Antidiabetic activity of Coriandrum sativum in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) can be defined as chronic hyperglycemia due to lack in insulin secretion and/or action. This study was designed to compare the antidiabetic activity of Coriandrum sativum L. with the standard antidiabetic drug, Metformin in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.Methods: Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce diabetes in the rats. Standard drug was metformin and test drug were Coriandrum sativum seed extract. 4 groups of 8 rats each were taken (normal control, diabetic control, streptozotocin + Coriandrum sativum and streptozotocin + metformin). Blood Sugar Levels (BSL) and HbA1C levels were estimated on day 0, 14 and 28 and day 28 respectively.Results: Streptozotocin administration resulted in significant rise in BSL. This rise was reduced with the administration of CS seed extract, but the reduction was more with chronic administration. It also reduced the HbA1C levels but couldn’t attain total normoglycemia. However, the reduction of BSL was superior with Metformin compared to the test drug.Conclusions: Oral administration of Coriandrum sativum seed extract at a dose of 40 mg/kg has shown antihyperglycemic activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Thus, Coriandrum sativum may have considerable therapeutic benefit as an antidiabetic agent and can be suggested as a potential dietary add on.

Establishment of pseudovirus infection mouse models for pharmacodynamics evaluation of filovirus entry inhibitors

Filoviruses cause severe and fatal viral hemorrhagic fever in humans. Filovirus research has been extensive since the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Due to their high pathogenicity and mortality, live filoviruses require Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) facilities, which have restricted the development of anti-filovirus vaccines and drugs. An HIV-based pseudovirus cell infection assay is widely used for viral entry studies in BSL-2 conditions. Here, we successfully constructed nine pseudo-filovirus models covering all filovirus genera and three pseudo-filovirus-infection mouse models using Ebola virus, Marburg virus, and Lloviu virus as representative viruses. The pseudo-filovirus-infected mice showed visualizing bioluminescence in a dose-dependent manner. A bioluminescence peak in mice was reached on day 5 post-infection for Ebola virus and Marburg virus and on day 4 post-infection for Lloviu virus. Two known filovirus entry inhibitors, clomiphene and toremiphene, were used to validate the model. Collectively, our study shows that all genera of filoviruses can be well-pseudotyped and are infectious . The pseudo-filovirus-infection mouse models can be used for activity evaluation of anti-filovirus drugs. This sequential and evaluation system of filovirus entry inhibitors provides a secure and efficient platform for screening and assessing anti-filovirus agents in BSL-2 facilities.

Effectivity of Lactobacillus plantarumBSL against Listeria monocytogenesin rats 282-292

@#Aims:To evaluate the effectivity of Lactobacillus plantarumBSL isolated from Indonesian sauerkraut against Listeriamonocytogenes ATCC 7644through in vitroand in vivoassay. Methodology and results:In vitroexamination for antimicrobialactivity against L.monocytogenesATCC 7644was performed using seven isolates of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LactobacillusplantarumBSL demonstrated the highest activity against L. monocytogenesandstudied further in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Treatmentgroup of rats received 0.5 mL culture suspension (109CFU/mL) of L. plantarumBSL and control group received 0.5 mL of 0.85% w/v NaCl daily during nine days of treatment. Both groups were infected at 3rd day with0.5 mL of suspension of L. monocytogenes (109CFU/mL). At the 2nd(before infection), 5th, 7th, and 9thday (after infection), the rats were sacrificed and the faeces, caecum, and caecum content were examined for the population of LAB and L. monocytogenes. Administration of L. plantarumBSL significantly increased the population of LABby 1.2–1.4 log unit, while the number of L. monocytogeneswas reduced by 1.8–1.9 log unitcompared to control group eithr in the faeces, caecum, or caecum content. Administration of L. plantarumBSLcould be able to reduce the liver and spleen damageof the experimental rats, butdid not show any changes in immunoglobulin A (IgA) response in comparison with control group. Conclusion, significance and impactofstudy: LactobacillusplantarumBSL was promising as probiotic candidate with health promotion to protect the gastrointestinal from infection by L. monocytogenesATCC 7644.

