Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:1 Issue: 1, Dec 2006

Ibuprofen is one of the safest and most potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) available in the market. To improve the bioavailability of ibuprofen, a thorough preformulation trial was undertaken. As a part of these studies, different formulations of ibuprofen containing different amounts of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel®) were made and evaluated. The superior formulation which released the drug at constant rate of about 60 mg/hour was chosen. Then the effect of changing particle size of granulation was studied. Two different crystal forms of ibuprofen were prepared and their release pattern were studied. Produced crystal forms of ibuprofen showed different release mechanisms in comparison with the original form. Incorporation of various proportions of tween 80 and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) as wetting agent on the release rate of ibuprofen in the formulations were also studied. Sodium lauryl sulphate disintegrated the tablets faster than tween 80.

Pseudomonas aeroginosa is among the most common significant etiological agents of hospital-acquired diseases. Due to their multiple resistance against a variety of antibiotics, these bacteria pose serious threats especially in burned patients. Sometimes burned patients lose their lives due to multiple-resistant pseudomonal infections. In this project, efforts were made to resensitize cephalothin resistant Pseudomonas aeroginosa to this antibiotic by static electromagnetic field (SEMF). Sixty samples of cephalothin-resistant Pseudomonas aeroginosa, collected from the burn unit of Ahwaz Taleghani hospital, were subjected to 0.35 Tesla of SEMF with and without cephalothin. All the Pseudomonas aeroginosa strains became resensitized to 16µg/ml cephalothin. SEMF by itself did not exert any effect on this bacterium. If in-vivo experiments confirm this in-vitro results, SEMF could be used as a valuable tool for treatment of serious cutaneous pseudomonal infections in burned patients.

Historical controversy and lack of controlled clinical trial study comparing the effects of sodium fluoride and calcitonin therapies in osteoporosis of patients with RA made us to conduct this study to clarify which one of the above treatments would be more useful and effective in the treatment of osteoporosis.From subjects who turned to Ahwaz Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic during 2000, all women who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1987 criteria for RA (7), WHO 1994 criteria for osteoporosis (8) and signed the written consent were enrolled into the study. Considering these inclusion criteria, 70 women were enrolled into the study. They were randomized into two groups. Age, BMI (body mass index) and BMD (bone mineral density) were the adjusted variables during randomization. Thirty-four patients were treated with 20 mg sodium fluoride daily and 36 patients with 200 units nasal calcitonin per day. All patients were treated for 12 months.Patients who received Fluoride showed significant higher BMD in femoral neck (0.74 vs. 0.65, p<0.01) and in lumbar spine (0.90 vs. 0.79, p<0.05) than who received calcitonin after 12 months of therapy.

The aim of study was to determine whether nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole have similar effects upon phospholipids of Candida albicans and C. dubliniensis. A serial dilution of antifungals was prepared in flasks, then, 50 ml of standardised suspension was inoculated into each flask and incubated in shaking water bath at 37oC for 48 h. The Candida growth in last flask was centrifuged and yeast cells harvested, washed and freeze-dried. Polar lipids were extracted from freeze-dried cells and then analysed by Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry (FAB MS) in negative-ion mode. Nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole different effects on phospholipids and fatty acids of two strains of C. albicans and a single strain of C. dubliniensis. The content of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in C. dubliniensis decreased in the presence of nystatin and amphotericin B, whereas this phospholipid was absent in cultures exposed to miconazole. PE in both examined strains of C. albicans decreased in the presence of amphotericin B and nystatin, whereas PE in one strain of C. albicans increased and in the other decreased when cultures were exposed to nystatin. It is concluded that biosynthesis of fatty acids and phospholipids of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis were affected by nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole, in addition to effects on ergosterol previously described. Also, antifungals have various effects on different strains of C. albicans.

The use of herbal drug in Iran has a long history. In spite of the place and efficacy of medicinal plants it is worthy to evaluate their potential mutagenicity and genotoxicity. Vitagnus and Shirafza are herbal medicines, which are widely used in Iran. The purpose of this investigation was to find out the potential mutagenic effect of these herbal drugs by performing Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) or Comet assay in human Leukocytes. In this method the positive control group received H2O2 at dose of 100µl as a standard mutagenic agent. The test groups received Vitagnus and Shirafza at doses of 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 µl. The following parameters were used as indicators for mutagenicity measurement. No migration, short migration and long migration and the results of the test groups were compared with the mutagenic agent. After analysis of the data the following result were obtained: The results of Shirafza indicated that the drug is safe as did not show any DNA damage or migration. Similarly Vitagnus at low doses did not show any significant mutagenic effect. However, at high dose (500 µl) had considerable effect as pointed in long migration. In from the above results and data obtained it is clear that Vitagonus at dose of 500 µl seems to have DNA damaging effect but to prove this statement it is better to perform in vivo studies on different organ / tissue for evaluation of genotoxicity of this herbal drug.

