In-vitro

Medicinal herbs as potential source of therapeutics have marked a crucial role in health system globally for both humans and animals. These are not only beneficial in the diseased condition but also used as potential material for maintaining proper health. The present study highlights the pharmacognostic studies on roots like powder microscopy and anthelmintic activity of different extracts on Indian adult earthworms. Different concentrations (50-150 mg/ml) of plant extract were tested in this study. Albendazole (20 mg/ml) was used as reference standard drug whereas CMC as control. Determination of paralysis time and death time of the worms were recorded. Extract exhibited significant vermicide activity in dose dependent manner. The result shows that methanolic extract possesses anthelmintic activity and found to be effective as an anthelmintic.

The aim of present investigation was to develop nanoemulsion gel of ketoconazole for topical delivery and comparison with the marketed preparation. Ketoconazole, BCS class II antifungal agent with broad spectrum activity is a poorly soluble and highly permeable drug. Due to its poor solubility, it is incompletely absorbed after oral dosing and bioavailability varies. The drug efficacy of topical formulation can be limited by instability due to its poor solubility in the vehicle and low permeability. Therefore, to overcome these shortcomings of conventional system nanoemulsion have been used as drug carrier in topical treatment of fungal infection, especially in dermatology. Pseudo-ternary phase diagram was constructed on triplot software to identify nanoemulsion area using different concentrations of oil, Smix (surfactant and co- surfactant) and water. 2% Carbopol 980 as gelling agent and 0.5% DMSO as permeation enhancer was used in topical gel formulation. The formulations was characterized on the basis of pH, drug content, viscosity and in-vitro diffusion study. The optimized formulation was found to have pH 7.4 and drug content 98.90%. In-vitro diffusion study of nanoemulsion gel showed 80.375% release within 8 hrs. Drug release of ketoconazole nanoemulsion gel when compared with marketed formulation showed 80.375% release within 8 hrs as compare to 52.125% for marketed preparation (Ketoconazole cream 2%, H&H Pharmaceutical). So, it is concluded that by incorporating ketoconazole nanoemulsion in topical gel provided sustained release along with improved solubility and permeability.

  Any agent, which increases DNA damage or cell proliferation, can cause increased rate of mutation also increase the probability of cancer. A mutagen is considered an agent capable of destroying the integrity of hereditary mechanism of the cell or organism. Majority of known cancer causing agents are mutagens. The rate of tumor evolution and progression is accelerated by mutagenic agents. Mutation is now a day’s increase in human being. Here screening of in vitro anti-mutagenic activity of selected plants Spheranthus indicus, Asteracantha longifolia, Jateorhiza palmata, Mucuna Pruriens, Tecomella undulate, Picrorhiza kurroa, Grewia tiliifolia, Myristica fragrans, Oroxylum indicum, Gymnosporia montana were investigated. The activity was assayed by Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test using histidine mutants of Salmonella typhimurium tester strains, MTCC 98, MTCC 1251 and MTCC 1252. The hydroalcoholic extract of the plants significantly inhibited (P < 0.001) the in vitro by direct mutagens sodium azide (NaN3), 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD), and indirect mutagens benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) 2-aminoflourene(2-AF) induced his  revertants in adose dependent manner. The results indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of Spheranthus indicus occurring in India possessed significant antimutagenic activity.