Chronopharmacology and drug prescribing pattern of physicians in a tertiary care hospital of North India

Background: Chronopharmacology is the science dealing with the optimization of drug effects and the minimization of adverse effects by timing medication in relation to the biological rhythm. This concept came into picture to make us understand about periodic and predictable changes in both desired effects and tolerance of medication Chronotherapeutics approach gives more accurate determination of the time when patients are at highest risk and in greatest need of therapy. This Chronopharmacological principle is used in the therapy of various diseases like cardiovascular diseases, allergy and many more. The objective of the study was to analyse whether chronopharmacological approach was being applied in clinical practice by comparing chronopharmacology of 4 drugs to their prescribing pattern by the physicians.Methods: This was observational study where 700 prescriptions written by physicians were audited. To study all the drugs would have been tedious so four commonly used drugs were chosen that is, Proton pump inhibitors, statins, Beta blockers and subcutaneous Insulin.Results: Results showed that chronopharmacological approach has been applied in the clinical field though physician didn’t have clear concept about chronopharmacology and it is relation to the prescribing. Despite this, maximum physician prescribing pattern was comparable to the chronopharmacological data except in case of Proton pump inhibitors.Conclusions: It is concluded that Chronotherapeutics approach gives more accurate determination of the time when patients are at highest risk and in greatest need of therapy. Nevertheless, this variation is only seldom considered by clinicians. If drugs are prescribed by following chronopharmacological approach it can prove beneficial to the patients as more of effectiveness of the drug and lesser side effects

A comparison of computer assisted learning and practical animal experiment for undergraduate medical students in pharmacology curriculum - a questionnaire based study conducted in a medical college of North India

Background: The practical sessions in pharmacology training involving animal experiments were perceived to be unnecessary as the learning objectives of these practical sessions primarily focus on observational, analytical and interpretative skills. A number of computer simulation and other models have been recommended for use as alternatives to use of animals for medical education. In this study, we compared Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) with practical animal experiments for medical undergraduates based on questionnaire. The objective of the study was to compare Computer Assisted Learning and practical animal experiments for medical undergraduates in pharmacology curriculum.Methods: This was a questionnaire based observational study involving 300 medical undergraduates and eighteen faculty members. It included two systems i.e. CAL and conventional animal experiments. A separate questionnaire was prepared for the faculty members.Results: Results showed that CAL has nearly replaced the practical laboratory experiments as far as the medical undergraduate training is concerned. All the students and teachers believed that CAL is better and more understandable than animal experiments done practically.Conclusions: It is concluded that CAL is a better source of experimentation at the undergraduate level and provides dependable outcomes

Effect of alkali treatment on jute fibre composites

The aim of our project was the improvement of the mechanical properties of natural-fibrereinforced composites, as a result of optimization of the properties of jute fibres by the use of an NaOH treatment process. Jute fibres were subjected to a 5% alkali (NaOH) solution treatment for 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h at 30°C. The composites reinforced with alkali treated fibres showed improved mechanical properties. The improvement was maximum for the composites prepared with 4 h treated fibres. The ILSS improved by 26.56% and Bending Strength by 27.53%. An improvement in the crystallinity in the jute fibres increased its tenacity by 12%, 68% and 79% after 4, 6 and 8 h of treatment respectively. The rate of change of flexural strength and modulus were found to be linear with wt% of alkali treated fibres and the %breaking strain was reduced by 28% for composites prepared using 8-hr treated jute fibre. On plotting the different values of slopes obtained from the rates of improvement of the flexural strength and tenacity, against the NaOH treatment time, two different failure modes were apparent before and after 4 h of treatment. In the first region between 0 and 4 h, fibre pull out was predominant whereas in the second region between 6 and 8 h, transverse fracture occurred with a minimum fibre pull out. This observation was well supported by the SEM investigations of the fracture surfaces

Angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor: a novel therapy in the treatment of heart failure

