Medicine Usage Research Articles

Anti-Infective Therapy in Pregnant Women and Children: Current Shortcomings and Potential Pitfalls

Pregnant women and children are kept under special group of patients that needs extra efforts while selecting drug therapy for this group of patients. The use of anti-infective medicines in pregnant women and children has several limitations because of altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anti-infectives in these groups of patients, which is poorly understood, and optimal dosage regimes have yet to be established. This simply suggest that when drug therapy is suggested early in life the medication's perceived possible harmful effects and long term impact on pregnancy and the growing foetus must be taken into consideration. In this special group of populations, these limitations prohibit the recruitment of these categories of patients in clinical research and hence hamper the approval of novel anti-infective medications. Consequently, drug selection in these patients becomes a challenge and poses chances of enhanced risk of potential adverse drug effects and toxicity. In this review we provide some particular instances of the existing shortcomings and current pitfalls of anti-infective medicine usage in pregnant women as well as children.

Reasons for Engaging in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Highly Educated Women With Multiple Sclerosis.

Previous research has shown that users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among persons with multiple sclerosis are more likely to be women and to have a higher level of education compared with nonusers. This qualitative study was performed to explore the motivations linked to CAM use among highly educated women with multiple sclerosis. The study was based on a phenomenological approach, and 8 semistructured, in-depth qualitative interviews were performed. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through meaning condensation and identification of recurring themes. Regarding the informants' motivations for CAM use, 3 main themes emerged: (1) Self-reliance is essential in disease management, (2) conventional health care lacks a holistic approach, and (3) personal experience is the primary guide. The interviewees wanted approaches to health care that supported their desire to actively participate in the management of their disease. They were critical of the conventional health care system, and they emphasized the importance of letting their own personal experiences, as well as those of others, guide their decisions.

Lay etiology concepts of cancer patients do not correlate with their usage of complementary and/or alternative medicine

BackgroundThe usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread among cancer patients. While reasons for and aims of using CAM have been evaluated in many studies, less is known about whether patients’ concepts of how and why cancer develops has an influence on the choice of the CAM method.MethodsWe pooled the data from all studies of our working group containing questions on lay etiological concepts and CAM usage and reanalyzed them with respect to the associations between these parameters.ResultsThe pooled dataset from 12 studies included 4792 patients. A third (1645 patients) reported using CAM. Most often used were supplements (55.9%), relaxation techniques (43.6%), and homeopathy (37.9%). Regarding perceived causes, patients most often marked stress (35.4%) followed by genes (31.9%). While all lay etiological beliefs were highly significantly associated with usage of CAM in general, there was no association between single lay etiological concepts and types of CAM used. Yet, in a network analysis, we found two associations: one comprising trauma, mistletoe, genes, and nutritional supplements, the other yoga, vitamin C, nutritional supplements, and TCM herbs. In the correlation heatmap, one cluster comprises etiological concepts of personality, immune system and trauma, and two clusters of CAM methods emerged: one comprising praying, yoga, meditation, and relaxation procedures, the other nutritional supplements, selenium, vitamins A and C.ConclusionWhile physicians are trained to derive treatment strategies from etiological concepts, lay people choosing CAM do not follow these rules, which may point to other needs of patients addressed by CAM.

Veterinary Naturopathy and Complementary Medicine: A Survey among Homepages of German Veterinary Practitioners

Background: The use and interest in veterinary naturopathy and complementary medicine are increasing and modes of treatment are diverse. To this point, only a few data on the German situation in small animal medicine exist. Material and Methods: An online research of 1,083 German veterinary homepages for contents of veterinary naturopathy and complementary medicine was performed in September and October 2017. “Veterinarian” and “Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons” were used as search items. Homepages of small animal medicine were included. They were surveyed for modes of complementary and naturopathic treatments and corresponding qualifications of the offering veterinarian. Data were collected and processed using Excel 2013 Version 15.0. Afterward, a descriptive data analysis was performed. Results: 60.7% (n = 657) of homepages showed contents of veterinary naturopathy and complementary medicine. The highest percentage was found in the Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Saarland (91.7%, n = 11 out of 12). Homeopathy was cited most frequently (58%, n = 381). Out of all homepages with relevant content, 31.4% (n = 206) gave information about user qualifications, with continuous education programs named most frequently (52.9%, n = 109). Conclusion: The given data illustrate the high number of German veterinary homepages with contents of veterinary naturopathy and complementary medicine, corresponding to actual data of a high usage in veterinary and human medicine. Therefore, further scientific research in this field seems reasonable. Modes of treatment and qualifications are highly diverse and despite of controversial public discussions, homeopathy was the most frequently cited treatment modality on German veterinary homepages.

