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ABSTRACT: Circulating catecholamine that is increased in early phase of myocardial infarction alters serum electrolyte levels which might predispose to serious ventricular arrhythmias. In this study the effect of pretreatment of carvedilol on adrenaline-induced changes in the serum electrolytes (Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, Na+) was evaluated in rats. Adrenaline was administered at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously 2 injections 24 hours apart and serum electrolytes were estimated at 12 hours, 24 hours and 7 days after the 2nd injection of adrenaline. Adrenaline administration initially caused hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia and hyponatremia, which were restored to normal spontaneously within 7 days. Pretreatment of carvedilol orally at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight for 2 weeks significantly prevented initial reduction in serum electrolyte levels induced by adrenaline. It was concluded that prophylactic use of carvedilol might prevent the serious consequences of myocardial infarction as sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmia caused by electrolyte changes.
Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin 12/2009; 35(3):105-9.
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ABSTRACT: Lycopene, a carotenoid rich in tomato fruit (ripe), is an effective antioxidant and free radical scavenger. In this study n-hexane extract of tomato was evaluated for its protective action against oxidative stress in experimental myocardial infarction induced by administration of adrenaline in rats. Adrenaline produced significant elevation of malondialdehyde content of heart, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, with a significant rise in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level and different grades of necrotic changes in myocardium. Rats were treated with two doses of n-hexane extract of tomato, intragastrically daily for one month prior to administration of adrenaline on the 31st and 32nd day. Pretreatment of tomato extract (1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg) and vitamin E (50 mg/kg) significantly reduced the malondialdehyde concentration in heart and significantly lowered the serum AST level in adrenaline treated rats. Myocardial necrosis was significantly prevented by pretreatment. These results suggest that n-hexane extract of tomato possesses antioxidative property that may protect heart against catecholamine induced myocardial infarction.
Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin 01/2009; 34(3):104-8.
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Bangladesh Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 01/2004; 20(1 & 2):9 - 12.
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ABSTRACT: Background: The traditional teaching of Pharmacology & Therapeutics in Bangladesh was not enough to produce physicians appropriate for the task they face after graduation. The medical students were not trained sufficiently to compare and select a drug in any particular clinical situation and had no formal orientation with the critical views on any specific group of drug. Newer method of teaching was targeted towards improving the students' drug selection ability in specific clinical problems.
Methods: A newer teaching method, "Exercise on the Selection of P(ersonal) drug" was introduced in Pharmacology teaching program of the 4th Year MBBS students of Sir Salimullah Medical College, Mitford, Dhaka during 1996-97. A prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the newer method through comparing the performance of the students between the Control (Batch SS20) and the Experimental (Batch SS21) group. In addition, the performance of students was compared within the Experimental group taught in different methods and sequence. The performance of the students was evaluated from the score obtained in Clinical Pharmacology Case Reports they have submitted. A panel of evaluators comprising Pharmacologist, Junior Faculty Member and Specialist Physician scored the reports.
Results: There was no significant difference in the performance of students of Experimental Batch on topic taught in conventional method before intervention to that of the Control. The performance of the students in topic taught according to the newer method improved significantly (P<0.001) compared to the same topic of Control. The performance of the students on the topic taught in the conventional method after intervention also improved significantly (P<0.05) compared to the same topic of Control. Within the Experimental group, the performance of the students on topic taught in newer method was significantly (P<0.001) improved than that of the "Experimental pre-intervention" performance. The performance of the students taught in conventional method after intervention, i.e., "Experimental post-intervention" also improved significantly (p<0.05) than that of the "Experimental pre-intervention" performance.
Conclusions: The newer method is effective in improving the performance of the students in the Clinical Pharmacology Case Reports reflecting their ability to choose drug in a more prudent manner in clinical conditions known to them. As a method of teaching, the "Exercise on Selection of P-drug" was observed to have positive after-effect on performance in the clinical condition taught in conventional method after intervention. The exercises might be worth trying by the Pharmacologists involved in undergraduate medical education.
