Pharmacology Curriculum and Career Option in dental and Basic Medical Sciences: Graduating Dental Students’ Perspective under Kathmandu University in Nepal

Objective: Present study was aimed to obtain the graduating dental students’ view on current pharmacology curriculum for Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) under Kathmandu University (KU) and their perspective on preclinical and dental sciences as future career opportunity. Materials and Methods: This was questionnaires based observational study among BDS students. Forty eight completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Chi square test was used whenever applicable and level of significance was set at 5%. Results: Student views showed that present pharmacology curriculum under KU is enough (62.5%, P<0.001) though the relevance of the course is variable. Significantly higher number of students opined that pharmacology should be taught beyond first and second years (54.2%, P<0.001). More students wanted to pursue post graduation in dental sciences (75%, P<0.001). Subject of choice in preclinical science was forensic medicine (37.5%, P<0.001) followed by pharmacology (25%, P<0.001) whereas it was orthodontics and prosthodontics (20.8%, P<0.05) followed by conservative dentistry and endodontics (16.7%, P<0.05) in dental sciences. Conclusion: On graduating dental students’ view, current pharmacology curriculum is enough and inclusion of pharmacology subject beyond first and second years can be considered. Their career option was 75% in dental sciences and 12.5% in basic medical sciences for post graduation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v5i2.8645 Asian Journal of Medical Science, Volume-5(2) 2014: 106-112  

Effect of Ocimum sanctum, ascorbic acid, and verapamil on macrophage function and oxidative stress in mice exposed to cocaine

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of Ocimum sanctum, ascorbic acid, and verapamil on macrophage function and oxidative stress in experimental animals exposed to cocaine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were used in this study and were divided randomly into different groups of six animals each. They were either treated with intraperitoneal injection of saline or cocaine hydrochloride or an oral feeding of oil of Ocimum sanctum, ascorbic acid or verapamil, or both (ascorbic acid and verapamil), and were evaluated for a respiratory burst of macrophages, superoxide and nitric oxide (NO) production, estimation of TNF-alpha in the serum and supernatant of cultured macrophages, estimation of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde- MDA) in the serum, and superoxide dismutase activity in the erythrocytes.

RESULTS

Unstimulated respiratory burst as well as superoxide production was enhanced on treatment with cocaine and all the three drugs were found to attenuate this enhancement. The bactericidal capacity of macrophages decreased significantly on chronic cocaine exposure, as it was associated with decreased respiratory burst and superoxide production. There was a significant decrease in NO production by macrophages on chronic cocaine exposure and all the test drugs were found to restore nitrite formation to a normal level. There was an increase in the malonylodialdehyde (MDA) level and decrease in the superoxide dismutase level on chronic cocaine exposure, and all the three drugs effectively decreased the MDA level and increased superoxide dismutase level. There was an increase in serum TNF-alpha on chronic cocaine exposure, which was decreased significantly by ascorbic acid and verapamil.

CONCLUSION

O. sanctum, ascorbic acid, and verapamil were equally effective in improving the macrophage function and reducing oxidative stress. These findings suggested that O. sanctum, ascorbic acid, and verapamil attenuated acute and chronic cocaine-mediated effects.

Different pharmacological solutions in intracanal irrigation

Irrigation of root canals during endodontic therapy is an important step. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), chlorhexidine (CHX) and normal saline are commonly used intracanal irrigants to disinfect and clean the root canals. This prospective study was set to observe the efficacy of normal saline (0.9% NaCl) irrigation with sequential irrigation of 3% H2O2, 5.2% NaOCl and 0.9% NaCl. A total number of 228 dental patients were screened and 104 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled for the endodontic therapy of mature permanent teeth for the period of one year. Two treatment groups were constituted in which patients were randomly allocated equally in each treatment group. Post-obturation pain, swelling, analgesic use and eight weeks post-obturation radiological evaluation of the patients were carried out as the measurement of clinical and radiological success of the endodontic treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in the measured treatment outcomes between two groups. However, studies involving larger sample size and longer post-obturation follow up are recommended for the further either confirmation or rejection of present findings.