It is well known that otitis media with effusion is one of the most common diseases in Otolaryngology. The role of oral steriods is contraversial in the conservative treatment of such disease. A double blind randomized study was perform to evaluate the efficacy of oral steriods in combination with amoxicilln for the treatment of otitis media with effusion. Four hundred and eight children age group 3.5 to 7 years with otitis media with effusion during 1999 - 2001 in a double – blind, randomized prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of oral steroids in the department of Otolaryngology at Imam Khomeini Hospital were treated. Results obtained in this study showed complete recovery from otitis media with effusion in the group treated by a combination of oral steroid with amoxicillin, compared with amoxicillin or placbo treated group. The findings of our study imply that a combined course of amoxicillin with oral steroids deserves its place as a routine conservative trial before surgery.

Parkinsonism is a neurodegenerative disease that is defiend by certain symtom as muscle rigidity, impaired movement, tremor and disorientation of body. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of selegiline and bromocriptine in the prevention of experimentally induced pseudoparkinsonism in rat. Perphenazine (5mg/kg) was used (IP) as the inducing agent. Different groups of rats were pretreated by either selegiline (2.5, 5, 10, and 20mg/kg), or effective dose of bromocriptine (30mg/kg). The degree of prevention of catatonic reaction was compared with control group. The results showed all selegiline-treated groups had significant reduction in the catatonic reaction relative to sham treated group. In addition, 20mg/kg selegiline had more intensive effect to reduce the catatonic reaction than bromocriptine (30mg/kg). Selegiline seems to be a suitable drug to prevent perphenazine–induced catatonia in rat.

This paper describes a precise and sensitive method for analysis of Nalidixic Acid (NA) in plasma following the oral administration of a therapeutic dose in humans. Most procedures used for quantitation of NA are based on its fluorescence. The spectrofluorimetry is the best choice for a fluorescent drug, regarding its specificity and sensitivity of the method. Also, it is recommended for the fluorescent drug assay in pharmaceutical companies as a cheaper, more routin and time saving right way in comparison with chromatographic methods. For the practical determination, a new formulation of nalidixic acid tablet was used as a modle and compared with a work standard by invitro and invivo evalutions as a crossover study in 12 normal volunteers. The friability, weight variation, assay and dissolution test for both products were almost the same and approved by USP requirements.The plasma samples and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. Results of the tests and their statistical analysis indicated no significant differences (P<0.05) between the products. Since the extent and rate of absorption of the new and work standard tablets are comparable and the plasma 90% confidence intervals for Cmax and Tmax ratios lie within 80-125% of their respective mean values, therefore the spectrofluorimetry is approved to be the best selection for a fluorescent drug, chemically and pharmaceutically.

Consumption of soyprotein has recently been shown to improve the blood lipid levels in non-diabetic subjects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a dietary soyprotein isoflavones affects lipid and blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic subjects. Twenty six type 2 diabetic patients who had refferd to Ahvaz Jundishapour University Diabetes Center, due to uncontrolled diabetes, participated in this study. They completed a trial of dietary supplementation with 25gr/day of a processed defeated meal containing 12 gr soyprotein and about 50mg isoflavones, for 3 months. FBS, HbA1C, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL-C and patients, weight and blood pressure were checked before soyprotein consumption and monthly thereafter. There were significant differences in mean FBS (153±50 versus 178±60, P< 0.015), HbA1C (8.8 ± 1.4 versus 9.6 ± 1.7 percent, P<0.001), triglycerides concentration (229 ± 113 versus 267 ± 149 P<0.008) and total cholesterol (196 ± 41 versus 207 ± 42, P<0.002) before and after three months consumption of soyprotein isoflavones.There were no significant changes in HDL and LDL-C cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight.

Among the causes of nephrotoxic acute renal failure, the increase use of contrast agents has caused the contrast nephropathy to come second after aminoglycosides. The aim of this study is comparison of nephrotoxicity of ionic (Urografin) and nonionic (Omnipaque, Ultravist) contrast agents in high risk patients candidate for coronary angiography. In this study 82 high risk patients who were candidate for coronary angiography in a 6 months period in the year 2004 in Golestan hospital of Ahwaz were randomly divided into two equall groups – ionic and nonionic contrast agents – and the prevalence of contrast nephropathy in each group was determined. Electrolyte changes (Na, K) of these patients were also assessed. Plasma level of BUN, Cr, Na and K were measured before and 24 to 48 h after angiography and it was accounted as contrast nephropathy if Cr level has raised at least 0.5 mg.Among 41 patients who undergone angiography with nonionic agents (Omnipaque, Ultravist), 2 patients (5%) were affected by contrast nephropathy while this complication was seen in 6 patients (14.6%) among those who undergone angiography with ionic contrast agent (Urografin). No significant changes were seen in electrolyte concentration (Na, K) before and after angiography. Noting the fact that the predictive value of this finding is 0.132 (P>0.05), the statistical value of this is not proved. Therfore, there is no diffrence in nephrotoxicity between ionic and non-ionic contrast nephropathy in high risk patients. The most common risk factors of this complication were diabetes mellitus (DM) 50%, age≥65, 50% and chronic renal failure 25%. Relative risk (RR) of DM was 1.16, for old age 1.1 and it was 1.49 for chronic renal failure (CRF). The results of this study were similar to the results of American college of cardiology metaanalysis, Shwab study in USA and Esnalt study in France.