Recognition and quality mapping of traditional herbal drugs:way forward towards artificial intelligence

The use of traditional herbal drugs derived from natural sources is on the rise due to their minimal side effects and numerous health benefits.However,a major limitation is the lack of standardized knowledge for identifying and mapping the quality of these herbal medicines.This article aims to provide practical insights into the application of artificial intelligence for quality-based commercialization of raw herbal drugs.It focuses on feature extraction methods,image processing techniques,and the preparation of herbal images for compatibility with machine learning models.The article discusses commonly used image processing tools such as normalization,slicing,cropping,and augmentation to prepare images for artificial intelligence-based models.It also provides an overview of global herbal image databases and the models employed for herbal plant/drug identification.Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential application of various machine learning models,including artificial neural networks and convolutional neural networks.The article delves into suitable validation parameters like true positive rates,accuracy,precision,and more for the development of artificial intelligence-based identification and authentication techniques for herbal drugs.This article offers valuable insights and a conclusive platform for the further exploration of artificial intelligence in the field of herbal drugs,paving the way for smarter identification and authentication methods.

Physicochemical characterization of gum from tamarind seed: Potential for pharmaceutical application

Tamarind(Tamarindus indica Linn.)is a topical plant that is generally found and planted in Thailand.Application of tamarind seed gum can increase the value of tamarind and minimize the industrial waste[1].Tamarind seed gum powder offers high viscosity solution.Therefore,researchers are interested in developing tamarind seed gum as binder in formulation of diclofenac sodium tablet,prepared by dry granulation method.

An overview of translational(radio)pharmaceutical research related to certain oncological and non-oncological applications

Translational medicine pursues the conversion of scientific discovery into human health improvement.It aims to establish strategies for diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Cancer treatment is difficult.Radiopharmaceutical research has played an importantrole in multiple disciplines,particularly in translational oncology.Based on the natural phenomenon of necrosis avidity,Onco Ci Dia has emerged as a novel generic approach for treating solid malignancies.Under this systemic dual targeting strategy,a vascular disrupting agent first selectively causes massive tumor necrosis that is followed by iodine-131 labeled-hypericin(123IHyp),a necrosis-avid compound that kills the residual cancer cells by crossfire effect of beta radiation.In this review,by emphasizing the potential clinical applicability of Onco Ci Dia,we summarize our research activities including optimization of radioiodinated hypericin Hyp preparations and recent studies on the biodistribution,dosimetry,pharmacokinetic and,chemical and radiochemical toxicities of the preparations.Myocardial infarction is a global health problem.Although cardiac scintigraphy using radioactive perfusion tracers is used in the assessment of myocardial viability,searching for diagnostic imaging agents with authentic necrosis avidity is pursued.Therefore,a comparative study on the biological profiles of the necrosis avid 123I-Hyp and the commercially available 99mTc-Sestamibi was conducted and the results are demonstrated.Cholelithiasis or gallstone disease may cause gallbladder inflammation,infection and other severe complications.While studying the mechanisms underlying the necrosis avidity of Hyp and derivatives,their naturally occurring fluorophore property was exploited for targeting cholesterol as a main component of gallstones.The usefulness of Hyp as an optical imaging agent for cholelithiasis was studied and the results are presented.Multiple uses of automatic contrast injectors may reduce costs and save resources.However,cross-contaminations with bloodborne pathogens of infectious diseases may occur.We developed a radioactive method for safety evaluation of a new replaceable patient-delivery system.By mimicking pathogens with a radiotracer,we assessed the feasibility of using the system repeatedly without septic risks.This overview is deemed to be interesting to those involvedin the related fields for translational research.

General understanding on physical stability of pharmaceutical glasses

Although amorphous solid dispersion is one of the most important formulation technologies for poorly soluble drugs[1],the number of marketed oral amorphous formulations is still limited.The lack of an accelerated study protocol for predicting crystallization behavior of amorphous forms has been one of the biggest issues that inhibit their wide use.Isothermal crystallization behavior of pharmaceutical glasses is discussed in this presentation with an eventual aim of predicting physical stability of amorphous dosage forms.

