Analysis of adverse reactions with phenytoin and carbamazepine in tertiary care hospital – A retrospective study

Introduction: Drugs used in pharmacotherapy are known to cause adverse reactions along with its useful therapeutic effects. Pharmacotherapy is the common modality of treatment for seizures and epilepsies. Despite the availability of many pharmacotherapeutic agents for the management of epilepsies, even today the broad spectrum anti-epileptic drugs like phenytoin and carbamazepine are frequently prescribed owing to their effectiveness. Here with this retrospective study an attempt has been made to understand the different adverse reactions developed especially serious reactions with the phenytoin and carbamazepine. Materials and Methods: It’s a retrospective study; data is collected from case sheets and adverse drug reaction reporting forms. Results: In this retrospective study we noted serious reactions like Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Out of 100 reactions studied 72% are with phenytoin and 28% are with carbamazepine. Conclusion: The study is intended to project the seriousness of adverse reactions with commonly prescribed anti-epileptic drugs. There is a need for further studies especially prospective safety and efficay studie

Vanillin abrogates ethanol induced gastric injury in rats via modulation of gastric secretion, oxidative stress and inflammation

Vanillin is commonly used as an additive in food, medicine and cosmetics, but its effect has not yet been studied in gastric injury. Therefore the effect of vanillin was studied in experimental gastric ulcer. Gastric secretion and acidity were studied in pylorus ligated rats. Ulcer index, levels of gastric mucus, malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, and histopathological changes were determined in ethanol induced gastric ulcer. Pre treatment with vanillin significantly reduced gastric secretion (P < 0.001) and acidity (P < 0.0001) and gastric ulcer index scores (P < 0.001). and augmented the gastric mucosal defense. Vanillin significantly restored the depleted gastric wall mucus levels (P < 0.0001) induced by ethanol and also significantly attenuated ethanol induced inflammation and oxidative stress by the suppression of gastric MPO activity (P < 0.001), reducing the expression of NF-κB p65 and the increased MDA levels (P < 0.001). Vanillin was also effective in alleviating the damage to the histological architecture and the activation of mast cells induced by ethanol.Together the results of this study highlight the gastroprotective activity of vanillin in gastric ulcers of rats through multiple actions that include inhibition of gastric secretion and acidity, reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress, suppression of expression of NF-κB, and restoration of the histological architecture. Keywords: Gastric ulcers, Pylorus ligation, Ethanol, Vanillin, Inflammation, Oxidative stres