Prevalence of pharmacotherapy in the department of paediatric dentistry

BACKGROUND

Pharmacotherapy plays important role in the management of paediatric dental patients in the department of paediatric dentistry. Many children at their early age suffer from different kinds of dental conditions such as acute and chronic irreversible pulpitis, acute and chronic alveolar abscesses, dentoalveolar and vestibular abscesses, etc along with physiological tooth movement that requires professional help for dental treatment. Treatment of such conditions most frequently requires pharmacotherapy as an either adjunct to dental therapeutic procedure or as a monotherapy.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prescribing patterns vis-a-vis generic or trade name, generic class, dosage form, route, frequency, duration, number of drugs per patient, cost and indication of drug therapy, patterns of dental treatment and Frankl's behavioral rating.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Prescriptions of 200 paediatric dental patients undergoing dental treatment in the department of paediatric dentistry were analyzed prospectively for a period of six months in a dental teaching hospital.

RESULTS

133 (56.5%) patients were males and 87 (43.5%) females and age group 6-10 years was the most frequent group (70%, P = 0.0000000) and all the patients received pharmacotherapy. Total numbers of 357 drugs were prescribed. Out of them, 212 (59.4%, P = 0.0000008) were analgesic agents, 133 (37.3%) antimicrobial agents (AMAs) and 12 (3.3%) other drugs. Extended spectrum Penicillins were the most commonly prescribed (90.2%) AMA followed by Metronidazole (9.8%). 247 drugs (69.2%, P = 0.0000000) were prescribed by trade names. 60% (P = 0.0000002) drugs were prescribed in the form of tablet or capsule followed by syrup 37% and administered entirely through oral route. Percentage of patients receiving three drugs, two drugs and one drug was 13.5%, 56.5% (P = 0.0000000) and 30% respectively and one patient received on average 1.78 medicines. 133 patients (56.5%, P = 0.0000000) received both AMA and analgesic agent. Minimum to maximum number of days for pharmacotherapy were 2 to 15 and highest frequency was up to four times a day. Cost of medicines was in the range of 10-150 Nepalese Rupees. Chronic irreversible pulpitis was the commonest diagnosis (28%) and extraction (92.5%) was the commonest dental procedure. Frankl's behaviour rating showed that 78.5% (P = 0.0000000) patients had positive attitude towards the dental procedures.

CONCLUSION

Findings of the study suggest that pharmacotherapy is the mainstay in therapy to treat the paediatric dental patients along with dental procedures either to control the dental pain or odontogenic infection. Age group 6-10 years, chronic irreversible pulpitis and dental extraction are the commonest age group, diagnosis and dental procedure respectively in the department of paediatric dentistry. Analgesic (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- Nimesulide, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol) and Amoxicillin are the most frequently prescribed drugs mostly in the solid dosage forms in trade names via oral route. Duration of pharmacotherapy ranges from 2 to 15 days with highest frequency being up to 4 times a day. Majority of the patients are manageable without any behavioural modification technique- physical or pharmacological.

Metformin and troglitazone in the treatment of female infertility associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the most common cause of anovulatory infertility and causes menstrual disruption in 5-10% females, and is characterized by insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperandrogenism and anovulation. Such factors are responsible for the increased miscarriage and infertility in women with PCOS. Administration of various insulin sensitizing drugs, such as metformin and troglitazone have been shown to decrease serum androgen concentrations and to increase ovulation rates, increase conception and decrease miscarriage in affected women.

Prevalence of antimicrobial chemotherapy in hospitalized patients in the department of internal medicine in a tertiary care center

Use of antimicrobial agents (AMAs) is associated with significant reduction in morbidity and mortality. However, indiscriminate and injudicious use of AMAs leads to the ineffective treatment, increased adverse effects, exacerbation or prolongation of illness, emergence of bacterial resistance and an additional burden of an expensive medical cost to the patients. So controlled use of AMAs at right dose, right interval and right duration is of utmost importance. In this retrospective study, prevalence and prescription patterns, and cost of the prescribed AMAs in the hospitalized patients in the department of internal medicine in a tertiary care center were analyzed. A total of 428 hospitalized patients were included in the study. Out of 428 patients, 274 (64.0%, P < 0.01) patients received AMAs for therapeutic (66.4%) and prophylactic (24.1%) purposes. In 9.5% patients AMA prescription was inappropriate. Use of intravenous route was significantly higher (55.48, P < 0.01) than the oral route. COPD with acute exacerbation was most frequent condition for AMA prescription. Majority (90.42%) of AMA prescriptions were based on empirical basis. Mean number of AMA per patient was 2.12 (minimum 1 and maximum 8). Most frequently prescribed AMA was Ceftriaxone (30.2%) from cephalosporin group (33.9%, P < 0.05). Patients received AMAs for the duration of 1-31 days and total cost of single AMA dosage regimen was as high as $ 482.3. As most of the hospitalized patients were prescribed AMA empirically, strategic AMA prescription guidelines and AMA prescription monitoring systems are extremely necessary in the hospitals to prevent emergence of microbial resistance and to expedite the cost effectiveness of medical treatment.

