Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume:18 Issue: 4, Autumn 2022

Due to the increasing prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus infections and resistance to long-term treatment with currently available antibiotics, S. aureus is well known. The search for new drugs, especially from natural sources, is underway. The use of plants for healing has been popular since ancient times. The benefits of herbs are minimal side effects, availability and usually low cost. Herbal research has become increasingly popular over the past few decades. Here, essential oils and various extracts (methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, ether, or aqueous extracts) from 31 genera of medicinal plants containing 83 species of S. aureus and its most common resistant strain, methicillin. The purpose is to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the review on the introduction of Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) as a potent therapeutic agent. This review describes species with known activity from which active compounds have not been isolated. Data from the present study supported, but limited, recommendations for routine use of Iranian herbs for the treatment of S. aureus infections. Iranian herbs have proven to be worthy of further clinical research to identify pure herbal compounds.

Infectious wounds are one of the issues that significantly burden population lives and finances each year. Even though there have been significant breakthroughs in wound healing dressing, wound infections continue to be an issue. One of the latest techniques is using contemporary dressings containing antimicrobial agents to expedite wound healing and prevent infection. In the present study, the effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) as the main expedient of a hydrogel formulation on the bioactivity of two newly designed antimicrobial peptide (AMPs) was investigated. AuNPs were produced using two methods of chemical and biological synthesis. AuNPs were characterized individually and in the presence of AMPs in a stepwise manner. The antibacterial activity of these combinations against Staphylococcus aureusand Acinetobacter baumaniiwas evaluated. The results demonstrated that the stability of green-synthesized AuNPswas significantly superior to that of chemically synthesized AuNPs in presence of AMPs. In addition, the antibacterial activity of AMPs changed when combined with AuNPs and HPMC compared to its free state. This alteration wasdifferent based on the AMP identity and the combination composition. In the case of AMP1, designed based on regenerating islet-derived protein 3-alpha (REG3A), addition of AuNPs could enhance the antimicrobial activity. However, in the presence of another AMP (designed based on Cathelicidin-2), activity variations did not adopt with a distinct pattern. In general, the best antimicrobial activity was observed on the A. baumaniiwhen a combination of green synthesized AuNPs, AMP derived from Cathelicidin-2 and HPMC was applied. In conclusion, since the inclusion of hydrogel and nanoparticles inthe most combination conditions resulted in the efficacy reduction of AMPs, further efforts in selecting a suitable polymeric component should be made to develop an effective and inexpensive wound dressing formulation for this designed AMP.

A simple, fast, specific, precise, and accurate High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic method (HPTLC) was developed and validated for the estimation of Voglibose in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations. The chromatographic separation was carried out on precoated silica gel 60F254 aluminum plates using a mixture of acetonitrile: methanol: ammonia (15:4:0.1 % V/V/V) as mobile phase and densitometric evaluation of spots was carried out at 284 nm using Camag TLC scanner III with CATS 1.3.4 version software. The experimental parameters like band size of the spot application, chamber saturation time, solvent front migration, slit width, etc. were critically studied and optimum conditions were evolved. The drug was satisfactorily resolved with an Rf value of 0.66±0.03. The accuracy and repeatability of the proposed method were ascertained by evaluating various validation parameters like linearity (100 to 450 ng/spot), precision (intra-day % RSD 0.17 to 0.69, inter-day % RSD 0.20 to 0.29), accuracy (96.24±0.20), and specificity according to ICH guidelines. The limits of detection and quantification were 40ng/spot and 100 ng/spot respectively. HPTLC method provides a faster and cost-effective quantitative control for routine analysis of Voglibose in its formulation.

Plants contain different chemical constituents with the potential for insulin-mimetic action. Reduction of insulin resistance and inhibition of α-amylase have been used as therapeutic strategies in treating diabetes. Considering the possible role of normal flora bacteria in the human body's metabolism, the bacterial enzyme α-amylase may also be of interest from this point of view. This study investigated the effect of flavonoid-rich extracts of the fig plant (Ficus carica L.) on bacterial α-amylase. The flavonoid-rich extracts were obtained from fig leaves and fruits by solvent extraction. Subsequently, the kinetic parameters of the α-amylase enzyme in the presence of these extracts were studied using the Bernfeld method. The evaluated IC50 values for acarbose, leaf and fruit extracts, and quercetin were equal to 0.112, 2.029, 0.195, and 0.071 mg/mL, respectively. The separately determined kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of the α-amylase in the presence of the fruit extract were 551.488 mM and 0.018 mM/min, and in the presence of the leaf extract, were 991.518 mM and 0.016 mM/min, respectively. The mode of inhibition was determined to be competitive by both extracts. According to our investigations, fig plant flavonoid-rich extract can be suggested as a suitable alternative to chemical compounds for therapeutic use in diabetes mellitus.