Current scenario of traditional medicines in management of diabetic foot ulcers: A review.

Diabetic foot infections and diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) cause significant suffering and are often recurring. DFU have three important pathogenic factors, namely, microangiopathy causing local tissue anoxia, neuropathy making the foot prone to injuries from trivial trauma, and local tissue hyperglycaemia favouring infection and delaying the wound healing. DFU have been the leading cause for non-traumatic amputations of part or whole of the limb. Western medicines focus mainly on euglycaemia, antimicrobials, debridement and wound cover with grafts, and off-loading techniques. Advances in euglycaemic control, foot care and footwear, systemic antimicrobial therapy, and overall health care access and delivery, have resulted in an overall decrease in amputations. However, the process of wound care after adequate debridement remains a major cost burden globally, especially in developing nations. This process revolves around two basic concerns regarding control/eradication of local infection and promotion of faster healing in a chronic DFU without recurrence. Wound modulation with various dressings and techniques are often a costly affair. Some aspects of the topical therapy with modern/Western medicines are frequently not addressed. Cost of and compliance to these therapies are important as both the wounds and their treatment are "chronic." Naturally occurring agents/medications from traditional medicine systems have been used frequently in different cultures and nations, though without adequate clinical base/relevance. Traditional Chinese medicine involves restoring yin-yang balance, regulating the 'chi', and promoting local blood circulation. Traditional medicines from India have been emphasizing on 'naturally' available products to control wound infection and promote all the aspects of wound healing. There is one more group of chemicals which are not pharmaceutical agents but can create acidic milieu in the wound to satisfy the above-mentioned basic concerns. Various natural and plant derived products (e.g., honey, aloe vera, oils, and calendula) and maggots are also used for wound healing purposes. We believe that patients with a chronic wound are so tired physically, emotionally, and financially that they usually accept native traditional medicine which has the same cultural base, belief, and faith. Many of these products have never been tested in accordance to "evidence-based medicine." There are usually case reports and experience-based reports about these products. Recently, there have been some trials (in vitro and in vivo) to verify the claims of usage of traditional medicines in management of DFU. Such studies show that these natural products enhance the healing process by controlling infection, stimulating granulation tissue, antimicrobial action, promoting fibroblastic activity and collagen deposition, etc. In this review, we attempt to study and analyse the available literature on results of topical traditional medicines, which are usually advocated in the management of DFU. An integrated and 'holistic' approach of both modern and traditional medicine may be more acceptable to the patient, cost effective, and easy to administer and monitor. This may also nevertheless lead to further improvement in quality of life and decrease in the rates of amputations for DFU.

Characterization and Comparison of Steroidal Glycosides from Polygonatum Species by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Polygonatum species have been used as traditional medicines and functional foods in Asia and Europe since ancient times. In this study, a fast and simple method based on liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) was developed to systematically analyze and identify the steroidal glycosides in four major Polygonatum species distributed in Japan, including P. odoratum, P. falcatum, P. macranthum, and P. sibiricum. As a result, 31 steroidal glycosides were tentatively identified, including 18 known and 13 previously unreported glycosides. Their structures were identified by the interpretation of chromatographic behavior and ESI-MS fragmentation patterns. The identification of 31 steroidal glycosides was indicative of a common biogenetic pathway in Polygonatum species. Our study disclosed the chemical profiling of steroidal glycosides in the plants of Polygonatum species, which will benefit better phytochemotaxonomical and phytochemical understanding and quality control for their medicinal usage.

Recent Developments of Silk-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications: A Special Focus on the Advancement of 3D Printing.