Pharmaceutical properties of insulin conjugate with glucuronylglucosyl-β-cyclodextrin

In the clinical field,insulin has been used for treatment of diabetes.However,insulin often shows low physicochemical stability,adsorption onto tubes and enzymatic degradation in injection site or blood.Previously,we demonstrated that cyclodextrins(CyDs),especially branchedβ-CyDs,improve the pharmaceutical properties of insulin through complexation with its aromatic residues.However,little has been reported on the insulin conjugate with branchedβ-CyD.In the present study,to improve the pharmaceutical properties of insulin,we newly prepared 6-Ο-α-(4-Ο-α-D-glucuronyl)-D-glucosyl-β-CyD(GUG-β-CyD)conjugate with insulin,and evaluated its thermal or enzymatic stability and adsorption onto glass or polypropylene tube[1].

Corrigendum to“The effective transfection of a low dose of negatively charged drug-loaded DNA-nanocarriers into cancer cells via scavenger receptors”[Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis volume 11(2021)174e182]

The authors regret to inform that Figs.4,6,and 7 in the original article were wrongly selected.The corrected figures appear below:The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Development, Validation and Application of a Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Quantification of Nevirapine in Pharmaceutical Formulations Tablets and Suspensions

The development of the spectrofluorimetric method can be considered a promising alternative that is relatively less expensive and sufficiently reliable. In the current literature, no method for the analysis of nevirapine by spectro-fluorimetric has been reported. The proposed method is based on the transformation of naturally non-fluorescent nevirapine into a fluorescent derivative after chemical synthesis. Maximum excitation and emission wavelengths are 290 nm and 357 nm respectively. The analytical performance of the method demonstrates linearity in the concentration range 1.5 × 10-2 and 13.5 × 10-2 μg/mL with a correlation coefficient (r) greater than 0.999. The detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits found are 1.97 × 10-3 μg/mL and 5.48 × 10-3 μg/mL respectively. Recovery is achieved with 99.9% and 100.3% trueness, intra-day precision with a coefficient of variation of repeatability (CVr) of 0.99% and inter-day precision with a coefficient of variation of precision (CVR) of 1.7%. The method has been successfully applied in the analysis of 10 batches of nevirapine tablets and suspensions.

Basic regulatory science behind drug substance and drug product specifications of monoclonal antibodies and other protein therapeutics

In this review,we focus on providing basics and examples for each component of the protein therapeutic specifications to interested pharmacists and biopharmaceutical scientists with a goal to strengthen understanding in regulatory science and compliance.Pharmaceutical specifications comprise a list of important quality attributes for testing,references to use for test procedures,and appropriate acceptance criteria for the tests,and they are set up to ensure that when a drug product is administered to a patient,its intended therapeutic benefits and safety can be rendered appropriately.Conformance of drug substance or drug product to the specifications is achieved by testing an article according to the listed tests and analytical methods and obtaining test results that meet the acceptance criteria.Quality attributes are chosen to be tested based on their quality risk,and consideration should be given to the merit of the analytical methods which are associated with the acceptance criteria of the specifications.Acceptance criteria are set forth primarily based on efficacy and safety profiles,with an increasing attention noted for patient-centric specifications.Discussed in this work are related guidelines that support the biopharmaceutical specification setting,how to set the acceptance criteria,and examples of the quality attributes and the analytical methods from 60 articles and 23 pharmacopeial monographs.Outlooks are also explored on process analytical technologies and other orthogonal tools which are on-trend in biopharmaceutical characterization and quality control.

