Medication errors and strategies for their prevention

Medication errors occur every day causing injury to the patients and even deaths. The health care professionals are not fully aware of the damages done by medication errors in terms of patients' discomfort and economic burden. There is a need to provide information about medication errors to health care providers. This article reviews research done on the various aspects of medication errors. The research work done on prescribing errors, transcribing errors, dispensing errors, administration errors and discharged summaries errors have been examined. Eight strategies to reduce the occurrence of medication errors have been reviewed: [1] Electronic prescribing and computerized physician order entry [CPOE] with clinical decision support systems [CDSSs], [2] Bar Code, [3] Interventions to reduce medication errors, [4] Medication Error Reporting Systems [MERSs], [5] Alerts about medication errors, [6] Prevention of harm from high-alert drugs, [7] Smart Infusion Pumps and [8] Telemedicine or Telehealth or Telepharmacy. Statistical tests used in medication error studies have also been stated

In vitro enzymatic investigation of Ficus carica [Fruit]

The present study demonstrates the biological study of Ficus carica fruit. Methanolic extract of plant fruit was prepared and evaporated under reduced pressure by rota vapor and n- hexane, Chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions were prepared separately from crude methanolic extract. These fractions were then screened for acetyl cholinesterase, butryl cholinesterase and lipoxygenase activities. n-butanol soluble fraction showed significant antiacetylcholinesterase activity [78.55+/-0.76%] with IC[50] of 55.8+/-0.37[micro]g/ml, ethyl acetate soluble fraction showed significant anti-butrylcholinesterase activity [70.35+/-0.85%] with IC[50] of 276.5+/-0.64[micro]g/ml and significant antilipoxygenase activity was shown by ethyl acetate soluble fraction [62.52+/-0.26%] with IC[50] of 380+/-0.08[micro]g/ml

Analytical, nutritional and biological evaluation of various brands of fortified and non-fortified wheat flour

In Pakistan, a funded flour fortification program was launched for malnourished population, residing mainly in rural low income areas, but the urban population having comparatively better nutritional as well as economic status was focused wherein excessive intake of fortificants might cause complications. Therefore, the present study describes the physicochemical properties, elemental composition, nutritional components and hemoglobin/ferritin increasing potential of fortified and non-fortified flour. Domesticated chicken [Gallus gallus domesticus], either sex, age one month, weight 380 +/- 18.28 g, were randomly segregated into 4 groups [n=6]. The group I, II and III were fed on fortified flour, whereas group IV was fed on non-fortified flour for 30 days. The birds were weighed and blood samples of each of the birds were analyzed for determination of markers of iron status, hemoglobin [Hb] and serum ferritin [SF]. Moisture, ash and iron contents were found to be lower in non-fortified flour than that of the fortified samples. Hb and SF levels in groups fed on fortified flour were significantly higher than the one received non-fortified flour [P < 0.05]. The consumption of iron-fortified flour increases iron stores in the body without any further complication but long-term usage needs to be monitored.