Treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection: DDB plus amantadine compared with interferon plus ribavirin

This study was designed to assess the effect of combined dioxy- biphenyl dicarboxylate [DDB] and amantadine hydrochloride compared with interferon alpha and ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Eighty patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection were allocated to this study and were divided into two groups, each including 40 patients: The first group received DDB plus amantadine and the second group received interferon plus ribavirin for six months. The patients were reviewed initially, then three months and six months after initiation of therapy. The additive value of DDB plus interferon combined therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection could be a promising treatment strategy, which needs further assessment studies

Fluorimetric determination of amide alkaloids

A simple rapid and sensitive fluorimetric method based on the concensation of the amide function alkaloids with malonic acid and acetic anhydride was developed for the determination of physostigmine and ergometrine. The strong fluorescence of the reaction mixture had maximum emission at 493 nm using 391 nm as an excitation maximum. Beer's Lambort law was valid over the concentration range of 0.5-3.5 x 10-7 mug/ml of the alkaloidal base. Mean% recoveries were 103.7 +/- 2.3 and 100.7 +/- 2.6 for physostigmine and ergometrine, respectively. The method was successfully applied for the determination of the alkaloids in dosage forms. The results were in agreement with those of other reported methods