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Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although known as disease of old age, younger population is at increasing risk due to various factors including obesityand diabetes. Antihypertensive drug treatment being the only measure to control the raised blood pressure, large number of patients remain untreated or inadequately treated. Prescription pattern studies are needed to optimize and control the drug treatment. Present study was done with the aim to study the prescription pattern of antihypertensive drugs in a tertiary care hospital in western India.Pattern of drugs prescribed whether in combination or as single drug in various comorbidities were the objectives of the study. It was observed that ARB was the most commonly prescribed drug (41.5%) either alone or in combination. Multidrug therapy being the preferred treatment (56%), combination of ARB, CCB and Diuretic was the most common (35.7%). Diabetes mellitus was the most commonly associated comorbidity in hypertensive patients (39%), with ARB and CCB as the preferred antihypertensive drugs used in them. The treatment prescribed seemed to be specific to age, comorbidity and was in accordance with national and international guidelinesincluding the Indian Guidelines on Hypertension.

Background: Fluoroquinolones (FQ) are frequently prescribed because of their broad-spectrum applicability in treatment of community acquired pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Increased use has raised some concerns regarding side effects like dysglycaemia, tendon rupture and QT interval prolongation. Gatifloxacin was banned in India in 2011 for causing fatal hypoglycemia. This study compares the effect of different fluoroquinolones on blood glucose levels in rats.Methods: 24 rats were divided into four study groups. Each group was administered one fluoroquinolone namely levofloxacin 9 mg, moxifloxacin 7.2 mg, ciprofloxacin 18 mg and ofloxacin 14.4 mg respectively for five days. The changes in blood glucose levels were observed for 10 days.Results: The mean blood glucose levels in all the four groups dropped below the baseline by day five. A statistically significant reduction in mean glucose levels was found in the moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin group. Among the rats that were given ofloxacin, the reduction in the mean blood glucose levels was not statistically significant. After stopping the drugs, the blood glucose levels in all the four groups returned near to the baseline within five days.Conclusions: The use of fluoroquinolones causes hypoglycemia in rats. The blood glucose level reduction associated with moxifloxacin was maximum, whereas ofloxacin appeared to have the minimum effect on blood glucose levels. These effects do not appear to be permanent and the dysglycaemia subsided after the drugs were stopped.

Introduction: Career prospects in Pharmacology are witnessing a sea change due to fast and unanticipated development in the field of clinical research. Numerous openings exist now in academia, pharmaceutical industry, Clinical Research Organizations (CRO) or as regulatory consultants, experimental pharmacologists, etc. In short, there are various options to choose from, depending on one's interest. It's high time we ponder now over the training programme for post-graduate students in Pharmacology. It needs to be revised keeping in mind the job prospects & uniqueness of the MD Pharmacology degree. Aim: To take suggestions of experienced pharmacologists on the present syllabus for MD Pharmacology and their opinion on continuation of Bioassay experiment which is currently an important part of it . Materials and Methods: A structured questionnaire was given to 30 experienced pharmacologists to seek their opinion on MD Pharmacology syllabus & continuation of Bioassay as a part of MD practical. Results: Out of 30 participants, 29 (96.6%) did not use their knowledge of Bioassay during their 10 years of post MD career, whether in pharmaceutical industry or in academics. Only 5 of them (16.6%) feel that experiment on bioassay should be continued in the current state. 76.7% of them wish it to be modified to a Dose Response Curve ( DRC) . 6.71% feel that it should be totally scrapped. All the participants feel the need of revising current MD Pharmacology syllabus. Current syllabus is inclined more towards preparing good academicians but it lacks the proper training for creating good clinical research professionals. Medical writing, writing necessary documents for clinical trials including regulatory documents, writing an article for medical journals, marketing communication, product monograph and patient information of a clinical trial could be incorporated. They should be aware of the regulatory requirements for conducting studies on investigational drugs & established drugs as well. Conclusion: Looking at the growing market of clinical research & India being favoured destination for the same, the demand of MD Pharmacologists by pharmaceutical industry is on rising trend. So the revision of the syllabus of MD Pharmacology should be the top priority of experienced Pharmacologists, so as to meet this demand.

Background: As of 2018, 2.1 billion people nearly 30% of the world’s population are either obese or overweight. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. It is an emerging health problem with major adverse effects on health. It is a risk factor for many chronic diseases but is best known for its role in metabolic syndrome, which can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as cardiovascular diseases. Anti-obesity drugs are available but have many side effects. Voglibose, an antidiabetic drug, is an alpha glucosidase inhibitor which shows promising results in the reduction of body weight with minimal side effects.Methods: Voglibose (7 mg/kg) was administered to rats fed with normal laboratory chows and high fat diet to see its effect on body weight, body mass index, abdominal and thoracic circumference, and lipid profile at the end of 12 weeks.Results: Administration of voglibose significantly reduced food consumption, feed efficiency and increase in body weight induced by high fat diet in rats. Rats fed on normal diet also showed reductions in the same parameters, suggesting its weight lowering effect. Reductions in the anthropometric measurements, hypolipidemic effects and glucose lowering effects were also observed.Conclusions: Voglibose prevented high fat diet-induced obesity and improvement in metabolic profile, which ultimately has systemic effects on body weight in rats. Further studies are needed to see its potential therapeutic use in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and related complications.