Augmented renal clearance (ARC) is a common phenomenon among critically ill patients and creates sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics, due to an increase in renal clearance of them. We evaluated the Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties of recommended doses of meropenem in critically ill patients with ARC. Adult critically ill patients with confirmed ARC, based on 12-hour Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) (≥130 ml/min/1.73 m2), who received standard doses of meropenem enrolled in this study. Two blood samples were gathered from each participant, at the steady-state time, to determination of peak and trough concentrations. Serum concentrations of meropenem were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an ultra-violet (UV) detector. From eighteen paired samples (peak and trough concentrations) that were obtained from 16 critically ill patients, peak concentrations were significantly lower in group 1 (received meropenem 1g every 8 hours) than in group 2 (received meropenem 2g every 8 hours) (mean ±SD, 5.95 ±3.39 µg/mL vs. 11.93± 4.18 µg/mL, respectively, p=0.005). Trough concentrations were sub-threshold (< 2 µg/mL) in 10 patients of group 1 (83.3%) and 3 patients of group 2 (50%). ft > MIC ≥ 50% was achieved in 83.3% of patients in both groups whereas 16.6% of patients of group 1 and 33.3% of patients of group 2 had ft> MIC= 100%. Augmented renal clearance is an essential cause of sub-therapeutic concentrations of meropenem in critically ill patients, and higher than the recommended doses of meropenem administered as an intermittent infusion may be necessary to achieve the PD targets and improve efficacy.

Satureja rechingeri Jamzad is a highly aromatic species of Lamiaceae. This species is one of the rare and endemic plants of Iran. This study aimed to assess the biological properties such as the antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activity of essential oil (EO) and methanolic extract of S. rechingeri collected from the west of Iran and analyzed the plant EO constituent. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was performed for analyzing the EO. The antioxidant activities of extract from S. rechingeri were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging assay. The major component of S. rechingeri EO was carvacrol (86.45%). The minimum inhibitory concentration value was 15.625 µl/ml for the bacterial strains. The extract exhibited antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging assay (EC50 = 47.56 µg/mL). In addition, the total phenolic content in the plant methanolic extract was 79.9 mg/g gallic acid. The highest toxicity for essential oil was found in the MCF7 cell line with an IC50 value of 47.71 µg/ml. Carvacrol was the main component of S. rechingeri EO. The plant extract and EO showed considerable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It seems that this plant could be a commercial source of carvacrol.

Health dietary supplements compared to prescription drugs are different in deciding to consume and the end user is the main decision maker. Packaging plays the most important role in product marketing and branding in the nutritional supplement industry. Packaging shape and color can impact a decision to buy as well as identify what type of item it is and whom it is made for. Packaging factors such as color and shape are important in clinical and marketing aspects. Many types of research on the effect of packaging on psychology or marketing aims have been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate consumers' preferences for color and shape in oral solid dosage forms (OSDF) by eye-tracking technique. Eye movements are directly correlated to feelings, attention, learning, and reminding of an advertisement or product. This study tried to find consumer preferences by considering eye movements. This study includes two parts: evaluating the independent impact of color and the independent impact of shape on drowning the participants' attention by tracking the eyes. Thirty participants (15 men and 15 women, aged 20 to 50) with normal and full-color vision participated in the experiment. Images with a neutral (grey) background including 8 colors for each tablet form were made based on previous studies. Images with a neutral (grey) background including 8 shapes for each color were made. Shapes were selected based on the most current shapes used in the pharmaceutical industry. The images were shown to participants and their eye movements were collected by eye tracking device (TobiiT60). The descriptive data analysis indicated that white is the most favored color among the sampling population with a mean vision time of 2252 milliseconds. On the other hand, the pink color was selected as the least favored. For shapes, descriptive analysis of data indicated that the hard gelatin capsules are the most favored dosage form among the sampling population with a mean vision time of 1238 milliseconds. On the other hand, pearl 1 was selected as the least favored compared to other shapes with a mean vision time of 992 milliseconds. Based on the results of this research, the preferable form of general dietary supplement is small and white totally. The results indicated that white color is the most favored color and pink color is the least favored one. In addition, the hard capsule was selected as the most favored dosage form while the pearl was selected as the least favored one. No significant difference between men and women groups was observed. This may be important for pharmaceuticals to produce medicines with the most preferences for both clinical and marketing aspects. Color is the most preferred characteristic with the perception that color is related to the therapeutic indication of supplements. Shape and size can affect preferences regarding the compliance of patients.

A major clinical challenge in ischemic heart disease is the prevention of myocardial injury following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Application of natural pharmaceuticals seems to be clinically interesting due to their multiplex activities. Protective effects of troxerutin (TXR) in myocardial I/R injury have been ever demonstrated, nevertheless, the purpose of this study is to explore the role of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate -sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channels and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway in cardioprotective effects of TXR against I/R injury in rats. Male Wistarrats (n=72, 250–300 g, 12 weeks old) were randomized into groups with/without I/R and/or TXR and 5-hydroxydecanoate(5-HD), alone or in combination. To induce I/Rmodel, the langendorff-perfused hearts were subjected to left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation and re-opening. TXR (150mg/kg/day) was administered for 4 weeks before I/R. Moreover, 5-HD (100 μM) was added to the perfusion solution before the ischemia. Finally, myocardial infarct size, LDH release, protein expression levels of TLR4 and NF-κB, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) were assessed. TXR preconditioning significantly reduced IS and LDH release (P<0.05). Furthermore, it decreased the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB and the levelof pro-inflammatory cytokines (P<0.05 to P<0.01). Inhibition of mitoKATPchannels by 5-HD significantly reversed the cardioprotective effects of TXR. This work shed some light on the knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of TXR preconditioning in myocardial I/R injury. This effect may be partly mediated through mitoKATPchannels opening and subsequent suppression of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.