Investigation of α-Cellulose Content of Sugarcane Scrappings and Bagasse as Tablet Disintegrant
Pages 142-148
Bakre Lateef Gbenga and Odumala Kehinde Fatimah

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.19

Published: 21 April 2014

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the physicochemical and disintegrant properties of α – cellulose obtained from sugarcane scrapings and bagasse. The mechanical and release properties of paracetamol tablets containing the extracted celluloses and two standard disintegrants- corn starch B.P and microcrystalline cellulose - were determined using crushing strength, friability, disintegration time, the time taken for 50% (T₅₀) and 90% (T₉₀) drug dissolution as assessment parameter. α – cellulose obtained from sugarcane scrapings and bagasse possess better flow properties than cornstarch and microcrystalline cellulose and are capable of absorbing up to five times their own weight in water and swell considerably. α – cellulose obtained from sugarcane scrapings and bagasse have high moisture sorption capacity and they formed relatively softer tablets which became increasingly harder as their concentration increased. All the tablets formulated with cellulose derived from sugarcane scrapings and bagasse passed the official disintegration test for uncoated tablets. Cellulose obtained from sugarcane bagasse had superior disintegrant property to cornstarch and microcrystalline cellulose while cellulose obtained from sugarcane scrapings showed comparable disintegrant property to microcrystalline cellulose. Tablets containing 2.5% w/w cellulose derived from sugarcane scrapings and 5.0% w/w cellulose derived from sugarcane bagasse gave more optimum result as tablet disintegrant. Formulations containing cellulose derived from sugarcane scrapings and bagasse show faster drug release (lower T₅₀ and T₉₀) than tablets containing corn starch and microcrystalline cellulose. There was a linear correlation between T₉₀ and disintegration time (r = 0.976, p< 0.05) for tablets formulated with cellulose derived from sugarcane scrapings. Results show that α – cellulose obtained from sugarcane bagasse and scrapings are potentially useful as disintegrants in tablet formulations.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine-Induced Sleep Balance Treatment on the Chronic Refractory Primary Insomnia Patients
Pages 102-109
Ma Guo-Zhong, Jiang Xiao-Jiang, Xu Zhi-Qiang, Lang Ying, Guo Heng-Jiang, Liu Ya-Zheng, Zhong Dai-Qu, Wang Rong-Hu, Li Xu-Jun, Chen Ni-Ka, Li Fa-Guo and Feng Zheng-Quan

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.15

Published: 17 April 2014

Abstract: Aim:To pilot study the therapeutic effect of dexmedetomidine-induced sleep balance treatment (DISBT) on the chronic refractory primary insomnia patients.

Methods:Forty-two patients with chronic refractory primary insomnia were randomly divided into two groups by random number table. Patients in DISBT group were given DISBT for 3 days, while patients in the control group were given conventional treatment for 3 day. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the hyperarousal scale (HAS), and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) were evaluated and compared between the pre-treatment and post-1-week-treatment. Sleep architecture and electroencephalogram (EEG) spectrum were also recorded and compared pre-treatment and post-treatment.

Results:The scores of PSQI and HAMA in both groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), DISBT group-reduced degree were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Sleep architecture of Stage 2 sleep proportion, EEG spectrum beta, and gamma relative power value in DISBT group were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), Stage 3 sleep proportion and delta relative power value were higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05); Sleep architecture of Stage 2 sleep proportion,beta, and gamma relative power value in control group were higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05); rapid eye movement sleep, Stage 3 sleep proportion, and delta relative power value were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05). The total scores of the hyperarousal scale (HAS) in both groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), DISBT group-reduced degree were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05), the extreme score, introspectiveness score, react score of HAS in control group after treatment had no statistical significance compared to those before treatment (P > 0.05), the extreme score, introspectiveness score, react score of HAS in DISBT group after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:DISBT effectively reduced the insomnia patient cortex hyperarousal level, corrected disorder of sleep-awakening pathways and easedup insomnia symptom. It is an effective method for chronic refractory primary insomnia.

Review on Some Malaysian Traditional Medicinal Plants with Therapeutic Properties
Pages 149-159
Ali Alsarhan, Naznin Sultana, Ahed Al-Khatib and Mohammed Rafiq Abdul Kadir

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.20

Published: 21 April 2014

Abstract: There are many medicinal plants that have been used for thousands of years. These plants can now be found in herbal products and as part of the traditional Malaysian health care system because of their therapeutic efficacy. This paper discusses the use of ten medicinal plants in the traditional medicinal system of Malaysia and related scientific studies on their Pharmaceutical properties, which demonstrate their traditional uses. The plants viewed are Amaranthus spinosus L., Arundina graminifolia (D.Don) Hochr., Callicarpa arborea Roxb., Carica papaya L., Citrus grandis L., Coleus amboinicus Lour., Curcuma domestica Valeton., Psidium guajava L., Garcinia atroviridis Griff. ex T. Anders., and Zingiber officinale Rosc. All the plants mentioned in this paper have therapeutic properties, which explains and validates their uses in traditional medicine. .

Genetic Retrospect of Seedcotton Yield and its Components from a 6-Parent Gossypium hirsutum Diallel Cross Under Water Stress Conditions
Pages 110-123
Munaiza Baloch, Bashir Ahmad Ansari, Moula Bux Kumbhar and Muhammad Ibrahim Keerio

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.16

Published: 17 April 2014

Abstract: A six-by-six complete F₁ Gossypium hirsutum, L. diallel cross of three pre-screened drought tolerant and three drought susceptible varieties (CRIS-134, CRIS-342, SINDH-1, NIAB-78, SADORI and BH-160) was evaluated for genetic parameters during 2009 at Sindh Agriculture University farm, Tandojam. The characters studied were number of bolls per plant, sympodial branches per plant, seedcotton yield per plant and lintcotton yield per plant. The objective of such study was to assess the effect of irrigation stress on the genetic inheritance pattern of above quantitative traits as to how far the genetic parameters are affected due to irrigation stress in the F₁ diallel generation. Irrigation treatments were four; normal seven irrigations schedule, five irrigations, four irrigations (medium stress) and three irrigations up to 150 days of crop maturity (stress conditions). CRIS-134 in seven, Sadori in five and CRIS-342 in four and three irrigations treatments were the most recessive parents contributing increasing boll number into their progenies while BH-160 in seven, CRIS-342 in five and Sindh-1 in four and three irrigations treatments proved to be the most dominant parents responsible for contributing decreased boll number per plant into their progenies. Seedcotton per plant was partial dominant in seven irrigations treatment while it inherited as an overdominant trait in five, four and three irrigations respectively. BH-160 was the most recessive of all with increased sympodia contributing attributes in seven and four irrigations whereas Niab-78 in five and CRIS-342 in stress were the most recessive parents. Sindh-1 was the most dominant parent in seven, five and three irrigation treatments while CRIS-342 in four irrigations yielded decreased sympodia contributing attributes into their progenies. Sindh-1 in seven, BH-160 in five and three and CRIS-342 in four irrigations treatments proved to be the most recessive parents with increasing seedcotton yield attributes while CRIS-342 in seven and five and Sindh-1 in four and three irrigations were the most dominant parents contributing decreased seedcotton yield into their progenies. Inheritance trend of lintcotton per plant was similar to that of seedcotton yield per plant.