Purpose

Stroke disability stems from insufficient neurorepair mechanisms. Improvement of functions has been achieved through rehabilitation or therapeutic agents. Therefore, we combined exercise with a neurovascular protective agent, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), to accelerate functional recovery.

Methods

Stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 60 min followed by reperfusion in adult male rats. Animals were treated with vehicle (IR group), GSNO (0.25 mg/kg, GSNO group), rotarod exercise (EX group) and GSNO plus exercise (GSNO+EX group). The groups were studied for 14 days to determine neurorepair mechanisms and functional recovery.

Results

Treated groups showed reduced infarction, decreased neuronal cell death, enhanced neurotrophic factors, and improved neurobehavioral functions. However, the GSNO+EX showed greater functional recovery (p<0.05) than the GSNO or the EX group. A GSNO sub group, treated 24 hours after IR, still showed motor function recovery (p<0.001). The protective effect of GSNO or exercise was blocked by the inhibition of Akt activity.

Conclusions

GSNO and exercise aid functional recovery by stimulating neurorepair mechanisms. The improvements by GSNO and exercise depend mechanistically on the Akt pathway. A combination of exercise and GSNO shows greater functional recovery. Improved recovery with GSNO, even administered 24 hours post-IR, demonstrates its clinical relevance.

A simple, efficient, precise and accurate absorbance ratio method have been developed for the estimation of eprosartan mesylate and hydrochlorothiazide in pure and in fixed dose combination. In this method, UV spectra of eprosartan mesylate and hydrochlorothiazide were overlayed which involves the formation of Q-absorbance equation at 249.1 nm (isobestic point) and 274.5 nm, the max of hydrochlorothiazide. Both the drugs obeyed Beers law in the concentration range of 6-36 μg/ml and 1-10 μg/ml for eprosartan mesylate and hydrochlorothiazide, respectively. The accuracy of the method was determined by recovery studies and was found to be in the range of 102.29-103.10% and 99.52-101.60% for eprosartan mesylate and hydrochlorothiazide, respectively. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines and statistically. The method showed good reproducibility and recovery with % RSD less than 2. The method was found to be simple, economic, accurate and reproducible and can be used for routine analysis of eprosartan mesylate and hydrochlorothiazide in pure and in fixed dose combinations.

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces primary and secondary damage in both the endothelium and the brain parenchyma, collectively termed the neurovascular unit. While neurons die quickly by necrosis, a vicious cycle of secondary injury in endothelial cells exacerbates the initial injury in the neurovascular unit following TBI. In activated endothelial cells, excessive superoxide reacts with nitric oxide (NO) to form peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite has been implicated in blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage, altered metabolic function, and neurobehavioral impairment. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a nitrosylation-based signaling molecule, was reported not only to reduce brain levels of peroxynitrite and oxidative metabolites but also to improve neurological function in TBI, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Therefore, we investigated whether GSNO promotes the neurorepair process by reducing the levels of peroxynitrite and the degree of oxidative injury.

Methods

TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult male rats. GSNO or 3-Morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) (50 μg/kg body weight) was administered orally two hours following CCI. The same dose was repeated daily until endpoints. GSNO-treated (GSNO group) or SIN-1-treated (SIN-1 group) injured animals were compared with vehicle-treated injured animals (TBI group) and vehicle-treated sham-operated animals (Sham group) in terms of peroxynitrite, NO, glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage, edema, inflammation, tissue structure, axon/myelin integrity, and neurotrophic factors.

Results

SIN-1 treatment of TBI increased whereas GSNO treatment decreased peroxynitrite, lipid peroxides/aldehydes, BBB leakage, inflammation and edema in a short-term treatment (4-48 hours). GSNO also reduced brain infarctions and enhanced the levels of NO and GSH. In a long-term treatment (14 days), GSNO protected axonal integrity, maintained myelin levels, promoted synaptic plasticity, and enhanced the expression of neurotrophic factors.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate the participation of peroxynitrite in the pathobiology of TBI. GSNO treatment of TBI not only reduces peroxynitrite but also protects the integrity of the neurovascular unit, indicating that GSNO blunts the deleterious effects of peroxynitrite. A long-term treatment of TBI with the same low dose of GSNO promotes synaptic plasticity and enhances the expression of neurotrophic factors. These results support that GSNO reduces the levels of oxidative metabolites, protects the neurovascular unit, and promotes neurorepair mechanisms in TBI.

