Bharati Vidyapeeth is a 58 year old private deemed to be university established in Pune, India. It was established in 1964 by Indian politician and educationist Patangrao Kadam. Bharati Vidyapeeth has campuses across the country at New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Sangli, Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur, Karad, Satara, and Panchgani. Among these are colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Nursing, Pharmacy, Engineering, Management, Hotel Management, Catering Technology, Environment Science and Agriculture etc. On 26 April 1996 the Government of India, on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission, granted the status of "Deemed to be University" to a cluster of 12 institutions of Bharati Vidyapeeth.
Background/Aim. The incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been increasing each year. Although pirfenidone and nintedanib were approved in 2014, they received only conditional recommendations, and no medication has yet been strongly endorsed for IPF treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the safety and efficacy of pirfenidone and nintedanib. Methods. All randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were identified by searching databases for published studies, including Medline, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of pirfenidone and nintedanib on clinical outcomes and safety. Patients treated with pirfenidone were compared with those treated with nintedanib. Results. This study included twelve papers. Both pirfenidone and nintedanib were found to significantly reduce the decline in mean forced vital capacity (FVC) and mean diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLco) at 6 and 12 months. No significant difference was observed between pirfenidone and nintedanib in terms of improvement in FVC or DLco. Similarly, both antifibrotic agents had similar safety profiles. However, patients receiving nintedanib experienced significantly fewer instances of diarrhea (p < 0.00001) compared to those receiving pirfenidone, whereas patients receiving pirfenidone experienced significantly fewer instances of skin rash (p < 0.00001) compared with those receiving nintedanib. Conclusion. Potential differences between pirfenidone and nintedanib can be inferred from the effectiveness ranking derived from this meta-analysis. Further direct comparative studies are necessary to explore this issue, which will help us better understand the potential of combinatorial, sequential, or adjunctive treatment regimens in which both antifibrotic agents might play a crucial role for a specific group of IPF patients.
Background: Mental stress has become increasingly prevalent in modern society, affecting psychological wellbeing and sleep quality. Ayurveda emphasizes Shiroabhyanga (therapeutic head massage with medicated oil) as an important daily regimen (Dinacharya) for maintaining mental health. Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn.), described as a Medhya Rasayana, is known for its neuroprotective, adaptogenic, and anxiolytic properties. Objective: To reduction in Assessment scale; International stress management association (ISMA), Perceived stress scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Methods: A single-arm, open-label clinical study was conducted at Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, involving 32 participants experiencing mental stress. Participants were instructed to perform daily self-administered Shiroabhyanga with Yashtimadhu Siddha Taila for 21 consecutive days. Assessments were performed at baseline, day 0 and day 21(st), and post treatment follow up on day 30(th) using Assessment scales: ISMA, PSS and PSQI. Results: Significant improvement was observed in all assessment scales following 30 days of intervention. The ISMA score showed a reduction of 45.25%, the PSS score decreased by 58.90%, and the PSQI score improved by 42.85%. No adverse effects were observed during the study period. Conclusion: Yashtimadhu Siddha Taila Shiroabhyanga appears to be a safe and effective Ayurvedic intervention for reducing mild to moderate mental stress and improving sleep quality. These findings support the classical Ayurvedic concept of Shiroabhyanga in promoting psychosomatic health and highlight the potential role of Yashtimadhu as a Medhya Rasayana. Further randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.
Background: Mutrakrichhra (urinary tract infection) is characterised by painful micturition, burning sensation, and urinary frequency. Current antibiotic therapy faces challenges of antimicrobial resistance and side effects, necessitating the exploration of complementary interventions. Udumbara Moola Jala (Ficus racemosa L. root sap) represents a traditional Ayurvedic Pathya kalpa with Sheeta Virya (cooling potency) and Pitta-shamaka properties. Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Udumbara moola jala as a Pathya kalpa in managing Mutrakrichhra symptoms. Methods: A single-arm, pre-post interventional clinical trial was conducted at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Ayurved Hospital, Pune, from April 2024 to July 2025. Thirty participants aged 18-50 years with Mutrakrichhra symptoms received 20 mL of authenticated Udumbara moola jala twice daily before meals for seven days. Primary outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale assessment for pain, graded scales for burning micturition, and urinary frequency. Secondary outcomes comprised urine pus cell count and total WBC count. Results: Significant improvements were observed across all parameters (p<0.001): lower abdominal pain decreased by 87.73% (5.43 to 0.67), pain during micturition by 85.63% (5.80 to 0.83), burning micturition by 81.63% (1.63 to 0.30), and urinary frequency by 75.51% (1.63 to 0.40). Objective parameters showed a 69.70% reduction in urine pus cells (2.20/hpf to 0.67/hpf) and a 29.72% decrease in total WBC count (10,263.33 cells/mm3 to 7,213.33 cells/mm3). Conclusions: Udumbara moola jala demonstrates significant therapeutic efficacy as a safe, economical Pathya kalpa intervention for Mutrakrichhra management, supporting integration as a complementary therapy in urinary tract infections.
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a debilitating complication of diabetes, characterized by impaired wound healing due to oxidative stress, inflammation, and poor tissue penetration of therapeutics, often resulting in chronic infections and amputations. Ellagic acid, a natural polyphenol with potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic properties, shows promise for DFU treatment but is limited by low solubility and skin permeability. This study aimed to develop an optimized ellagic acid-loaded transethosomal gel to enhance topical delivery and therapeutic efficacy. Transethosomes were prepared via cold ethanol injection, optimized using a 2³ factorial design, and incorporated into Carbopol 940 gel. The optimized formulation has a vesicle size of 191.5 ± 1.86 nm, PDI of 0.164, zeta potential of -32.5 ± 1.7 mV, and entrapment efficiency of 94.5 ± 0.94 Transethosomal gel formulation enriched with ellagic acid for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) were formulated. Optimized formulation exhibited ideal physicochemical characteristics. Stability evaluations suggested a shelf life of 27.41 months under refrigerated conditions and 21.83 months at ambient conditions. The developed transethosomal gel system signifies a promising advanced delivery for managing DFUs.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) pose formidable challenges due to their invasive behaviour and the tendency for metastasis, often resulting in dismal prognoses, particularly in advanced stages. However, over the last decade, nanomaterials (NMs) have emerged as promising assets for both diagnosing and treating HNSCCs. NMs provide distinct advantages by enabling the delivery of a wide variety of active moieties, encompassing imaging agents, drugs, genes, vaccines, radiosensitizers, and photosensitizers, thereby revolutionizing the therapeutic landscape of HNSCCs. This comprehensive review delves into recent strides in NMs, aiming to augment the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of patients afflicted with HNSCC utilizing advanced drug delivery systems. Harnessing the distinctive properties of NMs, including targeted delivery of drug, controlled and sustained release mechanisms, and responsiveness to stimuli, holds immense potential in enhancing treatment efficacy and impact on patient health. Moreover, we explore the prospect of NMs in facilitating personalized medicine strategies tailored to the needs of individual patient, ushering in a new era of precision oncology. Furthermore, we underscore pivotal areas for future research endeavours in the realm of nanotechnology-enabled HNSCC therapy using various drug delivery systems. By amalgamating nanotechnological breakthroughs, we envision a transformative shift in the therapeutic paradigm for HNSCCs, offering promising avenues for early detection, precise therapy, and ultimately, improved survival rates for patients battling this challenging malignancy.
