Skin targeting of resveratrol utilizing solid lipid nanoparticle-engrossed gel for chemically induced irritant contact dermatitis.

Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a chronic and relapsing skin disease with severe eczematous lesions. Despite its growing prevalence, therapeutic treatments remain limited. Long-term topical corticosteroid treatment can induce skin atrophy, hypopigmentation, and increase in transepidermal water loss. An innovative dermal treatment is essential to reduce the side effects of corticosteroids. Topical resveratrol (RES), although effective for ICD, is a challenging molecule due to low solubility and poor bioavailability. The objective of this work was to build RES-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (RES-SLNs) with skin targeting. For this purpose, RES-SLNs were prepared using the probe ultrasonication method utilizing Precirol ATO 5 and Tween 20. The RES-SLNs were evaluated for particle size, entrapment efficiency (EE), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. Further, RES-SLNs were incorporated into Carbopol gel and investigated for ex vivo skin permeation, deposition study on human cadaver skin, and finally skin irritation study on New Zealand White rabbits. It was further assessed for possible beneficial effects on ICD using BALB/c mice. RES-SLN showed mean size below 100 nm and 68-89% EE. TEM studies confirmed spherical particles in the nanometer range. An ex vivo study of RES-SLN-loaded gel exhibited controlled drug release up to 24 h; similarly, in vitro drug deposition studies showed potential of skin targeting with no skin irritation. RES-SLN gel confirmed competent suppression of ear swelling and reduction in skin water content in the BALB/c mouse model of ICD when compared to marketed gel. Thus, the formulated RES-SLN gel would be a safe and effective alternative to conventional vehicles for treatment of ICD.

Effect of Lead stress on phosphatase activity and reducing power assay of Triticum aestivum.

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal for both plants and animals; the environment is increasingly polluted with heavy metals and reduces crop productivity. Plants possess homeostatic mechanisms that allow them to keep correct concentrations of essential metal ions in cellular compartments and to minimize the damaging effects of an excess of nonessential ones. One of their adverse effects on plants are the generation of harmful active oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress and the antioxidative activity seems to be of fundamental importance for adaptive response of plant against environmental stress. The present study explores the effects of lead (soil treated twice/ week) with (10, 30 and 60 mM) on the specific activities of phosphatases which might lead to reducing power assay in (Triticum aestivum PBW344) seedling. A significant decrease in the redox potential of shoot compared to root was observed at the similar concentration of lead. A similar trend on leaves was also noted. Acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly higher in roots than in shoot at all the three concentration of lead i.e. 10, 30 and 60 mM, compared to controls. The above mentioned changes were more pronounced at 60 mM concentration of lead than two other concentrations. These results lead us to suggest that increased lead concentration in soil might lead to adverse effects on plant growth and phosphatase activities.

Fibrous dysplasia of the maxilla.

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare disorder of the bone. It is seen in 2 main forms of presentation, monoostotic and the polyostotic form with café au lait spots and precocious puberty (McCune-Albright syndrome). Most of the cases present in the first 2 decades of life, and the lesions are rare in infants (Joseph E, Kachara R, Bhattacharya RN, et al. Fibrous dysplasia of the orbit in an infant. Pediatr Neurosurg 2000; 32: 205-208). Herein, we present a rare case of fibrous dysplasia in an infant.