ANALGESIC, ANTIPYRETIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF GREWIA ASIATICA FRUIT EXTRACTS IN ALBINO MICE

The present study was aimed to assess biological (analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory) activities of methanolic and aqueous fruit extracts of Grewia asiatica. The study was performed on albino mice. Analgesic effect of the extracts was determined by acetic acid induced writhing. Antipyretic potential of the tested fruit extracts was assessed by brewer's yeast induced pyrexia. Carrageenan induced paw edema method was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity. Both the extracts showed biological effects in a dose dependent fashion at doses 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg orally. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for data analysis and the values having p-value smaller than 0.05 were considered significant. Both the extracts had significant analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Toxicity Appraisal of Untreated Dyeing Industry Wastewater Based on Chemical Characterization and Short Term Bioassays

Characterizing wastewaters only on a chemical basis may be insufficient owing to their complex nature. The purpose of this study was to assess toxicity of textile dyeing wastewater based on analytical techniques and short term toxicity based bioassays. In this study, screening of the fractionated wastewater through GC-MS showed the presence of phenols, phthalic acid derivatives and chlorpyrifos. Metal analysis revealed that chromium, arsenic and mercury were present in amounts higher than the wastewater discharge limits. Textile dyeing wastewater was found to be highly mutagenic in the Ames test. DNA damage in sheep lymphocytes decreased linearly with an increase in the dilution of wastewater. MTT assay showed that 8.3 percent v/v wastewater decreased cell survival percentage to 50 %. It can be concluded from this study that short term toxicity tests such as Ames test, in vitro comet assay, and cytotoxicity assays may serve as useful indicators of wastewater pollution along with their organic and inorganic chemical characterizations.

Pharmaceutical wastewater being composite mixture of environmental pollutants may be associated with mutagenicity and genotoxicity

Pharmaceutical industries are amongst the foremost contributor to industrial waste. Ecological well-being is endangered owing to its facile discharge. In the present study, heavy metals and organic contaminants in waste water were characterized using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and GC-MS, respectively. Mutagenicity and genotoxic potential of pharmaceutical waste water were investigated through bacterial reverse mutation assay and in vitro comet assay, respectively. Ames test and comet assay of first sample were carried out at concentrations of 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 % v/v effluent with distilled water. Chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) were found in high concentrations as compared to WHO- and EPA-recommended maximum limits. Arsenic was found to be the most abundant metal and its maximum concentration was 0.8 mg.L(-1). GC-MS revealed the presence of lignocaine, digitoxin, trimethoprim, caffeine, and vitamin E in waste water. Dose-dependent decrease in mutagenic index was observed in both strains. Substantial increase in mutagenicity was observed for TA-100, when assay was done by incorporating an enzyme activation system, whereas a slight increase was detected for TA-102. In vitro comet assay of waste water exhibited decrease in damage index and percentage fragmentation with the increase in dilution of waste water. Tail length also decreased with an increase in the dilution factor of waste water. These findings suggest that pharmaceutical waste water being a mix of different heavy metals and organic contaminants may have a potent mutagenic and genotoxic effect on exposed living organisms.

Textile industrial effluent induces mutagenicity and oxidative DNA damage and exploits oxidative stress biomarkers in rats

Exposure to complex mixtures like textile effluent poses risks to animal and human health such as mutations, genotoxicity and oxidative damage. Aim of the present study was to quantify metals in industrial effluent and to determine its mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic potential and effects on oxidative stress biomarkers in effluent exposed rats. Metal analysis revealed presence of high amounts of zinc, copper, chromium, iron, arsenic and mercury in industrial effluent. Ames test with/without enzyme activation and MTT assay showed strong association of industrial effluent with mutagenicity and cytotoxicity respectively. In-vitro comet assay revealed evidence of high oxidative DNA damage. When Wistar rats were exposed to industrial effluent in different dilutions for 60 days, then activities of total superoxide dismutase and catalase and hydrogen peroxide concentration were found to be significantly lower in kidney, liver and blood/plasma of effluent exposed rats than control. Vitamin C in a dose of 50 mg/kg/day significantly reduced oxidative effects of effluent in rats. On the basis of this study it is concluded that industrial effluent may cause mutagenicity, in-vitro oxidative stress-related DNA damage and cytotoxicity and may be associated with oxidative stress in rats. Vitamin C may have ameliorating effect when exposed to effluent.

