Pharmacodynamic Stance of Phytoconstituents as a Gastric Ulcer Protective Mechanism: An Overview.

Various traditional herbal plants have been associated with unique pharmacological actions. Natural parts as well as processed plant parts are known to possess gastro-protective and gastro- mucosal healing property. Motive of this review analysis is to explain the gastro-protective and gastro-mucosal healing property of different herbal plants and their constituents indigenous to various regions of the globe and elucidate mechanisms of the healing by their metabolic extracts. Moreover, an attempt shall be made to explicate the possible molecular pharmacological targets responsible for healing gastric ulcer activity. A thorough survey of literature has been carried out from various scientific resources and using keywords like peptic ulcer mechanism, gastro-protective agents, gastro-mucosal healing property, natural and processed herbal drugs preventing peptic ulcers. This article will present a running commentary on the prospects and potential of herbal plants exhibiting gastroprotective activity and gastro-mucosal healing property.

Pantoprazole Sodium Loaded Microballoons for the Systemic Approach: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

Purpose: Various floating and pulsatile drug delivery systems suffer from variations in the gastric transit time affecting the bioavailability of drugs. The objective of the study was to develop Pantoprazole Sodium (PAN) microballoons that may prolong the gastric residence time and could enhance the drug bioavailability. Methods: Microballoons were prepared using Eudragit®L100 by adopting emulsion solvent diffusion method with non-effervescent approach, in vitro studies were performed and the in vivo evaluation was carried out employing ethanol induced ulceration method. Optimization and validation were carried out through Design Expert® software. Results: The results demonstrate an increase in percentage yield, buoyancy, encapsulation efficacy and swelling. Particles were in the size range 80-100 µm following zero order release pattern. SEM study revealed their rough surface with spherical shape, internal cavity and porous walls. DSC thermo gram confirms the encapsulation of drug in amorphous form. Significant anti ulcer activity was observed for the prepared microballoons. The calculated ulcer index and protection were 0.20±0.05 and 97.43 % respectively for LRS-O (optimized formulation). Conclusion: This kind of pH dependent drug delivery may provide an efficient dosage regimen with enhanced patient compliance.

Synthesis and antimicrobial screening of N-[2-(2/4-substituted phenyl)-1-(5/6 substituted 1H- benzimidazol-2-yl)vinyl]benzamides.

A series of (benzamidostyryl)benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized by hydrolyzing 2-phenyl-4-(substituted)benzylidene-5-oxazolones, the azlactone precursors in an acidic medium and treating the product with substituted o-phenylenediamine (OPDA) in situ. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by spectral and elemental analyses. All synthesized compounds were screened for their in vito antimicrobial activities against some identifiable strains. Thereby, it was found that only nitro substituted benzimidazoles exhibited good to moderate antibacterial activity, while other derivatives were devoid of any antimicrobial effect.

Design, synthesis and screening of quinoline-incorporated thiadiazole as a potential anticonvulsant.

A series of quinoline-incorporated substituted thiadiazole were designed and synthesized using appropriate synthetic route keeping in view the structural requirement of pharmacophore and evaluated for anticonvulsant and CNS activities. After intraperitoneal injection to mice, some synthesized derivatives were examined in the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol (scPTZ)-induced seizure and neurotoxicity screens. Those found potent were also evaluated for behavioural impairment and depression activity. Among the compounds tested, 6d and 6e showed protection from seizures in both the animal models at dose level of 30 mg/kg while 7f showed protection against both models at 100 mg/kg dose level. These compounds exhibited lesser CNS depression and neurotoxicity compared with clinically effective drug.

Hydroxyurea: a key player in cancer chemotherapy.

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a simple organic compound currently used as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent. It acts specifically on the S-phase of the cell cycle by inhibiting the enzyme ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, thereby hindering the reductive conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides and thus limiting de novo DNA synthesis. HU is employed in hemotological settings as a first-line treatment of myeloproliferative disorders, such as polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis, apart from having a vital role in combination therapy for management of malignant melanoma, head and neck cancers and brain tumors. It offers an advantage that the patient may take this drug on an ambulatory basis with minimum clinical toxicity, while some of its limitations include gastrointestinal disturbance and bone marrow depression. This review will summarize and present the overall effects of HU and its combination therapy as an anticancer agent.

Synthesis, antibacterial evaluation and QSAR studies of 7-[4-(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)piperazinyl] quinolone derivatives.

A series of 7-[4-(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)piperazinyl] quinolones (I-XXI) were synthesized using an appropriate synthetic route and characterized by elemental and spectral analysis. The antibacterial activities of all the synthesized compounds were evaluated against identifiable bacterial strains. Compounds III, IV, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XV, &XVIII showed better activity than parent compound against all the selected strains. QSAR study on the synthesized molecules tested for their antibacterial activity was performed using multiple linear regression method. Generated models revealed a decrease in HOMO energy as favorable descriptor for determining and predicting the antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds. Further, the developed models were cross validated using LOO method for their predictive nature.

Synthesis and in-vitro antimicrobial activity of secondary and tertiary amines containing 2-chloro-6-methylquinoline moiety.

A number of secondary and tertiary amines bearing 2-chloro-6-methylquinoline were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction of 3-(chloromethyl)-2-chloro-6-methylquinoline with substituted aromatic primary and secondary amines in presence of catalytic amount of triethylamine (TEA) and K(2)CO(3). All the compounds were characterized by combined use of IR, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, mass spectral data, and microanalyses. The newly synthesized quinolinyl amines were screened in vitro for their antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger MTCC 281, Aspergillus flavus MTCC 277, Monascus purpureus MTCC 369, Penicillium citrinum NCIM 768 and for antibacterial activity strains viz. Escherichia coli NCTC 10418, Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 65710, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 10662 by agar diffusion technique. Results of the preliminary screening revealed that some of the compounds mainly those with electron withdrawing groups in the phenyl ring showed promising antifungal activity.

