Indian Journal of Pharmacology
ISSN 0253-7613
Official Publication of the Indian Pharmacological Society
October 2007
Vol 39
Issue 5
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Chief Editor
Shiv Prakash
Executive Editor
R. K. Dikshit
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Publication
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Indian Journal of Pharmacology
ISSN 0253-7613
Official Publication of the Indian Pharmacological Society
October 2007 Vol 39 Issue 5
CONTENTS
Editorial
Irrational combinations: No consideration for patient safety: Shiv Prakash
217
Review Article
Bioequivalence: Issues and perspectives: Shubha Rani
218
Research Papers
Isolation, characterization and study of enhancing effects on nasal absorption of insulin in rat of the total saponin from
Acanthophyllum squarrosum: S.A. Sajadi Tabassi, H. Hosseinzadeh, M. Ramezani, E. Moghimipour, S.A. Mohajeri
226
Pharmacological and biochemical evidence for the antidepressant effect of the herbal preparation Trans-01: Md. Shalam,
S.M. Shantakumar, M. Laxmi Narasu
231
Effects of dexamethasone and betamethasone as COX-2 gene expression inhibitors on rigidity in a rat model of Parkinson’s
disease: Mehdi Shafiee Ardestani, Hassan Mehrab, Nourallah Sadeghzadeh
235
Activity of aqueous ethanol extract of Euphorbia prostrata ait on Shigella dysenteriae type 1-induced diarrhea in rats:
Kamgang René, Gonsu Kamga Hortense, Wafo Pascal, Mbungni N. Jean Alexis, Pouokam Ervice Vidal,
Fokam Tagne Michel Archange, Fonkoua Marie Christine
240
Antidiarrheal and antimicrobial activities of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis leaves: S. Sasidharan, L. Yoga Latha, Z. Zuraini,
S. Suryani, S. Sangetha, L. Shirley
245
Research Letters
Positive inotropic and chronotropic effect of aloe gel on isolated rat heart: Pradeep Kumar, Manish Goyal, Sunita Tewari
249
Synergistic effect of cefixime and cloxacillin combination against common bacterial pathogens causing community acquired
pneumonia: Astha Agarwal, N. Jain, A. Jain
251
In vitro cytotoxic and human recombinant caspase inhibitory effect of Annona reticulata leaves: Susanta Kumar Mondal,
Nirup Bikash Mondal, Upal Kanti Mazumder
253
Correspondence
Counterfeit and substandard drugs: The need for an effective and stringent regulatory control in India and other developing
countries: A. Sukhlecha
255
Letter to the Editor
Postgraduate education in medical pharmacology: A student’s viewpoint: Varun Gupta
256
Book Review
257
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259
Letter to the Editor
Postgraduate education in medical pharmacology:
A student’s viewpoint
Apropos the editorial on ‘Postgraduate education in medical
pharmacology,’[1] postgraduate education occupies a unique
place in the continuum of medical education. It stands on the
foundation laid down at the undergraduate level and is the
culmination of a process by which a student becomes fully
equipped to face the challenges posed by rapidly changing
society.
In India, there are 149 MCI-recognized seats in MD
pharmacology. Ironically, the annual intake for MD pharmacology
in states like Rajasthan and Kerala is nil.[2] This in itself is an
indicator of the extent of nonuniformity in medical pharmacology
across the country. The scenario in India is a mix of great
challenges with few opportunities. This must be corrected
without delay. Some possible measures could be:
• To produce an official document highlighting the scope of
pharmacology; this could be uploaded on various websites.
It would be an important reference document for any
aspiring meritorious student.
• To start specialized skill-based distance learning programmes
on topics like drug screening, bioethics, good clinical practices,
protocol designing, clinical pharmacokinetics, therapeutic
drug monitoring, pharmacovigilance, pharmacogenetics, etc.,
in consultation with expert agencies of distance education
like IGNOU. The practical aspects could be taught at an apex
institute. In short, the principles of distance learning need
to be converged with regular postgraduate education in
pharmacology. This would make optimum use of available
resources and infrastructure.[3]
• To provide opportunities for postgraduate students to
develop additional skills in communication, management,
and use of computers; collaboration with institutions like
the IIMs and IITs could be sought.
• To encourage inter-college postgraduate activities like quiz
competitions for residents of pharmacology and specific
‘postgraduate assembly,’ covering the contemporary topics
in pharmacology for examination-going postgraduates.
• To encourage industry–academia collaboration for
workshops and research projects; this will provide the
residents with much needed employable skills. Public–
private partnership in training residents could prove to be
very useful in the long run.
• To initiate internship programmes in coordination with
reputed corporate hospitals, pharmaceutical companies,
and national and international institutions; this should be
envisioned as an integral part of the MD curriculum.
• To put in place organized job search systems and placement
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Indian J Pharmacol
| October 2007 | Vol 39 | Issue 5 | 256
activities; for example, ‘job fairs’ should be regular events
during the annual meet of the Indian Pharmacological
Society and / or there could be incorporation of a ‘placement
cell’ in the Indian Pharmacological Society.
• Complete web-based solutions providing online learning,
job openings, links to various online resources, podcast of
experts, and even sharing of conferences and workshops
presentations for the benefit of students at large could be
integrated in the form of a dynamic website.
• New innovative courses like MD–MBA, MD–PhD, and MS
Pharmaceutical Medicine could attract some of the finest
talents in health care.
In conclusion, postgraduate education should not be just
about where students go to learn and the methods by which
they learn but should be about what they learn and how well
equipped they are at the end of their course to enter the field and
flourish. The national bodies of pharmacologists like the Indian
Pharmacological Society and the Association of Physiologists
and Pharmacologists of India should come forward to address
the potential shortfalls in the training of its postgraduates and
help produce a cadre of globally accredited pharmacologists
from India.
Collaborations are an ongoing process throughout
world. When Harvard and MIT[4] can come together for drug
development, then why not others?
Acknowledgment
The author would like to thank Prof. Anil Kumar, Chairman, Department
of Pharmacology, JNMC, AMU, for his guidance and support. The author
would also like to thank Prof. Rahat Ali Khan for his motivation and
guidance.
Varun Gupta
Department of Pharmacology, J.N Medical College, AMU,
Aligarh, India. E-mail: varunpgupta@yahoo.com
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dikshit RK. Postgraduate education in medical pharmacology. Indian J Pharmacol
2007;39:171.
Medical Council of India. Available from: http://www.mciindia.org. [Last accessed
on 2007 Oct 25].
Gupta V, Demla M. Convergence of distance learning with regular postgraduate
education in Pharmacology: An innovative skill based model. (Abstract) Proceedings
of the Second Management Consultation on Health Care in India; 2007 June 25-29;
Indian Institute of Management: Ahmedabad, India; 2007. p. 34.
HST Center for Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Available from:
http://hstcept.mit.edu. [Last accessed on 2007 Oct 25].