Association between bacterial vaginosis and preterm delivery

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of most common presentation in women of reproductive age, and its prevalence is relatively high in the obstetric population which is responsible for preterm delivery. The present study tried to explore the association of BV with preterm delivery, and included 100 pregnant women aged 15 to 35 years, between 28 36 weeks of gestation, with abnormal vaginal discharge and clinically suspected of BV, attending obstetrics outpatient department of BSMMU were selected for the study, divided into two groups based on Amsel clinical criteria (63 culture negative and 37 culture positive for BV). Mean ± SD age of BV negative and positive subjects was 24.59 ± 5.18 and 23.89 ± 4.77 years respectively (statistically no significant difference). Likewise, socioeconomic status, educational status and gravida did not show statistically any significant difference between groups. Significantly high number of BV positive women delivered prematurely (73%) compared to BV negative (25.4%) (p<0.001). Mean ± SD gestational age also differed significantly 37.49 ± 2.53 vs. 35.24 ± 2.33 weeks (p<0.001). Our study supported that abnormal bacterial colonization, indicative of bacterial vaginosis, is strongly associated with preterm delivery.

Formulation and characterization of modified release tablets containing isoniazid using swellable polymers

The aim of this work was to develop swellable modified release (MR) isoniazid tablets using different combinations of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and sodium-carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC). Granules were prepared by moist granulation technique and then compressed into tablets. In vitro release studies for 12 hr were carried out in dissolution media of varying pH i.e. pH 1.2, 4.5, 7.0 and 7.5. Tablets of all formulations were found to be of good physical quality with respect to appearance (width and thickness), content uniformity, hardness, weight variation and friability. In vitro release data showed that increasing total polymer content resulted in more retarding effect. Formulation with 35% polymer content exhibited zero order release profile and it released 35% of the drug in first hr, later on, controlled drug release was observed upto the 12(th) hour. Formulations with PVAc to Na-CMC ratio 20:80 exhibited zero order release pattern at levels of studied concentrations, which suggested that this combination can be used to formulate zero order release tablets of water soluble drugs like isoniazid. Korsmeyer-Peppas modeling of drug release showed that non-Fickian transport is the primary mechanism of isoniazid release from PVAc and Na-CMC based tablets. The value of mean dissolution time decreased with the increase in the release rate of drug clearly showing the retarding behavior of the swellable polymers. The application of a mixture of PVAc to Na-CMC in a specific ratio may be feasible to formulate zero order release tablets of water soluble drugs like isoniazid.

Prolonged analgesia by adding midazolam and hyperbaric bupivacaine in subarachnoid block for lower uterine caesarian section

Antinociceptive effect and safety of sub-arachnoid (SAB) midazolam is well established in animals and human beings. In this randomized, prospective placebo control clinical study, we investigated the addition of 2.5mg midazolam to bupivacaine on the quality of surgical anaesthesia and duration of first analgesic in the post operative period after lower uterine caesarean section (LUCS). Sixty ASA I or II pregnant women scheduled for elective lower uterine caesarean section were selected for the study. The patients were randomly allocated to receive 2ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine with either 0.5ml of 5% dextrose in aqua or 2.5 mg (0.5ml) midazolam. The duration of first analgesic demand, quality of anaesthesia, haemodynamic changes and neonatal condition were assessed. The duration of analgesia (the time interval in minutes between the sub-arachnoid injection and the first analgesic demand by the patient) was significantly longer in the Group II than Group I (197min vs. 112min; p<0.001). The quality of surgical anaesthesia was excellent or good throughout the surgical procedure in 90% (n = 27) of the patients in Group II (p = 0.01). Systolic Blood pressure was significantly lower in the group I at 10 min and 20 min after administration of SAB than group II (p = 0.005 and p = 0.007) but comparable at other times. Sedation level, Apgar score was comparable in both groups. No neurological deficit or other significant adverse effects were recorded. The addition of midazolam with hyperbaric low dose bupivacaine in SAB significantly improves the quality of surgical anaesthesia and prolongs the duration of analgesia without any adverse effects.