Recent advancement in drug delivery system

Ease of drug administration, safety, affordability and efficacy are the major concerns in pharmacotherapy leading to exploration of better drug delivery systems. Liposomes are lyotropic liquid crystals composed mainly of amphiphilic bilayers and these are more frequently used as drug carriers. Liposomes help reduce the toxicity and deliver the drug to the target tissue. So far, liposomes have been the most intensively studied lipid-based delivery system. In liposomes, a hydrophilic drug can be trapped in aqueous interior or channels between successive phospholipids bilayers whereas a hydrophobic drug can reside with the bilayer itself. The non-toxic and nonimmunogenic bilayers dissipate allowing the diffusion of the drug into the tissues. Attachment of polyethyl glycol to the surface of liposome (known as stealth liposome) aids in the better targeting of the drug to the tissues. Pegylated proteins and polymers of lactic and glycolic acids have been well studied as drug carriers and found to be resistant to phagocytosis and complement activation. Newer DNA based strategies including DNA vaccination and antisense oligonucleotides and immunomodulation show good results for new therapeutic systems. Though the DNA based therapeutic systems have high selectivity and specificity with few adverse effects, these systems are so far restricted to animal models and clinical trials.

Relationship between plasma leptin and plasma insulin levels in type-2 diabetic patients before and after treatment with glibenclamide and glimepiride

Type 2 diabetes affects 100 million people throughout the world. Among the various factors implicated in the causation of this disease, the role of leptin, an obesity gene product, is increasingly being investigated. This especially assumes importance in the light of knowledge that obesity confers a minimum of 3-10 fold higher risk of diabetes. This study was planned to investigate the relationship between leptin and insulin levels in type 2 diabetic patients before and after treatment with glibenclamide or glimepiride. 60 type 2 diabetic patients were recruited for the study and were divided into 2 groups-one receiving glimepiride and the other group receiving glibenclamide for duration of 10 weeks. This study demonstrated a highly positive correlation of plasma leptin levels with BMI, plasma insulin and insulin resistance. No gender specific differences were observed in leptin concentrations. The study, however, failed to demonstrate any possible relationship between glycemic control as assessed by blood sugars/ glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) and plasma leptin. The administration of glibenclamide or glimepiride significantly lowered blood glucose levels coupled with a decrease in (HbAlc). Both the drugs increased insulin concentrations. Glibenclamide increased leptin levels but they remained unaltered with glimepiride. Glibenclamide and glimepiride were found to be equally effective in their glucose lowering action. However, the patients receiving glibenclamide experienced higher episode of hypoglycaemic spells than those receiving glimepiride.

Prevalence of complications of simple tooth extractions and its comparison between a tertiary center and peripheral centers: a study conducted over 8,455 tooth extractions

This study was conducted to investigate and compare the prevalence of complications of simple tooth extractions in a tertiary centre (BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan) and the peripheral centers (Mechi and Koshi zonal hospitals). This is a prospective descriptive study. Tooth extractions were carried out under local anesthesia in the tertiary and the peripheral centers during one year period (March 15"th 2004 to March H"111 2005). Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed. Out of 8,455 tooth extractions in 6,639 [male-2,465 (37.12%) and females - 4,174 (62.88%)] patients aged between 5yrs- 65 yrs, 7,152 extractions were done in tertiary center and 1,393 extractions were done in peripheral centers.90 complications (1.06%) were observed. 53(58.89%) complications were intraoperative and 37(41.12%) complications were postoperative. 60(0.84%) complications were observed in the tertiary center and 30 (2.3%) complications were observed in the peripheral centers and the difference was highly significant (P<0.000001). The most frequent complication in the tertiary centre was fracture of tuberosity (0.15%) and in the peripheral centers it was 'roots left' (0.77%). Prevalence of 'roots left', injury to adjacent tooth and postoperative hemorrhage was significantly high (P<0.05) in peripheral centers. The higher prevalence rate of complications of tooth extractions in the peripheral centers should not be overlooked and well equipped and organized extraction procedure with qualified dental practitioner is strongly suggested to minimize the complications.