Research Letters
Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics | April-June 2011 | Vol 2 | Issue 2 119
therapeutically equivalent doses of the methanolic stem bark extract produced a signifi cant decrease in all ulcerogenic parameters. Thus, the antiulcer effect of the extract may be involved in counteracting the functions of one or more of the above physical or physiological factors.
Similarly, a role for reactive oxygen metabolites and free radicals has been suggested in the pathogenesis of stress- induced gastric ulcers. Antioxidants are known to protect cellular damage by scavenging the free radical formation, may be due to its possible antioxidant nature.[13] Increase in malonaldehyde levels results in an increase in the reactive oxygen species, the major radicals being superoxide anion, H2O2 and hydroxyl radical. These induce cell degranulation by increasing peroxidation of cell membrane lipids, causing loss of structural and functional integrity of the cell membrane.[14]
Reduced glutathione is also a major facilitator for free radical- mediated lipid peroxidation. Results of the present study also revealed similar alterations in the control group animals. These effects were signifi cantly reversed in the extract-treated group.
Thus, it is tempting to suggest that the gastroprotective effect of the extract in pylorus-ligated gastric ulcers could be, in part, also mediated through either a decrease in free-radical generation or its antioxidant activity.
Further pharmacological studies including characterization of the active phytoconstituents responsible for the actual mechanism are required to explore the full therapeutic potential of Stereospermum suaveolens.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank the Principal, BVV Sangha’s H.S.K.
College of Pharmacy, Bagalkot - 587 101, Karnataka, for support and encouragement during the work.
Ashok A. Muchandi, V. M. Chandrashekhar1
Department of Pharmacology, Satara College of Pharmacy, New MIDC, Satara, Maharashtra,
1H.S.K. College of Pharmacy, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
Address for correspondence:
Ashok A. Muchandi, Department of Pharmacology, Satara College of Pharmacy, New MIDC, Satara - 415 004, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES
1. Schabowski J, Pitera J. Peptic ulcer among rural population in a selected region of south-eastern Poland. Ann Agric Environ Med 2004;11:323-7.
2. Ariyoshi I, Toshiharu A, Sugimura F, Abe M, Matsua Y, Honda T.
Recurrence during maintenance therapy with histamine H2 receptor antagonist in cases of gastric ulcer. Nihon Univ J Med 1986;28:69-74.
3. Chattarjee A, Chandra PS. The treatise on Indian medicinal plants. New Delhi, India: National Institute of Science Communication (2) ;2000. p. 10.
4. Chattarjee A, Chandra PS. The treatise on Indian medicinal plants. New Delhi, India: National Institute of Science Communication (5) ;1997. p. 46.
5. Rajkapoor B, Jayakar B, Anandan R, Kavimani S. Antiulcer effect of Bauhinia variegate Linn. in rats. J Nat Rem 2003;2:215-7.
6. Shay M, Komarov SA, Fels D, Meranze D, Gruenstein H, Siplet H. A simple method for the uniform production of gastric ulceration in the rat.
Gastroenterology 1945;5:43-61.
7. Kunchandy J, Khanna S, Kulkarni SK. Antiulcer effect of Nigella sativa Linn against gastric ulcers in rats. Arch Int Pharmacodyn 1985;275:123-38.
8. Rani P, Unni M. Evaluation of antioxidant properties of Berries. Indian J Clin Biochem 2004;19:103-10.
9. Ray A, Chaudhri SR, Majumdar B, Sandip K. Antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa on indomethacin induced gastric ulcer during healing. Indian J Clin Biochem 2002:17:44-1.
10. Misra HP, Fridovich I. The role of superoxide anion in the autoxidation of epinephrine and a simple assay for superoxide dismutase. J Bio Chem 1972:247:3170-5.
11. Claiborne L. Handbook of methods or oxygen radical research.
London: CRC Press; 1985. p. 22.
12. Piper DW, Stiel DD. Pathogenesis of chronic peptic ulcer, current thinking and clinical implications. Med Prog 1986;2:7-10.
13. Desai JK, Goyal RK, Parmar NS. Pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease and current trends in therapy. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1997;41:3-15.
14. Das D, Bandopadhyay D, Bhattacharjee M, Banerjee RK. Hydroxyl radical is the major causative factor in stress induced gastric ulceration. Free Rad Biol Med 1997;23:8-18.
