Dicyclomine hydrochloride is an antispasmodic agent. The MIC of dicyclomine against standard strains of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were performed by NCCLS broth dilution technique. ...These drugs showed a rapid killing action on Gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6571, 8530 and several other reference strains. The killing effect against Gram negative bacteria, Shigella boydii 8 NCTC 254/66 and Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74 showed that the drug was bacteriostatic with respect to these strains. High rate of killing was achieved for most strains of Gram positive bacteria within 2 h. When administered to Swiss strain of white mice at doses of 30 and 60 μg/g of mouse, the drug could significantly protect the animals challenged with 50 MLD of Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74. According to χ2 test, the in vivo data were highly significant (p< 0.001). Since dicyclomine showed a remarkable inhibitory action against several pathogenic bacteria, in the course of time, it may be developed as a potent antimicrobial agent for many bacterial infections.
During past few decades cancer has remained as the largest cause of mortality worldwide and number of patients suffering from cancer has been increasing at a fast rate. Hence medical research during ...the last few decades has been concentrating on identification and characterization of new synthetic pharmacological compounds to overcome this enormous problem. Leaf extracts of coniferous plant Cryptomeria japonica being known for their strong antibacterial and antifungal functions were selected to determine their antitumor/anticancer potentialities.Methanolic extract of leaves were tested to determine its antitumor action in standard murine model of Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC). Graded doses of the extract were given intraperitoneally to batches of mice, who received EAC challenge after 3hr. Treatment with same amounts of extract was continued for 9 consecutive days. Protective capacity of the leaf extract was evaluated in animals.Statistically significant protection was observed with respect to different parameters including tumor volume , tumor cell count , viable tumor cell count, non- viable tumor cell count , mean survival time and increase in life span. Simultaneously hematological parameters were restored in treated mice vis-à-vis untreated control animals. Furthermore, the extract revealed distinct cytotoxic property, which may be the relevant reason of its anticancer/antitumor function.This study shows efficacy of methanolic extract of leaves of Cryptomeria japonica as a probable antitumor/anticancer agent. Phytochemical analysis of the extract showed presence of flavonoids, which are known to possess significant anticancer activity. Thus there is a definite possibility of developing novel anticancer drugs from such plant products
The antipsychotic drug prochlorperazine was screened
in vitro for possible antimicrobial property against 157 strains of bacteria, belonging to Gram positive and Gram negative genera. The minimum ...inhibitory concentration (MIC) of prochlorperazine was determined by agar dilution method, which ranged from 25 to 200
μg/ml with respect to most of the strains. Based on such findings, a further study was undertaken to determine whether the efficacy of this drug could be enhanced in the presence of an antihistaminic agent methdilazine, reported to have remarkable antimicrobial action. Four bacterial strains, sensitive to prochlorperazine as well as to three antibacterial chemotherapeutics, viz., methdilazine, fluphenazine and thioridazine were chosen. Disc diffusion tests with prochlorperazine and methdilazine revealed marked synergism between the combination, compared to their individual effects. The synergism was found to be statistically significant (
p<0.01). To assess the degree of synergism, the checkerboard analysis was performed. The FIC index of this combination turned out to be 0.37, which confirmed synergism. Therefore, this synergistic drug combination might open a new therapeutic approach to combat drug-resistance in bacterial infections.
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