Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
Year:2001 | Volume:3 | Issue:3-4 (8)|Papers Count:7

Anticonvulsant effect of the aqueous decoction and ethanolic maceration extracts Salvia leriifolia seed and leaf was studied in mice. In pentylenetetrazole (90 mg/kg, i.p.) test, the aqueous extract of leaf and the ethanolic extract of seed prolonged the onset time of clonic convulsion while the aqueous extract of seed and the ethanolic extract of leaf had no effect on this test. Non of the extracts of seed and leaf showed anticonvulsant activity in maximal electroshock test. These results indicate that the extracts of S. leriifolia seed and leaf may have efficacy in petit mal seizure.

In this study, the compaction properties of acetaminophen granules containing different amounts of moisture were investigated and compared with the compaction properties of acetaminophen granules containing different amounts of plasticizers. The prepared granules contained 0, 3, 6, 9 or 12% moisture, and or 0.25, 0.5 or 0.75% of propylene glycol, glycerin or polyethylene glycol 400, as the plasticizer. It was shown that the amount of moisture in granules has a major effect on the compaction properties of acetaminophen granules. Granules containing 3% moisture produced the hardest tablets with minimum friability. Decrease or increase in moisture content from 3%, decreased the hardness of tablets, especially when the moisture content was more than 6%. It was also shown that incorporation of a plasticizer into the granules improved their compaction properties. Among the plasticizers used in this study, propylene glycol with concentration of 0.25% w/w produced tablets with the highest crushing strength. The friability of these tablets was even lower than the tablets containing 3% moisture. No capping and lamination were observed in tablets containing a plasticizer. The presence of the plasticizer also facilitated the ejection of tablets from the die. The results of this study revealed that the presence of optimum moisture (3%) is necessary to produce proper tablets and therefore the control of moisture content in granules in drying stage is vital. However, in presence of small amounts of a suitable plasticizer, the granules can be dried completely and proper tablets can be also produced, therefore the control stage of moisture content in granules can be eliminated. Of course in absence of moisture the physico-chemical instability would be minimum.    

Many studies have been carried out concerning both chronic and acute tuberculosis. Due to high spread of tuberculosis in the province of Gilan we decided to study cellular immunity function and the macrophage system in tuberculosis infection control. Thirty smear positive person including patient, with clinical symptoms, who had been diagnosed by a physician before therapy, and PPD+ individuals without clinical symptoms were chosen for the TB control group. Thirty healthy persons between 20 and 45 years of age were chosen as healthy control those tuberculosis patients who received corticostroid and immunosuppressive drugs or had systemic disease were excluded from our study. The mean percentage which resulted of each cellular surface marker in studied patients and PPD individuals without clinical symptoms were compared with the mean markers in healthy individuals. Statistical studies showed meaningful increase in the number of CD cells in patients, ratio of(P<0.0001) normal and ration of (p<0.01) PPD+ individuals. It also showed meaningful increase in CD marker in patients, ratio of (P <0.0001) normal, and ratio of(P<0.01) PPD+ individuals. It also showed meaningful decrease in CD marker patients, ratio (P<0.01) normal individuals and CD patients, ratio (P<0.0001) normal individuals and PPD+ individuals (P<0.02) and meaningful decrease in CD marker healthy individuals ratio (P<0.002). Mean decrease was observed in CD marker (monocytic class), but it was not significant in our statistical studies.      

Cellulose ethers especially hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) are the polymers of choice as the rate controlling carriers for preparation of hydrophilic matrices. To improve powder flow of HPMC which cause problems during tablet manufacturing on high-speed rotary tablet presses a grnulation step may be necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of binding solvents on granule and tablet properties and also drug release from HP MC matrices. The model drug used for this study was propranolol HCl. The drug/polymer mixtures were wet granulated with different combinations of water and ethanol. Granule properties such as particle size, flow rate, tap and bulk density was determined. Then matrices were prepared from granules and their crushing strength, friability, drug release rate and mechanism were investigated. DV spectroscopy was used in drug release studies. The results showed that wet granulation process improved powder flow of polymer and drug mixtures and this was attributed to the increase in size of particles after granulation. The mean diameter of granules decreased with increasing ethanol content of binder solvent and correspondingly their flow rates decreased. Overall the hardness of the tablets decreased and their friabilities increased after granulation processes but they were in reasonable range. The hardness of the tablets was independent of composition of binding solvent used in granulation process. It was also observed that binder solvent composition had no effect on drug release rate and mechanism. In conclusion wet granulation process is a voluble method of granulating high molecular weight HPMC in order to improve its flow rate and water is recommended as the cheapest, the safest and the most abundant solvent in wet granulation of HPMC matrices.      

Ramadan fasting which is associated with changes in diet and behavior has effects on internal homeostasis. We have evaluated lymphocytic subpopulations in 30 healthy Moslem individuals (9 females and 29 male) with an average age of 35.4 years (age range: 17to 51 years). The study was conducted in 1999 and 2000. The lymphocytic subpopulations were determined before Ramadan (one day before the last day of Ramadan). Absolute lymphocytic count before and at the end of Ramadan were 2.3 × 103 and 2.1 × 103 in mm3 respectively (P=0.06). CD3+cells were counted for 70.12% and 70.25 % of the total lymphocytic population before and at the of Ramadan respectively. Other lymphocytic subpopulations changes before and at the end of Ramadan were as follow respectively: CD 4+:53.46% to 52.80%; CD 8+:37.7% to 37.8%; B cells: 14.56% to 14.74%; activated T cells (HLADR+): 11.I4% to 10.54%. All this changes in the percentages oflymphocyte subpopulations were not significant changes. CD4+ to CD 8+cells ratio was 1.48 before Ramadan compared to 1.5 at the end of Ramadan (not significant).The result of this study indicates that Ramadan fasting in winter did not cause a significant change in lymphocytic subpopulations before and at the end of fasting month.      

Determination of autoantibodies to nuclear antigens is important in diagnosis of systemic rheumatoid diseases. Among these autoantibodies, antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (Sm, nRNP, SS/A  and SS/B) play a more specific role in differentiated diagnosis of these diseases. In the current study we have extracted the above mentioned antigens from calf thymus and human spleen. Calf thymus was used for extraction' of Sm, nRNP and SS/B. Unclear extract was first prepared using ultracentrifugation (35,000 rpm 2 hrs); then proteins were precipitated by 30% to 60% ammonium sulfate. Sm/nRNP complex was treated by RNase for isolation of Sm. In the next stage isolated protein precipitate was treated by 60% to 80% ammonium sulfate to prepare SS/B. SS/A was prepared from human spleen cytoplasm extracts. Human splenocytes were centrifuged at 40,000 rpm for 3 hrs. Then protein precipitate was isolated using 30%to 60% ammonium sulfate, which contained SS/A. The presence of extracted antigens was confirmed by western blotting. The extracted antigens were used in designing and optimization of relevant DID diagnostic kits. These kits had 100% precision in inter and intra assays. In SLE patients the sensitivity and specificity of anti-Sm- DID kit were 35% and 95% respectively. In MCTD patients sensivity and specificity of anti-nRNP. DID kit were 100% and 84% respectively. In SS patients the sensitivity and specificity of anti-SS/A-DID kit were 55% and 80% respectively, while the sensitivity and specificity of anti-SS!B-DID kit were 44.8% and 85% respectively.