Regenerative medicine has received potential attention around the globe, with improving cell performances, one of the necessary ideas for the advancements of regenerative medicine. It is crucial to enhance cell performances in the physiological system for drug release studies because the variation in cell environments between in vitro and in vivo develops a loop in drug estimation. On the other hand, tissue engineering is a potential path to integrate cells with scaffold biomaterials and produce growth factors to regenerate organs. Scaffold biomaterials are a prototype for tissue production and perform vital functions in tissue engineering. Silk fibroin is a natural fibrous polymer with significant usage in regenerative medicine because of the growing interest in leftovers for silk biomaterials in tissue engineering. Among various natural biopolymer-based biomaterials, silk fibroin-based biomaterials have attracted significant attention due to their outstanding mechanical properties, biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and biodegradability for regenerative medicine and scaffold applications. This review article focused on highlighting the recent advancements of 3D printing in silk fibroin scaffold technologies for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

Effect of education and religion on trends of usage of Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine is accepted as the earliest practiced system of medicine in India. Ayurveda remains an integral part of life of the people since time immemorial. We have discussed in review of literature how Ayurveda find its roots in Vedas. In the present study it was observed that nearly 66% people use Ayurveda either as prepared Ayurvedic medicine or as a home remedy. The trend of people opting for Ayurvedic medicines to attain health is also increasing and there is considerable growth of global market of Ayurveda. Present study was undertaken in Derabassi and S.A.S Nagar tehsils of Punjab to oversee the effect of Education and religion on the prevalence of usage of Ayurvedic medicines in these areas. The use of Ayurvedic was moderate in the study areas. The factors that affected use of these products were education and religion. The increased awareness among individuals with higher educational qualifications has increased the usage of products amongst them.

Ocular Complications Secondary to Common Malpractices Followed in Rural Areas – A Tertiary Care Centre Study

Aim of the Study: To assess the ocular complications associated with common malpractices done in rural area. Materials and Method: A hospital based observational, cross section study. In a year, 38 patients found to have undergone ocular malpractices after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Detailed clinical history with ophthalmic examination was done. Results: Out of 38 patients who underwent malpractices, 28 (73.7%) had history of quackery, 4 (10.5%) had history of wrong medicine usage, 3 (7.8%) had history of traditional medicine usage and 3 (7.8%) had multiple causes. Commonest complaint was stone or foreign body removal by quacks using grass. The common complications noted were periorbital skinreaction (10.5%), conjunctivitis(42.1%), keratoconjunctivitis (13.1%), sight threatening corneal ulcers (28.9%), old corneal opacity (2.6%), panophthalmitis (2.6%). Conclusion: Quackery, traditional medicine usage, wrong drugs usage are the common ocular malpractices prevalent in rural India. Often, they are associated with sight threatening complications. Public awareness is needed to decrease the harmful effects arising from such practices

Behavioral Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Using Western and Chinese Medicines or Herbal Products among the Public in Response to COVID-19 in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic occurred in Hong Kong for more than two years. This article conducted a cross-sectional study for participants to investigate the behavioral prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of using Western medicines or herbal products for COVID-19 in Hong Kong. A questionnaire was designed and performed over 2 weeks from 1 May to 15 May 2022. It consisted of five parts with around 20 questions conducted including sociodemographic information, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation of COVID-19, and also the sources of information. The pattern usage of Chinese or Western medicines for COVID-19 was studied after data collection. 318 people participated in this survey, and only 311 were qualified. The sociodemographic information, e.g., personal educational level, and behavior for the prevention of COVID-19, which included wearing masks (98.7%), using alcohol hand sanitizer (83.0%), washing hands frequently (82.4%), avoiding crowds (53.1%), and staying home more often (50.6%). Western medicines, such as antipyretic drugs, antitussive drugs, and pain reliever drugs, whilst Chinese medicines, such as Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang, Huoxiang Zhengqi San or Wan, and Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, were most commonly used in the treatment and rehabilitation periods of COVID-19. Herbal products, including lemon, honey, ginger, and herbal tea, were used as a daily diet to fight against COVID-19. Based on the result findings, Chinese medicines or herbal products were used during the COVID-19 pandemic, but most of the participants used an unknown Chinese medicine practitioner's prescription and self-administered Chinese medicine. The pattern of Chinese medicines and Western medicines' usage in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of COVID-19 was also investigated; this showed a statistically significant association between the variables according to gender, age, and Chinese or Western medicines for further investigation.

Phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Crinum solapurense Lam

The widely used indigenous medicinal plant Crinum solapurense Lam is the subject of the current inquiry. According to the study and pertinent literature, the plant Crinum solapurense Lam. It is most well-known for its use in traditional medicines, while different portions of the plant have received less attention. The current research program aims to assess the phytochemical analysis and antioxidant, anthelmintic efficacy of Crinum solapurense bulb ethanolic extract with the following objectives: authentication and storage of plant materials, successive extraction of different solvents from powdered drug, preliminary phytochemical screening review, assessment of the above extracts for action in vitro as an anthelmintic and antioxidant using DPPH and ABTS process. Crinum solapurense Lam, a drug, has been discovered during this inquiry. could be used as a more effective medicine for anthelmintic treatment. The plant Crinum solapurense might be a brand-new source of biologically active, stable antioxidants that could provide a solid scientific foundation for its usage in contemporary medicine.

Change in the Usage of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Era of Biologics Among Korean Patients With Psoriasis.

Patients with long-standing psoriasis who are not treated with conventional medicine seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The biological revolution in the field of psoriasis since the late 2000s has progressed, expecting clearance or almost clearance of the disease. The frequency and type of CAM usage may have changed after these advances. We aimed to investigate changes in CAM use in Korean patients with psoriasis before and after the prevalent use of biologics. Patients with psoriasis who visited Pusan National University Hospitals (Busan and Yangsan) between March 2020 and June 2022 were made to complete a face-to-face structured questionnaire. These results were compared with our previous study conducted approximately 10 years ago. In total, 207 patients were included. Compared with the previous results, the frequency of CAM use (67.6%) increased (P < 0.001). Oriental medicine (67.1%) has most commonly been used, followed by health supplements and bath therapy. The biggest reason for using CAM was "to try all the potential treatments." Meanwhile, negative concerns about conventional medicine (13.5%) significantly decreased during the 10-year period (P < 0.001). Although treatment efficacy has increased with biologics development, CAM usage remains prevalent among Korean patients with psoriasis. Therefore, dermatologists need more efforts to improve patients' understanding of conventional medicine, including biologics.

Isolation and Determination of Antibacterial Sensitivity Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus from Lactating Cows in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is one of the etiologies of bovine mastitis, hindering milk production and productivity in dairy farms. This study was aimed at assessing the distribution of bovine mastitis and the isolation rate of S. aureus in milked cows of West Shewa Zone. The clinical mastitis was diagnosed by physical methods including observation and palpation, whereas the subclinical mastitis was tested by the California mastitis test (CMT). All of the cows tested for mastitis were aseptically sampled (teat-milk) for bacteriology. The bacterium was primarily identified based on colony characterization, catalase, coagulase tests, and Gram stain reaction. Finally, MALDI-TOF Biotyper confirmed the species. The antibacterial sensitivity characteristics of the isolates to different antibacterial drugs were tested by the disk diffusion method. The drugs were selected based on the frequent usage in veterinary medicine in the study area. By using particular primers, the presence of the resistance (mecA and blaZ), and thermonuclease (nuc) genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The data were analyzed by R statistical software. The associations between the dependent variables (prevalence of mastitis and S. aureus) and the explanatory variables were analysed by chi-square (χ 2) and logistic regression tests at a 95% confidence interval (CI). Accordingly, 258 lactating cows were examined, of which 97 (37.6%) were mastitis positive. Of these mastitis positive cows, 59 (60.8%) were subclinical and 38 (39.2%) were clinical. Among the 258 milk samples, 43 (16.7%) were positive for S. aureus. According to the results of the current investigation, subclinical mastitis was significantly more prevalent than clinical mastitis (p < 0.05). The disease was found varied with the lactation stage of the animal, milking with washed hand, udder washing before milking, and tick infestation of the teat. In comparison to animals from farms with lower number of lactating cows, the prevalence of the bacteria was significantly higher in animals managed in farms with large (OR = 12.58, 95% CI = 2.33-68.54, and p < 0.05) and medium (OR = 12.58, 95% CI = 2.33-68.54, and p < 0.05) population of lactating cows per herd. The isoation rate of the bacterium was also found significantly higher in tick-infested cows (OR = 27.69, 95% CI = 9.71-93.01, and p < 0.05) than tick free cows. The antibiogram tests revealed that the isolates resisted penicillin G and tetracycline group drugs (oxytetracycline and tetracycline). Moreover, the nuc gene was confirmed to be present in all of the examined isolates. However, they were not found harboring blaZ and mecA genes. We concluded that S. aureus is sustaining as a main causative agent of bovine mastitis, and they were resistant to the frequently used antibiotics in public and veterinary medicines in the study areas. Therefore, research-based interventions need to be taken in action to combat the pathogen.

