Fast dissolving oral thin films: an innovative herbal drug delivery system

Fast-dissolving drug delivery systems were first developed as an alternative to common dosage forms in the late 1970s. The oral thin film is an innovative drug administration approach based on transdermal patch technology. These systems consist of solid dosage forms that dissolve and disintegrate quickly in the mouth without the need for water. Oral thin films (OTFs) and oral disintegrating tablets (ODTs) are two types of fast-acting pharmaceutical delivery methods. ODTs are "A solid dosage form containing medicinal substances, which disintegrates rapidly, usually within a matter of seconds, when placed upon the tongue." As a result, OTFs hydrate fast before dissolving or disintegrating, allowing the medicine to be absorbed locally and systemically. This method provides a solid platform for extending the patient lives of existing products while also developing new ones without infringing on patients. Fast- dissolving oral thin films are being used for sublingual and gastro retentive administration methods in addition to the buccal technique. This review focusses on the composition of various types of polymers, both natural and synthetic, as well as manufacturing processes, packaging materials, and OTF evaluation tests.

Cerebellar mutism following closed head injury in a child

Cerebellar mutism is a rare occurrence following paediatric trauma. Although it is quite common after posterior fossa surgery in children, this phenomenon has rarely been reported following other insults, such as trauma, and its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. We report a seven-year-old child who presented to the casualty department of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman, in May 2013 with a traumatic right cerebellar contusion. The child presented with clinical features of cerebellar mutism but underwent a rapid and spontaneous recovery. The possible mechanism of this occurrence is discussed

Role of meloxicam and/or L-carnitine in L-arginine-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in rats

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome [MODS] occurs in several conditions including acute pancreatitis [AP]. Reactive oxygen species and activation of pro-inflammatory mediators are the main forerunners in development of MODS. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the possible role of meloxicam or/and L-carnitine in L-arginine induced MODS. Rats were allocated randomly into five groups. Control group, MODS was developed by a single dose of L-arginine [250 mg/100g, IP], rats treated with meloxicam [4mg/kg, IP], animals treated with L-carnitine [500mg/kg, IP] and rats treated with both meloxicam and L-carnitine. All treatments were once daily for seven consecutive days and started directly after L-arginine injection. Serum and tissues' samples were prepared for biochemical analysis. Other hepatic or pulmonary tissues were examined histopathologically. L-arginine markedly increased serum level of alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]. Furthermore, L-arginine significantly increased the hepatic and pulmonary tissues TNF-alpha, MDA and NO content and myeloperoxidase [MPO] activity, while it significantly depleted GSH level. Administration of either meloxicam or L-carnitine significantly ameliorated L-arginine-induced biochemical changes. On the other hand the combined therapy of meloxicam and carnitine has an ameliorative effect which was greater than each drug alone. Treatment with both meloxicam and L-carnitine is more effective than either drug alone. This may be attributed to augmentation of their antioxidant-antiinflamatory effects

Selenium administration improves lipid profiles and hemodynamic parameters in immobilized rats

Immobilization stress is thought to increase pro-oxidants that may contribute to the development of lipid peroxidation, atherosclerosis and hypertension. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of oral administration of selenium [Se] on fasting serum lipids [triglycerides; TG, total cholesterol; TC, low-density lipoproteins; LDL, and Highdensity lipoproteins; HDL] and some hemodynamic [systolic blood pressure; SBP and vascular reactivity of aortic strips to norepinephrine; VRNE] and blood parameters [serum sodium; Na [+] and potassium; K [+]] in rats exposed to immobilization stress. Forty adult male albino rats were used in this study and divided into 5 equal groups [n = 8]; Normal nontreated group [NNT] served as control and given daily distilled water orally for 3 weeks [wks]; Normal Se-treated group [NST] given distilled water for 1 wk, then oral sodium selenite [Se; 1.5 mg/kg] daily for another 2 wks; Immobilized non-treated group [INT] given distilled water for 3 wks, and concomitantly immobilized [6 hs/d for 1 wk] during wk 2; Immobilized Se pre- and concomitant-treated group [ISPC] given Se for 2 wks and concomitantly immobilized during wk 2, then given daily distilled water during wk 3; Immobilized Se concomitant- and post-treated group [ISCP] daily given distilled water for 1 wk, then Se during the last 2 wks with concomitant immobilization during wk 2. INT group showed significant increase of TG, TC, LDL, SBP, VRNE, and Na [+] levels, but significant decrease of HDL and K [+] levels when compared to the corresponding parameters in NNT group. Se supplementation to normal rats did not change significantly any of the tested parameters. On the other hand, ISPC rats revealed significant lower levels of TG, TC, LDL, SBP, VRNE, and Na[+], but significant higher levels of HDL and K[+] when compared to the corresponding parameters in INT group. Moreover, ISCP rats revealed significant lower levels of TG, TC, LDL, SBP, VRNE, and Na[+], but significant higher levels of HDL and K[+] when compared to the corresponding parameters in INT and ISPC groups. From this study, it is concluded that selenium administration in cases of immobilization stress can improve the accompanied state of hyperlipidemia and hypertension specially if supplemented concomitantly and after the immobilization period

effects of strengthening exercises program as a rehabilitation of elderly diabetic hand

This work was done to evaluate the effect of graduated active strengthening exercises program in the rehabilitation of weak diabetic hand muscles [hand grip and pinching] in 60 elderly diabetic patients suffering from weakness of hand grip and pinch grip power, their age ranged between 60 and 65 years old. They were divided randomly into three equal groups of 20 subjects each; group I received a passive movement for about 15 minutes, group II received passive exercises as group I and active program of movement for about 30 minutes and group III received only the active program of exercises as group II. The evaluation of hand grip and pinch grip in kilograms was done before and after 12 weeks of treatment using hand grip dynamometer and pinchmeter. The results showed that in group I; the improvements in hand grip, tip and key pinch were 4.2%, 22.1% and 10.03%, receptively, and in group II, it was 22.2%, 68% and 47.79%, respectively, while in group III, the increases in hand grip, tip, key pinch were 21.3%, 27.6% and 21.86%

Analise do efeito protetor do N2-mercaptopropionilglicina durante a isquemia-reperfusao de lobo hepatico: estudo experimental em caes e ratos / Protective effect analysis of N-mercaptopropionylglycine during of reperfusion ischemia of hepatic lobe: experimental study in dogs and rats

Um potente inibidor da sintese de radicais superoxidos, a N2-Mercaptopropionilglicina (N2-MPG), principalmente radicais hidroxila (OH), foi testado como agente preventivo na degradacao metabolica e estrutural do parenquima hepatico no processo de isquemia/reperfusao testando a hipotese de participacao significativa da superoxidacao na necrose do figado. Para tanto foram utilizados 22 ratos e 22 caes, distribuidos em dois grupos. Grupo I com administracao de solucao salina 0,9 por cento e Grupo II (GII) com administracao de N2-MPG. As amostras foram submetidas a estudo laboratorial, radiologico, anatomopatologico e estatistico. Os resultados revelaram uma elevacao das transaminases significativamente menor nos animais tratados com N2-MPG...

Effect of surgery on IgG secreting B cells in peripheral blood

IgG was assayed in 27 patients admitted to elective surgery. Blood samples were taken before, 4, 7 and 21 days after operation. IgG was barely detectable before and 4 days after operation, showing a marked increase at the 7th day and disappeared again at 21st day. These events suggested that activated B cells secreting IgG represent a sensitive marker of recent antigenic exposure and showed the positive effect of surgery on antibody secretion