...Invitro evaluation and optimization of controlled release chitosan beads of Metformin hydrochloride Manjisa Choudhury, Tanaya Sarma, Samridh Srivastava, Vino S. School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore - 632014, Tamil Nadu, India manji.choudhury@gmail.com; +91-9626413610 Abstract Beads of chitosan, in the free and metformin HCl encapsulated forms were prepared by Chitosan/ TPP polyelectrolyte complex. The particles were further stabilized by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The size of the particles was found to be in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 mm. Both free and metformin HCL encapsulated Chitosan beads were analyzed by FTIR, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies. The rate of drug release was investigated by in vitro dissolution studies using UV spectroscopy. The results indicate that these Crosslinked chitosan beads are capable of controlled and sustained release of meformin HCL upto a maximum time of 12 h in PBS at pH 7.4. Keywords: Chitosan, Metformin HCl, Controlled drug delivery, In-Vitro release. Introduction Large number of active compounds is discovered that could serve as therapeutics but very few candidates show clinical success. Their poor activity in vivo is often due to the reason of their low bioavailability. Bioavailability is basically the rate and the extent at which a drug enters and affects the target tissue (Kidane, 2005). When a drug is administered systemically, its bioavailability is...
Words: 2111 - Pages: 9
...combined with invitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.” (Oxford University, 2005) Breeders of animals and plants have been using this technique to “produce organisms that will possess desirable characteristics, such as high crop yields, resistance to disease, high growth rate and many other phenotypical characteristics that will benefit the organism and species in the long term.” (Butler, 2012) We need to pause and ask ourselves if we start to cross breed the human race what are the moral or ethical limits, if any, and should we apply guidelines in allowing people to choose their children’s genes or characteristics when designing a baby. In many science fiction movies the subject of having genetically modified humans or creatures are often brought up. The creative author has the ability to give their characters any traits they want. They have the power to make the characters stronger, faster, more intelligent, to specify how they look, or simply be superhuman. Now imagine the scenario if the stories cease to lie in just the films we watch and become our reality. Due to scientific advancements in technology and thanks to Crick and Watson for creating a dictionary of our DNA this future is not far off. (Heritage, 2012) Within the last 15 years, couples have already had the ability to decide certain genetic characteristics when creating a child via InVitro fertilization...
Words: 2073 - Pages: 9
...Mariah Bearden Student number: 22012910 Introduction to Biology, SCI 120 Research project number: 25088100 The fear is that in the future we may be able to use genetic technologies to modify embryos, and choose desirable or cosmetic characteristics. "Designer babies" is a term used by journalists to describe this frightening scenario. It's not a term used by scientists. Advanced reproductive techniques involve using InVitro Fertilization, or IVF for short, to fertilize eggs with sperm in 'test-tubes' outside the mother's body in a laboratory. These techniques allow doctors and parents to reduce the chance that the child will be born with a genetic disorder. The Designer Babies debate, today, is something that the public eye has been shielded from, and for good reasons. The Designer Babies debate is about how we are learning to sidestep nature, and how this could crumble society as we know it today. The Designer Babies ethical considerations come into play because of the effects this procedure will have. Families that can afford these alterations will be few, and this will only increase the disparity between the various social classes. This will ultimately result in a segregation between the superior 'modified' humans, and the pure inferior ones. The diversity of the gene pool and human genetics will be affected, and this may even lead to a big percentage of the human race being wiped out by some major disease. All of this is without considering the effect this procedure...
Words: 637 - Pages: 3
...escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) and sertraline (Zoloft). O Speech Therapy O Occupational Therapy O Provide safe environment (jerking movement) O Provide a calm and stress-free environment O Provide ample time for communication O Breaking down tasks into manageable steps O Regular toileting intervals and skin care O Monitoring nutritional intake; may need gastrostomy feedings O Assist with ADLs O Explain need for guardianship and advanced directives O Use of hand rail while in home O Use of assistive devices (ie. walker) O Use of calendar and schedule to help keep routine O Appropriate coping mechanisms O Family Planning to prevent passing disease to offspring O Alternatives (adoption) O Sperm or egg donation O Use of invitro to select only gene negative embryos for implantation ...