Knowledge, Perception, and Practice of Generic Medicine and Associated Factors among Community Pharmacists in Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Good knowledge of Generic medicines (GM) among healthcare professionals including pharmacists improves the effective usage of generic medicine among patients and thus reduces their healthcare costs. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge of GM among community pharmacists in the Jaffna district of Sri Lanka. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among all community pharmacists in the Jaffna district using a self-administered questionnaire. SPSS 26 analyzed data. Independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to assess the relationship between sociodemographic and work-related factors and knowledge of GM among community pharmacists at the 95% confidence interval and a P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Sixty-two pharmacists (92.54%) responded to the study. The median age of pharmacists was 42.5 years (IQR=18.5) and 58.1% of them were males. The total score for knowledge of generic medicine was 55. The mean score of knowledge on generic medicine was 37.37±11.86. Age, professional qualification (p=0.044), and participation in the workshop (p=0.023) had significant differences with knowledge of GM. Pharmacists have a negatively inclined perception of generic substitutes. However, most of them (95.2%) were practicing generic medicine substitution. Most of the pharmacists selected generic substitutes based on the customer's request (94.9%), followed by the quality of the generic medicine (67.8%) and familiarity of generic brands (67.8%). Community pharmacists lack knowledge and negatively inclined perception of GM. However, most pharmacists practice generic substitutions during dispensing. Conducting continuous professional development programs and workshops regularly and upgrading their professional qualifications to diploma or degree from certificate level could improve not only their knowledge of generic medicines but also good dispensing practice.

Prevalence and Patterns of Herbal Medicine use in Bayelsa State: Potential Customers Victimology Insight for Behavioural Forensics

The need to affirm the ever rising patronage of herbal medicine through the prevalence and patterns with the view to explore potential victimology insight for behavioural forensics necessitated this study. The data of the study was generated from 1200 participants drawn from eight LGAs using structured questionnaire as instrument. Findings from the study revealed high prevalence (91.17 %) of herbal medicine use; age, sex, educational level and income were associated with herbal medicine use. The study also revealed that age group 30 – 39 years (34.74 %) of the studied population was found to be the predominant participants that used herbal medicine, more females (53.11 %) used herbal medicine compared to males (46.89 %), participants with primary school level of education were found to be the major users of herbal medicine followed by participants with secondary school level of education (31.17 %), also, low income earners were found to be the predominant users of herbal medicines. Non-infection (sex enhancement, weight loss, fertility), anti-infection (malaria, typhoid, cough, STDs), pains/pregnancy management, and others 34.55 %, 30.99 %, 25.05 %, and 9.41 % respectively were the health issues herbal medicine was used to manage by the participants. Findings from the study portrayed likely vulnerabilities of the participants to potential victims of sharp medical practices or medical fraud.