Recently US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved valsartan/sacubitril is the first angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) that offers a new standard of treatment to physicians for the patients of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Sacubitril is a prodrug which gets activated to sacubitrilat and this inhibits the enzyme neprilysin which is a membrane bound endopeptidase and which in turn is responsible for the degradation of various natriuretic peptides. The action of Valsartan which selectively blocks the angiotensin II type-1 receptor is needed in addition to sacubitril because inhibition of neprilysin is accompanied by the activation of renin-angiotensin system. The combination appears to be a suitable alternative for patients of heart failure with persistent symptoms or with recent exacerbation or hospitalization while on standard optimized treatment. The availability of this novel sacubitril/valsartan combination is an important development in the heart failure management

ANTAGONISTIC AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM NEEDLE OF CUPRESSUS TORULOSA D.DON

Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate antagonistic and antibacterial activities of the endophytic fungi isolated from living symptomlessneedle of Cupressus torulosa D.Don from Pauri, Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms calls forinventive research and development strategies. Inhibition of these pathogenic microorganisms may be a promising therapeutic approach. Thescreening of antimicrobial compounds from endophytes may be a promising way to meet the increasing threat of drug-resistant strains of human andplant pathogens.Methods: A total of five different fungal endophytes were isolated from the needle of C. torulosa D.Don using potato dextrose agar medium. Thesefungal isolates morphotypically characterized. These isolates were further tested for antagonistic activity by the dual culture technique. Among fiveendophytic fungi, only two fungal endophytes were cultured to examine their antimicrobial properties and phytochemical analysis. Antimicrobialactivity was evaluated for crude hexane extracts against human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Salmonella typhimurium usingan agar diffusion assay.Results: A total of five fungal endophytes characterized as such as Cladosporium sp., Aspergillus sp., Fuzaium sp., Curvularia sp., and Diaporthe sp.In which, only two endophytic fungal isolates such as PCTS23 and WCTS21 characterized morphotypically as Cladosporium sp. and Curvularia sp.,respectively, were able to show strong antagonism activity against fungal pathogen. The fungal isolate PCTS3 was more active against Macrophominaphaesolina with antagonistic index 88.88 while WCTS21 was more active against F. solani with antagonistic index 80. The fungal crude extract ofWCTS21 produced the highest zone of inhibition 12 mm for S. aureus, whereas crude extract of PCTS23 from hexane crude extract has shown thehighest zone of inhibition of 10 mm against S. aureus. A preliminary qualitative phytochemical analysis of fungal crude extracts also revealed thepresence of bioactive metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins, and terpenoids in endophytic fungi.Conclusions: This study concludes that endophytic fungi isolated from C. torulosa D.Don could be a potential source for bioactive metabolites andmay be used in pharmaceutical industry. The generated data has provided the basis for its application in the pharmaceutical industry in the form oftraditional and folk medicine.Keywords: Endophytic fungi, Cupresus torulosa, Antibacterial activity, Phytochemical analysis, Bioactive metabolites, Antagonistic activity

GASTRIC ANTISECRETORY AND ANTIULCER PROPERTIES OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF LEAVES OF ANDROGRAPHYS PANICULATA

Objective: To study the gastric anti-secretory and cytoprotective action of ethanolic extract of leaves of Andrographys paniculata. Methods: Effect of ethanolic extract of leaves of A. paniculata gastro-antisecretory and cytoprotective activity was studied in vivo by using gastric wall mucus determination, hypothermic restraint stress-induced ulcers, idomethacin-induced gastric ulcers, reserpine-induced gastric ulcers and necrotizing agent-induced gastric ulcers (cytoprotection studies) methods. Results: Ethanolic extract of leaves of A. paniculata produced a significant decrease in gastric secretion in pylorous ligated rats and a highly significant cytoprotective effect against 80% ethanol-0.6 M HCl, 0.2 M NaOH, and 25% NaCl-induced cytodestruction. Conclusion: Pretreatment with the extract significantly prevented hypothermic stress-induced gastric wall mucus depletion. These findings suggest that a significant antisecretory and cytoprotective action A. paniculata can be responsible for its antiulcer activity