Nigella sativa [prophetic medicine]: a review

The present report is a significant effort to explore detail description of N. Sativa, its pharmacognostic characteristics, morphological characteristics, and mechanism of actions, doses and medicinal uses. Nigella sativa [N. Sativa] is greatest form of healing medicine. It is also known as Prophetic Medicine as its use has been mentioned in Prophetic Hadit, as natural remedy for all the diseases except death. It is recommended on daily basis in Tibb-e-Nabwi [Prophetic Medicine]. Hazrat Abu Hurairah States ''I have heard from Rasool Allah [PBUH] that there is cure for every disease in black seeds except death and black seeds are shooneeze''. Salim Bin Abdullah narrates with reference to his father Hazrat Abdullah Bin Omar that Rasool Allah [PBUH] said, 'Let all the black seed upon you, these contain cure of all diseases except death'. N. sativa claimed to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepato-protective, neuro-protective, gastro-protective and other useful properties. Biological and pharmacological effects are attributed to its two important constituents Thymoquinone [TQ] and Nigella sativa oil [NSO]. TQ has interaction with human serum albumin. Seeds containing volatile oils mainly Melanthin showed toxicity at larger doses. This report is a reference for all pharmaceutical researchers, physicians and biologists researching on N.Sativa and will open a door towards novel agent

Formulation and in-vitro evaluation of floating bilayer tablet of lisinopril maleate and metoprolol tartrate

The purpose of this study was to introduce the technology for the development of rate-controlled oral drug delivery system to overcome various physiological problems. Several approaches are being used for the purpose of increasing the gastric retentive time, including floating drug delivery system. Gastric floating lisinopril maleate and metoprolol tartrate bilayer tablets were formulated by direct compression method using the sodium starch glycolate, crosscarmellose sodium for IR layer. Eudragit L100, pectin, acacia as sustained release polymers in different ratios for SR metoprolol tartrate layer and sodium bicarbonate, citric acid as gas generating agents for the floating extended release layer. The floating bilayer tablets of lisinopril maleate and metoprolol tartrate were designed to overcome the various problems associated with conventional oral dosage form. Floating tablets were evaluated for floating lag time, drug contents and in-vitro dissolution profile and different kinetic release models were applied. It was clear that the different ratios of polymers affected the drug release and floating time. L2 and M4 showed good drug release profile and floating behavior. The linear regression and model fitting showed that all formulation followed Higuchi model of drug release model except M4 that followed zero order kinetic. From the study it is evident that a promising controlled release by floating bilyer tablets of lisinopril maleate and metoprolol tartrate can be developed successfully

Counter irritant activity of carthamus oxycantha

Many locally occurring species of Asteraceae are used as medicinal plants by various tribal and ethnic communities in Pakistan. Carthamus oxycantha is often occurs as weed in cultivated fields. Folk medicines indicated its use as an anti inflammatory and wound healing plant. It is used for wound healing by the local population in the form of powder paste. No scientific report, about the behavior of this plant has so far been published. The counter irritant studies of locally occurring Carthamus oxycantha was carried out. The main objectives of the project were to evaluate its wound healing effects on animal skin and the identity and characterization of chromatographically isolated fractions. For this purpose, different solvents with a broad range of polarity were successively used to extract non-polar compounds [petroleum ether extract], constituents intermediate polarities [chloroform extract] and polar constituents [methanol extract] from the whole herb of Carthamus oxycantha. The counter irritant activity of the crude extracts and isolated fractions was evaluated on rabbit's skin. Five fractions Co-1 to Co-5 were isolated from the active chloroform extract by column and thin layer chromatography. Co-1, Co-3 and Co-5 appeared to be the most potent counter irritant than others. A possible structure-activity relationship of these active compounds was investigated by using spectroscopy [UV and FTIR analysis]

Efficacy and adverse effects of adenosine in patients of supraventricular tachycardia

Background: Adenosine administered intravenously terminates supraventricular tachycardia [SVT] involving the AV node as part of the reenterant circuit. This study was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of intravenous adenosine in terminating acute episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

Methods and results: A randomized trial to evaluate the dose response in patients receiving Adenosine in the Emergency Department of Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore was carried out from March 2003 to August 2003. A total of 100 patients with a tachycardia electrocardiographically consistent with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia were entered in to the protocol. The patients received sequential bolus doses of 6, 12 and 18 mgs of Adenosine to terminate SVT with a two minute interval between the injections. Clinical variables and the time interval from the initiation of treatment to the termination of the supraventricular tachycardia were noted and any adverse clinical effects if observed were also recorded. There was a female preponderance of 63% in the study group of total 100 cases. The types of arrhythmias observed among the patients under study included AVNRT [81%], AVRT [12%] and atrial tachycardia [07%]. The response to Adenosine therapy revealed [92.5%] in patients of AVNRT, [75%] in patients of AVRT and [42%] in patients of atrial tachycardia. The analysis of adverse effects revealed Facial flushing in [26%] patients, while dyspnoea chest pressure, Bronchospasm and other rhythm disturbances were present in other patients. [30%] patients had no side effects

Conclusions: Adenosine is a safe, effective and rapidly acting drug for terminating SVT and it is associated with very limited number of adverse effects if they occur at all