In this paper an attempt was made to detect Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) both by electrochemical and fluorescence immunoassay methods using zinc sulphide (ZnS) QDs. Wet-chemical method was adopted for the preparation of fluorescent ZnS QDs (diameter ∼ 5–10 nm). These QDs were bioconjugated with monoclonal antibodies and then characterized by various method. A detection limit of 0.02 ng mL−1 by fluorescence assay and 1.0 ng mL−1 by electrochemical assay for SEB was achieved. While by sandwich ELISA it is possible to detect 0.24 ng mL−1 only. The sensitivity of all techniques is very good, since the LD50 of SEB is 20 ng kg−1. Electrochemical assay is faster, need low-cost instrument, independent to the size of QDs and found to be one of the best alternative methods as compared to the other existing methods studied herein. The presented method could be expanded to the development of electrochemical and fluorescence biosensors for various agents for field and laboratory use.
The study was aimed at developing better orally active albendazole (ALB) formulations. Six formulations (ALB-1 to ALB-6) were prepared and tested against Brugia malayi in Mastomys coucha and jird (Meriones unguiculatus) at 200 mg/kg, orally, for 5 consecutive days. The anti-filarial efficacy was assessed against microfilariae (mf), adult worms and female reproductive potential. Three of the 6 ALB formulations showed greatly improved female worm sterilizing potential (ALB-1: 90%; ALB-3: 63%; ALB-4: 77% of untreated control) in B. malayi - M. coucha model. Sterilization efficacy of ALB-1 was also better than that shown by pure-ALB (P<0.001) or its marketed tablet formulation, Zentel (P<0.01), while that of ALB-4 was better than pure-ALB (P<0.05). The activity of ALB-3, pure-ALB and Zentel was, however, comparable. ALB-1 also showed late microfilaricidal activity with a maximum of 78% fall in microfilarial count. In contrast, neither the pure ALB nor Zentel showed any microfilaricidal activity. In the jird - B. malayi model, ALB-1 and ALB-4 showed marginal sterilizing efficacy whereas pure ALB or Zentel were ineffective. In conclusion the anti-filarial efficacy of ALB-1 was found to be superior to pure-ALB or Zentel.
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