Usefulness of Hospital Formulary and Required Drug Information as a Drug Therapy Reference for Medical Students during Clinical Training / 医薬品情報学

<b>Objective: </b>A hospital Formulary (HF) is useful not only for providing a list of formulary drugs, but also for drug safety management and clinical practice in hospitals.  Our Pharmacy Division serves as a clinical training facility for the Faculty of Medicine and offers a bedside learning (BSL) program that allows students to participate in medical services.  Providing medical students with a requisite understanding of pharmacotherapy in order to effectively provide medical services is the goal of the core curriculum of medical education and HF use in BSL may be effective in achieving this goal.  We conducted a survey in order to examine the usefulness of an HF for medical students during clinical training and to determine what drug information is required by students.<br><b>Methods: </b>Between April 2012 and March 2013, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 88 fifth-year medical students    who participated in a 1-day BSL program using an HF.<br><b>Results: </b>The response rate was 100%.  All students responded that they understood how to use the HF and believed it was useful in BSL.  However, the level of satisfaction with the explanatory notes was significantly lower than that of other sections providing clinically useful additional information such as monographs or supplementary tables (<i>p</i><0.05).  More than 80% of the students considered monographs to be useful for obtaining information on side effects, warnings and contraindications, dosage and administration, indications, dosing in renal impairment, and drug name.  Students generally considered supplementary tables useful for obtaining information on serious side effects and their early identification, points of drug use in renal dysfunction, appropriate drug use in cancer chemotherapy, insulin and diabetes treatment, calculations of pediatric dosing, and a list of clinically used abbreviations.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>These results suggest that medical students believe an HF is useful in BSL.  When medical students participate in pharmacotherapy during BSL programs outside the Pharmacy Division, an HF that not only lists drugs but also contains supplementary tables of clinically useful information may be required.

Establishment of Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory: Important criteria to consider while designing, constructing, commissioning & operating the facility in Indian setting.

Since the enactment of environmental protection Act in 1989 and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) guidelines to deal with genetically modified organisms, India has embarked on establishing various levels of biosafety laboratories to deal with highly infectious and pathogenic organisms. Occurrence of outbreaks due to rapidly spreading respiratory and haemorrhagic fever causing viruses has caused an urgency to create a safe laboratory environment. This has thus become a mandate, not only to protect laboratory workers, but also to protect the environment and community. In India, technology and science are progressing rapidly. Several BSL-3 [=high containment] laboratories are in the planning or execution phase, to tackle biosafety issues involved in handling highly infectious disease agents required for basic research and diagnosis. In most of the developing countries, the awareness about biocontainment has increased but planning, designing, constructing and operating BSL-3 laboratories need regular updates about the design and construction of facilities and clear definition of risk groups and their handling which should be in harmony with the latest international practices. This article describes the major steps involved in the process of construction of a BSL-3 laboratory in Indian settings, from freezing the concept of proposal to operationalization phase. The key to success of this kind of project is strong institutional commitment to biosafety norms, adequate fund availability, careful planning and designing, hiring good construction agency, monitoring by experienced consultancy agency and involvement of scientific and engineering personnel with biocontainment experience in the process.

BSL-3 Laboratory User Training Program at NUITM-KEMRI

Pathogens handled in a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) containment laboratory pose significant risks to laboratory staff and the environment. It is therefore necessary to develop competency and proficiency among laboratory workers, and promote behaviors and practices that enhance safety through biosafety training. Following installation of our BSL-3 laboratory at the Center for Microbiology Research-Kenya Medical Research Institute, in 2006, a biosafety training program was developed to provide training on BSL-3 safety practices and procedures. The training program was developed based on the World Health Organization specifications, with adjustments to fit our research activities and biosafety needs. The program is composed of three phases namely; initial assessment, a training phase that includes theory and practicum, and final assessment. This article reports the content of our training program.

