Comparative role of pregabalin and carbamazepine regarding efficacy in painful diabetic neuropathy

Neuropathic pain is the most severe and resistant type of pain which has impact on quality of life ana behaviour; it most commonly occurs at night causing disturbed; sleep. Diabetes mellitus is a common cause of painful neuropathy. In this study, we are comparing the effectiveness of old treatment Carbamazepine with Pregabalin in painful diabetic neuropathy. The study was an open-label trial conducted in Diabetic Clinic of Medical Unit-Ill, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi. The duration of the study was 90 days, from December 2010 to March 2011. The study has been approved from ethical committee of JPMC, Karachi with the reference NO.F.2-81/2010-GENL/195/JPMC. 60 established patients of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy from Diabetic Clinic of Medical Unit-Ill OPD were included in the 90-day study, irrespective of gender, with duration of diabetes more than 10 years. All subjects are placed into two groups. In group A, comprising of 30 patients [n=30], Pregabalin was administered and in group B, also comprising of 30 patients [n=30], Carbamazepine. The intensity of pain was compared on visual analog scale of McGill pain questionnaire. In group A [Pregabalin], the mean pain score fell from 6.17+/-0.14 to 3.50+/-0.15 from day 0 to day 90 [p-value=0.001] and the percentage of change also in visual analog scale of McGill pain questionnaire was -43.31%. In group B [Carbamazepine], the changes in pain score from initially 6.07+/-0.14 falling to 4.23+/-0.13 from day 0 to day 90 [p-value=0.001] and the percentage of change was -30.31%. Pregabalin was observed to be more potent. Both drugs were well tolerated by all participants that also completed the entire duration of the trial

Determination of pKa values of new phenacyl-piperidine derivatives by potentiometric titration method in aqueous medium at room temperature [25 +/- 0.5[degree sign]C]

Dissociation constant [pKa] of ten novel phenacyl derivatives of piperidine were determined by potentiometric titration method in aqueous medium at room temperature [25 +/- 0.5oC]. The sample solutions were prepared in deionized water with ionic strength 0.01M and titrated with 0.1M NaOH solution. In addition, DELTAG values were also calculated. Different prediction software programs were used to calculate pKa values too and compared to the experimentally observed pKa values. The experimental and theoretical values were found in close agreement. The results obtained in this research would help to predict the good absorption of the studied compounds and can be selected as lead molecules for the synthesis of CNS active agents because of their lipophilic nature especially compound VII