Polysomnographic Outcomes of 62 Patients in Dhaka City a Single-Center Study

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a very common form of sleep disorder with associated health risks. OSA has been accompanied by more insidious conditions, like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even daytime somnolence. For the diagnosis of sleep disorders, polysomnography is a comprehensive test. It records the patient`s brain waves, the oxygen level in the blood, ‘breathing and heart rate’, and ‘eye and leg movements during the study. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of polysomnography in the diagnosis of sleep apnea.Material & Methods:This comparative observational study was conducted in the Department of Otolaryngology &, Head Neck Surgery, Bashundara Ad-Din Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh during the period from July 2020 to June 2021. In total 62 participants were included in the study population for this study. All the participants were divided into two groups. In group A, there were 5 healthy people without obstructive sleep apnea (No OSA group). On the other hand, in group B, there were 57 obstructive sleep apnea patients (OSA group). Ethical approval had been taken from the ethical committee of the mentioned hospital. Data were analyzed by using MS Office and SPSS version 23 programs as per need.Results:In analyzing the sleep scoring between both the groups, in both TRT minutes and total sleep time minutes we did not find any significant correlation (Table: 2). In analyzing the apnea, in comparing mean (±SD) obstructive, total, and AI calculations, we found significant correlations between the groups (Table: 3, Apnea; P values: 0.036, 0.035, and 0.024 respectively. In comparing different parameters of hypopneas (rule 1A), in most of the events, we found significant correlations except mean (±SD) central (Table 3 hypopneas: rule 1A) even, in comparing total mean (±SD) apneas and hypopneas combinedly we found the P-value as 0.002 (Table:3). In the OSA severity comparison between both the groups, in calculating AHI 1 to<15 events/hour, AHI 15 to<30 events/hour, and AHI ?30 events/hour we found significant correlations (P=.001, Table 3: OSA severity). In assessing the Mean (SD) AHI, OAI, RDI (AI+HI+RI), O2 Desats?3% and O2 Desats?3% Index (ODI) we found significant correlations (P values were 0.001, 0.041, 0.001, 0.003, 0.005 respectively). Besides these, in analyzing both the low SpO2 n (%) and snoring: n (%) there was a significant correlation between the group’s patients (P values were .007 and .001 respectively).Conclusion:Polysomnography may be considered an effective method for detecting measuring and treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sleep scoring and respiratory events analysis plays an important role in assessing the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea.

Formulation Development, Characterization and In-vitro Evaluation of Tamoxifen Loaded Liposomes

Background: The study was aimed to prepare and evaluate tamoxifen loaded controlled release liposomes to reduce the side effects of tamoxifen during cancer treatment. Methods: Different tamoxifen loaded liposomes were prepared by modified ether injection (MEIM) and thin film hydration method (TFHM) under prescribed conditions. The prepared liposomes were characterized by using optical microscopy, evaluating encapsulation efficiency, in-vitro and ex-vivo diffusion studies by using dialysis membrane and chicken intestinal sac respectively.Results: The data revealed that all of the liposomes were spherical in shape and stable under three physical conditions i.e. 4, 25 and 37 ± 2°C temperatures and 60 ±5% relative humidity. Additionally most of the liposomes followed zero order and class II release kinetics. It was also observed that with the increase of phospholipids and cholesterol, entrapment efficiency of liposome vesicles increased thus giving a controlled release drug delivery system but further increase reduced this efficiency at a certain level.Conclusion: The formulated control release liposomes might be a good drug delivery system for target oriented drug delivery with minimum side effects of tamoxifen during cancer treatment

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activities of Hoya parasitica Variegata - An In-vitro Study