A systematic scoping review of study methodology for randomized controlled trials investigating probiotics in athletic and physically active populations

Background:The purported ergogenic and health effects of probiotics have been a topic of great intrigue among researchers,practitioners,and the lay public alike.There has also been an increased research focus within the realm of sports science and exercise medicine on the athletic gut microbiota.However,compared to other ergogenic aids and dietary supplements,probiotics present unique study challenges.The objectives of this systematic scoping review were to identify and characterize study methodologies of randomized controlled trials investigating supplementation with probiotics in athletes and physically active individuals.Methods:Four databases(MEDLINE,CINAHL,Cochrane CENTRAL,and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)were searched for randomized controlled studies involving healthy athletes or physically active individuals.An intervention with probiotics and inclusion of a control and/or placebo group were essential.Only peer-reviewed articles in English were considered,and there were no date restrictions.Results were extracted and presented in tabular form to detail study protocols,characteristics,and outcomes.Bias in randomized controlled trials was determined with the RoB 2.0 tool.Results:A total of 45 studies were included in the review,with 35 using a parallel group design and 10 using a cross-over design.Approximately half the studies used a single probiotic and the other half a multi-strain preparation.The probiotic dose ranged from 2×10^(8)to 1×10^(11)colony forming units daily,and the length of intervention was between 7 and 150 days.Fewer than half the studies directly assessed gastrointestinal symptoms,gut permeability,or the gut microbiota.The sex ratio of participants was heavily weighted toward males,and only 3 studies exclusively investigated females.Low-level adverse events were reported in only 2 studies,although the methodology of reporting varied widely.The risk of bias was generally low,although details on randomization were lacking in some studies.Conclusion:There is a substantial body of research on the effects of prob iotic supplementation in healthy athletes and physically active individuals.Considerable heterogeneity in probiotic selection and dosage as well as outcome measures has made clinical and mechanistic interpretation challenging for both health care practitioners and researchers.Attention to issues of randomization of participants,treatments and interventions,selection of outcomes,demographics,and reporting of adverse events will facilitate more trustworthy interpretation of probiotic study results and inform evidence-based guidelines.

Changes in Metabolites and Allelopathic Effects of Non-Pigmented and Black-Pigmented Lowland Indica Rice Varieties in Phosphorus Deficiency

Phosphorus(P) levels alter the allelopathic activity of rice seedlings against lettuce seeds. In this study, we investigated the effect of P deficiency on the allelopathic potential of non-pigmented and pigmented rice varieties. Rice seedlings of the white variety Khao Dawk Mali(KDML105, non-pigmented) and the black varieties Jao Hom Nin(JHN, pigmented) and Riceberry(RB, pigmented) were cultivated under high P(HP) and low P(LP) conditions. Morphological and metabolic responses to P deficiency were investigated. P deficiency inhibited shoot growth but promoted root growth of rice seedlings in all three varieties. Moreover, P deficiency led to decreased cytosolic phosphate(Pi) and total P concentrations in both shoot and root tissues. The subsequent reduction in internal P concentration enhanced the accumulation of phenolic compounds in both shoot and root tissues of the seedlings. Subsequently, allelopathy-based inter-and intra-specific interactions were assessed using water extracts from seedlings of the three varieties grown under HP and LP conditions. These extracts were tested on seeds of lettuce, the weed Dactyloctenium aegyptium, and the same rice variety. The shoot and root extracts from P-deficient seedlings reduced the germination of all recipient plants. Specifically, the shoot extract from P-deficient KDML105 seedlings reduced the germination index(GI) of lettuce seeds to 1%, while those from P-deficient RB and JHN seedlings produced GIs of 32% and 42%, respectively. However, when rice seeds were exposed to their own LP shoot and root extracts, their GIs increased up to 4-fold, compared with the HP extracts. Additionally, the shoot extracts from P-deficient plants also stimulated the germination of D. aegyptium by about 2–3-fold, whereas the root extracts did not have this effect. Therefore, P starvation led to the accumulation and exudation of phenolics in the shoots and roots of rice seedlings, altering their allelopathic activities. To adapt to P deficiency, rice seedlings potentially release signaling chemicals to suppress nearby competing species while simultaneously promoting their own germination and growth.