Words: 388 - Pages: 2
...Care Plan : Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) Patient Conference Report History of events leading to admission: This is a 46 y/o female that was admitted to Brandon Hospital. She is 28 weeks gestation with twins. Medical diagnosis: Pregnancy Induced Hypertension Past Medical History: Seizure disorder for which she takes Lamictal, infertility, 2nd. Invitro with twins, she has a sinus infection. Past Surgical History: Laparoscopy for endometriosis X3, surgery for broken jaw, tonsillectomy, Pertinent Lab Results: Most recent labs done 2/22/15, (CBC) NA+ 156, BUN- 28, Albumin- 8.0, Protein- 10.0, Creatinine- 1.3, Pertinent diagnostic results: Chest X-ray: pulmonary edema and cardiomegaly, cardiac catheterization, EKG: atrial fibrillation. Lists of Medications: Amoxicillin, Docosate sodium, Labetalol HCL, Lamotrigine (lamictal). Allergies: Macrobid Code status: Full code Vital Signs: T 99.2F, oral P 80, regular B/P 186/100 SaO2 100% Weight- 160lbs. Ht. 5’5 List 3 pertinent medications given by you on your shift. List actions and indications, side effects, and nursing considerations: |Name: |Amoxicillin | |Action and indications. |Binds to bacterial cell wall, causing cell death, spectrum of amoxicillin is broader than penicillin. Treatment...
Words: 593 - Pages: 3
...we claim, we know that inflicting pain on another living being, purposely, is wrong. So why do we do it to animals when there are other methods? Other alternatives to animal testing are stem cell and genetic testing methods, computerized patient-drug databases and vital drug trials, microdosing (low quantities of drugs injected to affect the body on a cellular level and not the entire body), and in vitro which gets methods and models based on tissue cultures and human cell. These are just a few ways we can help end the unnecessary testing on animals. Benefits of this is the tests are more reliable than those of testing on animals (“In”). If the rebuttal is how animals have such short lifespans that it is easy to do lifetime experiments; inVitro International’s Corrositex (synthetic skin) provides more accurate results in a much lesser time frame. Taking as long as four hours and as little as three minutes, whereas the animal version takes two to four weeks (“In”). Concerns for cruelty-free products are on the rise for one reason or another, but by buying these products lowers the amount of animals used. Animal testing researches breed and use and dispose of millions of animals that are, after their testing, considered hazardous waste. With so much hazardous waste, it undoubtedly is horrible for the environment (“In”). An official need, not just want or dream, for alternatives to animal used in toxicity testing came in 1933 when the NIH Reauthorization Act was passed. It was...
Words: 824 - Pages: 4
...The Advancement of Technology in the Medical Field Technology in general has greatly improved in the last 50 or 60 years, but especially in the medical field. A lot of what drives the medical field today is computers. Computers have gone from being the size of a small room to being able to fit in the palm of your hand. The first computer was actually a calculator. With the advancements in being able to reduce the size of the integrated circuit or IC chips, also known today as microchips, they have gone from being able to fit a couple transistors on a chip to being able to implement billions of transistors on a single chip about the size of $.50 piece. With this we have really been able to advance the technology in the medical field. We have also been able to improve microscopes to be able to better see inside cells and to identify the different bacteria and viruses that infect humans and other plants and animals. Being able to better identify what is causing an illness, treatment can be greatly improved. Today there are cameras the size of a pill that you can swallow and a computer outside the body records it for the doctor to review. This makes it more appealing to the patients since it is less invasive. Technology in the medical field has come a long way in the past century. We have went from tonics that some Dr. and concocted in his office to being able to perform the major transplants that we can today. 50 years ago people would've never thought that a doctor would be able...
