Prescription pattern of metformin for various indications: a prospective study

Background: Metformin, a biguanide is the most preferred choice of drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It has many advantages - it does not cause hypoglycaemia and weight gain, prevents insulin resistance besides being cheap and relatively safe. It has other pleiotropic benefits beyond its glucose-lowering effect with preclinical evidence for many indications. This prospective observational study was conducted to assess the prescribing pattern of metformin for various indications by physicians.Methods: Prescriptions containing metformin were collected from the inpatient and Outpatient Departments of different specialities. The data collected were analysed and grouped on the bases of age, gender, disease condition and analysed for significance.Results: A total of 218 patients were included in this study. All the prescriptions containing metformin were collected and analysed. Metformin was most extensively prescribed for Type 2 diabetes (51.83%) followed by Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) (26.14) and least number of prescriptions were collected for prediabetes (1.37%). Most common age group receiving metformin was 31-40 years (35.77%).Conclusions: Metformin is the oldest and most widely prescribed as a first choice antihyperglycemic drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. There are many experimental and clinical studies which have shown an array of potential benefits of metformin other than in the treatment of diabetes. But its clinical application is limited despite convincing basic evidence. The possible reasons could be absence of recommendations in the guidelines and insufficient evidence for use.

Activity of Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum linn) in protecting gastric ulcer in rats by cold restrain method

Background: Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum L.) common household plant, a potent adaptogen has been used for its medicinal property for many years. It is known in Ayurveda as Incomparable one, Mother of medicine of Nature and The Queen of Herbs. The present study evaluated the stress induced anti-ulcer effect of tulsi leaves in albino rats.Methods: Albino rats were randomly, allocated to different experimental groups and aqueous leaf extract of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) is given for 7 days. Gastric ulcers were induced by cold restrain methods and results were compared with control using distilled water and standard drug Ranitidine.Results: The Anti-ulcer effect of aqueous extract of Tulsi was significant in a dose dependent manner with cold restraint model. The percentage of ulcer protection of Tulsi leaf extract at dose 100mg/kg is 68.85% and at dose of 200mg/kg showed 65.66% and the standard drug Ranitidine showed 78.23% ulcer protection which is significant (p <0.05).Conclusions: The study showed that when Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) is given at dose 100-200mg/kg for 7 days i.e., pre-treatment in rats for anti-ulcer effect, it caused a significant reduction in the ulcer scores and ulcer index when compared with control group, as evidenced by the gross appearance and histological findings of gastric mucosa in rats. There were few signs of mucosal injury and the percentage of damage was less compared to control group. Serosal surface revealed very few dilated blood vessels and petechial hemorrhages and mucosal surface had few ulcers of varying sizes