Pharmacoeconomic analysis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its microvascular complications

The international society for pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research (ISPOR) defines “Pharmacoeconomics as the field of study that evaluates the behaviour of individuals, firms and markets relevant to the use of pharmaceutical products, services and programs and which frequently focuses on the costs (inputs) and consequences (outcomes) of that use”. It is the description and analysis of the cost of drug therapy to health care systems and society. This prospective observation study was carried out for over a period of 6 months commencing from March 2014 to August 2014 among inpatients of General medicine and Nephrology departments of a tertiary care referral hospital in kerala.All diabetes mellitus patient treated in the Inpatient department of General medicine and Nephrology department during March-August 2014 were monitored, collect relevant data and entered into the data sheet. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the protocol approved by the IEC, patients belonging to the age group 40-70 of both sex were selected and enrolled for the study

STUDY ON AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF ANTI HYPERTENSIVE MEDICINES IN THE STATE OF KERALA

Objective: Since the 1970s, one of the smallest Indian States, Kerala, has been internationally applauded for its excellent performance in its health indicators. Even if mortality is low, the morbidity (those suffering from chronic/non-communicable diseases) levels in urban and rural is high in Kerala compared to other Indian states. Gradually, the public sector becomes incapable to convene the demands for health care and people have responded to this meagerness by increasing the use of an emerging private sector. To overcome this scenario, Kerala government established KMSCL for promoting access to medicines to the patients approaching the public hospitals in Kerala by making available selected essential medicines at free of cost. The present study was conducted to evaluate the availability, cost and affordability of anti-hypertensive medicines in Kerala. Methods: This prospective, observational study was conducted in Trivandrum district in Kerala, from June 2013 to November 2013. Three types of medication prices were taken into contemplation with the intension for calculation purposes, the highest and the lowest branded medication costs in private pharmacy and Karunya Community Pharmacy (KCP) prices. Affordability was calculated for the different level of skilled workers and through the wages fixed by the government of Kerala for these categories, who were consuming the medications at the time. A comparison was also done between various treatment guidelines of hypertension. Results: There was 15.5% to 230% price variation between the highest and lowest price of branded anti-hypertensive medicines respectively. For treating Stage 3 of hypertension; unskilled and highly skilled workers had to spend a minimum of 1.22 and 0.84 wage days respectively and a maximum of 5.23 and 4.34 wage days respectively in private pharmacies. All the medicines required for the treatments of hypertension were available in both private and KCP. Conclusion: The study revealed that there was an average availability at of antihypertensive medicines in public health facilities. The availability of all medicines at KCP in low price shows the good impact of KMSCL for promoting access of medicines to the poor

A STUDY ON THE USE OF MUSA SPECIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF RENAL CALCULI

Objective:To study the use of Musa species in the management of renal calculi.Methods: Formulation and evaluation of Musa AAB.Results:A significant decrease in the size of kidney stone under invitro condition was observed. This is due to the presence of organic constituents like β-sitosterol, quercetin, tannins, saponins and  inorganic constituents like magnesium, potassium and nitrate. The result from these experiment demonstrate the potential of concentrated Musa AAB formulations extract was a good natural remedy against kidney stone.Conclusion:The recent treatment of urolithiasis involves NSAID's, Antidiuretics and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy. Recurrence is quite common with these therapies. The liquid formulation of the Musa AAB formulations may be useful to overcome the major drawback of surgical procedures which is recurrence of stones.Keywords: Allopurinol, Cystone, Kidney stones, Musa AAB , Urolithiasi

ARTOCARPUS : A REVIEW OF ITS PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY

ABSTRACT: Moracea is a large family comprising about sixty genera and nearly 1400 species, including important group such as Artocarpus, Morus, and Ficus. A number of Artocarpus species are used as food and for traditional folk medicines in South-East Asia, Indonesia, Western part of Java and India. Artocarpus species has long been recognized for their exceptional medicinal value and for their edibile aggregrate fruits. Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jack fruit), Artocarpus altilis(bread fruit), Artocarpus hirsutus(wild jack), Artocarpu lakoocha and Artocarpus camansi(bread nut) are the important species belonging to this genus.these species are known to possess potential phytochemicals and high nutritional value. This review compiles traditional, phytochemical and pharmacological data on different Artocarpus species