A Novel Spectrophotometric and RP-HPLC methods for Determination of Nortriptyline hydrochloride and Pregabalin in Tablets

A Simple, rapid, specific, accurate, economical and precise UV spectrophotometric and RP-HPLC methods (inaccordance with ICH guidelines) were developed and validated for determination of Nortriptyline hydrochlorideand Pregabalin in tablet dosage form. The first method was based on Q - absorbance ratio, and absorbances ofboth drugs were determined at 239 nm (λmax of Nortriptyline Hydrochloride) and 235 nm (Iso-absorptive Point)when dissolved in methanol. It is found that Pregabalin does not have chromophoric group. To be UV-sensitive,it was compulsory to introduce chromophoric group in Pregabalin structure and make it UV-sensitive. This wasachieved by converting the primary amine group of Pregabalin through reaction with benzoyl chloride to formbenzoylated derivative of Pregabalin. Benzoylated Pregabalin was determined at 225 nm using UV-visiblespectrophotometer. The second method was based on RP-HPLC. The chromatographic separation was performedon an Inertsil ODS C18 column (250 x 4.6mmx 5 μm) with a mobile phase of 0.56 %w/v Sodium hexane sulphonicacid dissolved in water acetonitrile (50:50 %v/v, pH 4.5 adjusted with Glacial Acetic Acid) at flow rate of 1.0mL/min with DAD detection wavelength at 210 nm. Retention times of Nortriptyline Hydrochloride andPregabalin were 7.3894 min and 4.0506 min, respectively. Beer-Lambert’s law obeyed the concentration rangeof 2-12 μg/mL for Nortriptyline Hydrochloride and 10-60 μg/mL for Pregabalin. The results indicated that bothspectrophotometric and RP-HPLC methods were linear, accurate, precise and robust with RSD values less than0.2% and % recovery was within the standard limits (99 - 102%).

A comparative study of different modalities of treatment of liver abscess.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of conservative medical treatment versus minimal invasive surgical techniques like percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) and percutaneous needle aspiration (PNA) in the management of liver abscess. Material and methods: All patients with liver abscess who were admitted in Surgery from October 2013 to June 2014 were included in this study and were exposed to four different treatment modalities. The patients were first treated with combination of medicine (Option-A). If they failed to respond to this treatment then they were subjected to ultrasound guided aspiration (Option -B). If Option - B failed they were exposed to pig tail catheter placement (Option -C). Final option was surgical drainage (Option - D) if it was rupture liver abscess and if the patient presented with co morbid conditions like septicaemia and peritonitis.PNA was repeated every third day if the cavity size had not declined to 50% of the original for up to three times. Persistence of cavity or of clinical symptoms was considered failure of treatment. Results: Out of 51 patients, 14 patients responded to drug therapy alone. 34 patients required ultrasound guided aspiration and Pig tail catheter placement and 3 patients required open surgical drainage. A combination of drug therapy and ultrasound guided needle aspiration was effective for majority of 83% patients Duration of hospital stay was similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Minimal surgical interventions like PCD and PNA are better than conservative treatment for the management of liver abscesses of size >5 cm, in terms of duration to attain clinical relief and duration for which parenteral antibiotics are needed. Pyogenic liver abscess are less common than amoebic liver abscess. Right lobe of the liver is most commonly involved in both types of abscesses. Radio-imaging techniques like ultrasonography (US) and computerized tomography (CT) are the modalities of choice for investigation purposes. Treatment modalities of these abscesses, first emphasizes on medical treatment, but if it is unsuccessful then only the surgical intervention should be taken up. Laparotomy and Drainage or Laparoscopic Drainage remains the standard of care for ruptured liver abscess.

Rupture uterus: Carelessness or negligence.

Uterus is the most unique reproductive organ in humans. Rupture uterus is a hazardous complication of pregnancy and labour, and carries high risk both to the mother and the foetus. Uterine rupture during third trimester of pregnancy is a rare complication but if there is rupture and not suspect with in time may have fatal out come for the mother, foetus or both. In this modern medical era, prenatal check-up, advanced non invasive diagnostic facilities and subsequent treatment does not produce such life threatening complication. Rupture uterus cases are observed due to either carelessness of the patient or negligence of the doctor. Three cases of rupture uterus are discussed in this paper of full term pregnancy, had complete antenatal visits with all investigations including ultrasonography and attended the hospital well in time before death. Most cases of rupture uterus are preventable with good ante-natal and intra-partum care, and proper identification of high-risk cases.

Cytotoxic activity of methanolic extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus against A549, Hela and MCF-7 cell lines.

Research is focusing on the search for new types of natural chemotherapeutic agents derived from plants which are proving to be excellent sources of new compounds. The present research article was aimed to study the cytotoxic activity of methanolic extracts of Artocarpus heterophyllus plant by various in vitro cytotoxic assays like MTT and SRB against different cell lines like HEK293, A549, HeLa and MCF-7. The IC50 values of methanolic extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus were found 35.26 μgm/ml and 35.27 μgm/ml against A549 cell line by MTT and SRB assay methods respectively whereas this extract was found to be non toxic to normal cells (HEK293), proved that the methanolic extract exhibited significant anti cancer potential with no toxicity on normal cell line. The methanolic extract had no activity against Hela and MCF-7 cell line.

