Karthikeyan V

Many new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have become available in recent years. Investigations of prescription patterns and exposure of AEDs to different patient groups are important regarding drug safety aspects. To evaluate the drug use pattern of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and other medications in a representative population attending tertiary care rural teaching hospital. Methodology: The prospective observational study was conducted during a period of 6 months at tertiary care hospitals at Palakkad. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Patient data collection forms were prepared based on the study objectives. The data collection forms are filled which included all the demographic and relevant clinical information like Name, age, gender, marital status, epilepsy diagnosis, antiepileptic medications, duration of therapy etc. 30% (n=67) of patients were prescribed with combination of two drug. Sodium valproate and levetiracetam is the most frequently used (n=18, 8.07%) followed by Sodium valproate and clobazam (n=11, 4.93%). In this study two drug combinations have a better production against epileptic patients. In our study concluded that the combination therapy may seem costlier than monotherapy in the short term, but when used appropriately, it causes significant savings: lower treatment failure rate, lower case-fatality ratios, and fewer side-effects than monotherapy, slower development of resistance and consequently, less money needed for the development of new drugs.

To pre-screen the ex- vivo wound healing activity of  ethyl acetate extract of the leaves of Tectona grandis Linn. Family Verbenaceae along with phytochemical, EDS, HPTLC analysis to provide pharmacological validation to the traditional claim for this activity of Tectona grandis leaves. Total phenolic content by UV spectral methods and apigenin  by HPTLC, trace elements by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer were determined. The wound healing effect was evaluated using ex- vivo porcine skin wound healing model Total phenolic content, HPTLC determination of apigenin content of TGEAE was found to be 22.2µg/g , 0.7% respectively. EDS study showed calcium (2.19%), potassium (9.24%), magnesium (0.62%), and sulphur(0.48%), phosphorous (0.97%). Histopathological evaluation showed all treated wounds were sound with no signs of apoptosis, necrosis or bacterial contamination and no toxicity of the tested concentrations. Morphology of the wound margins, epidermis and dermis layer were found to be normal. TGEAE (3%) promoted statistically significant wound healing effect. This study indicates that the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves of T.grandis possesses wound healing activity on ex-vivo porcine skin wound healing model. The activity may be due to its phenolic content, apigenin (flavonoids) and betulinic acid. Trace elements supports wound healing as they required for cellular growth and replication. This present investigation provides scientific evidence to ethno medical use of T.grandis leaves in wound healing. Therefore it can be safely used as auxiliary therapy in diabetic foot ulcers as the leaves possesses scientifically validated traditional use in diabetes.