Objectives. The present study was aimed at investigating the wound healing effect of ethanolic extract of Cestrum nocturnum (L.) leaves (EECN) using excision and incision wound model. Methods. Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups each consisting of six animals; group I (left untreated) considered as control, group II (ointment base treated) considered as negative control, group III treated with 5% (w/w) povidone iodine ointment (Intadine USP), which served as standard, group IV treated with EECN 2% (w/w) ointment, and group V treated with EECN 5% (w/w) ointment were considered as test groups. All the treatments were given once daily. The wound healing effect was assessed by percentage wound contraction, epithelialization period, and histoarchitecture studies in excision wound model while breaking strength and hydroxyproline content in the incision wound model. Result. Different concentration of EECN (2% and 5% w/w) ointment promoted the wound healing activity significantly in both the models studied. The high rate of wound contraction (P < 0.001), decrease in the period for epithelialization (P < 0.01), high skin breaking strength (P < 0.001), and elevated hydroxyproline content were observed in animal treated with EECN ointments when compared to the control and negative control group of animals. Histopathological studies of the EECN ointments treated groups also revealed the effectiveness in improved wound healing. Conclusions. Ethanolic extract of Cestrum nocturnum (EECN) leaves possesses a concentration dependent wound healing effect.

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A series of novel mannich bases of 2-substituted benzimidazoles was synthesized by the reaction of 2-substituted benzimidazoles with corresponding aldehyde and acetophenones. The structures of all synthesized compounds were confirmed by elemental analysis, IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR and LCMS. The compounds were evaluated for in vivo analgesic and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities by a tail flick method and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test respectively. Among all the compounds synthesized, compound A1 and B3 exhibited significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Acute ulcerogenicity studies showed that compound A1 and B3 were devoid of gastrointestinal toxicities.

Utilization of osmotic pressure as a driving force for delivery of pharmaceutical agents in a controlled pattern for a prolonged period of time is a well-established fact. The concept of osmotic drug delivery was first introduced by Theeuwes (1). The simplest design of an osmotic drug delivery system consists of an osmotically active core surrounded by a semipermeable membrane, with one or more delivery orifices through which the drug is delivered in a controlled fashion. Various modifications of the basic design of osmotic pump have been reported (2) and reviewed (3,4).One such modification is the utilization of asymmetric membrane coating for osmotic drug delivery. The walls of an asymmetric membrane capsule are prepared by the phase inversion technique. As the name suggests, the membrane is asymmetric in nature, i.e., it has a relatively thin dense region supported on a thicker porous region (5). An asymmetric membrane capsule of cellulose acetate for osmotic delivery of flurbiprofen has been developed and influence of osmogents and solubilizing agent on in vitro drug release were evaluated. The capsule membrane was prepared by the phase inversion technique. To ensure the osmotic delivery of drug, two approaches were adopted: (i) the drug was encapsulated with osmogents like sodium chloride and mannitol to increase the osmotic pressure of the core, and (ii) the drug was encapsulated with sodium lauryl sulfate in the core of the formulation to increase the solubility and thus its osmotic pressure. Scanning electron microscopy of the membrane confirmed its porous, dense asymmetric nature. Dye test revealed in situ pore formation. The in vitro release study showed that as the proportion of osmogent and solubilizing agent was increased the release rate also increased. A good correlation was observed between the zero-order rate constant and the amount of the osmogent and solubilizing agent used.

The aim of the present work was to prepare the colon-targeting microspheres of capecitabine (CPB) for the treatment of colorectal cancer to reduce dosing frequency and improve patient compliance. P H -sensitive polymer Eudragit L100, S100 separately and in combination (1:2) was used to formulate the microspheres by emulsion solvent diffusion technique using varying drug -polymer ratios (1:2 to 1:6). Microspheres were evaluated for particle size, shape, flow properties, surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy, yield, drug content, and in vitro drug release behavior and found to be significantly affected by polymer concentration. The formulated microspheres were discrete, spherical with relatively smooth surface, and with good flow properties. CPB-loaded microspheres demonstrated good entrapment efficiency (53.28 to 93.76%). The release study was done in simulated gastrointestinal fluids for 2 hrs in SGF (pH 1.2), for 3 hrs in SIF (pH 6.8) and up to 24 hrs in SCF (pH 7.4) and have shown that the drug was protected from being released in the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine and efficiently released in colon (99.39%). Formulation ELS2 gave the best result among all formulations (1.59% release at end of 2 hrs, 19.24% at the end of 5 hr, and 99.39% at the end of the study). It is concluded from the present study that p H sensitive Eudragit microspheres are promising carriers for oral colon-targeted delivery of CPB for colorectal cancer.