Pharmacoeconomic study of antipsychotic drugs in India

Background: Schizophrenia is a disorder of relatively high point prevalence, low incidence and high disability. It accounts for nearly 1.5-3% of total national expenditure on health care. There is a gross variation in the cost of various branded and generic versions of antipsychotics available in India. This can lead to decreased patient compliance. The present study was undertaken to highlight this variation in the cost of various preparations of antipsychotics (branded and generic) available in India.Methods: Cost ratio and Percentage variation in cost of various antipsychotics available were calculated by standard formulae and analysed.Results: There is a very high variation in the cost of various antipsychotics available in India. The highest variation in cost ratio was seen with risperidone 2mg, 3mg and olanzapine 10mg, while the highest percentage cost variation was seen with risperidone 3mg, 4mg, 1mg; olanzapine 2.5mg, 5mg, 50mg, 100mg; levosulpiride 25mg and chlorpromazine 20mg. The lowest percentage cost variation was seen with Flupenthixol 3mg and Amisulpiride 300mg.Conclusions: There is a definite need to further strengthen the Drug Price Regulatory Mechanisms with regard to antipsychotics available in India in order to improve the patient compliance and thus cure rates of this burdensome and costly illness

Study of price variation among the different brands of anti-tubercular drugs available in India

Background: India is one of the largest Tuberculosis (TB) burden countries in the world. Although Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme provides free cost of therapy, sometimes patient get treated by private practioners. This can sometimes lead to irregular course of treatment due to decreased patient compliance. This in turn may lead to multi drug resistance among TB bacilli. One of the reasons for decreased patient compliance is cost of therapy. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the cost of therapy of various anti-TB drugs and their combinations available in India.Methods: The maximum and minimum cost in rupees (INR) of all anti-TB drugs manufactured by various pharmaceutical companies was noted. The cost of 10 tablets/capsules or their fixed dose combinations (FDCs) was calculated. The cost ratio and percentage price variation were calculated for each brand and compared.Results: Percentage variation in cost of oral anti-TB drugs marketed in India was highest in ethambutol 400mg (474.51), cycloserine 250mg (384.61), ethambutol 800mg (321.84) and rifampin 450mg (258.45). The lowest percentage cost variation was seen with pyrazinamide 225mg (10.04), ethambutol 1000mg (18.82) and rifampin 100mg (22.78). Among the FDCs lowest percentage cost variation seen with rifampin 150mg +isoniazid 75mg+pyrazinamide 400mg (0.16) and highest percentage cost variation is seen with rifampin 450mg+isoniazid 300mg+pyrazinamide 750mg+ethambutol 800mg (232.73).Conclusions: There is a significant variation in the cost of different brands of oral anti-TB drugs and their FDCs available in India. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) should take more proactive steps for bringing down the prices of first line anti-TB drugs and the clinicians prescribing them should be aware of the price variation among the various brands of anti-TB drugs available in India

Study on self-medication among 2nd year medical students

Background: Self-medication is use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized symptoms and illness. Self-medication is a common type of self-care behavior in the general public, but medical students differ in such practice, as they have knowledge about drugs and diseases.Methods: The present study involved 100 2nd year final term medical students in “Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences,” Shivamogga, Karnataka. Study was questionnaire based, and the results were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods.Results: In our study, 57% were female, and 43% were male. About 60% had knowledge about over the counter (OTC) drugs and considered Ayurveda drugs also OTC drugs. 25% considered self-medication entirely safe, whereas 61% considered self-medication have advantages. Self-medication was preferred by 72% as they felt that there is no need to consult health care professionals for a simple ailment. Self-medication was practiced by 62% students, among which 86% were appropriate, and 48% among them utilized knowledge from previous consultation. In 28% fever was the most common condition and paracetamol was the most commonly used drug.Conclusions: Self-medication was widely practiced among the students. They had good knowledge of OTC drugs. The practice of self-medication was almost appropriate. In general self-medication must be accompanied by appropriate information. Educating benefits and risks of self-medication is very much needed for medical students and the public now a day

A study on cutaneous adverse drug reactions at district Mc. Gann teaching hospital, Shimoga institute of medical sciences, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India

