda system of medicine and is highly valued in modern medicine owing to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, steroids. The plant is reported to contain phenol, flavonoid and tannin; phenolic and flavonoids compounds are reported to possess antioxidant and hence the plant may be used as organ protective. Keeping this in view, the plant was analysed for total phenol, flavonoid and tannin content. Catechol, quercetin and tannic acid reagents were used as standards for calibration of total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins respectively. The quantification of total polyphenol, falvonoid and tannin content showed 14.65mg/gm catechol, 26.80mg/gm quercetin and 11.32mg/gm tannic acid equivalent respectively, the study indicates that the leaves of Barlaria buxifolia Linn exhibits the highest flavonoid, phenolic and tannin content. It can be used potentially as a readily accessible source of natural antioxidant. Key words: Catechol, Phenol, Flavonoid, Quercetin and Tannin, Barlaria buxifolia Linn

In the present study, the polyherbal antidiabetic nutraceutical formulation was screened for its safety and efficacy using albino wistar rats (130-150gm). The formulation consists of Gymnema sylvestre, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Allium cepa, Curcuma longa, Phyllanthus amarus, Tinospora cordifolia, Eugenia jambolana, Cinnamomum zeylanicum. The safety of the formulation was studied by acute toxicity studies according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and efficacy was studied by using streptozotocin induced diabetes model at 45 mg/kg b.w. The test drug did not show any signs of toxic­ity or mortality up to 5000 mg/kg which was fixed as the cut off point for the maximum tolerated dose.  Antidiabetic activity was screened in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat model for 21 days using glibenclamide 1.5 mg/kg as standard and parameters like blood glucose level and weight variation were studied. After 21 days treatment the mean blood glucose level of the formulation, dose 1 (500mg/kg) treated group showed 142.50±1.11mg/dl, the formulation, dose 2 (250mg/kg) treated group showed 210.66±2.96 mg/dl, the standard group showed 137.66±2.10 mg/dl, Control group 433.33±9.89mg/dl, Normal group 94.83±0.30 mg/dl respectively and at a dose of 500mg/kg body weight. The formulation showed significant increase in the body weight. Therefore, the results indicated that the polyherbal neutraceuticals formulation is an efficacious and safer antidiabetic/ oral hypoglycemic formulation in Type II diabetes.

In the present study, a series of N-[5-(phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl] benzamide and N-[5-(phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl] acetamide were prepared by refluxing with benzoyl chloride and acetyl chloride with 5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-amine. 5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-amine were prepared by oxidative cyclization of thiosemicarbazone (through condensation of aromatic aldehyde and thiosemicarbazide). The structure of new compounds prepared during present investigation have been authentically established by their IR,1H-NMR and Mass spectral studies. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of thiadiazole derivatives also reported. Some of these derivatives exhibit significant antimicrobial activity. Key words:  Thiosemicarbazone, Thiadiazole, antibacterial, antifungal.