BackgroundBael (Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr.) has been widely used in indigenous systems of Indian medicine to exploit its medicinal properties including astringent, antidiarrheal, antidysenteric, demulcent, antipyretic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory and anti cancer activities. The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidative and antiulcer effect of methanolic extract of unripe fruit of Aegle marmelos (MEAM) against Helicobacter pylori-Lipopolysaccharide (HP-LPS) induced gastric ulcer in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.MethodsDose and duration of HP-LPS and MEAM were fixed based on ulcer index of gastric tissue of experimental animals. Various gastric secretory parameters such as volume of gastric juice, free and total acidity, acid output, pepsin concentration were analyzed. The activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione transferase), non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E) and the levels of lipid peroxidation products were measured. Histological analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of Aegle marmelos on HP-LPS induced gastric ulcer.ResultsOral administration of HP-LPS (50 μg per animal) for four consecutive days resulted in induction of ulcer with the increase in gastric secretory parameters such as volume of gastric juice, free and total acidity, acid output, pepsin concentration. Oral administration of methanolic extract of Aegle marmelos fruit (MEAM) (25, 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) reduced the gastric ulcer by 2.8 %, 52.4 %, 73 %, 93 % and 93.98 %, respectively, compared to 89.2 % reduction by sucralfate (100 mg/kg). MEAM treatment significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the increase in gastric secretory parameters in ulcerated rats, and it also prevented the reduction of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione transferase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E) after HP-LPS induction. In addition, lipid peroxidation was inhibited by MEAM in HP-LPS induced rats. Results of histological analysis correlated well with biochemical parameters.ConclusionThese observations explored the antioxidant properties of MEAM contributing to the gastroprotective effect in HP-LPS induced gastric ulcer model.

Mesoporous nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHAp) rods of size 40-75 nm long and 25 nm wide (resembling bone mineral) were synthesized under microwave irradiation without using any surfactants or modifiers. The surface area and average pore size of the nHAp were found to be 32 m(2) g(-1) and 4 nm, respectively. Rifampicin (RIF) and ciprofloxacin (CPF) loaded nHAp displayed an initial burst followed by controlled release (zero order kinetics). Combination of CPF and RIF loaded nHAp showed enhanced bacterial growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) compared to individual agent loaded nHAp and pure nHAp. In addition, decreased bacterial adhesion (90%) was observed on the surface of CPF plus RIF loaded nHAp. The biocompatibility test toward MG63 cells infected with micro-organisms showed better cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) for the combination of CPF and RIF loaded nHAp. The influence on cell viability of infected MG63 cells was attributed to the simultaneous and controlled release of CPF and RIF from nHAp, which prevented the emergence of subpopulations that were resistant to each other. Hence, apart from the issue of the rapid synthesis of nHAp without surfactants or modifiers, the simultaneous and controlled release of dual drugs from nHAp would be a simple, non-toxic and cost-effective method to treat bone infections.