SEM

The present study was to formulate and characterize oral floating microspheres of Pramipexole to sustain the gastric residence time and to target gastritis. The floating microspheres were prepared by ionotropic gelation technique. Sodium alginate was used as polymer, sodium bicarbonate as gas generating agent, calcium chloride as cross-linking agent, HPMC K4, as rate retarding agent. Microspheres were characterized for the Micromeretic properties, incorporation efficiency, buoyancy test, SEM analysis, FTIR, and in vitro diffusion studies. The diffusion studies were carried out in 0.1N HCl and the results were applied to various kinetic models.  Among the total 14 formulations F12 was found to be optimized on the basis of different evaluation parameters. The % yield of F12 formulation was found to be 98.58%. On the basis of optical microscopy, the particle size was 65.12±0.04µm. The % buoyancy, % entrapment efficiency and swelling index of F12 formulation was 98.12%, 96.56% and 97.10, respectively. The Cumulative % drug release of F12 formulation was 98.3±5.10% in 12h.  SEM studies showed the particles were in spherical shape. On the basis of obtained results, Floating microspheres were of good candidate for targeting to GIT.

Aavaraivithaadhi Chooranam is the classical Siddha medicine used in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to standardize the Siddha herbal drug formulation Aavaraivithaadhi chooranam by subjecting the drug to various studies like analyzing its organoleptic character, Physicochemical and Instrumental analytical studies like Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersing X-Ray Analyser (EDAX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the results were noted. The Total Ash value was10.2 %±0.25, Acid Insoluble Ash value was 07.9 %±0.74, Water soluble ash value was 3.4 %±0.08, Alcohol soluble Extractive was 5.78% ±0.39, water soluble ash value was8.18% ±0.58; Loss on drying at 105ºc was 0.0566 %±0.007. The SEM analysis shows the presence of micro particles and its morphology and topography is revealed, EDAX results shows the presence of compounds such as Carbon, Oxygen, Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Silica which is responsible for its activity. FTIR analysis revealed the functional groups present through the bonds and stretches which may be the reason for its therapeutic effect. Standardization is an important analytical tool for the identification of the drug. This study brings the effective standardization of the Siddha Herbal formulation through the standard modern analytical studies thus bringing the siddha drug to the next level.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticle (SNP) has become an emerging trend in the field of nanotechnology. Here a greener method was approached to develop silver nanoparticles using extracted exopolysaccharides (EPS) from Pseudomonas fluorescens, a soil isolate from rhizosphere of the medicinal plant, Catharanthus roseus. The exopolysaccharide acted as a reducing and stabilizing agent in converting silver nitrate to silver nanoparticles. The fabricated SNPs were characterized by UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and FT-IR Spectroscopy. The FT-IR analysis revealed that proteins present in the polysaccharide served as a capping agent. This simple process was carried out for 5 days at room temperature at optimum pH 7. The dried SNP sample is found to be stable for more than 6 months. The present work also focused on SNPs’ antimicrobial effect by agar well diffusion technique and antioxidant activity by DPPH method. The EPS reduced SNP was found to be more active against Gram negative than Gram positive and also worked in inhibiting Candida sp. DPPH radical scavenging effect of SNP was highly effective than standard at a maximum concentration of 1mg/ml. The investigation thus showed that EPS stabilized SNP could be employed in several pharmaceutical purposes.

A number of resins (2,4DHAPDF) were synthesized by condensation of 2,4 dihydroxyacetophenone (2,4-DHA) and p-phenylenediamine (p-PD )with formaldehyde (F) in the presence of 2 M HCl as a catalyst with three different molar ratios of reacting monomers (1:1:2, 2:1:3, 3:1:4) at 1300C ±20C. Resins have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) spectroscopy and the morphology of the resin was examined by SEM technique. The number average molecular weight of the resin was determined by non –aqueous conductometric titration. The antimicrobial activities of the terpolymer were screened on various bacteria and fungi. All the synthetic terpolymer showed excellent antimicrobial activities with increasing molar ratios of reacting monomers.

In the present study, an attempt has been made to prepare floating microspheres of clarithromycin designed as gastroretentive dosage form for the treatment of Heliobacter pylori. The floating microspheres were  prepared using different polymers like HPMC- ethyl cellulose, HPMC, eudragit S-100, eudragit L-100, by solvent evaporation/diffusion methods which offer advantage of short processing time, lack of exposure of the ingredients to high temperature and gives high encapsulation efficiency. Formulations were characterized for their particle size, practical yield, entrapment efficiency, in vitro buoyancy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in vitro drug release. Scanning electron microscopy shows that spherical microspheres with porous surface were formed. The optical microscopic studies revealed that the practical yield was more than 61.78% with a particle size range of 105.61-292.40 µm.  The percent entrapment efficiency is about 62.68% and more in larger particle as compared to smaller particle. The percent buoyancy was more than 74.10% up to 12 hours. The particle size, percent yield, percent drug entrapment and percent was increased significantly with increase in polymer concentration. The in vitro release was significantly decreased with in polymer concentration.  Hence it can be inferred that the floating microsphere of clarithromycin as a gastroretentive dosage form may prolong drug release thereby improving bioavailability and enhance opportunity of drug absorption in stomach to prevent degradation of drug under alkaline pH.