Aszonapyrone A Isolated from Neosartorya spinosa IFM 47025 Inhibits the NF-κB Signaling Pathway Activated by Expression of the Ependymoma-Causing Fusion Protein ZFTA-RELA

Ependymoma is a rare and chemotherapy-resistant brain tumor, which has resulted in a delay in the development of drugs to treat it. A subclass of supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPN), designated ST-EPN-zinc finger-translocation-associated (ZFTA, ST-EPN-ZFTA), exhibits the expression of a fusion protein comprising ZFTA and v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA), an effector transcription factor of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway (ZFTA-RELA). The expression of ZFTA-RELA results in the hyperactivation of the oncogenic NF-κB signaling pathway, which ultimately leads to the development of ST-EPN-ZFTA. To identify inhibitors of the NF-κB signaling pathway activated by the expression of ZFTA-RELA, we used a doxycycline-inducible ZFTA-RELA-expressing NF-κB reporter cell line and found that extracts of the fungus Neosartorya spinosa IFM 47025 exhibited NF-κB inhibitory activity. We identified eight compounds [aszonapyrone A (2), sartorypyrone A (3), epiheveadride (4), acetylaszonalenin (5), (R)-benzodiazepinedione (6), aszonalenin (7), sartorypyrone E (8) and (Z, Z)-N,N’-(1,2-bis[(4-methoxyphenyl)methylene]-1,2-ethanediyl)bis-formamide (9)] from N. spinosa IFM 47025 culture extract using a variety of chromatographic techniques. The structures of these compounds were identified through the analysis of various instrumental data (1D, 2D-NMR, MS, and optical rotation). The NF-κB responsive reporter assay indicated that compounds 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 exhibited inhibitory activity. We further evaluated the inhibitory activity of these compounds against the expression of endogenous NF-κB responsive genes (CCND1, L1CAM, ICAM1, and TNF) and found that compound 2 showed significant inhibitory activity. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of action of compound 2, which may serve as a lead compound for the development of a novel therapy for ST-EPN-ZFTA.

Determination of the Mineral Composition of the Pulp and Evaluation of the Acute Toxicity of the Seeds of Carica papaya L. Consumed in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This work aimed, on the one hand, to determine the mineral and phytochemical composition of Carica papaya in order to guarantee the food safety of consumers and on the other hand, to evaluate the acute toxicity of papaya seeds. The papayas were bought at the Mzée market in Lubumbashi and Selembao in Kinshasa. Fruit sampling was done according to the ISO 7002 standard on agricultural and food products;the papayas were firm, mature, and without stains or physical damage. The analysis results of the papaya pulp showed both for the samples from the city of Lubumbashi and for the city province of Kinshasa that it contains respectively 85.87% and 84.46% water, 0.59% and 0.53% ash content. The mineral evaluation of our two samples presented a potassium content of 200 ± 8 mg, magnesium 13.12 ± 3 mg, calcium 22.15 ± 2 mg, sodium 3 mg ± 0.5 for the sample from Lubumbashi and 192.32 ± 8 mg of potassium, 14.458 ± 3 mg of magnesium, 20.58 ± 2 mg of calcium and 3.58 ± 0.5 mg of sodium for the sample from Kinshasa in macroelements. Concerning the trace elements, after analysis, we found zinc content (0.29 ± 0.1 mg and 0.12 ± 0.1 mg), copper (0.02 ± 0.01 mg and 0.14 ± 0.01 mg), and iron (2.22 ± 0.5 mg and 2.04 ± 0.5 mg) respectively for Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. The chemical screening indicates the presence of alkaloids, saponosides, tannins catechics, flavonoids and anthocyanins in the palm wine and ethanolic extract of the seeds of Carica papaya and an absence of cyanogenic glycosides and gallic tannins. With mild toxicity, the seeds of the fruit of Carica papaya L. can be used with moderate risk by the population.

