Manohar J Patil’s research while affiliated with Marathwada Mitra Mandal's College of Pharmacy and other places

Since from prehistoric times the practice of herbal medicine has existed as the primary form of medicine. India is one of leading biodiversity center with presence of over 50, 000 different plant species. Many plants are unexplored though they were used from ancient times in traditional system of medicine. At the same time several plants activity was proven scientifically and its resurgence as herbal medicines was started in the past few years. Many countries have included herbal products, in their national health programs and national health schemes, as an important alternative for treatment of various diseases. In day to day life people came across accidental wounding and management of wound is a complicated process. Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process of restoring damaged tissue that involves a series of independent and overlapping stages. Many plants have potential to heal the wounds owing to vast array of medicinal compounds they can synthesize. In most of the countries, a great number of plants are used by tribal and folklore for the treatment of wounds and burns. These natural agents induce healing and recovery of the lost tissue by several mechanisms. These phytomedicine are not only cheap and affordable but are also harmless. The presence of wide range of life-sustaining constituents in plants has insisted scientists to examine these plants with a view to define potential wound healing properties. The current article provides a glance on plants identified from various ethno botanical surveys and folklore medicinal survey possessing wound healing activity and their formulations.

Background: The absorption of drug through skin avoids many side effects of oral route like gastric irritation, nausea, systemic toxicity etc and thus improves patient compliance. Naproxen sodium (NPRS) is one of the potent NSAID agents. Objective: The present study was aimed to develop and evaluate the gel formulation containing NPRS for transdermal drug delivery reducing the side effects and improving patient compliance. The patents on topical delivery of NSAIDS (US 9012402 B1, US 9072659 B2, US 20150258196 A1) and patents indicating use of herbal penetration enhancers (US 20100273746A1, WO 2005009510 A2, US 6004969 A) helped in selecting the drug, excipients. Method: Current protocol employs various extracts of Piper cubeba fruit to evaluate its role in absorption of NPRS. Various batches containing 1% NPRS and varying concentrations of synthetic permeation enhancers or the extracts were formulated in carbopol gel. Gel was evaluated for parameters like organoleptic parameters, pH, viscosity and spreadability. An ex-vivo percutaneous absorption of NPRS from gel was investigated and compared with best performing synthetic enhancer, transcutol P (TP). Result: The batch containing 2% n-hexane extract (NHE) of Piper cubeba showed higher permeation than TP and Chloroform (CE), Methanolic (ME) and aqueous (AE) extracts as well. It showed improved % cumulative release (85.09%) and flux (278.61μg/cm2.h), as compared to TP and other extracts. Histopathology indicated the formulation safer as compared to that with synthetic enhancer. Conclusion: It suggests P. cubeba as effective and safer tool for transdermal delivery and acts as therapeutic facilitator for naproxen. GC-MS analysis indicates lignans amp; terpenes in NHE to which this permeation enhancement activity may be attributed.

The main objective of present investigation was to study the influence of Piper betle on the permeation of Naproxen sodium gel when applied on skin. This route avoids the side effects of NSAIDS on oral administration like irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and systemic toxicity and improves the patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy. The leaves of P. betle were subjected to maceration using successive solvent extraction with solvents like n-hexane, chloroform, methanol and water. All four extracts were screened for preliminary phytochemical tests. The carbopol gel formulations containing Naproxen sodium (1% w/w) and selected concentrations (1% / 2% w/w) of synthetic penetrations enhancers or four herbal extracts were prepared as various batches. These formulations were subjected to characterization tests of colour, pH, viscosity, spreadability. Formulations were subjected to ex-vivo permeation of the drug across rat skin using Franz diffusion cell. The permeation using herbal extracts was compared with synthetic penetration enhancer, Transcutol P(TP). The formulation containing 2% w/w of N- hexane extract (NHE) showed better % cumulative release (47.97%) and flux (157.072 µg/cm2.h), as compared to synthetic enhancer transcutol P (43.11% CR and flux as 141.15 µg/cm2..h) and other extracts. Histopathology shows focal stripping of stratum corneum and normal adnexal structure in both these formulations (containing NHE & TP). But mild degeneration of epidermis and dermis was seen along with hemorrhage in skin treated with formulation containing TP. The results suggest that Piper betle may be safer and better option for increasing the skin permeability of Naproxen sodium as compared to synthetic penetration enhancers.

In traditional system of medicine, the seeds of Strychnos potatorum Linn. (family: Loganiaceae) are used in the treatment of gonorrhea, leukorrhea leukeorrhea, gastropathy, bronchitis, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, renal and vesicle calculi, diabetes, conjunctivitis, scleritis, ulcers and other eye disease. An attempt has been made to highlight this medicinal seeds through phytochemical and pharmacological study. The present review deals with the phytochemical and pharmacological screening of therapeutic importance from Strychnos potatorum L., an important medicinal plant. This study includes the collective information of different medicinal uses of Strychnos potatorum. The generated data has provided the basis for its wide use as the therapeutant both in the traditional and folk medicines.

Medicinal plants are nature′s gift to human beings to make disease free healthy life, and play a vital role to preserve our health. They are believed to be much safer and proven elixir in the treatment of various ailments. Pharmacognostic studies of crude drug plays a very important role in identification, purity and quality of crude drugs. The Mimusops elengi Linn.commonly known Spanish cherry, belonging to Sapotaceae family. It is a large ornamental evergreen tree cultivated in India and generally reared in gardens for the sake of its fragrant flowers. The bark, fruit and seeds of Mimusops elengi possess several medicinal properties such as astringent, tonic, and febrifuge. Chemical studies have shown that, Bark contain tannin, triterpenoids and flower contain volatile oil as well as seeds contain fixed fatty oil. Through this review, the authors hope to attract the attention of natural product researchers throughout the world to focus on pharmacognostic standards of Mimusops elengi Linn. and it may be useful in developing new standards for Mimusops elengi.