Niosomally encapsulated silver sulfadiazine gel for burn treatment.

Silver sulfadiazine (SSD) is the antibacterial of choice for the treatment of burn. The current marketed formulation of SSD is 1% w/w water soluble cream, which requires frequent applications, which is very painful to patients. Niosomes were prepared by a thin film hydration method. The in vitro antimicrobial efficiency of niosomal SSD (18 ± 0.5 mm) was as good as that of marketed cream (17 ± 0.5 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus even when used in half the concentration (0.5%) of marketed cream (1%). Further SSD (0.5% w/w) niosomal gel was prepared using 1.6% carbopol 934. It was evident through in vitro permeation studies that SSD release was considerably retarded from both niosomes and niosomal gel in comparison with marketed cream thereby decreasing the dosing frequency. In-vivo study demonstrated that a niosomal gel containing 0.5% w/w SSD was more effective in burn wound healing compared to 1% w/w marketed cream even when applied once a day.

Isolation of phytosterols and antihyperlipidemic activity of Lagenaria siceraria.

Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl in the Cucurbitaceae family is a large, pubescent, climbing, or trailing herb cultivated throughout India and the tropical regions of the world. Phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract obtained from the fruits of the plant L. siceraria showed a positive Liebermann-Burchard test for sterols. The white sterol crystals or phytosterols from the methanol extract were isolated for the first time and identified as a mixture of four sterols, including fucosterol (1), racemosol (2), stigmasterol (3), and stigmasta-7,22-dien-3ß,4ß-diol (4). These compounds were identified by spectroscopic evidence including FTIR, (1)H-NMR, MS, and GC. The white sterol crystals, which are the mixture of four sterols, were evaluated for antihyperlipidemic activity in Wistar rats. The blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital plexus and serum was separated and analyzed for lipid profiles. These sterol crystals (30 mg/kg) showed significant reductions in lipid profiles which included cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL. In addition, a significant increase in HDL cholesterol observed, which is a good cholesterol that protects hearts from coronary artery diseases. These sterol crystals or phytosterols can be used as an antihyperlipidemic agent to treat the hyperlipidemic.