Study of the Mineral Element Status in Sickle Cell Patients Attending the Mixed Medicine and Sickle Cell Anemia Center “Yolo Mabanga” in Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Introduction: Sickle cell disease, also called sickle cell anemia, is a genotypic disorder prevalent in the black population;it is characterized by a hemolytic type anemia and can worsen following a deficiency of copper, zinc and serum iron. Methods: It was a question of evaluating the plasma status of copper and zinc by the photometric method, serum iron was measured by spectrophotometry, and finally ferritin and transferrin were measured by the immunoenzymatic method;in subjects with sickle cell disease and healthy subjects of all ages followed at the mixed medicine and sickle cell anemia center in Kinshasa (CMMASS). Results: A total of 60 subjects participated in this study. The sex ratio was 1.30;the average age of sickle cell patients was 7.4 years ± 3.8 and 27.4 years ± 5.1;for the control group, the average age was 8.2 years ± 4.2 and 29 years ± 6.7. 13.3% of children with sickle cell disease presented hypocupremia and 13.3% hypercupremia. For adults with sickle cell disease, 26.7% had hypocupremia and 13% had hypercupremia. Regarding zincemia, 67% of children and adults with sickle cell disease presented hypozincemia;60% of child subjects with sickle cell desease demonstrated hyposideremia;in adults with sickle cell desease 20% have hyposideremia and 13% have hypersideremia. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate not only the effective presence of iron overload in adult sickle cell patients, but also an iron deficiency in controls and sickle cell patients, ignoring hemolysis. .

Associations of PNPLA3 and LEP genetic polymorphisms with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in Thai people living with human immunodeficiency virus

BACKGROUND The prevalence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is a growing public health issue in people living with human immunodeficiency virus(PLWH).However,the pathophysiology of MAFLD is still unknown,and the role of genetic variables is only now becoming evident.AIM To evaluate the associations of gene-polymorphism-related MAFLD in PLWH.METHODS The study employed transient elastography with a controlled attenuation parameter≥248 dB/m to identify MAFLD in patients from a Super Tertiary Hospital in central Thailand.Candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)were genotyped using TaqMan®MGB probe 5'nuclease assays for seven MAFLD-related genes.Statistical analyses included SNP frequency analysis,Fisher's Exact and Chi-square tests,odds ratio calculations,and multivariable logistic regression.RESULTS The G-allele carriers of PNPLA3(rs738409)exhibited a two-fold rise in MAFLD,increasing by 2.5 times in MAFLD with human immunodeficiency virus infection.The clinical features and genetic patterns imply that LEP rs7799039 A-allele carriers had a nine times(P=0.001)more significant chance of developing aberrant triglyceride among PLWH.CONCLUSION The current study shows an association between PNPLA3 rs738409 and LEP rs7799039 with MAFLD in PLWH.

Glycer-AGEs-RAGE signaling enhances the angiogenic potential of hepatocellular carcinoma by upregulating VEGF expression

AIM:To investigate the effect of glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end-products(Glycer-AGEs) on hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells.METHODS:Two HCC cell lines(Hep3B and HepG2 cells)and human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC)were used.Cell viability was determined using the WST-8 assay.Western blotting,enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,and real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reactions were used to detect protein and mRNA.Angiogenesis was evaluated by assessing the proliferation,migration,and tube formation of HUVEC.RESULTS:The receptor for AGEs(RAGE)protein was detected in Hep3B and HepG2 cells.HepG2 cells werenot affected by the addition of Glycer-AGEs.GlycerAGEs markedly increased vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)mRNA and protein expression,which is one of the most potent angiogenic factors.Compared with the control unglycated bovine serum albumin(BSA) treatment,VEGF mRNA expression levels induced by the Glycer-AGEs treatment were 1.00±0.10 vs 1.92 ±0.09(P<0.01).Similarly,protein expression levels induced by the Glycer-AGEs treatment were 1.63±0.04 ng/mL vs 2.28±0.17 ng/mL for the 24 h treatment and 3.36±0.10 ng/mL vs 4.79±0.31 ng/mL for the 48 h treatment,respectively(P<0.01).Furthermore,compared with the effect of the control unglycated BSA-treated conditioned medium,the Glycer-AGEstreated conditioned medium significantly increased the proliferation,migration,and tube formation of HUVEC,with values of 122.4%±9.0%vs 144.5%±11.3%for cell viability,4.29±1.53 vs 6.78±1.84 for migration indices,and 71.0±7.5 vs 112.4±8.0 for the number of branching points,respectively(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:These results suggest that Glycer-AGEs-RAGE signaling enhances the angiogenic potential of HCC cells by upregulating VEGF expression.

