Flavonoids: A Reservoir of Drugs from Nature.

Flavonoids are associated with many plants and dietary foods; their chemical study has always attracted the interest of chemists working in the area of natural products and synthetic chemistry. Research in phytochemistry has produced many useful drugs. The analogs of flavonoids exhibit anticancer, anti-tuberculosis, anti-diabetic, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-spermatogenic, and antipsychotic activities. This review article highlights flavonoids' significance and medicinal application and displays a comparative overview of the biological activities of flavonoids and flavonoid derivatives. It covers almost all necessary reports for future directions in drug discovery.

Characterization and adsorption of malachite green dye from aqueous solution onto Salix alba L. (Willow tree) leaves powder and its respective biochar.

In the present study, the use of low-cost, highly efficient, eco-friendly, and abundantly available (in Kashmir region, J&K India) willow leaves from which adsorbents like willow leaves powder (WLP) and willow leaves biochar (WLB) were prepared, have been found to be efficient for malachite green (MG) dye removal and can be used as an alternative to the current expensive methods of removing the same dye from an aqueous solution. The techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur (CHNS) analyser were used to characterize the samples without any chemical treatment. SEM of the adsorbents shows the presence of different sized pores, cracks, and crevices. FTIR and CHNS show functional groups and elemental concentration, respectively. The effects of various experimental parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, salt treatment, and pH were investigated and optimal experimental conditions were obtained. It has been found that Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms were useful for describing the equilibrium of adsorption system. The equilibrium adsorption data in this research work was found to follow both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and maximum monolayer capacity of WLP and WLB were found to be 10.014 and 21.244 mg/g, respectively. The experimental data for both WLP and WLB followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model with R2= 0.999. Intraparticle diffusion model reveals that more than one mechanism influenced the adsorption process. Thermodynamic study concluded that the adsorption is spontaneous for both adsorbents but exothermic for WLP and is endothermic in nature for WLB. Present exploration and comparison with other reported adsorbents concluded that, WLP and WLB may be useful as low-cost attractive option for the removal of MG dye from aqueous solution and therefore, also from wastewater containing MG dye.

This study reports for the first time the use of Salix alba L. (Willow tree) leaves and its biochar as the adsorbents for the removal of malachite green dye from its aqueous solution.Both the adsorbents namely willow leaves powder (WLP) and willow leaves biochar (WLB) are rapid and highly efficient for MG dye removal having percentage removal more than 92.5%.For WLB adsorbent the percentage removal crosses 98.5% by the addition of 0.2 g KCl and by increasing 40 °C temperatures.The adsorbents used in this research work are comparable with the highly efficient low-cost adsorbents used for MG dye like rice husk, water hyacinth, seaweed, etc. found in the literature.The adsorbents (WLP and WLB) were used without chemical treatment having good removal efficiency, cheap, easy available, and their mode of preparation is simple.

Post-thoracotomy ipsilateral shoulder pain: What should be preferred to optimize it - phrenic nerve infiltration or paracetamol infusion?

Background: Post thoracotomy ipsilateral shoulder pain (PTISP) is a distressing and highly prevalent problem after thoracic surgery and has not received much attention despite the incidence as high as 85%. Objectives: To study the effect of phrenic nerve infiltration with Ropivacaine compared to paracetamol infusion on PTISP in thoracotomy patients with epidural analgesia as standard mode of incisional analgesia in both the groups. Study Design: Prospective Randomised and Double Blind Study. Methods: 126 adult patients were divided randomly into 2 groups, "Group A (Phrenic Nerve Infiltration Group) received 10 mL of 0.2% Ropivacaine close to the diaphragm into the periphrenic fat pad" and "Group B (Paracetamol Infusion Group) received 20mg/kg paracetamol infusion" 30 minutes prior to chest closure respectively. A blinded observer assessed the patients PTISP using the VAS score at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours (h) postoperatively. The time and number of any rescue analgesic medication were recorded. Results: PTISP was relieved significantly in Group A (25.4℅) as compared to Group B (61.9℅), with significantly higher mean duration of analgesia in Group A. The mean time for first rescue analgesia was significantly higher in Group A (11.1 ± 7.47 hours) than in Group B (7.40 ± 5.30 hours). The number of rescue analgesic required was less in Group A 1.6 ± 1.16 as compared to Group B 2.9 ± 1.37 (P value <0.5). Conclusions: Phrenic Nerve Infiltration significantly reduced the incidence and delayed the onset of PTISP as compared to paracetamol infusion and was not associated with any adverse effects.

