2020- Allied

Curcumin loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles for activity-enhanced antibacterial and anticancer applications

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Curcumin loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles for activity-enhanced antibacterial and anticancer applications Perera, W. P. T. D.; Dissanayake, R.K.; Ranatunga, U.I.; Hettiarachchi, N. M.; Perera, K. D. C; Unagolla, J.M.; De Silva, R. T.; Pahalagedara, L. R. Zinc oxide nanoparticles and curcumin have been shown to be excellent antimicrobial agents and promising anticancer agents, both on their own as well as in combination. Together, they have potential as alternatives/supplements to antibiotics and traditional anticancer drugs. In this study, different morphologies of zinc oxide-grafted curcumin nanocomposites (ZNP–Cs) were synthesized and characterized using SEM, TGA, FTIR, XRD and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Antimicrobial assays were conducted against both Gram negative and Gram-positive bacterial stains. Spherical ZnO–curcumin nanoparticles (SZNP–Cs) and rod-shaped ZnO–curcumin nanoparticles showed the most promising activity against tested bacterial strains. The inhibition zones for these curcumin-loaded ZnO nanocomposites were consistently larger than their bare counterparts or pure curcumin, revealing an additve effect between the ZnO and curcumin components. The potential anticancer activity of the synthesized nanocomposites was studied on the rhabdomyosarcoma RD cell line via MTT assay, while their cytotoxic effects were tested against human embryonic kidney cells using the resazurin assay. SZNP–Cs exhibited the best balance between the two, showing the lowest toxicity against healthy cells and good anticancer activity. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the nanomatrix synthesized can act as an effective, additively-enhanced combination delivery/therapeutic agent, holding promise for anticancer therapy and other biomedical applications

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Pleurotus ostreatus, a Culinary Medicinal Mushroom, in Wistar Rats

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Pleurotus ostreatus, a Culinary Medicinal Mushroom, in Wistar Rats Jayasuriya, W.J.A.B.N.; Handunnetti, S.M.; Wanigatunge, C.A.; Fernando, G.H.; Abeytunga, D.T.U.; Suresh, T.S. Pleurotus ostreatus (P.o) is a culinary mushroom which is commonly called as “oyster mushroom” belonging to the Basidiomycetous fungi of the order Agaricales and family Pleurotaceae. Objectives. 0e present study investigates the antiinflammatory potential of P.o and the underlying mechanisms of activity. Materials and Methods. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using suspensions of freeze-dried and powdered (SFDP) P.o and acetone extract (AE) of P.o in normal and alloxaninduced diabetic rats using the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model. 0e mechanisms by which P.o is mediating the antiinflammatory activity were studied using in vivo and in vitro assays. Results. At doses of 500–1000 mg/kg, the SFDP of P.o showed long-lasting activity at both early and late phases of carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema. 0e dose of 750 mg/kg showed the most potent inhibitory activity (92% inhibition) in healthy rats. 0e AE of P.o showed maximum inhibition of oedema of 87%. P.o exerted protective effects on the inflammatory pathologies in rats with diabetes. 0e possible mechanisms by which P.o mediates the anti-inflammatory activity were antihistamine activity (52.1%), inhibition of cell migration to the site of inflammation (45.4%), in vitro membrane stabilizing activity (52.6%), and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production (91.2%) (P < 0.05). Dose-dependent inhibition of NO production was seen with in vitro treatment of rat peritoneal cells with AE of P.o (r � 0.95; P < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion. 0e promising activity of culinary mushroom P.o against inflammation suggests its potential application as a functional food during inflammatory conditions.

Nature of dispensing errors in selected hospitals providing free healthcare: a multicenter study in Sri Lanka

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Nature of dispensing errors in selected hospitals providing free healthcare: a multicenter study in Sri Lanka Dilsha, R. A. N.; Kularathne, H. M. I. P.; Mujammil, M. T. M.; Irshad, S. M. M.; Samaranayake, N. R.

Are medications safely used by residents in elderly care homes? – A multi-centre observational study from Sri Lanka

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Are medications safely used by residents in elderly care homes? – A multi-centre observational study from Sri Lanka Prasanna, S. M. S.; Cader, T. S. B.; Sabalingam, S.; Shanika, L. G. T.; Samaranayake, N. R.