Comparison of methylprednisolone with dexamethasone in treatment of acute spinal injury in rats

Effect of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) and its comparison with dexamethasone in experimentally induced acute spinal cord compression in adult rats was studied. The rats were divided into group A (control) and group B, which was subdivided into B1, B2, B3 where MPSS was given after 1, 8 and 24 hr and B4 where dexamethasone was given after 1 hr of cord injury respectively. Proper neurological evaluation was done with mobility, running and climbing score. Recovery index was evaluated for 7 days. After sacrificing the rats, spinal cord was observed histopathologically. Mean recovery index and microscopic findings based on hemorrhage in gray and white matter, neuronal degeneration, hematomyelia and edema in white matter were recorded. The results suggested that MPSS was effective in promoting post-traumatic clinical and histological recovery and to a greater extent, when given 1 hr after trauma. MPSS is more effective than dexamethasone in reducing edema when both are given after interval of 1 hr.     

Preoperative fine needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis of spindle cell myoepithelioma of the parotid gland: a case report

BACKGROUND: There are only rare case reports of preoperative fine needle aspiration cytologic (FNAC) diagnosis of myoepithelioma of the salivary gland. Myoepitheliomas with pure spindle cell morphology may simulate a variety of benign or malignant spindle cell soft tissue tumors. CASE: A 54-year-old woman presented with a history of progressively increasing swelling in the right parotid region. The clinical diagnosis was parotid malignancy. Routine FNAC yielded highly particulate material. The smears were cellular, with tissue fragments, clusters of spindle cells and numerous small globules and strands of bright magenta material. High cellular yield and pure spindle cell population with an accentuated chromatin pattern in Papanicolaou-stained smears simulated a low-grade spindle cell soft tissue sarcoma. A vague resemblance to a schwannoma was also noted. However, based on the characteristic findings of the May-Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG)-stained smears, a preoperative diagnosis of myoepithelioma was made and confirmed by subsequent histopathologic examination and immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: Cytologically, spindle cell myoepithelioma of the salivary gland may simulate low-grade spindle cell soft tissue sarcoma or schwannoma. However, optimal sampling of the lesion and logical interpretation of the MGG-stained smears, in the appropriate clinical situation, allow a confident preoperative diagnosis of these tumors.     

Fine needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis of erythema nodosum leprosum: a case report

BACKGROUND: Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), the type 2 lepra reaction occurring in lepromatous or borderline lepromatous leprosy, presents clinically with acute manifestations that compel the patient to seek medical attention. Recognition and timely management of these patients is critical in order to avoid permanent disability. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple, effective tool that aids in correct diagnosis and management of ENL. CASE: A 30-year-old woman presented with history of fever, reddening of the face, and multiple raised, reddish, painful swellings of the bilateral forearms and legs for 7 days. One year previously, she was diagnosed and treated for lepromatous leprosy with type 2 reaction. After a thorough clinical examination a diagnosis of ENL was made. FNA smears from the forearm swellings showed pus-like material with intact and degenerated polymorphonuclear leukocytes and many foamy macrophages with strong granular acid-fast bacillus (AFB) positivity. A cytologic diagnosis of ENL was given, which was confirmed on histopathologic examination of skin biopsy. CONCLUSION: Cytologic features such as a large number of intact and degenerated neutrophils with foamy macrophages and strong granular AFB positivity, in an appropriate clinical background, allows a confident diagnosis of ENL.     

Intestinal Targeting of Ganciclovir Release Employing a Novel HEC-PAA Blended Lyomatrix

A hydroxyethylcellulose-poly(acrylic acid) (HEC-PAA) lyomatrix was developed for ganciclovir (GCV) intestine targeting to overcome its undesirable degradation in the stomach. GCV was encapsulated within the HEC-PAA lyomatrix prepared by lyophilization. Conventional tablets were also prepared with identical GCV concentrations in order to compare the GCV release behavior from the lyomatrix and tablets. GCV incorporation (75.12%) was confirmed using FTIR, DSC, and TGA. The effect of GCV loading on the microstructure properties of the lyomatrix was evaluated by SEM, AFM, and BET surface area measurements. The in vitro drug release study showed steady and rapid release profiles from the GCV-loaded lyomatrix compared with the tablet formulation at identical pH values. Minimum GCV release was observed at acidic pH (≤40%) and maximum release occurred at intestinal pH values (≥90%) proving the intestinal targeting ability of the lyomatrix. Kinetic modeling revealed that the GCV-loaded lyomatrix exhibited zero-order release kinetics (n?=?1), while the tablets were best described via the Peppas model. Textural analysis highlighted enhanced matrix resilience and rigidity gradient (12.5%, 20 Pa) for the GCV-loaded lyomatrix compared to the pure (7%, 9.5 Pa) HEC-PAA lyomatrix. Bench-top MRI imaging was used to confirm the mechanism of GCV release behavior by monitoring the swelling and erosion rates. The swelling and erosion rate of the tablets was not sufficient to achieve rapid zero-order GCV release as with the lyomatrix. These combined results suggest that the HEC-PAA lyomatrix may be suitable for GCV intestinal targeting after oral administration.