Aim: Oxidative stress is responsible for the development of different neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the present study, Hoya parasitica variegata belonging to the family Apocynaceae was evaluated for its cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities with an objective of searching a new natural source to treat different neurological disorders. Study Design: The methanolic extract of H. parasitica was subjected for in-vitro evaluation which included antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibitory activities. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Banani, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh, from July to December 2016. Methodology: The cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities were assessed by total phenol content, flavonoid content, total antioxidant, iron reducing power capacity, DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, lipid peroxidation inhibition, metal chelating activity as well as acetylcholinestrase (AChE) and butyrylcholinestrase (BChE) inhibitory activities. Results: Total phenolic and flavonoid content of the extract were 53.31 mg of gallic acid and 129.88 mg of quercetin equivalent respectively. The methanolic extract of H. parasitica (MEHP) showed considerable total antioxidant activity and reducing capacity. In DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, the MEHP showed IC50 of 485 μg/mL and 39.65 μg/mL respectively. In lipid peroxidation inhibition activity MEHP showed IC50 value of 857.63 μg/mL and exhibited metal chelating activity with IC50 value 961.21 μg/mL. The MEHP represented inhibition of bovine brain acetylcholinesterase and human blood butyrylcholinesterase and the IC50 value was 269.5 μg/mL and 343.14 μg/mL respectively. Conclusion: The results obtained from present study revealed that MEHP has considerable amount of antioxidant activity as well as anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity suggesting its potential use in different neurological disorders such as AD.

Study on Self-medication Practices among University Students of Bangladesh.

Aims: To know how much knowledge and awareness university students of Bangladesh have about commonly used medicines. Study Design: The study was conducted on 1200 students randomly selected from 9 university of Bangladesh, in which 87.5% were master’s student and remaining 12.5% were honor’s students. Each willing participant shared their opinion. Place and Duration of Study: Dhaka University (DU), Jahangirnagar University (JU), Eastern University (EU), East West University (EWU), Daffodil International University (DIU), North South University (NSU), International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), University of Information Technology & Science (UITS) and University of Science & Technology (USTC), Bangladesh, from May to July 2012. Methodology: Questionnaires were distributed among the students, information about students and knowledge about self-medication practices of medicine was determined. Results: The present study revealed that most frequently used medicine was analgesic/antipyretic (58.75%), followed by antiulcerants (40.17%), antibiotics (18.17%), antihistamines (10.58%) and antitussive (9.33%). 54.5% students took analgesic/antipyretic based on self-decision, followed by 49.83% antibiotics, 43.5% antiulcerants, 46.83% antitussives and 31.08% antihistamines respectively. Based on retailer advice 25% students took antimicrobials. 47.83% students said that they took antibiotics because of fever, 27% said the reason was infection, 13.58% took antibiotics because of GI disease and 12.5% mentioned others. 67.67% had no idea about side effect of antibiotics, followed by 53.17% for analgesic/antipyretic, 53.2% for antihistamine, 47.75% for antitussives and 28% for antiulcerants. Conclusion: Self-medication was practiced with a range of drugs from the analgesic/antipyretic to antibiotics. Most of the students didn’t know about the side-effects of these medicines as well as the antibiotics resistance. Although the practice of self-medication is unavoidable; drug authorities and health professionals need to educate students about the health hazards of self-medication.

Development of Sustain Release Matrix Tablet of Ranolazine Based on Methocel K4M CR: In Vitro Drug Release and Kinetic Approach.

In this study an attempt was made to design and evaluate oral sustained release matrix tablets of ranolazine using Methocel K4M CR as the retardant polymer. Tablets were prepared by conventional wet granulation technique. Tablets were evaluated for parameters such as weight variation, hardness, friability and drug content. All the formulations showed compliance with pharmacopieal standards. In vitro release studies were performed using USP type II apparatus (paddle method) in 900 mL of 0.1N HCl at 50 rpm for 8 hours. The release kinetics was analyzed using the zero-order, first order, Higuchi, Hixson-Crowell and Korsmeyer-Peppas equations to explore and explain the mechanism of drug release from the matrix tablets. In vitro release studies revealed that percent drug release decreased with increase of polymer loading. Based on the dissolution data comparison with innovator brand F-5 formulation (16% Methocel K4M CR w/w of drug) was elected as the best formulation. The drug release profile of the best formulation was well controlled and uniform throughout the dissolution studies. The drug release of optimized formulation follows the Higuchi kinetic model (R2 = 0.99) and the mechanism is found to be non-Fickian/anomalous according to Korsmeyer–Peppas equation. All the formulations were checked for stability as per ICH guidelines and formulations were found stable during the study.