Background

The aim of our study was to determine the effect of treatment based on preprandial and postprandial self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) on the progression of carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT) in noninsulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects.

Methods

In this 18-month prospective trial, we recruited subjects 18–70 years of age, treated with metformin and sulfonylurea, with a standardized hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level ≤9.0%. Subjects were randomized to use of fasting/preprandial (FP) SMBG results to adjust evening medication or use of postprandial (PP) SMBG results to adjust morning medication. The primary end point was change in CIMT; change in HbA1c was a secondary end point.

Results

Of the 300 subjects randomized, 280 (140 in each group) completed all biochemical tests and CIMT analysis. Carotid intima-medial thickness was reduced significantly in PP subjects from 0.78 (±0.15) mm to 0.73 (±0.14) mm (p < 0.005), but no significant CIMT reduction was seen in FP subjects. A significant reduction in HbA1c was also seen in the PP group (p < 0.005) but not in the FP group 1 (p = 0.165). Significant improvements in body mass index (p = 0.038), waist circumference (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.008), and serum cholesterol (p = 0.02) were also seen in PP subjects but not in FP subjects.

Conclusion

Use of postprandial SMBG data to adjust therapy was associated with a significant regression of carotid intima-medial thickening and a reduction in HbA1c in T2DM, whereas no significant improvement in these parameters was seen in subjects who used fasting/preprandial SMBG data for therapy adjustment.

Candida albicans is a commensal opportunistic pathogen, which can cause superficial infections as well as systemic infections in immuocompromised hosts. Among nosocomial fungal infections, infections by C. albicans are associated with highest mortality rates even though incidence of infections by other related species is on the rise world over. Since C. albicans and other Candida species differ in their susceptibility to antifungal drug treatment, it is crucial to accurately identify the species for effective drug treatment. Most diagnostic tests that differentiate between C. albicans and other Candida species are time consuming, as they necessarily involve laboratory culturing. Others, which employ highly sensitive PCR based technologies often, yield false positives which is equally dangerous since that leads to unnecessary antifungal treatment. This is the first report of phage display technology based identification of short peptide sequences that can distinguish C. albicans from other closely related species. The peptides also show high degree of specificity towards its different morphological forms. Using fluorescence microscopy, we show that the peptides bind on the surface of these cells and obtained clones that could even specifically bind to only specific regions of cells indicating restricted distribution of the epitopes. What was peculiar and interesting was that the epitopes were carbohydrate in nature. This gives insight into the complexity of the carbohydrate composition of fungal cell walls. In an ELISA format these peptides allow specific detection of relatively small numbers of C. albicans cells. Hence, if used in combination, such a test could help accurate diagnosis and allow physicians to initiate appropriate drug therapy on time.

Background

Urinary bladder and renal dysfunction are secondary events associated with spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans. These secondary events not only compromise quality of life but also delay overall recovery from SCI pathophysiology. Furthermore, in experimental models the effects of SCI therapy on bladder and renal functions are generally not evaluated. In this study, we tested whether simvastatin improves bladder and renal functions in a rat model of experimental SCI.

Methods

SCI was induced by controlled contusion of T9-T10 in adult female rats. Simvastatin (5 mg/Kg body weight) was administered at two hours after SCI and repeated every 24 hours until the end point. Simvastatin-treated SCI animals (simvastatin group) were compared with vehicle-treated SCI animals (vehicle group) in terms of the Basso Beattie Bresnahan score, tissue morphology, cell death, and bladder/renal functions.

Results

The urinary bladder of vehicle animals showed a 4.3-fold increase in size and a 9-fold increase in wet weight compared to sham animals. Following SCI, the urine to plasma osmolality ratio increased initially but decreased 1 week after SCI. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of bladder tissue showed transitional epithelial hyperplasia, degeneration of lamina propria, and enlargement of tunica adventia in addition to detrusor muscle hypertrophy. Rats treated with simvastatin for 14 days displayed remarkable recovery by showing decreased bladder size and maintenance of a normal urine/plasma osmolality ratio, in addition to improved locomotion. The muscularis layer of the bladder also regained its compact nature in simvastatin animals. Moreover, SCI-induced renal caspase-3 activity was significantly decreased in the simvastatin group indicating the ability of simvastatin to reduce the renal tubular apoptosis.

Conclusion

Post-injury administration of simvastatin ameliorates bladder and renal dysfunction associated with SCI in rats.

