Dr. Gitika Dhingra

Scopus Publications

Exploring Polyherbal Syrups as Alternative Anthelmintic Agents: Formulation, Screening and Comparative Efficacy
Preeti Chaudhary, Rupesh Pingale, Gitika Dhingra, Tejashri Thakare
Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 2026
Background: Helminth infections remain a significant global health issue, necessitating effective and accessible treatment options. Polyherbal formulations offer a promising alternative to conventional anthelmintic drugs, particularly in syrup form for easier administration to pediatric and geriatric populations. Objective: This study aims to explore the potential of polyherbal syrups as alternative anthelmintic agents. It focuses on the formulation, phytochemical screening, and comparative efficacy of these syrups against standard treatments such as Albendazole. Methods: Polyherbal syrup formulations were prepared and evaluated for their anthelmintic activity using standard in vitro assay. The study focused on identifying plants containing bioactive compounds specifically phenolic compounds, tannins, and flavonoids known for their anthelmintic potential. Bioactive components were identified using UV spectrophotometry, and phytochemical screening was conducted to determine the presence of key compounds. The anthelmintic efficacy of the polyherbal syrups was compared to that of Albendazole. Results: The study found that certain polyherbal syrup formulations exhibited significant anthelmintic activity, comparable to or exceeding that of Albendazole. The presence of phenolic compounds, tannins, and flavonoids in the selected plants was confirmed, contributing to their observed efficacy. Conclusion: Polyherbal syrups demonstrate potential as effective alternatives to standard anthelmintic treatments. These formulations, particularly those derived from plants with high concentrations of bioactive compounds, could offer a viable option for managing helminth infections, especially in populations with limited access to conventional medications. Further research could focus on optimizing these formulations and validating their efficacy in clinical settings.
Exploring chitin: novel pathways and structures as promising targets for biopesticides
Malkiet Kaur, Manju Nagpal, Gitika Arora Dhingra, Ankit Rathee
Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung Section C Journal of Biosciences, 2024
Chitin, the most prevalent polymer in nature, a significant structural polysaccharide that comes in second only to cellulose. Chitin is a crucial component of fungal cell walls and also present in many other creatures, such as viruses, plants, animals, insect exoskeletons, and crustacean shells. Chitin presents itself as a promising target for the development of biopesticides. It focuses on unraveling the unique structures and biochemical pathways associated with chitin, aiming to identify vulnerabilities that can be strategically leveraged for effective and environmentally sustainable pest control. It involves a comprehensive analysis of chitinase enzymes, chitin biosynthesis, and chitin-related processes across diverse organisms. By elucidating the molecular intricacies involved in chitin metabolism, this review seeks to unveil potential points of intervention that can disrupt essential biological processes in target pests without harming non-target species. This holistic approach to understanding chitin-related pathways aims to inform the design and optimization of biopesticides with enhanced specificity and reduced ecological impact. The outcomes of this study hold great promise for advancing innovative and eco-friendly pest management strategies. By targeting chitin structures and pathways, biopesticides developed based on these findings may offer a sustainable and selective alternative to conventional chemical pesticides, contributing to the ongoing efforts towards more environmentally conscious and effective pest control solutions.
GC-MS Evaluation of Bioactive Constituents of Hydroalcoholic Leaves Extract of Pongamia pinnata with Antibacterial Potential of Prepared Mouthwash Formulations
Preeti Chaudhary, Gitika Dhingra, Rupesh Pingale
Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 2024
The leaves of Pongamia pinnata was extracted with 800 ml of 70% ethanol and 30% water (V/V) mixture for 48 hr. The hydroalcoholic extract of Pongamia pinnata leaves was subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins and terpenoids was confirmed by preliminary phytochemical screening. The chemical composition of hydroalcoholic extract was determined by GC-MS analysis. The GC-MS investigation revealed the presence of sixteen different bioactive compounds in the Pongamia pinnata leaves extract. The least amount of constituents present in the hydroalcoholic extracts was dioctyl phthalate has the peak area 0.84 and maximum 38.17 peak area % was recorded for 3-Methoxy-1,2-propanediol. Three formulations (F-1), (F-2) and (F-3) of herbal mouthwash containing hydroalcoholic leaves extract of Pongamia pinnata were prepared. Then antibacterial activity of all three formulations of mouthwash were tested against Streptococcus mutans (oral pathogen). The results obtained were compared with standard mouthwash (Chlorhexidine). The findings revealed that prepared herbal mouthwash formulation 2 (F-2) showed significant zone of inhibition compared with standard Chlorhexidine.