Words: 734 - Pages: 3
...Same sex couples that decide to have children are a big issue today because it seems to still be new to some. Some judges that have to make decisions on child custody cases dealing with same sex parents have to update themselves with the new laws dealing with same sex relationships. Some judges end up getting their cases overturned if they are not attentive to the new laws. Invitro also has had some complications with the rights of the parents. In all the children’s welfare is the most important thing in these situations. Same sex parents have equal parental rights as the standard male and female parents. After they split and have a child or children involved they can end up having a custody battle. Judges have to be very careful and be very educated on this matter in order not to end having their judgment overturned because they simply violated the other parent’s constitutional rights. This happened in a case I read about dealing with a same sex couple that split up and had a child. The partner of a lesbian birth mother in a civil partnership can now be considered in law to be the child's second parent, if the child was born after 6 April 2009, and can be named on the child's birth certificate (http://www.bionews.org.uk/page_116900.asp). The male sperm donor did not want to be involved at all. This just left the two ladies battling it out for parental rights. The female that carried the child thought she had all the legal rights as the parent but it played out differently. The...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...Abstract Proposition 8 is an initiative measure adopted by voters at the November 4, 2008 election. This proposition added a section to the California Constitution providing “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California” (Wohlsen & Hoag, 2009). Voting yes and getting the win on Proposition 8 will define marriage in California (to mean only) a union between one man and one woman. Yes will add exactly 14 words to the California State Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Voting no on Proposition 8 will define marriage in California( to mean) a union between any two people regardless of gender, which would include same-sex couples (Wohlsen & Hoag, 2009). Clearly, the effects of this vote will be far-reaching and long lasting. Advocates of Proposition 8 urge people to consider many consequences prior to voting. The following will explore counter arguments effecting these consequences and show that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional as it “violates the due process and equal protection rights of gays and lesbians under the U.S. Constitution by denying them the right to marry the person of their choice and by singling them out for disparate treatment without a legitimate rationale” (Ashby, 2010). Same Sex Marriage: Overturn Ban on Same Sex Marriage in California An Argument to Vote No on Proposition 8 During the hearing, it was argued that Propositions 8’s withdrawal of the right of marriage...
Words: 2388 - Pages: 10
...DNA with humans. This is a simple matter of evolution; the only differences between humans and chimpanzees existing are the brain’s cognitive abilities and the amount of body hair apes possess. To counter, animal activists argue primates are no longer relevant to the research community ever since in vitro and computer programs were introduced. Essentially, in vitro research would use embryos to test products among other things. Besides this being another ethical debate alone, it also is not practical. A positive in using animals is one can see the interactions of the central nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. This is not possible using embryos. Also, medications cannot be tested for their effect on pregnancy using invitro studies. Computer programs are not always credible either. The technology is programmed by humans; therefore, it’s prone to have flaws (“Animals”). Animals are most useful because they show all symptoms and can provide all bodily systems. Consumers should consider whether they want medications proven safe by first-hand witnesses or complied guess-work made from a computer algorithm. –research in vitro and computer programming in scientific research. Furthermore, animal activists overlook the multiple ways in which animal testing is ethical. Aspects not typically considered are when animal testing can be beneficial to animals themselves, and the support animal testing receives from multiple world religions. In one experiment, researchers...
Words: 741 - Pages: 3
...The extraction method of embryonic stem cells starts in invitro fertilization of a human embryonic egg. During the fourth and fifth day of development, before implantation into the female uterus, the zygote goes through a phase called the blastocyst phase (MNT Editorial Team, 2013). Some societal groups believe the method of extraction during the blastocyst phase is morally and ethically wrong, based on the fact that the zygote ends the cycle to become a fetus and eventually a human. In 2001, President George W. Bush restricted federal funding for research on stem cells obtained from human embryos because the technology required the destruction of human life (Alice Park, 2012). Bush also restricted federal funding for stem cell research. Certain religious groups have an influence on stem cell research...