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of preventable death and serious morbidity in young adults. This complex pathological condition is characterized by significant blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage that stems from cerebral ischemia, inflammation, and redox imbalances in the traumatic penumbra of the injured brain. Once trauma has occurred, combating these exacerbations is the keystone of an effective TBI therapy. Following other brain injuries, nitric oxide modulators such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) maintain not only redox balance but also inhibit the mechanisms of secondary injury. Therefore, we tested whether GSNO shows efficacy in a rat model of experimental TBI.

Methods

TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult male rats. GSNO (50 μg/kg body weight) was administered at two hours after CCI. GSNO-treated injured animals (CCI+GSNO group) were compared with vehicle-treated injured animals (CCI+VEH group) in terms of tissue morphology, BBB leakage, edema, inflammation, cell death, and neurological deficit.

Results

Treatment of the TBI animals with GSNO reduced BBB disruption as evidenced by decreased Evan's blue extravasation across brain, infiltration/activation of macrophages (ED1 positive cells), and reduced expression of ICAM-1 and MMP-9. The GSNO treatment also restored CCI-mediated reduced expression of BBB integrity proteins ZO-1 and occludin. GSNO-mediated improvements in tissue histology shown by reduction of lesion size and decreased loss of both myelin (measured by LFB staining) and neurons (assayed by TUNEL) further support the efficacy of GSNO therapy. GSNO-mediated reduced expression of iNOS in macrophages as well as decreased neuronal cell death may be responsible for the histological improvement and reduced exacerbations. In addition to these biochemical and histological improvements, GSNO-treated injured animals recovered neurobehavioral functions as evaluated by the rotarod task and neurological score measurements.

Conclusion

GSNO is a promising candidate to be evaluated in humans after brain trauma because it not only protects the traumatic penumbra from secondary injury and improves overall tissue structure but also maintains the integrity of BBB and reduces neurologic deficits following CCI in a rat model of experimental TBI.

SURADARU LEPA CHURNA’-A Compound drug formulation in Ayurvedic system of medicine was analysed. The proximate chemical analysis, the microscopic method of identifying their ingredients, flourescese study and thin layer chromatographic studies of the drug have been reported in this paper.

Dried floral buds of Mesua ferrea Linn, dried fruits of Dillenia pentagyna Roxb and dried fruiting inflorescence of Cinnamomum wightii Meissn are used as Nagakesara in different regions of India. This elaborate study presents to the pharmacognosy of these three different drugs of Nagakesara.

‘HAB-E-BUKHAR’ – a compound drug formulation in Unani System of medicine has been analysed. The microscopic method of identification of few of its ingredients (Sath-e-gulu, Thabasheer); Quantitative analysis of Quinine sulphate, other physio-chemical contents and the T.L.C. of the drug have also been reported here.

The gum Kidamali is an important oleoresin drug in the Indian System of Medicine. The market sample of Madras Crude drug trade has been identified as the gums of Gardenia gummifera Linn. f. of Rubiaceae. The morphology, microscopical structure of the source material, the fluorescence analysis and the chemical studies including thin layer chromatography of the drug are reported.

Kutaja bija, Kudasappalai or Inderjou is an important seed drug in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Medicines. The market sample of Madras Crude drug trade has been identified in our laboratory as the seeds of Holarrhena – anti – dysenterica wall of the family Apocynaceae. The morphology, anatomy, fluorescence analysis and chemical studies of the drugs are reported.

Kattusirakam or Vanajira is an important fruit drug in Siddha and Ayurveda systems of Medicine. The market sample of Madras has been identified in our laboratory as the fruits, commonly known as seeds of Centratherum anthelminticum (Willd) Kuntz. (Syn. Veronia anthelmintica Willd) of the family Compositate. The morphology, anatomy, fluorescence analysis and chemical characters of the drug are dealt with here.

Nilavarai Curnam, a compound drug formulation in Siddha System of Medicine was analysed. The Microscopic methods of identifying their ingredients, Chemical analysis, Fluorescence, and Thin Layer Chromatographic studies of the drug have been reported here.

Miskitaramashia is a special single drug in Unani system of medicine and it has been identified as Lallemantia royleana (Wall) Benth. Of the family Labiacae. Its pharmacognostical characters hava also been reported here.

The pharmacognosy of Nattu Attivdayam the corms of Cryptocoryne spiralis Fisch – its macroscopical, microscopical and chemical studies – is reported

Triphala Curna, Triphatladi Kvatha Curna, Inji Rasayanam and Manibhadra Lehya of Indian System of Medicine were examined microscopically and the methods of identifying their ingredients were reported as one of the quality control standards.