A REVIEW ON SOME MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES WITH THE MOST TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USAGE IN INDIA

Medicinal plants have been used since the Vedic era. In rural India, around 80 percent of the population more or less uses the traditional type of medicines. There are about 45,000 medicinal plant species in India, with concentrated spots in the region of Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Island. The officially documented plants with medicinal potential are around 3000 but traditional practitioners use more than 6000. India is the largest producer of medicinal herbs and is called the botanical garden of the world. Nowadays in developing countries, assurance of the protection, quality and usefulness of medicinal plants and herbal products has now become a key issue. Almost every portion of the plant has its own medicinal properties. Medicinal plants possess many other properties like antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anti-parasitic, anti-hemolytic, antibiotic, anti-insecticidal properties etc. These are widely used by tribal people all over the world. There is a long list of medicinal plant species which are helpful for mankind in many ways but the author tried to focus on explaining the traditional medicinal usage of 32 plant species in this review article.

Building Public Health Imagination in Controlling NCDs through Integrative Medicine - A Narrative Synthesis Scoping Review on its Challenges &amp; Future in India

Background: India is amidst an epidemiological transition with the country’s health system being tested to manage the dual burden of communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and it is prudent that policy bearers should ensure stratification of data collected through large-scale surveys like NFHS &amp; NSS for better understanding of NCDs in India and AYUSH users for NCDs. The subject scoping review focuses on the uptake of the AYUSH system of medicines in the backdrop of NCDs in India, systems approach to healthcare, the concept of integrative medicine and the challenges it faces in terms of scalability and mass adoption. Design &amp; Method: Through a comprehensive literature review exercise, and nationally representative NFHS data on health, the qualitative research work presents an analysis to comprehend the evident prevalence of NCDs in India and the usage of the AYUSH system of medicine to restrain these chronic conditions with mechanisms like integrative medicine. Results: Out of the 1087 articles validated, 27 were finalised for a detailed review with respect to the identified thematic analysis. The selected articles assimilated through multiple themes and theories include the theory of the classical model of epidemiological and demographic transition and its inference in Indian settings with essential data on diseases (communicable and NCDs) in India, usage of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM/ AYUSH) in global/ Indian context and its mainstreaming with biomedicine, systems approach to healthcare and global innovations in digital health.

Investigations of plausible pharmacodynamics supporting the antispasmodic, bronchodilator, and antidiarrheal activities of Berberis lycium Royle. Via in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies

Ethnopharmacological relevanceBerberis lycium Royle, a member of the Berberidaceae family, is a high-value medicinal plant with a documented history of usage in traditional medicine and has demonstrated significant therapeutic results among local populations throughout the globe. It is used traditionally in many parts of Pakistan to treat diarrhea, abdominal spasms, coughs, and chest problems. Aim of the studyTo investigate the antispasmodic, bronchodilator, and antidiarrheal effects of B. lycium and its possible underlying mechanisms through in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies. Materials and methodsLC ESI–MS/MS analysis was used to identify bioactive components within the hydromethanolic extract of B. lycium. In silico studies, including network pharmacology and molecular docking, were utilized to investigate the antispasmodic and bronchodilator properties of the extract's bioactive components. In vitro pharmacological studies were conducted using isolated rabbit jejunum, trachea, urinary bladder, and rat ileum preparations. In vivo antidiarrheal activities were conducted in mice, including castor oil-induced diarrhea, intestinal transit, and castor oil-induced enteropooling. ResultsThe LC ESI–MS/MS analysis of the hydromethanolic extract of B. lycium identified 38 bioactive compounds. Network pharmacology study demonstrated that the mechanism of BLR for the treatment of diarrhea might involve IL1B, TLR4, PIK3R1, TNF, PTPRC, IL2, PIK3CD, and ABCB1, whereas, for respiratory ailments, it may involve PIK3CG, TRPV1, STAT3, ICAM1, ACE, PTGER2, PTGS2, TNF, MMP9, NOS2, IL2, CCR5, HRH1, and VDR. Molecular docking research revealed that chlorogenic acid, epigallocatechin, isorhamnetin, quinic acid, gallic acid, camptothecin, formononetin-7-O-glucoside, velutin, caffeic acid, and (S)-luteanine exhibited a higher docking score than dicyclomine with validated proteins of smooth muscle contractions such as CACB2_HUMAN, ACM3_HUMAN, MYLK_HUMAN, and PLCG1_HUMAN. In vitro investigations demonstrated that Blr.Cr, Blr.EtOAc, and Blr.Aq relaxed spontaneously contracting jejunum preparations; carbachol (1 μM)-induced and K+ (80 mM)-induced jejunum, trachea, and urinary bladder contractions in a concentration-dependent manner, similar to dicyclomine. Moreover, Blr.Cr, Blr.EtOAc, and Blr.Aq exhibited a rightward shift in Ca+2 and carbachol cumulative response curves, similar to dicyclomine, demonstrating the coexistence of antimuscarinic and Ca+2 antagonistic mechanisms due to the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids. In vivo antidiarrheal activities showed that the hydromethanolic extract was significantly effective against castor oil-induced diarrhea and castor oil-induced enteropooling, similar to loperamide, and charcoal meal intestinal transit, similar to atropine, in mice at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight, which supports its traditional use in diarrhea. ConclusionThe dual blocking mechanism of muscarinic receptors and Ca+2 channels behind the smooth muscle relaxing activity reveals the therapeutic relevance of B. lycium in diarrhea, abdominal spasms, coughs, and chest problems.

