Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

4

Authors: Maria Manan, Liaqat Hussain*, Hira Ijaz, Bushra Nawaz, Muhammad Hanif

Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroids, terpenoids and flavonoids distribution in n-hexane and aqueous-methanolic extract of kalanchoe laciniata was assessed and compared. The present study was carried out to study the phytochemical constituents of Kalanchoe laciniata. Aqueous-methanol and n-hexane were the solvents used for the extraction of the plant. Phytochemical analysis was carried out on both extracts, indicated that n-hexane extract constitutes tannins, terpenoids while the aqueous methanolic extract contains saponins, tannins, terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides and anthraquinones.

6

Authors: Muhammad Imran Qadir, Hina Kanwal

Cerebral vascular disease occurs at the arteries of brain due to the less supply of blood. Stroke is mostly caused by cerebral vascular disease and it is also a common cause of vascular dementia due to reduced oxygen supply and blood flow to the brain. In industrialized countries, neurologic disability is most frequently caused by cerebeovascular disease. Individuals with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure etc are at higher possibility for cerebral vascular disease. After malignancy and heart disease, cerebral vascular disease is the third leading of death and estimated that an average 500,000 new stroke occurred in each year. Advance techniques such as carotid endarterectomy, magnetic resonance imaging, angiography and single photon emission computed tomography etcare used for management of cerebral vascular disease.

8

Authors: Asma Mumtaz, Muhammad Zabta Ch and Syed Nisar Hussain Shah

Solanum nigrum (SN) commonly known as “Makoo” frequently available in most of the areas of Pakistan, is well reputed in the indigenous system of medicine for its medicinal use in liver disorders. The present study was aimed to evaluate its traditional use in liver diseases using in-vivo model of rabbits. The crude methanolic extract of the aerial parts of the Solanumnigrum (SN.CEA) was investigated for its hepatocurative and hepatoprotective activities in Paracetamol intoxicated (2g/Kg) rabbits. Rabbits were divided into three groups, normal control (saline treated) hepatotoxic control (Paracetamol treated) and remaining one was hepatotoxic treated with the SN.CEA (400 mg/kg) for 6-12 days. Similarly, for hepatoprotective effect rabbits were divided in 3 groups; one serving as control another as hepatotoxic and last one as treated with SN.CAE. Group 2nd and 3rd were intoxicated with Paracetamol at 6th day of the treatment with SN.CEA. Increased serum transaminases (sGOT and sGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels along with raised sleeping span and blood clotting time were observed in hepatotoxic rabbits. In both cases (hepatocuration and hepatoprotection) SN.CEA caused significantly reduction in all the above serum markers for liver functioning and caused significant reduction in the sleeping time of treated rabbits vs hepatotoxic untreated group. These data suggests that the presence of hepatocurative and hepatoprotective constituents in Solanumnigrium rationalizes its medicinal use in liver dysfunction.

11

Authors: Nazar Mohammad Ranjha, Muhammad Hanif, Zunaira Afzal, Ghulam Abbas

Objective of the present work was to synthesize hydrogels of acrylic acid/polyvinyl alcohol (AA/PVA) by free radical polymerization by using glutaradehyde (GA) as crosslinkers. The hydrogels were evaluated for swelling, diffusion coefficient and network parameters like the average molecular weight between crosslink’s, polymer volume fraction in swollen state, number of repeating units between crosslinks and crosslinking density by using Flory-Huggins theory. It was found that the degree of swelling of AA/PVA hydrogels increases greatly within the pH range 5-7. The gel fraction and porosity increased by increasing the concentration of AA or PVA. Increase in degree of crosslinking, decreased the porosity and inverse was observed in gel fraction. Selected samples were loaded with metoprolol tartrate. Drug release was studied in USP hydrochloric acid solution of pH 1.2 and phosphate buffer solutions of pH 5.5 and 7.5. Various kinetics models like zero order, first order, Higuchi and Peppas model were used for in vitro kinetic studies. The results showed that the drug release followed concentration dependent effect (First order kinetics) with non-Fickian diffusion. FTIR and SEM used to study the structure, crystallinity, and morphology of prepared and drug loaded hydrogels respectively.