Bangladesh Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 01/2000; 16(2):50 - 54.
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ABSTRACT: Information in drug advertisement influences prescribing to a great extent. Present study analyzed the drug advertisements of five leading journals of Bangladesh in two different study periods, each of two years duration. Advertisements occupied 7.1 % and 5. 5% of total pages of journals in 1983-84 and 1995-96 respectively. Antimicrobials were the most frequently advertised group of drug in both the study periods. The proportion was 50.6% and 68.5% during the period of 1983-84 and 1995 96 respectively. Generic name was mentioned in 86.7% of advertisements during the period of 1983-84 and this percentage increased to 96.2% during the period of 1995-
96. Dose was mentioned in 75.9% of the advertisements during the period of 1983-84. However, the value declined to 64.8% during 1995-96. Indication was mentioned in
92.8% and 81.5% of advertisements during the first and second study period respectively. Information on adverse effects was mentioned in 51.8% of advertisements during the period of 1983-84, and this was reduced to 29. 7% during 1995-96. Contraindications were noted only in 53. 1 % of advertisements during the period 1983-84 and this further declined to 50.0% during the period of 1995-96.
Only 19.3% of advertisements were from National pharmaceutical companies during the period 1983-84. The proportion for National pharmaceutical companies increased to 46.3% during the period of 1995-96. None of the advertisement from two study periods had mentioned the name of the excipients and price of the drug. A little above one-fourth (26.5%) advertisements mentioned the address for further information during the period of 1983-84 and proportion increased to 55.5% in 1995-96. Only these advertisments fulfilled the criteria of Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (CPMP) under "abbreviated advertisement" clause.
Present study indicates that a code based on selfregulation is ineffective. Even, the existing authorized body as Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices Committee (CPMPC) also seems to be unavailing. Therefore, it is suggested that the committee should be reconstituted with an authority to act in case of violation. In addition, the "abbreviated advertisement" clause should be deleted ro minimize the possibility of exploitation. Finally, proper role of editors of the Medical Journals is expected in this regard.
Bangladesh Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 01/1999; 15(1):31 - 36.
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ABSTRACT: The present study analyzed twenty-five pharmacology written question papers of the Second Professional MBBS Examinations held under the University of Dhaka from January 1988 to September 1998. It was observed that, after introduction of the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum 1988, the written questions were more reflecting the health care needs of the country except GIT diseases. The questions were mostly on simple recall of facts on drugs. Disease centered questions, analytical ability and data interpretation skill received minimum importance. The results revealed that apart from mere emphasis on weightage the examination system has not changed adequately to incorporate the spirit of the curriculum.
Bangladesh Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 01/1999; 15(1):27 - 30.
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ABSTRACT: The study assessed the drug use pattern of the prescribers during their clinical encounters at private practice sites. A total Number of 514 prescriptions were collected at random selection and examined. The prescriptions were stratified by qualification of the practicing physicians. The mean number of drugs per prescription was 3. 13. The average number of drugs for an individual patient was highest in prescription of medicine specialists (3.35) and lowest in the prescriptions of pediatricians (2.38). The number of antimicrobials prescribed by pediatricians was the highest (72.2%) and by general practitioners was the lowest (3 8.7%). Whenever antimicrobials were prescribed by the gynaecologists, the mean number of such drugs in each prescription was highest (1.63) and the number of such drugs is lowest (1. 14) when prescribed by general practitioners. Surgeons mentioned at least one diagnosis in 43% of their prescriptions but in case of paediatricians, diagnosis mentioned is the lowest 23%. General practitioners requested the most investigations in their prescriptions (22.7%), whereas surgeons and paediatricians requested for the minimum numbers (7. 7%). Injections were prescribed only in a few cases and the highest number was prescribed by general practitioners (8.24%). Gynecologists prescribed the highest number of vitamins in their prescriptions (46.6%) whereas surgeons wrote the least number (20.2%). The significance of these findings has been discussed.
Bangladesh Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 01/1998; 14(2):47 - 50.