A study of reporting pattern of adverse drug reactions in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are one of the prime causes of morbidity and mortality, increase in hospital stay and socioeconomic burden on the patients. Periodic monitoring aids in formulating methods for safe usage of medicines in hospitals. Identification of ADRs and their reporting pattern can provide useful information for their prevention. Hence this study was done to see the pattern of reported ADRs in Patna Medical College and Hospital, Patna in a 3 months of study.Methods: It was an observational and retrospective study carried out between July 2022 to September 2022. Both outpatients and inpatients were included in the study. The ADRs in the form of Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) were sent to the nearby adverse drug reaction monitoring centre (AMC).Results: The occurrence of ADRs was more common in females (56.25%) as compared to males (43.75%). Patients of age-group 21-40 years (40.625%) were most commonly involved. Medicine department (34.375%) reported the maximum percentage of ADRs. Antimicrobials (37.50%) was the most common drug-group causing ADRs. Maximum reported ADRs (81.25%) were probable, 9.375% were possible, 6.25% were certain, while 3.125% were unlikely with the suspected drug as per Naranjo scale.Conclusions: The pattern of ADRs reported in our hospital is comparable with the results of studies conducted in hospital setup elsewhere, along with a few differences. The study results revealed opportunities for interventions in ADR management especially for the preventable ADRs to ensure safer drug use.

Iconic Arable Weeds: The Significance of Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), and Field Larkspur (Delphinium consolida) in Hungarian Ethnobotanical and Cultural Heritage

There are an increasing number of initiatives that recognize arable weed species as an important component of agricultural biodiversity. Such initiatives often focus on declining species that were once abundant and are still well known, but the ethnographic relevance of such species receives little recognition. We carried out an extensive literature review on the medicinal, ornamental, and cultural applications of three selected species, Papaver rhoeas, Centaurea cyanus, and Delphinium consolida, in the relevant Hungarian literature published between 1578 and 2021. We found a great diversity of medicinal usages. While P. rhoeas stands out with its sedative influence, D. consolida was mainly employed to stop bleeding, and C. cyanus was most frequently used to cure eye inflammation. The buds of P. rhoeas were sporadically eaten and its petals were used as a food dye. All species fulfilled ornamental purposes, either as garden plants or gathered in the wild for bouquets. They were essential elements of harvest festivals and religious festivities, particularly in Corpus Christi processions. P. rhoeas was also a part of several children's games. These wildflowers were regularly depicted in traditional Hungarian folk art. In poetry, P. rhoeas was used as a symbol of burning love or impermanence; C. cyanus was frequently associated with tenderness and faithfulness; while D. consolida regularly emerged as a nostalgic remembrance of the disappearing rural lifestyle. These plants were also used as patriotic symbols in illustrations for faithfulness, loyalty, or homesickness. Our results highlight the deep and prevalent embeddedness of the three iconic weed species studied in the folk culture of the Carpathian Basin. The ethnobotanical and cultural embeddedness of arable weed species should also be considered when efforts and instruments for the conservation of arable weed communities are designed.