Skin Cancer Management: Current Scenario And Future Perspectives
Manju Nagpal, Mehak Jindal, Malkiet Kaur, Manjinder Singh, Geeta Aggarwal, Gitika Arora Dhingra
Current Drug Safety, 2023
Skin cancer is a life-threatening disease and has caused significant loss to human health across the globe. Its prevalence has been increasing every year and is one of the common malignancies in the case of organ transplant recipients, of which 95% constitute basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. The prime factor causing skin cancer is UV radiation. Around the 20th century, sunlight was the primary cause of skin cancer. A novel hypothesis by US scientists stated that cutaneous melanoma was mainly due to recurrent exposure to the sun, whereas keratinocyte cancer occurred due to progressive accumulation of sun exposure. Management of skin cancer is done via various approaches, including cryotherapy, radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. Post-discovery of X-rays, radiotherapy has proven to treat skin cancers to some extent, but the indications are uncertain since it depends upon the type of tumour and surgical treatment required for the patient. Due to various limitations of skin cancer treatment and increased severity, there is a requirement for cost-effective, novel, and efficient treatment. Various nanocarriers such as SLNs, magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, etc., are the potential carriers in the management and prognosis of both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer. Various research and review databases and patent reports have been studied, and information compiled to extract the results. The review also discusses the role of various nanocarriers in treating and diagnosing skin cancer.
A Comprehensive Review on Nutraceuticals: Therapy Support and Formulation Challenges
Vivek Puri, Manju Nagpal, Inderbir Singh, Manjinder Singh, Gitika Arora Dhingra, Kampanart Huanbutta, Divya Dheer, Ameya Sharma, Tanikan Sangnim
Nutrients, 2022
Nutraceuticals are the nourishing components (hybrid of nutrition and pharmaceuticals) that are biologically active and possess capability for maintaining optimal health and benefits. These products play a significant role in human health care and its endurance, most importantly for the future therapeutic development. Nutraceuticals have received recognition due to their nutritional benefits along with therapeutic effects and safety profile. Nutraceuticals are globally growing in the field of services such as health care promotion, disease reduction, etc. Various drug nutraceutical interactions have also been elaborated with various examples in this review. Several patents on nutraceuticals in agricultural applications and in various diseases have been stated in the last section of review, which confirms the exponential growth of nutraceuticals’ market value. Nutraceuticals have been used not only for nutrition but also as a support therapy for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, such as to reduce side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Diverse novel nanoformulation approaches tend to overcome challenges involved in formulation development of nutraceuticals. Prior information on various interactions with drugs may help in preventing any deleterious effects of nutraceuticals products. Nanotechnology also leads to the generation of micronized dietary products and other nutraceutical supplements with improved health benefits. In this review article, the latest key findings (clinical studies) on nutraceuticals that show the therapeutic action of nutraceutical’s bioactive molecules on various diseases have also been discussed.
Upcoming drifts in bio-similars
Geeta Aggarwal, Manju Nagpal, Ameya Sharma, Vivek Puri, Gitika Arora Dhingra
Current Reviews in Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, 2021
Background: Biopharmaceuticals such as biological, medicinal products have been in clinical use over the past three decades and have benefited the therapy of degenerative and critical metabolic diseases. It is forecasted that the market of biologics will be going to increase at a rate of ˃ 20% per year, and by 2025, more than 50% of new drug approvals might be biological products. The increasing utilization of the biologics necessitates cost control, especially for innovator products that have a lengthy period of exclusive usage. As the first wave of biopharmaceuticals is expired or set to expire, it has led to various opportunities for the expansion of bio-similars i.e. copied versions of original biologics with same the biological activity. Development of biosimilars is expected to promote market competition, meet worldwide demand, sustain the healthcare systems and maintain the incentives for innovation. Methods: Appraisal of published articles from peer-reviewed journals, PubMed literature, latest news and guidelines from European Medicine Agency, US Food Drug Administration (FDA) and India were used to identify data for review. Results: Main insights into the quality requirements concerning biologics, the current status of regulation of bio-similars and upcoming challenges lying for the upgrading of the marketing authorization of biosimilars have been incorporated. Compiled literature on the therapeutic status, regulatory guidelines and the emerging trends and opportunities of biosimilars has been thoroughly stated. Conclusion: Updates on biosimilars will support to investigate the possible impact of bio-similars on the healthcare market.