Benzimidazole Derivatives as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiulcer Agents: A Mini Review.

Here in we report the number of strategies for the synthesis of differently substituted benzimidazole derivatives. The protocols involved in the syntheses of these derivatives were one-pot or multi-component. The characterization studies of these derivatives were carried by using different spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS) and elemental analyses. The biological screening studies revealed that these benzimidazole derivatives show potential antibacterial as well as antifungal behavior. These benzimidazole derivatives not only depicted potential antiulcer properties but also showed moderate to good anticancer/cytotoxic behavior against different cancer cell lines.

A Comparative Study Evaluating Effects of Intravenous Sedation by Dexmedetomidine and Propofol on Patient Hemodynamics and Postoperative Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The use of intravenous sedation during cardiac surgery to reduce awareness has been practised routinely during past few years and the two most commonly used drugs include propofol and dexmedetomidine, but their effects on hemodynamics and postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery is continually being evaluated. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of anesthesia by dexmedetomidine and propofol on the hemodynamic variables and postoperative outcomes in patients who were planned for elective cardiac surgery. SETTINGS: Cardiac operating room of a tertiary care hospital. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized controlled, double-blind clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients were randomized to receive either a continuous infusion of propofol (0.25-1 mg/kg/h) or dexmedetomidine bolus of 1 µg/kg over 10 min followed by infusion (0.2-0.6 µg/kg/h) after induction of anesthesia. The anesthesia technique and physiological monitoring including bispectral index monitoring were similar among both the groups. Hemodynamic variables (mean heart rate [HR], mean arterial pressure [MAP]) were noted at predefined time intervals, intraoperative vasopressor or inotrope requirements and postoperative outcomes including postoperative ventilation time and length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were also recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistics was done using SPSS V 20 (IBM, NY) using Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and Mann-Whitney U-test, and a P < 0.05 was considered to indicate a significant difference. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: HR and MAP were significantly less in dexmedetomidine group compared to propofol group (P < 0.05). Both the groups had a similar requirement of vasopressors and inotropes. The duration of postoperative ventilation and length of stay in the ICU were significantly shorter in the dexmedetomidine group (P < 0.05). The risk of delirium was significantly less in dexmedetomidine group (P < 0.05). From our study we concluded, that the perioperative infusion of dexmedetomidine produces better hemodynamic stability, reduces the risk of postoperative delirium, and leads to shorter ICU stay.

Anesthetic management of a child with complete atrioventricular septal defect and single ventricle posted for noncardiac surgery.

Congenital heart defects are associated with various physiological disturbances. They pose anesthetic challenges for both cardiac and noncardiac surgeries. Atrioventricular septal defects are due to a developmental failure in the separation of atria and the ventricles into separate chambers and failure in the separation of mitral and tricuspid valves. We present a case of a child (1½ years), weighing 10 kg, diagnosed as congenital hydrocephalus who was planned for ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Child was having an oxygen saturation of 76% on room air. Anesthesia was induced with morphine and propofol. After tracheal intubation, saturation improved to 93%. Anesthesia was maintained with a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide along with isoflurane. Measures were taken to maintain normovolemia and avoid hypotension, hypoxia, tachycardia, cardiac dysrhythmias and acidosis. The patient remained hemodynamically stable, maintaining arterial blood gasses within normal limits. The overall intraoperative course remained uneventful. At the end of the procedure, patient was reversed with neostigmine 60 mcg/kg and glycopyrrolate 10 mcg/kg. Extubation was done after the child was alert and opening eyes and was shifted to intensive care on oxygen inhalation for further monitoring.

Chemistry and biology of indoles and indazoles: a mini-review.

The present review article is related with the method of preparation, importance and medicinal application of indole and indazoles. The studies of heterocycles is an evergreen field in the branch of organic chemistry and always attract the attention of chemists working not only in the area of natural products but also in the synthetic chemistry. Moreover many useful drugs have emerged from the successful investigation carried out in this branch. The derivatives of indoles and indazoles exhibits antibacterial, anticancer, antionidants, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiviral, atniproliferative, antituberculosis, antispermetogenic activity, antipsychotic drugs etc.