Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume:5 Issue: 1, Winter 2009

Mucoadhesive polymers that bind to the gastric mucin or epithelial cell surface are useful in drug delivery for the purpose of increasing the intimacy and duration of contact of drug with the absorbing membrane. Several synthetic polymers are in use for this purpose. Since the biodegradability of the synthetic polymers are questionable, in this investigation, an oral mucoadhesive controlled delivery system has been developed for terbutaline sulphate using natural mucoadhesive materials extracted from edible fruits like Zizyphus mauritiana and Aegle marmelos that have better mucoadhesive property than synthetic polymer hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose K4M (HPMCK4M). The in vitro adhesive and mucoadhesive strength and swelling property of mucoadhesive materials extracted from edible fruits of Z. mauritiana and A. marmelos were evaluated and compared with HPMCK4M by Share stress and Wilhelmy plate method. Different formulations of oral mucoadhesive coated terbutaline sulphate tablets were prepared using these natural materials and HPMCK4M and hardness, thickness, friability, weight variation and assay of tablets were tested. The in vitro release of terbutaline sulphate was studied in buffer pH 7.2 at 37±0.5 C. The blood plasma concentration of terbutaline sulphate in rabbits was determined using HPLC. It was found that mucoadhesive materials extracted from edible fruits of Z. mauritiana and A. marmelos exhibited better adhesiveness and mucoadhesiveness as compared with the synthetic mucoadhesive agent HPMCK4M by different methods. The in vitro and in vivo drug release study of terbutaline sulphate exhibited extended drug release profile for tablets prepared with natural materials than synthetic polymers. After in vitro and in vivo correlation study, it was seen that both in vitro and in vivo drug release study showed the same release profile. The present study shows that natural mucoadhesive materials extracted from edible fruits of Z. mauritiana and A. marmelos have greater mucoadhesive property than HPMCK4M where both are used in the same amount.

There are evidences that statins have anti-inflammatory effects beyond their cholesterol lowering properties. The study was conducted to assess the effects of atorvastatin on asthma as an inflammatory disease. Patients with moderate to severe asthma were entered this randomized, double blind, crossover clinical trial. The impact of oral atorvastatin (10 mg/day) on the lung function of normolipidemic patients was studied. The study was conducted in the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Patients were randomized to receive either atorvastatin or placebo for 4 weeks separated by a 2-week washout period in a crossover fashion. Patients continued on their usual asthma drug treatment throughout the study. Spirometric parameters were determined at baseline and at completion of drug or placebo administration. Seventeen patients with the age of 37.12±12.41 years completed the trial. Data analysis revealed no significant differences in peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC between placebo and atorvastatin therapy. The results showed no significant improvement in the pulmonary function tests in asthmatic patients receiving atorvastatin. Further studies using higher doses of statins and/or higher period of statin use are recommended.

The aim of this research is to assess the impact of clinical pharmacist-provided education on medication adherence in haemodialysis patients. Ninety haemodialysis patients were randomized into two groups. Brief medication questionnaire (BMQ), a tool for screening adherence was administered to both groups at the baseline to assess adherence to antihypertensives, vitamin D analogues, phosphate binders and folic acid in haemodialysis patients. The intervention group received education regarding their medications by a clinical pharmacist over seven weeks. The control group received standard care. At the end of eight weeks, BMQ was once again administered to patients of both groups. At the baseline, there was no significant difference in the mean BMQ regimen, belief, recall and the medication access screen scores of the control and intervention groups. At the end of the eighth week, there was a significant drop (p<0.05) in the mean scores of regimen, belief and recall screens of BMQ in the intervention group, indicating an improved level of medication adherence. For the control group, there was no significant drop in the mean BMQ screen scores. The reported level of non-adherence was the highest for phosphate binders. We conclude that clinical pharmacist-provided education was effective in improving adherence behaviour of haemodialysis patients.

Two series (a and b) of N- substituted heteroaromatic compounds related to clotrimazole were synthesized. Imidazole ring of the clotrimazole was replaced by 2-methylimidazole in series a, and by 2-methyl-4-nitroimidazole in series b. O-cholortrityl moiety of clotrimazole was also replaced by trityl, mono or dimethoxy trityl. Chemical structures of all the new compounds were confirmed by spec-trophotometric methods. These compounds docked into the active site of MT-CYP51 (PDB code, 1E9X) using Autodock tools software which showed good affinity for the enzyme. Antifungal activities of these compounds were evaluated against Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum and Candida albicans using SC, SCC and PDA as media, CHCl3 and DMSO as solvents and agar dilution assay as method. In this method 1(4-methoxyphenyl-diphenylmethyl)-2-methyl imidazole (2), 1[bis-4-methoxyphenyl-phenylmethyl]-2-methyl imidazole (3) and 1[4-methoxyphenyl-diphenylmethyl]-2-methyl-4-nitroimidazole (5) showed more than 75% activity against fungi. In the second step all of the derivatives also were evaluated against Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum canis and Epidermaphyton floccosum using PDA medium by agar dilution method. Compound 2 showed more than 75% activity by this method. Then the most active analogue (2) was tested in RPMI 1640 medium which showed desirable biological activity in comparison to clotrimazole.

Antimicrobial activity of the polar and nonpolar extracts of the roots and aerial parts of Peucedanum ruthenicum M. Bieb., Johreniopsis seseloides (C. A. Mey.) Pimenov and Cervaria cervariifolia (C. A. Mey.) Pimenov were examined against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The polar extracts of the roots and aerial parts displayed no activity against bacteria, while the nonoplar extracts of the roots which contains coumarins, presented activity against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

The composition of the essential oils of Nepeta crispa Willd. and N. menthoides Boiss. and Buhse (Lamiaceae) was investigated by means of gas chromatography (GC) and GC- mass spectrometery (MS). 1, 8-Cineole was the most abundant component in oils: Nepeta crispa (71%) and N. menthoides (41.1%). In the oil of N. crispa, b-pinene (5%) and d-terpineol (4.1%) were found to be the major constituents. Dihydromyrcen-1-ol (9.2%), 4-terpineol (7.1%), and geranyl acetate (6.1%) were the predominant compounds in the oil of N. menthoides.

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Laurus nobilis L. has been examined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC- mass spectrometery (MS). The main components of the oil were identified. 1,8-Cineole was the major component in the oil together with b-terpinyl acetate, terpinene-4-ol, a-pinene, b-pinene, p-cymene, linalool and terpinene-4-ylacetate. The essential oil was tested against Anopheles stephensi and Culex pipiens larvae. The results obtained show that the essential oil could be considered as natural larvicidal agents.

Y-TiAl intermetallic alloy have a good potential for use as biomaterial, due to its good corrosion resistance. In this paper, two fundamental electrochemical techniques namely electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic anodic polarization were used to evaluate the corrosion performance of g-TiAl in Ringer's solution. Surface modification treatments were employed with the purpose of improving corrosion resistance. The samples were oxidized at 550 °C in air for 1 h. The results show that oxidized Ti-47Al-2Cr has much better corrosion resistant in Ringer’s solution. The presence of the oxide layer formed with the surface treatments increased their corrosion resistance. The low values of corrosion rate, and the high values for corrosion potential (E corr) and polarization resistance (Rp) obtained experimentally implies that g-TiAl can be competitively considered as an alternative metallic biomaterial.