LC Packing Materials for Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis

The author has prepared novel liquid chromatography (LC) packing materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. Those include LC packing materials for direct serum injection assays of drugs and their metabolites, LC packing materials for resolution of enantiomeric drugs, and uniformly sized molecularly imprinted polymers for drugs and their metabolites. This review article deals with the preparation of these materials and the pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of them in recognition of The Society of Chromatographic Sciences Award.

Identification of serum proteins discriminating colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry

AIM： To detect the new serum biomarkers for colorectal cancer （CRC） by serum protein profiling with surfaceenhanced laser desorption ionisation - time of flight mass spectrometry （SELDI-TOF MS）. METHODS： Two independent serum sample sets were analysed separately with the ProteinChip technology （set A： 40 CRC ＋ 49 healthy controls; set B： 37 CRC ＋ 31 healthy controls）, using chips with a weak cation exchange moiety and buffer pH 5. Discriminative power of differentially expressed proteins was assessed with a classification tree algorithm. Sensitivities and specificities of the generated classification trees were obtained by blindly applying data from set A to the generated trees from set B and vice versa. CRC serum protein profiles were also compared with those from breast, ovarian, prostate, and non-small cell lung cancer. RESULTS： Mass-to-charge ratios （m/z） 3.1×10^3, 3.3× 10^3, 4.5×10^3, 6.6×10^3 and 28×10^3 were used as classitiers in the best-performing classification trees. Tree sensitivities and specificities were between 65% and 90%.Host of these discriminative m/z values were also different in the other tumour types investigated. M/z 3.3× 10^3, main classifier in most trees, was a doubly charged form of the 6.6× 10^3-Da protein. The latter was identified as apolipoprotein C-I. M/z 3.1×10^3 was identified as an N-terminal fragment of albumin, and m/z 28× 10^3 as apolipoprotein A-I. CONCLUSION： SELDI-TOF MS followed by classification tree pattern analysis is a suitable technique for finding new serum markers for CRC. Biomarkers can be identified and reproducibly detected in independent sample sets with high sensitivities and specificities. Although not specific for CRC, these biomarkers have a potential role in disease and treatment monitoring.

The identities and anti-herpes simplex virus activity of Clinacanthus nutans and Clinacanthus siamensis

Objective:To distinguish the difference among the Clinacanthus nutans(Burm.f.)Lindau(C.nutans)and Clinacanthus siamensis Bremek(C.siamensis)by assessing pharmacognosy characteristics,molecular aspect and also to evaluate their anti-herpes simplex virus(HSV)type 1 and type 2 activities.Methods:Macroscopic and microscopic evaluation were performed according to WHO Geneva guideline.Stomatal number,stomatal index and palisade ratio of leaves were evaluated.Genomic DNA was extracted by modified CTAB method and ITS region was amplified using PGR and then sequenced.Dry leaves were subsequently extracted with n-hexane,dichloromethane and methanol and antiviral activity was performed using plaque reduction assay and the cytotoxicity of the extracts on Vero cells was determined by MTT assay.Results:Cross section of midrib and stem showed similar major components.Leaf measurement index of stomatal number,stomatal index and palisade ratio of C.nutans were 168.32±29.49,13.83±0.86 and 6.84±0.66,respectively,while C.siamensis were 161.60±18.04,11.93±0.81and 3.37±0.31,respectively.The PCR amplification of ITS region generated the PGR product approximately 700 bp in size.There were 34 polymorphisms within the ITS region which consisted of 11 Indels and 23 nucleotide substitutions.The IC_(50)values of C.nutans extracted with n-hexane,dichloromethane and methanol against HSV-1 were(32.05±3.63)μg/mL,(44.50±2.66)μg/mL,(64.93±7.00)μg/mL,respectively where as those of C.siamensis were(60.00±11.61)μg/mL,(55.69+4.41)μg/mL,(37.39±5.85)μg/mL,respectively.Anti HSV-2 activity of n-hexane,dichloromethane and methanol C.nutans leaves extracts were(72.62±12.60)μg/mL,(65.19±21.45)μg/mL,(65.13±2.22)μg/mL,respectively where as those of C.siamensis were(46.52±4.08)μg/mL,(49.63±2.59)μg/mL,(72.64±6.52)μg/mL,respectively.Conclusions:The combination of macroscopic,microscopic and biomolecular method are able to authenticate these closely related plants and both of them have a potency to be an anti-HSV agent.

Different effects of ghrelin, des-acyl ghrelin and obestatin on gastroduodenal motility in conscious rats

Three peptides, ghrelin, des-acyl ghrelin and obestatin are derived from a common prohormone, preproghrelin by posttranslational processing, originating from endocrine cells in the stomach. To examine the effects of these peptides, we applied the manometric mea- surement of gastrointestinal motility in freely moving conscious rat models. Ghrelin exerts stimulatory ef- fects on the motility of antrum and duodenum in both fed and fasted state of animals. Des-acyl ghrelin exerts inhibitory effects on the motility of antrum, but not on the motility of duodenum in the fasted state of ani- mals. Obestatin exerts inhibitory effects on the motility of antrum and duodenum in the fed state, but not in the fasted state of animals. NPY Y2 or Y4 receptors in the brain may mediate the action of ghrelin, CRF type 2 receptors in the brain mediate the action of des-acyl ghrelin, whereas CRF type 1 and type 2 receptors in the brain mediate the action of obestatin. Vagal afferent pathways might be involved in the action of ghre- lin, but not involved in the action of des-acyl ghrelin, whereas vagal afferent pathways might be partially involved in the action of obestatin.

Development of polyurethane foam dressing containing silver and asiaticoside for healing of dermal wound

Polyurethane foam dressings for dermal wounds were formulated with natural polyols in order to improve the foam characteristics and the release of 2 active agents,silver and asiaticoside(AS)as an antimicrobial agent and an herbal wound healing agent,respectively.The foam was instantly formed by interaction of polyols and diisocyanate.Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose,chitosan and sodium alginate were individually mixed with themain polyols,polypropylene glycol,in the formulation while the active componentswere impregnated into the obtained foam dressing sheets.Although the type and amount of the natural polyols slightly affected the pore size,water sorption-desorption profile and compression strength of the obtained foam sheets,a prominent effect was found in the release of both active components.Among natural polyols formulations,foam sheets with alginate showed the highest silver and AS release.Non-cytotoxicity of these foam sheets to human fibroblast cells was confirmed.Antimicrobial testing on four bacteria strains showed that 1mg/cm^2 silver in formulations with 6%of natural polyols and without natural polyols had sufficient content of the silver release with comparable inhibition zone and significantly larger zone than other formulations.In pig study,the foam dressing with 6%alginate,1mg/cm^2 silver and 5%AS could improve wound healing in both the percentage of the wound closure and histological parameters of the dermal wound without any dermatologic reactions.In conclusion,this innovative foam dressing had potential to be a good candidate for wound treatment.