Background: Adverse drug reactions very often manifest in the form of cutaneous reactions. Majority of new drugs are developed by western countries and releases the drug worldwide after testing on small number of patients. Safety profile of such drugs may not be relevant in our country due to varied factors. Pharmacovigilance in the form of post-marketing surveillance helps to establish the accurate safety profile of drugs. The objective of this study was to study the various cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADRs), frequency, type, severity and preventability of CADRs and to evaluate the drugs causing the CADRs.Methods: A total of 52 patients were recruited for this study which was conducted in the dermatology OPD department from November 2015 to April 2016, demographic details, causality, severity, preventability were analysed by using standard scales.Results: 52 patients with CADRs were included in the study during the 6 months study period. Results were presented in the form of number and percentage. Most common age group with CADRs was 40- 60 years; the most common suspected drug group causing CADRs was antimicrobials 46.15%. According to Naranjos scale 67.30% of CADRs were probably caused by drugs. Schumoch and Thornton scale showed that 63.46% of CADRs in the study were definitely preventable.Conclusions: Wide variety of drugs causes CADRs. Awareness among clinicians is required for active reporting of CADRs. Patients need to be educated for the cautious use of drugs causing ADRs to prevent the same

A study on prescription analysis and utilization of antibiotics in geriatric in-patients admitted in Shimoga institute of medical sciences tertiary care hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka, India

Background: Geriatrics is concerned with population aged 60 and above. Elderly suffer from various problems of the old age and hence prone to suffer from various adverse effects due to multiple drug use. In this regard rational use of drugs assumes importance. Hence the present study was conducted to study the rationality of prescriptions and utilization of antibiotics in the geriatric age group.Methods: 126 inpatient prescriptions were chosen and analysed for their rationality according to WHO core drug use indicators. The prescriptions were chosen randomly during the months of July to November 2013 from inpatients at district Mcgann teaching hospital. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data.Results: 97% of total drugs prescribed were from essential drug list (EDL). Cephalosporins were the most commonly prescribed group of antibiotics. Respiratory diseases were the maximum cause of admission to the hospital followed by cardiovascular diseases. Prescription by brand name was 57.93% while generic drug prescription was 40.65% of total drugs prescribed. 7.81% of total drugs were prescribed as fixed drug combination average of 6.25 drugs were prescribed per person and 1.39% of prescriptions were illegible.Conclusions: Most of drugs prescribed were from WHO model list of essential drugs which conforms to WHO rational drug use. Also prescription by generic name has to be emphasized to promote rationality of prescriptions. Antibiotic prescriptions should be preceded by microbiological testing wherever indicated and illegible prescriptions should be prevented at all costs. Adherence to guidelines regarding drug use in the elderly can help in rational drug use in elderly

THE ROBUST DESIGN OF LINEAR PHASE FIR FILTER USING MIX-MUTATION EVOLUTIONARY PROGRAMMING

ABSTRACT In the design of frequency-selective filters, the desired filter characteristics are specified in the frequency domain in terms of desired magnitude and phase response of the filter. In this paper we present a design approach by determining the closely approximated coefficients using powerful Evolutionary Programming to find the solution for the optimization problem in selecting the coefficients. In this paper the design of Causal FIR filter with desired frequency response and phase response is presented. In practice, FIR filters are employed in filtering problems where there is a requirement for linear phase characteristics within the passband of the filter. The Evolutionary Programming is the best search procedure and most powerful than Linear Programming in providing the optimal solution that is desired to minimize the ripple content in both passband and stopband. We presented here how the values of δ 1 and δ 2 are minimized with best optimized approach using Evolutionary Computation. The optimized filter bank structure is implemented in our research work for effective compression of images

Measurement of 92Mo(n,α)89Zr and 97Mo(n,p)97Nb reactions at the neutron energy 13.52 MeV with covariance analysis

218-222The cross sections have been estimated for the Nuclear reactions 92Mo(n,α)89Zr and 97Mo(n,p)97Nb produced in Purnima neutron generator at neutron energy of 13.52±0.0045 MeV using activation analysis and off-line γ -ray spectrometric techniques. 27Al(n,α)24Na has been used as a monitor reaction. The covariance analysis for these cross sections has been carried out by taking into consideration of partial uncertainties of different attributes and correlations between the attributes. The cross section values of the present study have been compared with EXFOR, ENDF data of various libraries and theoretical data of TALYS-1.8 code

Measurement of 92Mo(n,α)89Zr and 97Mo(n,p)97Nb reactions at the neutron energy 13.52 MeV with covariance analysis

The cross sections have been estimated for the Nuclear reactions 92Mo(n,α)89Zr and 97Mo(n,p)97Nb produced in Purnima neutron generator at neutron energy of 13.52±0.0045 MeV using activation analysis and off-line γ -ray spectrometric techniques. 27Al(n,α)24Na has been used as a monitor reaction. The covariance analysis for these cross sections has been carried out by taking into consideration of partial uncertainties of different attributes and correlations between the attributes. The cross section values of the present study have been compared with EXFOR, ENDF data of various libraries and theoretical data of TALYS-1.8 code