Background: Dyslipidaemias are the major cause of increased atherogenesis. Lycopene is a pigment that imparts red colour to fruits and vegetables like tomatoes. Risk of cardiovascular diseases has been shown to decrease with dietary intake of tomatoes. Although the antioxidant and hypolipidaemic properties of tomatoes have been studied extensively, beneficial effect of pure lycopene supplement as hypolipidaemic is still debatable So, we aimed to evaluate the effect of pure lycopene powder on lipid profile, serum antioxidant enzymes and blood sugar level in hyperlipidaemic rabbits.Methods: Adult male New Zealand White rabbits (1.5-2.5kg) were divided into three groups of six each. Group I-High Fat Diet (HFD) (5ml/kg). Group II-HFD (5ml/kg) + lycopene (10mg/kg) orally. Group III-HFD (5ml/kg) + lycopene (20mg/kg) orally. Blood samples were taken from all rabbits for baseline estimations of serum lipids, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and blood sugar. Same tests were performed after six weeks.Results: There was significant decrease in the levels of serum TC, LDL-C, TG and VLDL and an increase in serum HDL-C and antioxidant SOD with lycopene administration. However, significant increase in HDL was not seen with lycopene 10mg. TG and VLDL levels were significantly less with 20mg lycopene compared to 10mg lycopene. There was however no change in blood sugar level with lycopene.Conclusions: Pure lycopene supplement showed significant hypolipidaemic and antioxidant activity. However, it did not show significant effect on blood glucose levels.

Background: Irrational prescribing is a global problem. The present study was undertaken to identify the problem of irrational medicine use by Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors in outpatient setting, by using WHO prescribing indicators. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in Vishrantwadi, Pune, India. 250 prescriptions were collected from MBBS doctors and 250 prescriptions were collected from BAMS doctors and their prescription pattern was analyzed using WHO prescribing indicators. Results: Average number of medicines per prescription was 2.4 for MBBS and 3.04 for BAMS doctors. Percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics and with injections was significantly more in BAMS doctors. Antibiotics, gastrointestinal system related medicines, vitamins and iron preparations were prescribed more by BAMS doctors. Percentage of irrational fixed dose combinations prescribed by BAMS doctors was more (57.2%) as compared to MBBS doctors (28.6%). Conclusions: In the present study, although the prescribing patterns of both MBBS as well as BAMS doctors are not satisfactory; the BAMS doctors seem to prescribe more irrationally as compared to MBBS doctors.

Background: This study was intended to evaluate perception of the young adult obese men towards weight training as a proper and useful modality as compared to walking. Methods: The study was a questionnaire based and conducted in a weight management clinic in Maharashtra state, India. Obese men between 18-40 years of age during their first visit were studied for their perception about weight training. Results: There was no significant difference between the scores with walking and weight training. Conclusions: Our results clearly indicate that weight training is perceived to be an equally proper and useful modality of exercise as compared with walking amongst obese men.

Background: During recent years, the carotenoid lycopene has attracted much attention for its potentially beneficial cardiovascular effects, which is located mainly in tomato peels. The antioxidant properties of tomatoes has been extensively studied for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, but the beneficial effects of pure lycopene supplement is still debatable. Therefore, this study was planned to evaluate and compare the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of pure lycopene powder and to compare it with that of atorvastatin in hyperlipidemic New Zealand white rabbits. Methods: Adult male New Zealand white rabbits (1.5-2.5 kg) were divided into three groups of six animals each. Group I - High fat diet (HFD) (5 ml/kg). Group II - HFD (5 ml/kg) + lycopene (10 mg/kg) orally. Group III - HFD (5 ml/kg) + atorvastatin (5 mg/kg) orally. Blood samples were taken from all 18 rabbits for baseline estimation of blood sugar levels (BSL), lipid levels and blood superoxide dismutase levels. Same tests were performed in all groups after 6 weeks. Results: The lipid lowering activity of atorvastatin 5 mg/kg was better than that of lycopene while the antioxidant activity of lycopene was better than that of atorvastatin. Both the results were statistically significant. There was no significant difference in fasting BSLs in both the groups. Conclusion: Findings suggest that lycopene may have considerable therapeutic benefit as an antioxidant and hypolipidemic agent, but may not be effective as a hypoglycemic agent.