Propitious profile of peppery piperine
H. Bakshi, M. Nagpal, Manjinder Singh, G. Dhingra, G. Aggarwal
Current Molecular Pharmacology, 2021
BACKGROUND Piperine is a key bioactive alkaloid found in plants of piperaceae family. The compound possesses various medicinal and pharmacological activities (cholesterol lowering, anti cancer, alzheimer's disease etc). Owing to its various target receptors (TRPV1, P-gp, CYP3A4 etc.) and several mechanisms, piperine has been studied as bio-enhancer for other drugs and its role has been evidenced in literature. When administered with other drugs, it increases absorption of other drugs thereby reducing the dose and dose related toxic potential. There are various mechanisms of piperine as a bio-enhancer and the common ones are i) prevention of efflux of drug molecules out of the cells; ii) decreased metabolism of drugs thereby prolonging half-life of drugs resulting in reduced urinary excretion. The detailed mechanism indicating bio-enhancing role of piperine along with various target receptors have not been comprehensively summarised till date. METHODS Literature related to the molecular, enzymatic and receptor targets of piperine were studied and database was collected using various search engines such as j-gate, google scholar, scihub, pubmed, sciencedirect etc. The literature related to therapeutic activities of piperine and its bio-enhancer role for other drugs has been thoroughly studied and compiled in brief. RESULTS A detailed summary of piperine targets along with related mechanisms has been stated. A brief therapeutic profile of piperine alone has been produced with supporting literature. Piperine role as a potential bio-enhancer for other drugs has been summarized. CONCLUSION Piperine is fascinating molecule of natural origin with several modes of its action, not only possess its own therapeutic activity but also enhances the therapeutic efficacy of other synthetic and natural drug molecules. Combination dosage forms of various API incorporating piperine as a bio-enhancer can be potential area of thrust for upcoming drug design and development.
Development and characterization of lbg-pva interpenetrating networks incorporating gliclazide for sustained release
Ashish Katoch, M. Nagpal, Malkiet Kaur, Manjinder Singh, G. Aggarwal, G. Dhingra
Current Drug Therapy, 2021
Controlled oral dosage forms have always been preferred for drugs with variable absorption, and short biological half life and frequent dosing. The prime goal with sustained release systems is to maintain uniform therapeutic blood levels for more extended periods of time. Interpenetrating networks (IPNs) have been evidenced as uniform sustained release systems. In the current study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and locust bean gum (LBG) based IPNs were developed for the oral sustained release drug delivery of gliclazide (shows variable absorption). The IPNs were synthesized by emulsion cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a cross linking agent. Gliclazide is a potential second generation, and short-acting sulfonylurea oral hypoglycemic agent having a short biological half-life (2-4 h), variable absorption and poor oral bioavailability. Various batches of IPNs were formulated by varying LBG: PVA ratio and evaluated for percentage yield, drug entrapment efficiency (DEE), swelling properties and in vitro drug release studies. Further characterizations were done by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), C13 Solid state NMR, X-Ray diffraction study (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Differential scanning microscopy (DSC) studies. The percentage yield, drug entrapment and equilibrium swelling were observed to be dependent on PVA-LBG ratio and GA amount. Sustained release of drug was observed in all IPN formulations (approx 59 - 86% in 8 h in various batches) with variable release kinetics. SEM studies revealed the regular structures of IPNs. FTIR, XRD, C13 Solid state NMR and DSC studies proposed that drug was successfully incorporated into the formed IPNs. IPNs of LBG and PVA can be used as a promising carrier with uniform sustained release characteristics.
Improved antibacterial activity of topical gel-based on nanosponge carrier of cinnamon oil
Malkiet Kaur, Manju Nagpal, Manjinder Singh, Thakur Gurjeet Singh, Geeta Aggarwal, Gitika Arora Dhingra
Bioimpacts, 2021
Introduction: Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) is a volatile oil, obtained from Cinnamomum zeylanicum has become one of the most important natural oil due to its antimicrobial activity. CEO suffers from various limitations such as instability and skin irritation. This problem has been overcome by formulating CEO-loaded nanosponges incorporated in carbopol gel with increased antimicrobial property and reduced skin irritation. Methods: The nanosponges were fabricated by solvent emulsion diffusion method and evaluated for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies, particle size, field emission scanning electron microscopy studies (FE-SEM), in vitro dissolution studies, in vitro antibacterial studies, using agar diffusion method, in vivo antibacterial activity and skin irritation studies and stability studies. Results: Nanosponge NS1 batch was found to be in the nanosize range. FTIR studies confirmed the absence of drug-polymer interaction. NS1 confirmed a porous structure with a uniform spherical shape using FE-SEM studies. In vitro dissolution studies of optimized NS1 revealed 80% drug release in 5 h whereas, incorporating the formulation into carbopol gel showed 100% release in 5h from G1 formulation. In vitro antibacterial study of the nanosponge (NS1 and NS3) showed remarkable antibacterial activity as seen from the zone of inhibition and gel formulation G1 also showed the highest zone of inhibition with 50±1.2 mm. NS1 and G1 were stable for 2 months under accelerated conditions and 3 months under room temperature conditions. Furthermore, the in vivo and skin irritation studies were performed with selected formulation against Staphylococcus aureus , where the results confirmed the significant antimicrobial activity with no skin irritation. Conclusion: Nanosponge carriers can be more therapeutically effective for essential oils which can further be incorporated into topical gels for convenient application.
