Faculty Perception and Attitude on Problem Based Learning (PBL) in Medical College from Central India.

Background: PBL is an innovative teaching learning method that enhances intrinsic motivation, promotes self learning, encourages clinical reasoning, and develops longlasting memory. It is an established leading educational innovative method in medical sciences throughout the world. In India, it is used by only few institutions. The reason may be the lack of awareness or negative perception on PBL. Aims: To study the response of medical faculty on PBL. Material and Methods: The study was conducted at the Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Indore, India. The introductory sensitizing lecture cum discussion was organized on PBL. Pre-Test, Post-Test and feedback data from the faculty was encoded in numerical variables and analyzed by the SPSS. Results: Fifty eight faculty participated, 82.14% were entry and junior level, 80.34% didn’t attend any course on medical education, 94.6% have not attended any kind of formal training on PBL, 78.5% desired to acquire special training and 83.9% were in the favor of PBL. There was significant improvement in the knowledge of faculty on PBL as evidenced by post test and feedback data (Unpaired t test P value equals to 0.0009). Conclusion: The faculty’s attitude was receptive on implementation of the PBL but majority of them required special training which can be conducted by the medical education department of the institute with the collaboration and support of other institutions that run the PBL in their curriculum. It should be integral part of the PBL implementation programme at institute.

Antifilarial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella against experimental filarial infections.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Lymphatic filariasis is a disabling disease that continues to cripple population in tropical countries. Currently available antifilarial drugs are not able to control the disease. Therefore, a better antifilarial is urgently required for proper management of the disease. We undertook this study to assess the antifilarial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella-seed kernel against rodent filarial parasite in experimental model. METHODS: Microfilaraemic cotton rats and Mastomys coucha harbouring Litomosoides sigmodontis and Brugia malayi respectively, were treated with crude extract or fractions of the seed kernel C. bonducella through oral route for 5 consecutive days. Microfilaricidal, macrofilaricidal and female worm sterilizing efficacy was assessed. RESULTS: Crude extract showed gradual fall in microfilariae (mf) count in L. sigmodontis-cotton rat model from day 8 post-treatment attaining more than 95 per cent fall by the end of observation period. It also exhibited 96 per cent macrofilaricidal and 100 per cent female sterilizing efficacy. The butanol fraction F018 caused 73.7 per cent reduction in mf count and 82.5 per cent mortality in adult worms with 100 per cent female sterilization. The aqueous fraction F019 exerted more than 90 per cent microfilaricidal activity and 100 per cent worm sterilization. Two chromatographic fractions, F024 and F025 of hexane soluble fraction exhibited 64 and 95 per cent macrofilaricidal activity, respectively. Both the fractions caused gradual fall in microfilaraemia and 100 per cent worm sterilization. In B. malayi-M. coucha model F025 showed gradual reduction in microfilaraemia and caused 80 per cent sterilization of female parasites INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: In conclusion, C. bonducella- seed kernel extract and fractions showed microfilaricidal, macrofilaricidal and female-sterilizing efficacy against L. sigmodontis and microfilaricidal and female-sterilizing efficacy against B. malayi in animal models, indicating the potential of this plant in providing a lead for new antifilarial drug development.

Effect of some essential oils on microorganisms.

The essential oils tested viz., Cardiaca Oil, Mentha Oil, Artemisia Oil and Geranium Oil against pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Significant activity of all oils was found against all microorganisms. All the four oils showed a higher inhibition against all the microorganisms, except S. epidermidis at different level of concentrations used (1000 ppm and 500 ppm). It is clearly indicated that inhibition activity increased approximately 1 to 2 folds at 1000 ppm concentration as compared to 500 ppm. S. epidermidis has shown resistant towards all the oils at both the concentration while M. smegmatis and S. mutans have shown higher inhibition as compared to S. epidermidis.