MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SD rats were divided into three different groups viz., control, low exposure petroleum ether (250 mg/kg; i.p.) and high exposure petroleum ether (500 mg/kg; i.p.) administered group. The animals were exposed with petroleum ether once daily for 2 weeks. Prior to the experiment and end of the experiment animals behaviour, locomotor and memory levels were monitored. Before initiating the study animals were trained for 2 weeks for its learning process and its memory levels were evaluated. Body weight (BW) analysis, locomotor activity, anxiogenic effect (elevated plus maze) and learning and memory (Morris water navigation task) were monitored at regular intervals. On 14(th) day of the experiment, few ml of blood sample was collected from all the experimental animals for estimation of biochemical parameters. At the end of the experiment, all the animals were sacrificed, and brain, liver, heart, and kidney were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis.
RESULTS: In rats, petroleum ether significantly altered the behavioural functions; reduced the locomotor activity, grip strength, learning and memory process; inhibited the regular body weight growth and caused anxiogenic effects. Dose-dependent organ specific toxicity with petroleum ether treated group was observed in brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. Extrapyramidal effects that include piloerection and cannibalism were also observed with petroleum ether administered group. These results suggested that the petroleum ether showed a significant decrease in central nervous system (CNS) activity, and it has dose-dependent toxicity on all vital organs.
CONCLUSION: The dose-dependent CNS and organ specific toxicity was observed with sub-chronic administration of petroleum ether in SD rats.
METHODOLOGY: It is a cross-sectional study and was carried out in the outpatient Neurology Department of Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (n=272). Data was collected by administering the structured questionnaire.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results showed that 49.3% of the epilepsy patients were non-adherent to their prescribed regimen. Univariate analysis showed significant associations between medication adherence and the following factors: race, seizure frequency, overall patient satisfaction, medication taste and smell, medication cost and physical appearance, medication effectiveness, complexity of medication regimen, patient barrier, patient understanding, patient role functioning, patient positivity, vitality and general interest. Multiple regression analysis indicated that factors that are influencing medication adherence are seizure frequency (P = 0.048), overall patient satisfaction (P = 0.043) and patient understanding about their illness (P = 0.001). The model chosen for testing the relationship between medication adherence and its associated factors give an R2 value of 25.2% with an adjusted R2 of 21.4%. The F value was also significant (P = 0.000). Based on the research findings, the researchers recommends that clinicians need to play a vital role in educating the patients on their disease conditions. By educating the patients on nature of epilepsy, different modalities of treatment and benefits of adherence to treatment will help in the better adherence and management.
METHODS: A total of 741 health-care professionals participated in the study by answering 10 simple questions about the role of the pharmacist in the nuclear medicine department and the availability of pharmacist in the nuclear medicine department. An online questionnaire system was used to conduct the study, and participants were invited to participate through personal communications and by promoting the study through social websites including Facebook, LinkedIn and Google (including Gmail and Google+). The study was conducted between April 2013 and March 2014 using the http://www.freeonlinesurveys.com/Webserver. Finally, the data provided by 621 participants was analyzed. Group frequency analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 (SPSS Inc. USA).
RESULTS: The participants were from Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE and Nepal. In total, 312 (50.2%) female health-care professionals and 309 (49.8%) male health-care professionals participated in the study. Of the 621 participants, 390 were working in hospitals, and 231 were not working in hospitals. Of the participants who were working in hospitals, 57.6% were pharmacists. The proportion of study participants who were aware of nuclear pharmacists was 55.39%. Awareness about the role of the pharmacist in nuclear medicine was poor.
CONCLUSION: The role of the pharmacist in a nuclear medicine unit needs to be highlighted and promoted among health-care professionals and hence that the nuclear medicine team can provide better pharmaceutical care.