BSL-3 Laboratory User Training Program at NUITM-KEMRI

Pathogens handled in a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) containment laboratory pose significant risks to laboratory staff and the environment. It is therefore necessary to develop competency and proficiency among laboratory workers and to promote appropriate behavior and practices that enhance safety through biosafety training. Following the installation of our BSL-3 laboratory at the Center for Microbiology Research-Kenya Medical Research Institute in 2006, a biosafety training program was developed to provide training on BSL-3 safety practices and procedures. The training program was developed based on World Health Organization specifications, with adjustments to fit our research activities and biosafety needs. The program is composed of three phases, namely initial assessment, a training phase including theory and a practicum, and a final assessment. This article reports the content of our training program.

Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activities of the Zimbabwean endemic plant Phyllanthus serpentinicola Radcl.-Sm. (Phyllanthaceae).

Stem methanolic extract of Phyllanthus serpentinicola was screened for phytochemicals, and tested for cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activities. Tests indicated presence of alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, reducing sugars and flavonoids. Saponins, anthraquinones, and cardiac glycosides were absent. Cytotoxic effects of the plant were assessed through Brine shrimp lethality (BSL) bioassay. An LC50 value of 1.3 μg/ml was found, thus indicating that the stem extract was strongly cytotoxic. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by the egg albumen induced hind paw oedema test on Swiss albino mice. The extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced the oedema, thus indicating that P. serpentinicola has anti-inflammatory properties.

Assessment of cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity and phytochemical screening of ethanol extract of Phyllanthus acidus L. (family: Euphorbiacceae) bark.

In the present work, the ethanol extract of the barks of Phyllanthus acidus L. (Family: Euphorbiaceae) were investigated for preliminary phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities. The presence of phytochemical constituents was identified by characteristic changes using standard procedure. Brine shrimp lethality (BSL) bioassay was used to investigate the cytotoxic effects and the agar disc diffusion method was used for antimicrobial assay of the plant extract. The phytochemical screening of ethanol extract of the plant showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides and steroids. The ethanol extracts of Phyllanthus acidus L. bark showed cytotoxicity with LC50 and LC90 values of 501.19μg/mL and LC90: 794.33μg/mL, respectively. The extract of Phyllanthus acidus L. bark showed significant antibacterial activity against gram negative bacteria only such as such as E. coli (19.25 ± 0.54mm), S. typhi (32.08 ± 0.51mm) and Vibrio cholerae (16.42 ± 0.42mm). The obtained results showed a potential source of biologically active compounds which can be used as antibacterial agents.

Study on Control System for Standard French Mobile BSL-3 / 医疗卫生装备

The control system of the French standard mobile BSL-3 is introduced.The working mode and opening or closing sequence is analyzed.The power safety design,the pressure ladder control using transducer and temperature control method are especially introduced in detail.Advanced control technique is summarized and some defects used in China are provided.Technical support is provided for the using and maintaining of the lab.

Numerical Simulation Study on Influence Different Negative Pressure on Directional Airflow in BSL-3 Laboratory / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To discuss the effect of different negative pressure to directional airflow in the main room of BSL-3 laboratory.Methods The author combined the experiment and numerical simulation in the study.Results Under the condition that the air supply volume in the main room of BSL-3 laboratory is ensured invariable,negative pressure is a critical factor to effect air distribution in the lab.Conclusion The simulation result shows that a good form of directional airflow under the condition of-50pa can come into being,which offers some reference to the engineering design.

One-piece positive-pressure protective suite and its independent source of air supply system in BSL-4 laboratory / 医疗卫生装备

Biological safety is an important international issue. For this reason, WHO published Laboratory Biosafety Manual in 1983, 2003 and 2005. According to the concepts of Biological safety, countries all over the world have developed and established their own national codes of practice for the safe handling of pathogenic microorganism for clinical, studying and epidemiological purposes. In BSL-4 laboratories, individual biosecurity is very important for staffs when they are faced with dangerous level-4 pathogens. In this paper, individual protective equipment and correlative technical requirements for BSL-4 laboratories are introduced.