Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:7 Issue: 4, Dec 2012

The dilution and rapid elimination of topically applied drugs due to the flushing action of saliva is a major difficulty in the effort to eradicate infections of oral cavity. Utilization a proper delivery system for incorporation of drugs has a major impact on drug delivery and such a system should be formulated for prolonged drug retention in oral cavity.. The aim of the present study was the use of mucilage of Cordia myxa as a mucoadhesive material in production of chlorhexidine buccal tablets and its substitution for synthetic polymers such as HPMC.. The influence of mucilage concentration on the physicochemical responses (hardness, friability, disintegration time, dissolution, swelling, and muco-adhesiveness strength) was studied and swelling of mucilage and HPMC were compared. The evaluated responses included pharmacopoeial characteristics of tablets, the force needed to separate tablets from mucosa, and the amount of water absorbed by tablets.. In comparison to HPMC, the rise of mucilage concentration in the formulations increased disintegration time, drug dissolution rate, and reduced MDT. Also, compared to 30% HPMC, muco-adhesiveness strength of buccal tablets containing 20% mucilage was significantly higher.. It can be concluded that the presence of Cordia myxa powdered mucilage may significantly affect the tablet characteristics, and increasing in muco-adhesiveness may be achieved by using 20% w/w mucilage.

Marine sponge/nano-CuO as a natural catalyst efficiently catalyzed the Sulfonylation reaction of p-chlorobenzene sulfonyl chlorides with amines in order to prepare sulfonamides. The advantages included use of a natural catalyst, ease of handling, requirement of a very small amount of catalyst, mild reaction condition and appropriateness to high yield.. The current study aimed to look for a solid support reaction and to develop a general, mild and novel method in order to synthesize sulfonamides in the absence of a strong base, it was found that marine sponge/nano-CuO is a natural and efficient catalyst for this method at room temperature.. The reaction was carried out simply by addition of amine and p -chlorobenzene sulfonyl chloride to the mixture of Marine sponge powder/nano-CuO in acetonitrile at room temperature. Then the reaction mixture was extracted by CH2Cl2 and was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Evaporation of the solvent afforded the products.. In this method several derivatives of sulfonamide underwent the reaction of different amines with p-chlorobenzene sulfonyl chloride in the presence of marine sponge/nano-CuO in CH3CN are synthesized.. In conclusion, a new, natural and efficient marine catalyst, and a marine sponge/nano-CuO were developed to synthesize sulfonamide derivatives in CH3CN in 75–93% yields. This method was applied to a wide range of aromatic and aliphatic amines under mild conditions.

Periodontitis is a major problem that affects a large number of patients in the society. Various treatment alternatives have been proposed to control this pathologic condition. Streptococcus sanguis is one of the countless pathogens involved in periodontitis.. The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of pineapple extract per se and in synergy with vancomycin on the growth activity of S. Sanguis.. An experimental study was designed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Pineapple extract per se and in conjunction with vancomycin. The study was carried out in three stages. Serial concentrations of the aqueous pineapple extract, vancomycin, and pineapple plus vancomycin were prepared by broth microdilution technique respectively and were exposed to the standard laboratory strain of S. sanguis (10556 ATCC). The lowest concentration of the pineapple extract and the mixed pineapple/vancomycin solution which inhibited bacterial growth was recorded as the MIC.. The minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin was determined 1 µg/ ml. The pineapple extract failed to show any inhibitory effects per se, however, once added to vancomycin, it reduced the MIC to 0.5µg/ml.. Prescription of pineapple extract along with antibiotics increases the antibacterial effects of the drug, therefore reduces the minimum inhibitory concentration of the antibiotic.

Microencapsulation is a useful method to prolong a drug release from dosage forms and to reduce its adverse effect (1) among various available methods. The microencapsulation of hydrophilic active ingredients requires the use of a polar dispersing phase such as a mineral oil. Acetone/paraffin systems are conventionally used.. The current study aimed to investigate two different microencapsulation techniques comparatively, water in oil in oil (w/o/o) and oil in oil (o/o), for theophylline (TH) loaded ethylcellulose (EC), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), Eudragit RS and RL microspheres with regard to loading efficiency, release and degradation kinetics.. Microspheres were prepared by the emulsification method by solvent diffusion/evaporation technique and different polymers which were incorporated into microspheres to control the release rate of drug. Theophylline (TH) was chosen as a model drug. The emulsion technique was investigated for to prepare theophylline microparticles. EC and CAB and acrylatemethacrylate copolymer corresponding to the above ratios were selected as microparticles wall materials. The effects of type polymers on the physical characteristics and dissolution of the microparticles were also studied. However, the TH loading efficiency (for w/o/o emulsion about 90.64% and o/o emulsion about 73.90/5 to 95.90%) and the TH release kinetics were influenced by the microencapsulation technique.. The results demonstrated that the o/o microspheres (containing of CAB) was most appropriate, providing a high encapsulation efficiency (95.90%) and low initial burst release (6.45%). The microspheres prepared with CAB polymer showed faster dissolution rate than other polymers with 0.75: 1 drug to polymer ratio. The double emulsion technique with EC as wall material gave the high dissolution efficiency (80.48%) of microcapsules.. Eudragit RS microspheres showed higher yield (90%). The release of TH from CAB and Eudragit RL walled microcapsules was slow whilst the release from those of EC and Eudragit RS were faster. The type of polymer and the drug to polymer ratio were found to be the key factors affecting the release profile which could lead to micro-spheres with desired release behavior.