Nanocarriers as prospective approach in effective management of acne vulgaris
Tanya Lugani, M. Nagpal, D. S. Malik, Ameya Sharma, V. Puri, G. Dhingra
Micro and Nanosystems, 2021
Acne is a chronic disease associated with the pilosebaceous unit and is affected by Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. Approximately 95% of people worldwide suffer from acne in their life span with a higher prevalence among teenagers (esp. boys). Conventional strategies incorporating antibiotics, steroids, hormones, etc. are recommended orally, systemically, or topically, employed for the treatment of acne but with various side effects (itching, scaling, redness, etc.) and are no more commercially accepted. The literature has been collected using various search engines google scholar, PubMed, science direct, etc. The review highlights the history of acne, its pathophysiology, developmental factors, various treatment evolutions strategies ranging from conventional to novel approach eradicating the secondary effects with enhanced efficacy and safety profile. We discussed various nanotechnological carriers (liposomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, microsponges and other nanoscale formulations), which are formulated in the last decade for the effective treatment of acne. Patent literature and marketed formulations are included in the last sections. The encapsulation efficiency of anti-acne drugs in different nanocarriers improves the efficacy as well as minimizes the side effects of the drug. These carriers showed better bioavailability as well as better penetration effects even to the pilosebaceous unit of the skin. Tolerance can be improved by increasing the concentration of anti-acne drugs in the nano-carrier formulation. Conventional treatment strategies for acne had some limitations like scaling, itching, and inflammation which can be overcome by nano-formulations, which exhibit better efficacy. At present, various nano-technological carriers are being used potentially for the treatment of acne. These nano-formulations are also associated with some limitations like drug entrapment, stability issues, but these will be overcome in the upcoming years as long as the research is being continued in this area.
Advanced dosage form design: Role of modified natural gums
GAYATRI DEVI, MALKIET KAUR, MANJU NAGPAL, AMEYA SHARMA, VIVEK PURI PURI, GITIKA ARORA DHINGRA, MINAXI ARORA
Asian Journal of Chemistry, 2021
COVID-19: Epidemiology, pathogenicity and global updates
MANJINDER SINGH, MANJU NAGPAL, VARINDER SINGH, AMEYA SHARMA, GITIKA ARORA DHINGRA, PARAMJOT MAMAN, VIVEK PURI
International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics, 2020
Gold nanoparticles-boon in cancer theranostics
Mehak Jindal, Manju Nagpal, Manjinder Singh, Geeta Aggarwal, Gitika Arora Dhingra
Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2020
Treatment of psoriasis: A comprehensive review of entire therapies
Harman Bakshi, Manju Nagpal, Manjinder Singh, Gitika Arora Dhingra, Geeta Aggarwal
Current Drug Safety, 2020
Antiviral essential oils incorporated in nanocarriers: Strategy for prevention from covid-19 and future infectious pandemics
Malkiet Kaur, Gayatri Devi, Manju Nagpal, Manjinder Singh, Gitika A. Dhingra, Geeta Aggarwal
Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, 2020
Lock stock and barrel of wound healing
Gitika A. Dhingra, Malkiet Kaur, Manjinder Singh, Geeta Aggarwal, Manju Nagpal
Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2019
Rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics: The neoteric approaches
Plant Archives, 2019
Fast dissolving tablets of domperidone using natural superdisintegrant: Formulation and optimization
Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Biological and Chemical Sciences, 2014
Formulation development and evaluation of alginate microspheres of ibuprofen
M. Nagpal, D.K. Maheshwari, P. Rakha, H. Dureja, S. Goyal, G. Dhingra
Journal of Young Pharmacists, 2012

Dr. Gitika Dhingra

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Scopus Publications