Thermosensitive mucoadhesive gel formulation loaded with 5-Fu: cyclodextrin complex for HPV-induced cervical cancer

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infections are the major cause of cervical cancers. To achieve a better therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance in the treatment for HPV-induced cervical cancers, anticancer agent 5-fluorouracil has been formulated in a vaginal gel using the thermosensitive polymer Pluronic^® F127 together with alternative mucoadhesive polymers e.g., hyaluronic acid, Carbopol 934 and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. To increase its aqueous solubility and to achieve the complete release of 5-FU from the gel, the drug was incorporated as its inclusion complex with 1:1 molar ratio with either β-cyclodextrin or hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. Following the characterization of drug:CD complexes, thermosensitive gel formulations containing different mucoadhesive polymers and the drug in free or complexed form were characterized in vitro by determining the gelation temperature and the rheological behavior of different formulations along with the in vitro release profiles of these formulations in pH 5.5 citrate buffer. It was observed that complexation with cyclodextrin accelerated the release of 5-FU with the exception of formulation containing Carbopol 934 as mucoadhesive polymer. As far as rheological properties are concerned, favorable thermosensitive in situ gelling properties were obtained with formulations containing HPMC as mucoadhesive polymer. Complete release of 5-FU from gels were obtained with both complexes of β-CD and HP-β-CD and cytotoxicity studies against HeLa human cervical carcinoma cells demonstrated that 1% 5-FU:CD complexes were equally effective as 1% free 5-FU indicating better therapeutic efficacy with lower dose.     

Investigation of Raman,FT-IR,EPR spectra and antimicrobial activity of 2-(5-H/Me/Cl-1<Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">H</Emphasis>-benzimidazol-2-yl)-phenol ligands and their Fe(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript> complexes

2-(5-H/Me/Cl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-phenol ligands form 1:1 electrolytes, 5-coordinate monometallic complexes with iron(III) nitrate. The geometry of the [Fe(L)(OH)(H₂O)₂](NO₃) complexes was derived from theoretical calculation in DGauss/DFT level (DZVP basis set) on CACHE. In all of the complexes the ligands are bidentate, via one imine nitrogen atom and phenolate oxygen atom. The coordination is completed with a hydroxide ion, and two water molecules, adopting a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The structures of the compounds were confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic moment, FT-Raman, FT-IR (mid-IR, far-IR), EPR and u.v.–vis. The antimicrobial activities of the free ligands, their hydrochloride salts, and the complexes were evaluated using the disk diffusion method in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as well as the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) dilution method, against nine bacteria and the results are compared with several known antibiotic agents. Antifungal activities were reported for Candida albicans, Kluyveromyces fragilis, Rhodotorula rubra, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and the results were referenced against nystatin, ketaconazole, and clotrimazole antifungal agents. In most cases, the compounds tested showed broad-spectrum (Gram⁺ & Gram⁻ bacteria) activities that were either more active or as potent as the references.     

Selective LC Determination of Cabergoline in the Bulk Drug and in Tablets: In Vitro Dissolution Studies

Cabergoline (CAB) is an ergot alkaloid derivative with dopamine agonist activity. A novel, simple, and rapid stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for assay of CAB in tablets has been developed and validated. Chromatography was performed on a 4.6 mm i.d. × 250 mm, 5 μm particle, cyano column with acetonitrile–10 mM phosphoric acid, 35:65 (v/v), containing 0.04% triethylamine, as mobile phase, at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1, and UV detection at 280 nm. Response was a linear function of concentration in the range 0.1–4 μg mL^?1 (r ² = 0.9999). The recovery of the method was good (99.45%) and RSD values for intra-day and inter-day precision were 0.24–0.88% and 0.66–1.19%, respectively. The method can be used for quality-control assay of CAB in tablets, for stability studies, and for in vitro dissolution studies.     

Metal-Containing Phthalocyanines Substituted with One Branched Bulky Moiety and Six Alkylthio Groups

Summary.  Unsymmetrically substituted metal-phthalocyanines composed of three hexylthio groups and one 1-chloro-3,4-dicyano-6-[2-(2-pyridylmethylamino)phenylthio]benzene moiety was prepared by cyclization of the reactants in the presence of the anhydrous metal salts Zn(CH₃COO)₂, NiCl₂, and CoCl₂. The new unsymmetric phthalocyanines are very soluble in common organic solvents. The compounds were characterised by their elemental analyses, IR, ¹H NMR, MS and UV/Vis spectra. Corresponding author. E-mail: bayir@itu.edu.tr Received November 27, 2002; accepted (revised) December 2, 2002 Published online May 2, 2003     

An empirical many-body potential energy function constructed from pair-interactions

A new empirical potential energy function (PEF) is proposed, which is formed from pair-interactions only, and containes the many-body contributions. The PEF satisfies bulk cohesive energy and bulk stability condition. The PEF is parameterized for copper, silver, and gold elements in fcc crystal structure. The elastic constantsC ₁₁ andC ₁₂ and the bulk modulus of the elements are calculated, and the structural stability and energetics of microclusters containing 3 to 7 atoms of the same elements are investigated.     

Phase transitions and metastable states in TlGaSe2

The results of measurements of the dielectric constant of TlGaSe₂ in temperature range of successive phase transitions are presented. An anomaly in the temperature dependence of the real part of dielectric constant in TlGaSe₂ has been observed at about 242?K in addition to anomalies at 115, 108, and also near 65?K as reported in previous publications. The presence of temperature hysteresis effects in temperature interval between 115 and 242?K allowed making a conclusion about possible existence of an incommensurate phase in the mentioned temperature range. A model of succession of the structural phase transitions in TlGaSe₂ has been suggested.