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a physiological process needed to remove unwanted or damaged cells. It has been hypothesized that any failure of programmed cell death leads to the development of neoplasm. Identifying new agents which induce apoptosis in tumor cells is of great significance in treatment of neo­ plasms. Numerous studies suggest that exposure of trumor cells to statins and gamma tocopherol can lead to cell death.. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cell death induced by gamma to-copherol and lovastatin in human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HT29) using flow cytometry.. HT29 cells were grown in DMEM medium, exposed to different concentrations of lovastatin (10,20,40,100μM) and gamma tocopherol (25,50,100,200μM) for 48 and 72 hours, individually and in combination (100μM both, 48 h). Phenotype of apoptosis was determined by means of flow cytometry.. All Concentrations of lovastatin (10, 20, 40, 100 μM) and gamma tocopherol (25, 50, 100, 200 μM) induced an apoptotic response in HT29 cells. In combination, a significant increase in apoptosis phenotype was also demonstrated (P < 0.05).. This study showed that lovastatin when combined with gamma tocopherol, could induce apoptosis in HT29 cells more potently than each agent alone, which uncovers the significance of targeting the proliferative signaling in different points of the pathway.

Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is one of the newest genera of Umbelliferae which is represented by only one species. This sweet-smelling, self-growing monotypic medicinal plant is endemic to a restricted area in west of Iran and is locally called Karafse-koohi. The aerial parts of the plant are commonly used as a popular garnish and a sedative medicinal plant. There are several reports concerning antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and hypolipidemic activities of aerial parts of K. odoratissima.. The current research aimed to evaluate some phenolic contents of the plant for the first time. It is confirmed that secondary metabolites and especially phenolic compounds have important role in the biological activities of the plant. Available information indicates that phenolic contents of K. odoratissima have not been the subject of any investigation.. Aerial parts of K. odoratissima were extracted with acetone by maceration method. Normal and reversed phase vacuum liquid chromatography used to fractionate the extract. 1H-NMR, 13CNMR, EI-Mass and IR spectra were used to elucidate isolated compound.. The phenolic acid isolated compound was identified as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid (ferulic acid).. Compared with previous reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ferulic acid, a chemical-biological relation can be postulated.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is one of the well-known spices extensively used worldwide especially in India, and Southeast Asia. The presence of alkaloids in the pepper, namely, piperine and its three stereoisomers, isopiperine, chavicine and isochavicine are well noticed.. The current study evaluated the effect of lyophilization and oven drying on the stability and decomposition of constituents of black pepper ethanolic extract.. In the current study ethanolic extract of black pepper obtained by maceration method was dried using two methods. The effect of freeze and oven drying on the chemical composition of the extract especially piperine and its three isomers were evaluated by HPLC analysis of the ethanolic extract before and after drying processes using diode array detector. The UV Vis spectra of the peaks at piperine retention time before and after each drying methods indicated maximum absorbance at 341.2 nm corresponding to standard piperine.. The results indicated a decrease in intensity of the chromatogram peaks at approximately all retention times after freeze drying, indicating a few percent loss of piperine and its isomers upon lyophilization. Two impurity peaks were completely removed from the extract.. In oven dried samples two of the piperine stereoisomers were completely removed from the extract and the intensity of piperine peak was increased.

The use of Boswellia serrata has resulted in a wide variety of diseases, including diabetes mellitus and inflammatory diseases.. This study focused on the effects of Boswellia serrata aqueous extract on blood glucose and the complications of diabetes in the liver and kidneys and examined the impact of plant on reproduction in diabetic rats.. The antioxidant capacity of plant extract was performed using FRAP assay. Diabetic and control rats were administered 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg Boswellia serrata extract. Vaginal plaque was mentioned as a positive sign of pregnancy; and treatment started with extract or vehicle from 1th to 17th day of gestation by gastric gavage. Blood glucose was measured during 17 days.. The Administration of Boswellia serrata in diabetic rats significantly decreased the level of blood glucose and HbA1c after 17th days (P ≤ 0.01). In diabetic group that received no treatment, the abortion of fetus spontaneous was 19.14%. The percentage of absorptions significantly was elevated in vehicle-treated diabetic rats, in comparison with vehicle- treated healthy rats. In the diabetic group, separated necrosis of hepatocytes, anarchism of liver plates, and lymphocytic inflammation were improved. Diabetic complications were not seen and the severity of damage was reduced. These damages include: lymphocytic inflammation in the port areas, irregularities, apoptosis of liver cells, and dilatation of the sinusoids.. The results suggest that Boswellia serrata extract has the antidiabetic effects and can prevent the complications of diabetes in the kidneys and liver.