Background: Long-term use of drugs currently used for the treatment of inflammation is associated with serious adverse effects. Nigella sativa, an herb exclusively used in traditional medicine, is reported to inhibit both cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate of antiinflammatory activity N. sativa seed fixed oil in different models of inflammation in rats and to compare it with control and aspirin. Materials and Methods: Albino Wistar rats of either sex weighing 180-200 g were used in this study. N. sativa seed fixed oil was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory by carrageenin-induced hind paw edema, cotton pellet granuloma, and formaldehyde induced arthritis method by oral administration in healthy albino rats. The study was conducted with prior approval of Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Results: In the model of acute inflammation, i.e., carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats, N. sativa showed anti-inflammatory activity which was statistically significant as compared to control (P < 0.001) but less than aspirin. In cotton pellet induced granuloma method, N. sativa significantly decreased the formation of granulomatous tissue, as compared to control (P < 0.001). N. sativa showed significant anti-inflammatory activity comparable to aspirin in formaldehyde induced arthritis model of chronic inflammation (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that N. sativa seed fixed oil possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats.

Background: It is imperative to evaluate and monitor the drug use patterns from time to time and make suitable modifications in prescribing patterns to increase the therapeutic benefit and decrease the adverse effects to optimize the medical services to the patients. Keeping this scenario in mind, the present study was undertaken. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate pattern of drug use in ENT (ear, nose, throat) outpatient department (OPD) of a rural tertiary care teaching hospital using WHO core drug prescribing indicators. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried for 3 months in the ENT OPD of SRTR Government Medical, Ambajogai, Beed, Maharashtra, India. Data were collected from the prescriptions written by treating surgeons and interviewing patients regarding their understanding of dosage forms. Results: A total of 3342 drugs were prescribed through 855 prescriptions with average number of drugs per prescription being 3.90 and average number of 2.5 drugs dispensed per prescription. Majority (59.64%) of the patients were male. Antibiotics were the most frequently prescribed drugs (24.86%) followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (23.60%), gastroprotective agents (22.55%), and antihistaminics (19.92%). Antibiotics were prescribed in 831 prescriptions (97.19%). Most common route of drug administration was oral (97.75%) followed by topical. Drugs were mostly (80%) prescribed by brand names. Conclusion: The present study highlights the problems of polypharmacy, overuse of brand names, and symptomatic rather than definitive approach toward patient management. Interventions to rectify overprescription of antibiotics, use of brand names, inadequate labeling of drugs are necessary to improve rational drug use. Standard treatment guidelines, hospital formulary, and educational intervention become essential to modify this behavior to benefit the patient.

||ABSTRACT Background: Children constitute 40% of India's population. They tend to suffer more frequently from illnesses, when compared with adults and elderly. Most of these illnesses are self-limiting. There are reports that these illnesses are treated inappropriately leading to polypharmacy. Children are more vulnerable to the various adverse events related to the use of drugs. Though many studies have been carried out to evaluate the drug prescribing pattern in adult patients, but similar studies in paediatric population are limited. Aims and Objective: To evaluate the pattern of drug prescribing and dispensing in pediatric outpatient clinic in a rural tertiary-care teaching hospital using WHO Core drug use indicators. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the pediatric outpatient clinic of Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural (SRTR) Medical College, Ambajogai, Maharashtra, India. Data were collected by scrutinizing the prescriptions written by the treating physician in pediatric outpatient clinic, using WHO core drug use indicators and by interviewing parents of 300 children attending outpatient clinic. Result: The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.4 and actually dispensed was 2.5. There was a high trend of using brand names (49.6% of prescriptions) while prescribing than generic names. Use of antibiotics (60.6% of prescriptions) was frequent, but injection use (0.8% of prescriptions) was very low. A high number of drugs prescribed (77.5%) conformed to WHO list of essential medicines for children and were dispensed (69%) by the hospital pharmacy. The parents' understanding of the correct usage of drugs was low (59%), and only 10.5% of drugs were adequately labeled. The copy of an essential drugs list was not available. The availability of essential drugs was 75%. Conclusion: This study highlights the problem of overprescribing of antibiotics, inadequate labeling, and a trend toward polypharmacy. The prescribing from WHO list of essential medicines for children was fair; the use of injections was low. Interventions to rectify overprescription of antibiotics, use of brand names, and inadequate labeling of drugs is necessary to improve rational drug use.

Objectives: To study the trends of drug utilization pattern in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at rural tertiary care hospital using the World Health Organization core indicators. Methods:The study was cross-sectional, observational study in NICU of Government Medical College, Ambajogai, Maharashtra. Data were collected by scrutinizing the prescriptions written by pediatricians in NICU. The consent of parents of neonate was obtained for inclusion in the study. Parameters such as age, gender, birth weight, current illness, congenital anomalies, gestational age at birth, and drugs prescription analyzed. Results:A total 220 prescription were scrutinized. Out of 220 neonates, 53.6% was males and 46.3% females. The total number of drugs prescribed was 808 and the average number of drugs per prescription was 3.6. The most frequently prescribed therapeutic class of drugs antimicrobial agents (60.64%) followed by vitamin K (26.7%) and aminophylline (9.4%). The maximum number (50%) of neonate born with birth weight <2.5. The maximum number (42%) of neonate was born at 34-36 weeks of gestation. Preterm low birth weight was the most common observed reason for admission to NICU. The drugs are prescribed by branded name outnumbered than generic name. Conclusion:This study highlights the problem of overprescribing of antibiotics, inadequate labeling and a trend toward polypharmacy.

Background: To study drug utilization of anticancer drugs in cancer outpatient department (OPD) of Government Medical College, Aurangabad. Methods: Five hundred and twelve prescription records were screened and analyzed as per the study parameters from cancer OPD of Government Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad. Commonly used anticancer drugs were recorded; furthermore, different types of carcinomas were noted. Results: Age group of patients was in between 30 and 70, 267 were females and 245 were male patients. The most common type of carcinoma was carcinoma of the breast (17.9%). Carboplatin was the most commonly used anticancer drug (26.56%). The average number of anticancer drugs received per patient was three. Conclusion: WHO suggested drug utilization studies are needed in every health care setting. For a developing country like India, National Drug Policy and Drugs and Therapeutic Committee are a must.