Ceftaroline: a comprehensive update.

Ceftaroline is a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic currently under US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review for a new drug application (NDA), filed by Cerexa, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest Laboratories), for the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections (cSSSIs) and community-associated pneumonia (CAP). The antibiotic acts by binding to penicillin-binding proteins in bacteria, consistent with other ß-lactams. The antimicrobial spectrum of ceftaroline ranges from aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria, including drug-resistant isolates of staphylococci, i.e. heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA), vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA), to anaerobic Gram-negative pathogens such as Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae (including ß-lactamase-positive strains), as well as bacteria with multiple resistance phenotypes. Ceftaroline fosamil is the prodrug that is rapidly dephosphorylated by in vivo plasma phosphatases to the active drug ceftaroline, which follows a two-compartmental pharmacokinetic model and is eliminated primarily by renal excretion, with a plasma half-life of ca. 2.5 h. Ceftaroline is well tolerated, which is consistent with its good safety profile similar to other cephalosporins in clinical trials. Thus, it would be a promising drug to fight multidrug-resistant superbugs such as S. aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae for the treatment of cSSSIs and CAP.

N'-[(5-chloro-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methylene] 2/4-substituted hydrazides: synthesis and anticonvulsant activity.

A series of N'-[(5-chloro-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methylene] 2/4-substituted hydrazides were synthesized using appropriate synthetic route and characterized by elemental analysis and spectral data. The anticonvulsant activity of some of the synthesized compounds were evaluated against maximal electroshock induced seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol (scPTZ) induced seizure models in mice. The neurotoxicity were assessed using the rotorod method. All the test compounds were administered at doses of 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg body weight and the anticonvulsant activity was noted at 0.5 and 4 h time intervals after the drug administration. Among the compound tested, all except 5 g showed protection from seizures in both the animal models. Some titled compounds exhibited lesser CNS depression and neurotoxicity compared to phenytoin.

Design & synthesis of 2-(substituted aryloxy)-5-(substituted benzylidene)-3-phenyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-[1,2,4] triazin-6-one as potential anticonvulsant agents.

A series of 2-(substituted aryloxy)-5-(substituted benzylidene)-3-phenyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-[1,2,4] triazin-6-one were designed & synthesized using appropriate synthetic route keeping in view the structural requirement of pharmacophore and evaluated for anticonvulsant activity and CNS activities. After intraperitoneal injection to mice, some synthesized derivatives were examined in the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol (scPTZ) induced seizure and neurotoxicity screens. Those found potent were also evaluated for behavioural impairment and depression activity. Among the compound tested, 5 eIX showed protection from seizures in both the animal models at dose level of 30 mg/kg while 5 bII &5 cII showed protection against scPTZ model at same dose level. Some titled compounds exhibited lesser CNS depression and neurotoxicity compared to clinically effective drug.

Anticonvulsant activity of bacopa monniera in rodents / Anticonvulsivante atividade de bacopa monniera em roedores

Bacopa monnieri (L), belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family and commonly known as Brahmi, is well known in India for its CNS activity but its neuropharmacological effect has not yet been explored. In the present study, the antiepileptic effects of the plant were investigated. The ethanolic extract of Bacopa monniera was tested for anticonvulsant activity in albino rats, using different convulsive models. The ethanolic extract of leaves produced significant anticonvulsant activity for all the different models studied. The present study shows a probable mechanism of action similar to that of benzodiazepines (GABA agonist). Thus, these results emphasize the need to diversify by using alternative therapeutic approaches pertaining to herbal medicine, where a single easily available plant may provide solutions to several therapeutic challenges, as observed in the anticonvulsant action of ethanolic extract of B. monniera.

Bacopa monniera, da família Scrophulariaceae, e comumente denominada Brahmi, é bem conhecida na Índia por sua atividade no Sistema Nervoso Central, mas seu efeito neurofarmacológico não foi, ainda, explorado. No presente estudo, investigaram-se os efeitos antiepilépticos da planta. O extrato etanólico da Bacopa monniera foi testado quanto à atividade anticonvulsivante em ratos albinos, utilizando-se diferentes modelos de convulsão. O extrato etanólico das folhas produziu atividade anticonvulsivante significativa para todos os diferentes modelos estudados. O presente estudo mostra provável mecanismo de ação semelhante ao dos benzodiazepínicos (agonista do GABA). Assim sendo, esses resultados enfatizam a necessidade de diversificar, utilizando-se abordagens terapêuticas alternativas da medicina natural, em que uma planta facilmente disponível pode fornecer soluções para vários desafios terapêuticos, como o observado na ação anticonvulsivante do extrato etanólico de Bacopa monniera.

Synthesis of hydrazones derivatives of quinoxalinone--prospective antimicrobial and antiinflammatory agents.

A series of quinoxalinone derivatives was synthesized by the condensation of 1,2-diaminobenzene with alpha-ketoglutaric acid to yield 3-(3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2-yl) propionic acid (2) and then treated with hydrazine hydrate to yield its hydrazones (3). This was further reacted with substituted aromatic aldehydes to produce final compounds (4a-r). These hydrazones derivatives were characterized by FT-IR and 1H-NMR data. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity.

Synthesis of 1,2,4-triazine derivatives as potential anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory agents.

A series of 1,2,4-triazine derivatives Va (1-24) and Vb (1-24) were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory activities. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed on the basis of their spectral data. Many of the triazine compounds were found to possess good activity. Especially, compounds bearing the sulfur atom showed better activity than those bearing the oxygen atom.