Articles

About Author: DEVANG V. PATEL*, Manju Misra
M.S.(PHARM.) PHARMACEUTICS
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH (NIPER), AHMEDABAD.

Abstract
Drug targeting is the ability to direct a therapeutic agent specifically to desired site of action with little or no interaction with nontarget tissue. Niosomes are one of the best carriers for drug targeting. Niosomes (non-ionic surfactant vesicles) are microscopic lamellar structures formed on admixture of non-ionic surfactant of the alkyl or dialkyl polyglycerol ether class and cholesterol with subsequent hydration in aqueous media. Niosomes are biodegradable, relatively nontoxic, more stable and inexpensive, an alternative to liposomes. Niosomes can be SUV (Small Unilamellar Vesicles), MLV (Multilamellr Vesicles) or LUV (Large Unilamellar Vesicles). The method of preparation of niosome is the based on liposome technology. The basic process of preparation is the same i.e. hydration of the lipid phase by aqueous phase. After preparing niosomal dispersion, unentrapped drug is separated by dialysis, centrifugation or gel filtration. Niosomes are characterized by vesicle size, bilayer formation, number of lamellae, membrane rigidity and entrapment efficiency. A method of in-vitro release rate study includes the use of dialysis tubing. Niosomal drug delivery is potentially applicable to many pharmacological agents for their action against various diseases including cancer and leishmaniasis.

About Authors: Rakesh Verma
Seth G.L. Bihani S.D. college ,
sri ganganagar

1. Introduction
The discovery of a variety of pharmaceuticals in surface, ground, and drinking waters around the country is raising concerns about the potentially adverse environmental consequences of these contaminants. Minute concentrations of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, some of which are pharmaceuticals, are having detrimental effects on aquatic species and possibly on human health and development.

About Author:
ANAND GAURAV, SMITA SINGH
M.Pharm,
Assistant Professor

Abstract:
The importance of the phthalazine as a nucleus with medicinal properties is well established, since many decades. This nucleus possess potent anticonvulsant activity with high protection index value that why this property is use for the treatment that are related to mental disorder, like seizures.  Phthalazine and its derivatives possessing triazines nucleus has attracted great attention in recent years due to wide variety of biological activity particularly anticonvulsant activity keeping in view the continuing interest in phthalazine and its derivatives. The present study is aimed at synthesizing safer and effective anticonvulsant triazolo-phthalazine derivatives to evaluate them for anticonvulsant activity.

About Author: Alka Lohani
M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics)
department of pharmaceutical sciences bhimtal campus
kumaun university nainital

Abstract:
Inconvenience of administration and patient compliance are gaining significant importance in the design of dosage forms. Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) is common among all age groups, especially in elderly and pediatrics. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride is an orally administered antibacterial agent. The objective of this study was to develop ciprofloxacin hydrochloride soft gel using sodium alginate as a gelling agent and sodium citrate as a source of cation. Gels are formed by aggregation of polymers with minimum two components; the gelling agent and the fluid component.  Different batches were prepared using three different concentrations of sodium alginate (0.1, 0.4, and 0.8%). The consistency of sodium alginate gel was dependent on the concentration of, sodium alginate, sodium citrate and co-solute. The results of dissolution study of soft gel F3 containing 0.4% sodium alginate and 0.3% sodium citrate revealed that Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride was 85% released in 45 min. and possessed acceptable sensory characteristics when evaluated by human volunteers. Short term stability study carried out for four weeks at different temperatures (0°C and room temperature) showed no considerable changes in performance characteristics of developed optimized formulation.

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About Authors: Seema Meena, Anil Kumar and Shikha Chauhan
a) Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Noida,-201301, India.
b) Neuropharmacology division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre for Advance Studies, Panjab University, chandigarh-160014, India.

Abstract:
Neuropathic pain represents a real clinical challenge because of its severity, chronic nature, and inadequate drug therapy. Recently, nitric oxide pathway has been proposed in the pathogenesis neuropathic pain like conditions. Curcumin is a well known for its antioxidant and medicinal values. The objective of the present study was to explore possible nitric oxide mechanism in the protective effect of curcumin against sciatic nerve ligation induced behavioral and biochemical alterations in rats.Sciatic nerve ligation was performed in Wistar rats. Various behavioral parameters (thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia) followed by assessment of biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, catalase, and nitrite) both on sciatic nerves and brain. Sciatic nerve ligation significantly caused thermal hyeralgesia, cold allodynia and oxidative damage as compared to sham (Sciatic nerve without ligation) and naïve animals. Chronic administration of curcumin (20 mg/kg, po) significantly reversed behavioral alteration and attenuated oxidative damage in both sciatic nerve and brain as compared to control.  Further, L-NAME (5 mg/kg) pretreatment with curcumin (10 mg/kg, po) potentiated protective effect of curcumin as compared to their effect per se. However, L-arginine (100 mg/kg) pretreatment with curcumin (10 mg/kg, po) significantly reversed the protective effects of curcumin. Result of present study suggests that nitric oxide mechanism could be involved in the protective effect of curcumin against sciatic nerve ligation induced behavior and biochemical alterations in rats.

About Author: Sayani Chakrabarti
M.Pharm in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
SIPS, Jharpokharia
Mayurbhanj-757086
Orissa

ABSTRACT
Benfotiamine (rINN, or S-benzoylthiamine O-monophoshate) is a synthetic S-acyl derivative of thiamine (vitamin B1). It has potential anti oxidant effect. A three-armed, randomized, multicentre, placebo-controlled double-blind study was used to examine the efficacy of benfotiamine vs a combination containing benfotiamine and vitamins B6 and B12 in out-patients with severe symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy (Benfotiamine in treatment of Alcoholic Polyneuropathy. BAP I). The study period was 8 weeks and 84 patients fulfilled all the prerequisite criteria and completed the study as planned. Benfotiamine led to significant improvement of alcoholic polyneuropathy. Vibration perception (measured at the tip of the great toe) significantly improved in the course of the study, as did motor function, and the overall score reflecting the entire range of symptoms of alcoholic polyneuropathy. A tendency toward improvement was evident for pain and co-ordination, no therapy-specific adverse effects were seen.

About Authors: Inder Kumar Makhija
Department of Pharmacognosy,
Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Manipal University, Manipal-576 104,
Karnataka

ABSTRACT
The world is endowed with a rich heritage of medicinal plants. The use of medicinal agents presumably predates the earliest recorded history. Medicinal plants are widely used by traditional practitioners for various ailments. Lawsonia inermis (Lythraceae) commonly known as ‘Henna’is a well-known plant used in the Indian medicine. Various parts of this plant have been used in traditional Indian medicine. The plant has wide range of phytochemicals including lawsone, isoplumbagin lawsoniaside, lalioside, lawsoniaside B, syringinoside, daphneside, daphnorin, agrimonolide 6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, (+)-syringaresinol O-β-D-glucopyranoside, (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, syringaresinol di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside,  isoscutellarin3β, hennadiol, (20S)-3β, 30-dihydroxylupane, lawnermis acid, 3-methyl-nonacosan-1-ol, laxanthones I, II, III and lacoumarin etc. The various in-vitro and in-vivo studies of L. inermis reported the plant to have antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic, tuberculostatic, anti-inflammatory, antifertility and wound healing properties. This review discusses on the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry and pharmacological data of the plant.

About Author: Bharat Lal
MSIP,
Delhi

STUDY OF DRUGS ON IMMUNE SYSTEM: IT MAY STIMULATE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OR SUPPRESS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. STIMMULATION IS REQUIRE FOR DISEASE LIKE AIDS AND SUPPRESSION IS REQUIRE FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION.