40 research outputs found
The discovery of beta-blockers
No full textThe introduction of β-adrenergic-blocking drugs in the early 1960s represented a major advance in therapeutics. Their use highlighted the importance of the sympathetic nervous system. This article briefly highlights some of the steps in their development
Alpha amyrin attenuates high fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats
Get PDFThis study investigated the effect of alpha-amyrin (a pentacyclic triterpene) on high-fructose diet (HFD)-induced metabolic syndrome in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into different groups. Control group was fed normal rat chow diet, HFD group was fed HFD (60%; w/w) for 42 days. Pioglitazone (10 mg/kg, p.o. once daily) was used as a standard drug. Alpha amyrin was administered in three doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, orally; once daily along with HFD). Plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C were estimated. Changes in blood pressure, oral glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were measured. Hepatic oxidative stress as well as mRNA and protein levels of PPAR-Îą were analyzed. A significant increase in systolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, total cholesterol, plasma triglycerides and a significant decrease in HDL-C was observed in HFD rats as compared to control rats. Glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were also significantly impaired with HFD. Alpha amyrin prevented these changes in a dose dependent manner. Hepatic oxidative stress as well as micro- and macrovesicular fatty changes in hepatocytes caused by HFD were also attenuated by alpha amyrin. Alpha amyrin preserved the hepatic mRNA and protein levels of PPAR-Îą which was reduced in HFD group. This study thus demonstrates that alpha amyrin attenuates HFD-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author
Devices for Carpet and Other Rural Sectors of India: An Opportunity for New Research
No full textAbstract There are a lot of non-organized sectors in rural India whose needs are need to be studied and solved. In this paper, some attempts made by the author and his team in last ten years are reported. A few of them are in the carpet sectors. Others are in the areas of sheep shearing, developing an animal driven prime mover, etc. While working on the design and development of the devices for those sectors it has been realized that the modern knowledge like Finite Element Analysis, Multibody Dynamics, etc. can be easily applied for the design and performance improvements. As a result, an opportunity towards a new research is visualized which may change the attitude of the engineering students and professionals by focusing their research towards their own problems rather than concentrating on the research issues of the west, thereby, equipping the rural people of India and the World with more economic, energy efficient devices
Indian system of medicine used concurrently with standard conventional medicine improves quality of life in patients of cardio vascular diseases (C.V.D)
No full text314-321Worldwide there is increased shift towards usage of traditional medicine in patients of chronic diseases like Cardio Vascular Disorders. In India, these medicines are used concurrently. Objective of the study was to ascertain prevalence and effect of concurrent traditional drug therapy with standard pharmacotherapy in patients with CVD. The present study used a cross sectional study design to assess the prevalence and a prospective cohort design to assess the effect of concurrent Ayurvedic medicines with standard pharmacotherapy in terms of quality of life. After screening 600 patients, 128 were found taking such medicines. Out of these, 100 were recruited as cases (Group-I), while 100 who were matched in terms of age, body mass index, ejection fraction, and receiving standard therapy only were recruited as controls (Group-II). Assessment parameters included demographic, biochemical, ejection fraction through echocardiography, distance covered in six Minute walk Test (6MWT), Quality of Life (QOL) through Kansas City Cardio-myopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) with follow up at 6 months. Prakriti as mentioned in Ayurveda was also assessed using a questionnaire. Both groups were comparable at base line. Total 87 in Group-I and 91 in Group-II completed the study. Further, 76% patients were diagnosed with heart failure (HF) and 24% with coronary artery disease (CAD). There was no change in distance covered in 6MWT in both HF or CAD groups. But there was improvement in all cases in domains of KCCQ and SAQ as compared to controls. To conclude, concurrent use of traditional medicine with standard conventional care in CVD may improve quality of life in cardiovascular disorders
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Antioxidant Supplementation for Pain Relief in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis
No full textBackground and aims: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic pancreatitis (CP). We evaluated the effects of antioxidant supplementation on pain relief, oxidative stress, and antioxidant status in patients with CP. Methods: In a placebo-controlled double blind trial, consecutive patients with CP were randomized to groups that were given placebo or antioxidants for 6 months. The primary outcome measure was pain relief, and secondary outcome measures were analgesic requirements, hospitalization, and markers of oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS]) and antioxidant status (ferric-reducing ability of plasma [FRAP]). Results: Patients (age 30.5+/-10.5 years, 86 male, 35 alcoholic, and 92 with idiopathic CP) were assigned to the placebo (n=56) or antioxidant groups (n=71). After 6 months, the reduction in the number of painful days per month was significantly higher in the antioxidant group compared with the placebo group (7.4+/-6.8 vs 3.2+/-4, respectively; P< .001; 95% CI, 2.07, 6.23). The reduction in the number of analgesic tablets per month was also higher in the antioxidant group (10.5+/-11.8 vs 4.4+/-5.8 respectively; P= .001; 95% CI, 2.65, 9.65). Furthermore, 32% and 13% of patients became pain free in the antioxidant and placebo groups, respectively (P= .009). The reduction in the level of TBARS and increase in FRAP were significantly higher in the antioxidant group compared with the placebo group (TBARS: placebo 1.2+/-2.7 vs antioxidant 3.5+/-3.4 nmol/mL; P= .001; 95% CI 0.96, 3.55; FRAP: placebo -5.6+/-154.9 vs antioxidant 97.8+/-134.9 microMFe(+2) liberated, P= .001, 95% CI 44.98, 161.7). Conclusions: Antioxidant supplementation was effective in relieving pain and reducing levels of oxidative stress in patients with CP
Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligand Ro5-4864 inhibits isoprenaline-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats
No full textEffect of U50,488H, a κ-opioid receptor agonist on myocardial α-and β-myosin heavy chain expression and oxidative stress associated with isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rat
No full textPLGA nanoparticles for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors: a novel approach towards reduction of renal radiation dose.
No full textBACKGROUND:Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), employed for treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is based on over-expression of Somatostatin Receptors (SSTRs) on NETs. It is, however, limited by high uptake and retention of radiolabeled peptide in kidneys resulting in unnecessary radiation exposure thus causing nephrotoxicity. Employing a nanocarrier to deliver PRRT drugs specifically to the tumor can reduce the associated nephrotoxicity. Based on this, (177)Lu-DOTATATE loaded PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) were formulated in the present study, as a potential therapeutic model for NETs. METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS:DOTATATE was labeled with Lutetium-177 ((177)Lu) (labeling efficiency 98%; R(f)∼0.8). Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) coated (177)Lu-DOTATATE-PLGA NPs (50:50 and 75:25) formulated, were spherical with mean size of 304.5±80.8 and 733.4±101.3 nm (uncoated) and 303.8±67.2 and 494.3±71.8 nm (coated) for PLGA(50:50) and PLGA(75:25) respectively. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) and In-vitro release kinetics for uncoated and coated NPs of PLGA (50:50 & 75:25) were assessed and compared. Mean EE was 77.375±4.98% & 67.885±5.12% (uncoated) and 65.385±5.67% & 58.495±5.35% (coated). NPs showed initial burst release between 16.64-21.65% with total 42.83-44.79% over 21 days. The release increased with coating to 20.4-23.95% initially and 60.97-69.12% over 21 days. In-vivo studies were done in rats injected with (177)Lu-DOTATATE and (177)Lu-DOTATATE-NP (uncoated and PEG-coated) by imaging and organ counting after sacrificing rats at different time points over 24 hr post-injection. With (177)Lu-DOTATATE, renal uptake of 37.89±10.2%ID/g was observed, which reduced to 4.6±1.97% and 5.27±1.66%ID/g with uncoated and coated (177)Lu-DOTATATE-NP. The high liver uptake with uncoated (177)Lu-DOTATATE-NP (13.68±3.08% ID/g), reduced to 7.20±2.04%ID/g (p = 0.02) with PEG coating. CONCLUSION:PLGA NPs were easily formulated and modified for desired release properties. PLGA 50:50 NPs were a more suitable delivery vehicle for (177)Lu-DOTATATE than PLGA 75:25 because of higher EE and slower release rate. Reduced renal retention of (177)Lu-DOTATATE and reduced opsonisation strongly advocate the potential of (177)Lu-DOTATATE-PLGA-PEG NPs to reduce radiation dose in PRRT
