Atorvastatin calcium (ATV) is an HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A) reductase inhibitor commonly known as a cholesterol-lowering agent. As a poorly water-soluble drug its absolute bioavailability is very low. To increase the water solubility as well as oral bioavailability, different hydrophilic carriers were used in different ratios (1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:2) to prepare reproducible binary and ternary solid dispersion formulations of ATV by simple physical mixing (PM) and fusion or melting technique. In vitro dissolution studies results revealed that in all cases, the cumulative percent drug release from ATV ternary SD formulations were greater than binary formulations, some marketed products and pure ATV powder. The order of the carriers in enhancing the drug release was found as kollidon 90F > pregelatinized starch > lutrol> kollidon 12F (99.1%, 98.8%, 96% and 95% respectively) for ternary SD formulations whereas pure ATV powder and marketed products showed cumulative percentage release 70.8%, 68.9% (B1) and 73.1% (B2), respectively. The best-out performed ternary SD formulation ATV:Kollidon 90 F (1:2) were further characterized using FT-IR and SEM. SEM analyses indicated conversion of crystal drug to amorphous form and FT-IR data suggested that little or no interaction between the drug and polymer. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.56(3), 165-176, 2021

Background: Mustard honey, a monofloral honey derived from mustard flower is considered a great source of nutritional and medicinal values. The honey is traditionally used as ethnomedicine in different parts of the world to cure many health problems. The present study aimed to evaluate its sedative-anxiolytic potential by integrating three conventional methods in a sequential order. Methods: Open field, hole cross and elevated plus maze experiments were performed in a row with a single oral administration of honey to the Swiss Albino mice. Behavioral parameters like square crossing, rearing, grooming, hole crossing and entry/duration in open arm were observed for each animal in different time intervals. Results: The findings were compared to that of a standard drug, diazepam (1 mg/kg). Mustard honey at higher doses showed sedative activity (4 g/kg and 6 g/kg) whereas with low doses (2 g/kg) exhibited anxiolytic potential. The physicochemical properties of honey were also screened in this study. Conclusions: The integrated method proved to be an effective approach for assessment of neuropharmacological potential for crude or standard medicine. However, further analysis was recommended to investigate active compound which may lead to a new drug development.

The current study was conducted to verify the traditional medicinal use and to carry out the in-vitro antioxidant activity of various solvent extracts of Derris trifoliata (aerial part). The percentage yield of ethanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts were found 2.5% w/w. Freshly prepared extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening. All extracts revealed the presence of several important phytochemicals which might be responsible for its medicinal properties. In vitro Electron transfer (ET) reaction-based assays of ethanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts have been investigated using various model systems viz., DPPH, total phenolic, tannin and flavonoid content, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and reducing power assay. Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reaction-based assays have been conducted using Nitric Oxide (NO) scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity assay methods. Ethanol extract was found to possess highest DPPH (IC50=16.824 µg/ml), total phenolic content (44.51 GAE/g of dried plant extract), reducing power assay (0.387±0.0006), FRAF assay (IC50=133.51 µg/ml), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (IC50=144.888 µg/ml) and nitric oxide scavenging activities (IC50=152.655 µg/ml). Whereas ethyl acetate extract was found to possess the highest total tannin content (42.56 GAE/g of dried plant extract) and total flavonoid content (78.08 QE/g of dried plant extract). In vitro antioxidant study was also performed in terms of chelation power on ferrous ions. The highest chelation power was found for ethyl acetate extract (IC50=62.489 µg/ml). The above study suggests that Derris trifoliata may be a vital source of nutraceuticals.