Bride burning: a heinous crime.

“Dowry” is defined as meaning money, or other thing estimated in terms of money, demanded from the wife or her parents or her relatives by the husband or his parents or other relatives, where such a demand is not properly referable to any legally recognized claim and is relatable only to the wife’s having married into the husband’s family. Dowry death, a heinous crime is gradually engulfing and polluting the entire society. Newly married young women are the victims who adopted the way of suicide to end their lives by burning, hanging, poisoning or drowning. A 23 years old married female had died in her kitchen under suspicious circumstances within one year of her marriage life by burning with some inflammable material on dated 22/12/2009. The post-mortem examination revealed that death was due to asphyxia as a result of pressure over neck. 98% of dermo-epidermal burn present over body was post mortem in nature. Manner of death was homicidal. A medico legal aspect of the case is discussed in this article.

Factor XI deficiency in Indian Bos taurus, Bos indicus, Bos taurus x Bos indicus crossbreds and Bubalus bubalis

We investigated the occurrence of Factor XI (FXI) deficiency syndrome in the following Indian dairy animals: Bos taurus Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cattle, Bos indicus Indian cattle breeds, B. taurus x B. indicus crossbreds and the river buffalo Bubalus bubalis. Factor XI deficiency is an autosomal recessive bleeding disorder known to affect Holstein cattle worldwide. A total of 1001 dairy animals, mainly bulls, were genotyped to detect the mutation within exon 12 of the gene encoding for factor XI. Two Holstein bulls were detected as heterozygous (carrier) for FXI deficiency, giving a carrier frequency of 0.6 percent in Indian Holstein cattle. None of the other cattle or buffalo breeds was found to be a carrier for FXI. Sequence comparison between normal and heterozygous animals revealed that there is a 77 base pair insertion fragment (AT (A)29 TAAAG (A)27 GAATTATTAATTCT) within exon 12 of the FXI gene. Both sequences were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank and assigned the accession numbers DQ438908 for normal Holstein Friesian animals and DQ438909 for heterozygous Holstein Friesian animals.

Characterization and stability of extracellular alkaline proteases from halophilic and alkaliphilic bacteria isolated from saline habitat of coastal Gujarat, India

The present study deals with the isolation and characterization of the moderately halophilic-alkaliphilic bacteria from a saline habitat in western India. Eight different bacterial strains were isolated using enrichment techniques at 20 percent (w/v) NaCl and pH 10. The isolates exhibited diversity towards gram's reaction, colony and cell morphology. They were able to grow and produce alkaline protease over a broad range of NaCl, 5-20 percent (w/v) and pH, 8-10. None of the isolates could grow at pH 7, and one could not grow even at pH 8. Crude and partially purified proteases from strain S5 were subjected to characterization with reference to pH, salt stability and protein folding. Optimum protease activity and stability was recorded at 10 percent salt and pH 9-9.5. Denaturation kinetics of S5 alkaline protease along with a reference protease was studied at 8M urea followed by renaturation. The S5 alkaline protease could be partially renatured up to 32 percent of the original activity. Despite of the fact that all the 8 isolates were from the same site, they displayed significant diversity with respect to their salt requirement for growth and enzyme secretion. While the effect of pH was less demarcated on growth, the protease production was significantly affected. Isolate S5 produced substantial amount of halotolerant and alkaline protease. The activity and stability of the alkaline protease in a broader range of pH and salt would definitely make this enzyme an important candidate for various industrial applications.

O presente estudo relata o isolamento e caracterização de bactérias moderadamente halofilicas e alcalífilicas de um habitat salino no oeste da índia. Oito cepas diferentes de bactérias foram isoladas empregando técnicas de enriquecimento em NaCl a 20 por cento (p/v) e pH 10. As cepas apresentaram diversidade em relação à coloração de Gram e à morfologia das colônias e células. As cepas foram capazes de multiplicar e produzir protease alcalina em uma ampla faixa de concentração de NaCl (5 a 20 por cento) e pH (8 a 10). Nenhuma das cepas foi capaz de se multiplicar em pH 7, e uma não se multiplicou nem em pH 8.0. Proteases naturais e parcialmente purificadas da cepa S5 foram submetidas à caracterização com relação ao pH, estabilidade salina, e estrutura protéica. Atividade e estabilidade ótimas da protease foram obtidas com 10 por cento de sal e pH 9-9,5. A cinética de denaturação da protease de S5, juntamente com uma protease de referencia, foi avaliada com uréia 8M seguida de renaturação. A protease alcalina de S5 foi renaturada a 32 por cento da atividade original. Apesar de provenientes do mesmo local, as oito cepas mostraram grande diversidade em relação à exigência de sal para multiplicação e secreção enzimática. Enquanto o efeito do pH na multiplicação foi menos marcante, o efeito na produção de protease foi significativamente afetada. A cepa S5 produziu uma quantidade substancial de protease alcalina e halotolerante. A atividade e estabilidade da protease alcalina em uma faixa mais ampla de pH e sal tornam essa enzima uma importante candidata para diversas aplicações industriais.