Effectiveness of vitiligo therapy in prospective observational study of 250 cases with review of consensus and individualized care perspective

Outcomes of six month therapy in 250 patients bearing varying disease profiles and treatment regimens delivered either in conformity or divergence from consensus guidelines were compared. Influence of trait variables of patients and disease on the outcomes was also examined. Consensus approach yielded superior rates of repigmentation and improved quality of life. The latter effect significantly influenced the former. Therapy adhering guidelines did not yield optimal benefit in patients of younger age, with disease of shorter standing and involving resistant sites. Steroids best benefited the localized disease as topical monotherapy. Combination of steroid with photochemotherapy adhering guidelines benefited less in moderate disease extent. Steroid overtreatment in extensive disease compromised the prospects of repigmentation. Localized short duration disease may better be first treated with steroid-alternative immunosuppressants. Wider spread more than 3% body surface may also respond to their combination with steroids, prior applying photochemotherapy. Additive therapies are prudent with steroid/photochemotherapy than injudicious steroid overuse in progressive extensive disease. Strategies to counter steroid unresponsiveness and adverse effects, psychiatric address to stress, nutrient and environmental interventions deserve emphasis

Design and in vivo evaluation of carvedilol buccal mucoadhesive patches

The buccal region offers an attractive route of administration for systemic drug delivery. Carvedilol [dose, 3.125-25 mg] is beta-adrenergic antagonist. Its oral bioavailability is 25-35% because of first pass metabolism. Buccal absorption studies of a carvedilol solution in human volunteers showed 32.86% drug absorption. FTIR and UV spectroscopic methods revealed that there was no interaction between carvedilol and polymers. Carvedilol patches were prepared using HPMC, carbopol 934, eudragit RS 100, and ethylcellulose. The patches were evaluated for their thickness uniformity, folding endurance, weight uniformity, content uniformity, swelling behaviour, tensile strength, and surface pH. In vitro release studies were conducted for carvedilol-loaded patches in phosphate buffer [pH, 6.6] solution. Patches exhibited drug release in the range of 86.26 to 98.32% in 90 min. Data of in vitro release from patches were fit to different equations and kinetic models to explain release profiles. Kinetic models used were zero and first-order equations, Hixon-Crowell, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. In vivo drug release studies in rabbits showed 90.85% of drug release from HPMC-carbopol patch while it was 74.63 to 88.02% within 90 min in human volunteers. Good correlation among in vitro release and in vivo release of carvedilol was observed

Improved bioavailability of aceclofenac from spherical agglomerates: development, in vitro and preclinical studies

The objective of present study was to improve the solubility, dissolution rate, micromeritic properties and bioavailability of aceclofenac [NSAID] by formulating its spherical agglomerates. They were prepared with different water soluble polymers [polyvinylpyrrolidone-K30, polyvinylpyrrolidone-K90 and sodium alginate] by using acetone-water-dichloromethane solvent system. The agglomerates were subjected to various physicochemical properties, DSC, IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy [SEM], micromeritic properties and dissolution studies. The in vivo studies [anti-inflammatory, analgesic and pharmacokinetic studies] were conducted in Wistar rats and Swiss albino mice. SEM studies showed that agglomerates were spherical in structure and formed by cluster of small crystals. The agglomerates prepared with polyvinylpyrrolidone-K90 exhibited improved solubility, dissolution rate and micromeritic properties compared to those prepared with other polymers and pure drug. These optimized agglomerates showed rapid analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity besides exhibiting improved bioavailability of drug when compared to pure drug

Antibacterial activity of certanin indigenous drugs and drug plants against certain bacterial species

In the present investigation, an effort has been made to enhance the therapeutic spectrum of indigenous drugs and drug plants by testing their efficacy against certain bacterial test organisms [pathogenic as well as non-pathogenic] and by comparing their strength with known antibiotics. Aqueous decocted extract of two drugs viz. Triphala churan and Chyavanprash and two drug plants viz. Adhatoda vasica and Azadirachta indica have been evaluated against Escherichia coli, Sarcina lutea, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus [biocontrol]. Triphala churan was profoundly effective against all test organisms, but Chyavanprash was effective against Bacillus megaterium and Escherichia coli. Leaf extract of Azadirachta indica was ineffective on all the test organisms, while leaf extract of Adhatoda vasica was effective only against Bacillus [biocontrol]. There was a definite correlation between drugs concentration and their efficacy. Out of the three test antibiotics, Penicillin G was failure against all test organisms while Tetracycline and Amoxycillin were effective only against E. coli and Sarcina lutea respectively