Words: 763 - Pages: 4
...Unethical medical procedures When physicians begin to practice medicine they state in their Hippocratic Oath to “first do no harm” (Rothstein, 2010). This is a guiding principle of modern medicine. Our society entrusts our health and healing to doctors with the explicit understanding that these men and women are guided in their practice by a moral code that prevents them from subjecting their patients to procedures or tests that would be considered unjust, excessive, or beyond the boundaries of societal taste and ethics. Additionally we hold our doctors in a sacred trust to know when to exercise the authority of restraint when it comes to these unethical procedures. This restraint should be exercised even at times when the patient themselves may request a procedure or treatment that would be considered unethical. If a treatment would cause more harm than aid for a patient the doctor has a duty to deny the patient treatment. Unethical medical practices such as the dissemination of unneeded medicine, performing unneeded and life endangering surgeries and exploiting patients for profit can lead to harm to the patient. Doctors who perform procedures or treatments that are superfluous and result in detrimental consequences to the health of the patient are practicing unethical medicine. The rampant epidemic of prescription drug abuse in America can be traced back directly to unethical doctors prescribing medicine without validating a legitimate patient need. Recently we have...
Words: 850 - Pages: 4
...Such systems are Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. These systems seem to be widely accepted in other countries than in America. Individualism and justice has been included in the United States foundation of welfare. Citizens feel a level of appropriateness allowing the government to spend tax monies to help an unfortunate person who has exhausted all of his or her energy, strength, and abilities to help himself. Americans further feel the efforts to help are satisfactory if an unreasonable amount of money is not used. Bioethics is a prevelent and sensitive topic of debate in health care. A single mother with children who is particially dependent upon welfare takes it upon herself to pay privately for a single treatment of Invitro Fertilization (IVF). This mother is implanted with several embryos and chooses not to reduce the number of fetuses and successfully delivers multiple premature babies. We must take into account the cost of delivery, care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and future cost to the Welfare system for all of this mother’s children. Reviewing this issue from a health care professional’s point of view, the four basic principles of ethics, beneficence, autonomy, nonmaleficence, and social justice, are part of this issue. The Four Basic Principals Autonomy Medicine Net (2011), defines autonomy as the right of a patient to make decisions about the care received without influence from a health care provider. Providing education to a...
Words: 1181 - Pages: 5
...Using Anti-fungal Agents to Reduce Fungal Contamination for Micropropagation in the Classroom Jason Okazaki Mentor: Roger Shane Gold Department of Biology, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, 55-220 Kulanui St., Laie Hawaii Introduction Micropropagation is a method used for the multiplication of tissue culture in vitro. Fungal contamination is a major problem during explant micropropagation, as fungal growths greatly reduces survival and shoot proliferation. Fungal contamination is especially a problem in undergraduate teaching labs where inexperience and suboptimal culturing conditions tend to amplify the problem. The use of antifungal agents in culture may help alleviate these problems (Brown et al. 1982, Sheilds et al. 1984, Hauptmann et al. 1985, Tynan et al. 1993) . The purpose of this study was to explore the use of antifungal chemicals on Saintpaulia ionantha (African Violet), Daucas carota (Carrot), and Passiflora edulis (Passionfruit) by testing the efficacy of five commonly used antifungal compounds (Miconazole, PPM, Amphotericin B, Benomyl, Nystatin) as gauged by monitoring rates of fungal contamination and explant survival during in vitro micropropagation. Results There was a significant difference between the different antifungals used when comparing explant survival (p=0.011). PPM at 1.5 ml/L showed the best result with 75.0% of P. edulis explants surviving. Conclusions All explants of D. carota were contaminated throughout the experiment. This may have...
Words: 1159 - Pages: 5
...Term Paper: The Right to Have Children The right to have children is understood in very different ways and people’s ethics and values are put to the test each and everyday when they find out they not only must take care of themselves but the lives of another human being. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted this statement regarding the right to bear children “men and women of full age, without any limitations to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and found a family”[1]. This concept has been viewed in multiple ways and according to ethical theorists; they agree that no rights are absolute. However, it is said that for women at least, there is a fundamental privilege to have children. The right to life is a universally recognized right for all human beings. It is a fundamental right in which governs all other existing rights. For children, the right to life is the chance to be able to live and have the possibility to grow, to develop and become adults[2]. This right comprises two essential aspects: the right to have one’s life protected from birth and the right to be able to survive and develop appropriately[3]. The right to parenthood can be a very delicate matter. Many people have different views when it comes to procreate and parent children. An example of this was a case about a man from Wisconsin who was placed on probation because he was unable to pay child support for all nine of his children. During his probation, he was to...
Words: 1348 - Pages: 6