Novi pristup spektrofotometrijskom određivanju metronidazola i tinidazola koristeći p-dimetilaminobenzaldehid

A new approach to the spectrophotometric determination of metronidazole (MZ) and tinidazole (TZ) has been developed. The procedure involves coupling of diazotized nitroimidazoles with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DMAB) to form a greenish-yellow solution. Optimal temperature and time for diazotization were 0 oC (iced) and 3 minutes and 30 oC and 2 minutes for coupling was, respectively, for both MZ and TZ. Coloured adducts of MZ and TZ showed peaks at 406 nm and 404 nm, respectively, which were selected as analytical wavelengths. The reaction with p-DMAB occurred in a 1:1 mole ratio. Beer’s law was obeyed within the 4.8–76.8 µg mL1 concentration range with low limits of detection. The azo adducts were stable for over a week. Molar absorptivities were 1.10 x 103 (MZ) and 1.30 x 103 L mol1 cm1 (TZ). Overall recoveries of MZ and TZ from quality control samples were 103.2 ± 1.3 and 101.9 ± 1.3 % over three days. There was no interference from commonly utilized tablet excipients. No significant difference was obtained between the results of the new method and the BP titrimetric procedures. The azo approach using the p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde procedure described in this paper is simple, fast, accurate and precise. It is the first application of DMAB as a coupling component in the diazo coupling reaction.U radu je opisan novi način spektrofotometrijskog određivanja metronidazola (MZ) i tinidazola (TZ). Postupak uključuje reakciju diazotiranog nitroimidazola s p-dimetilaminobenzaldehidom (DMAB), pri čemu nastaje zelenkasto-žuta otopina. Optimalna temperatura i vrijeme za diazotaciju su 0 oC (ledena kupelj) i 3 minute, a za reakciju kondenzacije 30 oC i 2 minute. Obojeni adukti imaju maksimum apsorpcije pri 406, odnosno 404 nm pa su te valne duljine izabrane za analitički postupak. Reakcija s p-DMAB zbiva se u množinskom omjeru 1:1. Reakcija slijedi Beerov zakon u koncentracijskom rasponu 4,8–76,8 µg mL1 s niskim granicama detekcije. Azo adukti su stabilni preko tjedan dana. Molarna apsorptivnost bila je 1,10 × 103 (MZ), odnosno 1,30 × 103 L mol1 cm1 (TZ). Ukupni povrat MZ i TZ iz kontrolnih uzoraka bio je 103,2 ± 1,3, odnosno 101,9 ± 1,3 % tijekom tri dana. Nije zamijećena nikakva interferencija uobičajenih pomoćnih tvari koje se koriste za tabletiranje. Ne postoji značajna razlika između rezultata dobivenih novom metodom i rezultata dobivenih BP titrimetrijskim postupkom. Metoda određivanja opisana u ovom radu je jednostavna, brza, pogodna, točna i precizna i po prvi puta uključuje DMAB u reakciji diazo kopulacije

Genetic diversity and differentiation among populations of the Indian eri silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini, revealed by ISSR markers

Samia cynthia ricini (Lepidoptera:Saturniidae), the Indian eri silkworm, contributes significantly to the production of commercial silk and is widely distributed in the Brahmaputra river valley in North-Eastern India. Due to over exploitation coupled with rapid deforestation, most of the natural populations of S. cynthia ricini are dwindling rapidly and its preservation has become an important goal. Assessment of the genetic structure of each population is a prerequisite for a sustainable conservation program. DNA fingerprinting to detect genetic variation has been used in different insect species not only between populations, but also between individuals within a population. Since, information on the genetic basis of phenotypic variability and genetic diversity within the S. cynthia ricini populations is scanty, inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) system was used to assess genetic diversity and differentiation among six commercially exploited S. cynthia ricini populations. Twenty ISSR primers produced 87% of inter population variability among the six populations. Genetic distance was lowest between the populations Khanapara (E5) and Mendipathar (E6) (0.0654) and highest between Dhanubhanga (E4) and Titabar (E3) (0.3811). Within population, heterozygosity was higher in Borduar (E2) (0.1093) and lowest in Titabar (E3) (0.0510). Highest gene flow (0.9035) was between E5 and E6 and the lowest (0.2172) was between E3 and E5. Regression analysis showed positive correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance among the populations. The high GST value (0.657) among the populations combined with low gene flow contributes significantly to the genetic differentiation among the S. cynthia ricini populations. Based on genetic diversity, these populations can be considered as different ecotypes and in situ conservation of them is recommended