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10.4103/0976-500X.81908
Preferences of medical students regarding physical characteristics of oral solid dosage formulations in Malaysia
Sir,
Oral solid dosage forms are some of the least expensive, most popular, and convenient method for drug delivery.[1]
The general appearance of oral solid dosage form is its visual identity. The overall “elegance” is essential for consumer acceptance, and have an impact on the compliance of the treatment.[2] The general appearance of oral solid dosage forms involves evaluation of attributes such as a tablet’s size, shape, color, odour, and taste. To increase the consumer acceptance and compliance of drug treatment, it is essential that the physical appearance of the formulation be matched with the
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Research Letters
120 Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics | April-June 2011 | Vol 2 | Issue 2
general choice (shape, size, color, smell, and taste) of the people living in a particular geographical area.
In the present study, the fi rst year medical students of AIMST University, Malaysia, were given a questionnaire to know their preferences regarding the physical characteristics of oral solid dosage forms. Here the selected sample population represented young multiracial, multicultural community of the entire Malaysia as AIMST University attracts students from all over Malaysia and from abroad. All the students who participated in the study were pursuing medicine and knowing their preferences and ideas about clinical pharmacy related attributes would help in designing better oral solid dosage forms for the future.
Out of the 200 medical students who participated in the study, 74 (37%) were male and 126 (63%) were females.
The majority of the students were in the age group of 18 to 23 years.
The favorite 2 dimensional shape of solid dosage form as per the responses was circular (117, 58.5%) followed by oval (43, 21.5%), and the least preferred shape was triangular (4, 2%).
The majority of the students 126 (63%) were of the opinion that doctor should take into consideration the shape of the tablet and patients own preference regarding the shape of the oral solid dosage form before prescribing. The rest of the students 74(37%) strongly disagreed with the same.
The majority of the students (195, 97.5%) felt that the size of the oral solid dosage form should be small enough to swallow it easily. Four (2%) students felt that the size of the tablet should be bigger and felt that bigger size would give the psychological impression of wellbeing if prescribed to the patients.
The top three colors students preferred for solid dosage forms were blue (62, 31%) followed by red (52, 26%) and green (36, 18%).The least preferred color was orange (4, 2%). One hundred and nineteen (59.5%) students were of the opinion that the color of the solid dosage form is important for compliance of the drug treatment and that the acceptability of the product is increased by making the tablet more visually elegant. The rest of the students (81, 40.5%) either disagreed or were unable to decide anything about the concerned point.
Smell is an important factor in making the solid oral dosage form more palatable and this was agreeable to 169 (84.5%) students. The remaining 31(15.5%) did not agree with the same and were not bothered about the smell of the solid dosage form. The sweet taste (88,44%) was preferred in oral solid dosage forms followed by tasteless solid oral dosage forms (80, 40%). With regard to cosmetic acceptance, 168 (84%) students felt that attractive packing makes drugs more cosmetically
acceptable and that bottles (108, 54%) were ideal for storing oral solid dosage forms as compared to strips (92, 46%).
In general, 104 (52%) students felt that if a solid oral dosage form matching the patients own physical preferences for color, shape, size, taste, and smell is prescribed would increase the patients faith in doctor and will help in improving the compliance of patient towards treatment prescribed. It was also noted that the preferences for shape, size, color, taste, and smell for oral solid dosage forms were slightly different for male and female subgroup but, but when these preferences were compared in between the groups, the differences were statistically not signifi cant (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Junior doctors in AIMST University, Malaysia prefer oral solid dosage formulations, which are small in size, circular in shape, blue in color, sweet in taste, and with no obnoxious smell.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to specially thank students of batch 15 of MBBS course, AIMST University for actively participating in the study.
Ameya A. Hasamnis, Sapna S. Patil1, Arun Kumar, Kyaw Thu2, Basanta K. Mohanty3
Departments of Pharmacology and 1Community Medicine, ACMS University, 2Departments of Community Medicine and
3Pharmacology, AIMST University, Malaysia
Address for correspondence:
Ameya A. Hasamnis, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, ACMS University, Kepala Batas, Penang Malaysia, 13200. Malaysia.
E-mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES
1. Oral Solid Dosage Forms: Process Monitoring Techniques and Challenges in Scale-Up and Technology Transfer. Available from: http://www.ispe.org/
cs/training_courses/unit_operations_for_oral_solid_dosage_forms. [Cited 2009 Oct 10].
2. Overgaard AB, Højsted J, Hansen R, Møller-Sonnergaard J, Christrup LL.
Patients’ evaluation of shape, size and colour of solid dosage forms. Pharm World Sci 2001;23:185-8.
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