Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent psychostimulant that induces oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity following prolonged or high-dose exposure. Vitamin A, a fat-soluble antioxidant, has been reported to exert protective effects against oxidative tissue injury. This study evaluated the effect of high-dose vitamin A on methamphetamine-induced liver toxicity in adult male Wistar rats. Twenty adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n = 5 per group). Group A served as the control and received standard feed and water only; Group B received methamphetamine (10 mg/kg body weight) administered at 3-hour intervals daily; Group C received high-dose vitamin A (2.5 mg/kg body weight); and Group D received methamphetamine in combination with high-dose vitamin A. All experimental animals had free access to standard feed and water throughout the study. The administration was done orally by gavage for 28 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the final administration, the animals were anesthetized and sacrificed. The livers were excised, weighed, and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological examination using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Blood samples were collected for the determination of serum liver enzyme activities, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Body weight results revealed reduction in body weight of the rats in METH treated group while co-administration with high-dose vitamin A mitigated the weight loss. The organ weight assessment revealed an increase in relative liver weight across the experimental groups compared with the control group. However, the methamphetamine-treated group (Group B) exhibited a significantly higher relative liver weight than the control group (P < 0.005). Histological observation revealed that methamphetamine caused liver damage such as hepatocellular degeneration and inflammatory infiltration. Co-treatment with high-dose vitamin A showed improved liver cytoarchitecture suggesting protective effect. In conclusion, methamphetamine caused hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats of the animal models studied while high-dose vitamin A offered hepatoprotection against methamphetamine-induced liver damage.

]]> Vitamin A, Wistar rat, Hepatoprotective, Toxic dose, Methamphetamine Research Article Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 IST Methamphetamine (METH), a potent psychostimulant, is widely recognized for its neurotoxic and systemic toxic effects, including oxidative and inflammatory damage to peripheral organs such as the kidney. Excessive METH exposure induces nephrotoxicity characterized by oxidative stress, tubular degeneration, and impaired renal function. Vitamin A, in its active metabolite form (retinoic acid), exhibits strong antioxidant and cytoprotective properties that may counteract drug-induced organ injury. This study investigated the potential protective effect of low-dose of vitamin A on the kidneys of adult male Wistar rats exposed to toxic doses of methamphetamine. Twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 5): group A (control) feed and water, group B (METH-only; 20g/kg at 3-hour intervals within 12 hours in a day), group C (vitamin A-only; 0.7 mg/kg) while group D (combined METH + vitamin A). All the experimental groups were fed with feed and water. All treatments were administered orally via intubation for 28 consecutive days. After the final administration, animals were anesthetized and sacrificed; kidneys were harvested, fixed in 10% neutral formal-saline and processed for histological examination using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Results of methamphetamine exposure group showed weight loss, oxidative stress, and notable renal architectural disruptions, including tubular necrosis, glomerular shrinkage, and inflammatory infiltration. However, co-administration of low-dose of vitamin A preserved renal morphology, reduced cellular degeneration, and stabilized biochemical markers of kidney function. The findings of this study suggest that vitamin A confers a nephroprotective effect against methamphetamine-induced renal toxicity, likely mediated through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism.

]]> Toxic dose, Vitamin A, Wistar rat, Nephroprotective, Methamphetamine Research Article Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 IST The three-dimensional (3-D) printing model has been recognized as an ideal platform through which ocular drug delivery vehicles can bypass the natural anatomical and physiological barriers that limit the performance of traditional eye drops, suspensions, and injections. Through the ability to provide geometrical precision in regulating space and volume for drug loading, 3D printing can be used to create personalized, location-specific ocular dosage geometries capable of sustaining drug release, decreasing dosing frequency, and improving patient compliance and comfort. Rational design of 3D-printed devices has enabled the development of ocular inserts, microneedles, contact lenses, and microfluidic systems (Giri et al., 2024; Tan et al., 2022). Extrusion has been widely used in anterior segment therapy, in which ocular inserts capable of extending residence time and providing controlled drug release have been fabricated. More recently, sodium hyaluronate-derived hydrogel inserts loaded with liposomal moxifloxacin (SL:MOX) were printed as multilayered structures with consistent size and thickness. FTIR and SEM analyses demonstrated the successful production of liposomes (~150 nm) with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 80%, while maintaining uniform drug content and avoiding destructive drug–polymer interactions. In vivo, 10-layer SL:MOX inserts achieved approximately 71% drug release with a near zero-order release profile and slower release than non-liposomal MOX inserts and conventional eye drop formulations, resulting in improved ocular retention and bioavailability (Duman et al., 2024; Giri et al., 2024; Alzahrani et al., 2023). The treatment challenges associated with posterior segment diseases have stimulated the development of 3D-printed intraocular implants capable of prolonged drug delivery. Homogeneous dispersion of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) within a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix has been achieved with loading efficiencies approaching 100% through precise geometry control, while eliminating residual organic solvents that may irritate ocular tissues. Implants with higher surface-area-to-volume ratios demonstrated the greatest cumulative drug release over 180 days in vitro, and release kinetics followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas diffusion model. Cytocompatibility exceeded 90% cell viability, highlighting the potential of customizable implants to provide sustained steroid delivery while reducing the need for repeated intravitreal injections (Annuryanti et al., 2023; Ioannou et al., 2023).

]]> 3D Print, Ocular Drug Delivery, physiological barriers, traditional eye drops Editorial Article Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 IST Nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary and fast-advancing field, deals largely with particles whose dimensions fall between 1 and 100 nm, valued for the distinctive optical, physicochemical, and biological behavior that emerges at this scale. Green synthesis routes rely on plant- and fruit-derived reagents that are inexpensive, renewable, and lower in toxicity than conventional chemical precursors, and such biologically produced nanoparticles tend to be more stable and quicker to form. Because they are highly biocompatible, green-synthesized nanoparticles find use across a wide span of biomedical and pharmaceutical settings. Metal oxide nanoparticles, in particular, display strong catalytic behavior and are routinely applied to neutralize toxic or hazardous substances, especially where environmental safety is a concern. Gold, aluminium, zinc, copper, titanium, iron, and silver are among the metals most frequently exploited for nanoparticle fabrication, with several standing out for their broad relevance in biomedicine; zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs), for instance, are extensively incorporated into food-packaging materials and into paint and varnish formulations. The plant at the centre of this review, Musa paradisiaca (locally called virupakshi), serves as a key raw material for producing several nanoparticle types, including those of silver, gold, iron oxide, copper oxide, and zinc oxide. Traditionally, this plant has been employed to manage ailments such as diabetes, diarrhoea, hypertension, ulcers, and inflammation, a therapeutic profile attributed to bioactive constituents that impart antioxidant, antibacterial, wound-healing, and anti-diarrhoeal effects. In this review, ZnONPs synthesized from Musa paradisiaca peel extract are examined for their relevance to biology, biomedicine, environmental remediation, industry, agriculture, and food science.

]]> green-synthesized, Musa paradisiaca, antioxidant, antibacterial, nanotechnology, sustainable Review Article Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 IST Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with serious health complications, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. The increasing prevalence of obesity has created a need for safer and more sustainable therapeutic alternatives. Plant-derived waste materials are rich sources of bioactive compounds and offer significant potential for drug discovery. The present study investigated the anti-obesity potential of phytoconstituents obtained from amla leaves (Phyllanthus emblica) using an in-silico approach. Obesity-related target proteins (PDB IDs: 9MIZ and 9VG4) involved in lipid metabolism and adipogenesis were selected for molecular docking studies. Ligand structures were retrieved from the PubChem database and docked using AutoDock Vina. Protein–ligand interactions were analyzed using Discovery Studio Visualizer. Drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties were evaluated through ADME analysis, while toxicity prediction was performed to assess safety profiles. The results demonstrated that several phytoconstituents exhibited favourable binding affinities toward both target proteins and formed stable interactions with key amino acid residues. Furthermore, selected compounds satisfied Lipinski’s Rule of Five and Ghose filter criteria, showed acceptable ADME characteristics, and exhibited low predicted toxicity. These findings suggest that phytoconstituents derived from plant waste materials possess promising anti-obesity potential and may serve as lead candidates for further development. However, experimental validation through in vitro and in vivo studies is required to confirm their efficacy and safety.

]]> obesity, molecular docking, plant waste, Phyllanthus emblica, ADME, toxicity prediction, anti-obesity activity Research Article Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 IST