evaluation of the type of lectures by mbbs students

The current study was done to pilot different techniques of making lectures interactive and to find out compliance of the students with interactive lectures. Prospective / comparative study. This study was carried out at the Department of Pharmacology, Aziz Fatima Medical and Dental College, Faisalabad from 01.04.2014 to 30.04.2014. An entire class of 3[rd] year MBBS students [n =F 65] was given interactive and the regular lectures for the Drugs acting on The Central nervous system in Pharmacology. Out of the total number of 12 lectures, alternative lectures were delivered in an interactive style. At the end of 12 lectures, students' opinion was obtained using a structured feedback evaluation questionnaire, having 5 statements on a 5 point Likert scale. 92% of the students found that interactive lectures are more effective. Notably more number of students agreed or strongly agreed that interactive lectures amplified alertness, developed interest, by-passed monotony, and urged them to learn by themselves as compared to usual lectures. The students preferred use of video-clips [65%],followed by each-one-teach-one. The use of interactive lectures to create interest among students is supported by the results of the study. An interactive lecture was more easily listened and considered to be more useful than the regular lecture by the students

Evaluation of analgesic activity of isolated flavonoids from mucuna pruriens seeds

Medicinal plants have been used as analgesics since millennia

Purpose of the study: Seeds of Mucuna pruriens have shown to possess analgesic activity and we planned to test flavonoids and alkaloids to find the active principles because both of them are found in relatively higher concentration in seeds of Mucuna pruriens plants

Materials and Methods: This study has been carried out in four groups of eight albino mice each, group I [control], group II [standard], group III [flavonoids] and group IV [alkaloids]. Formalin paw licking test has been used to evaluate the analgesic activity by recording the number of lickings for 30 minutes after formalin injection in dorsal surface of left hind paw

Results: Flavonoids have shown significant analgesic activity [mean no. of lickings 24.25 +/- 8.97] p<0.05. While alkaloids have not shown any significant analgesic activity [mean number of lickings 39 +/- 6.78]

Conclusion: Isolated flavonoids from Mucuna pruriens seeds have showed significant analgesic activity whereas alkaloids have not shown any significant analgesic activity. So, flavonoids are responsible for the analgesic effect of Mucuna pruriens

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of Mucuna pruriens Linn. Seeds

Inflammation is associated with pathophysiology of various clinical conditions like arthritis, gout and cancer. Numbers of drugs are being used to treat inflammation but they are partly effective and have significant adverse effect profile. Mucuna, pruriens is traditionally used to relieve fever, pain and inflammation

Purpose of the study: to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of Mucuna pruriens Linn. seed powder

Materials and Methods: this study has been carried out in five groups of albino mice, having eight animals each. Three different doses of Mucuna pruriens Linn seed powder has been given to three groups and anti-inflammatory activity has been compared with the other two groups, standard and control Carrageenan-induced paw edema has been used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and decrease in paw edema after 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-hours have been interpreted as anti-inflammatory activity

Results: mucuna pruriens Linn seed powder showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in all three groups as depicted by decrease in edema after 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-hours [p < 0.05]

Conclusion: mucuna pruriens seed powder showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in all three groups of mice and activity increases with increasing the dose of seed Powder

Analysis of the prevalence of cancer in Faisalabad: a single centre study

To analyse the prevalence of different types of malignancies presenting to one centre in Faisalabad over a period of 3 years. A retrospective study. The study was conducted at Meezan Lab from January 2007 to December 2009. All the consecutive specimens presenting for histopathology were included in the study. The total number of biopsies dealt with during this period was 3926 out of which 564 were malignant. The male to female ratio was 1:1.19. The peak age for presentation was between 51-70 in males, while it was 31-50 in females. In males the top five tumours involved the lymph nodes 43[16.6%], prostate 40[15.5%], urinary bladder 28[10.8%], skin 24[9.3%] and vocal cords 16[6.2%]. Among females the most frequently seen tumours were breast 101[33.0%], skin 30[9.8%], lymph node 20[6.5%], ovary 19[6.2%] and esophagus 16[5.2%]. The incidence of malignancies appears to be on the rise. This could be due to an increased level of awareness in the patients causing them to present earlier. There is the need to set up a population based tumour registry on a national level to calculate the true incidence

Evaluation of analgesic activity of Mucuna pruriens Linn. seeds

Abstract: Pain is one of the most common symptom though having protective role, but usually unpleasant. So far medicines available for its management are not only partly effective but having significant adverse effects. Purpose of study: To evaluate the analgesic activity of Mucuna pruriens Linn. seed powder

Materials and Methods: This study has been carried out in five groups of albino mice, having 8 animals each. Three different doses of Mucuna pruriens Linn seed powder has been given to three groups and analgesic activity has been compared with the other two groups, standard and control. Formalin paw licking test has been used to evaluate the analgesic activity and decrease in the number of lickings in 30 minutes after formalin injection has been interpreted as analgesic activity

Results: Mucuna pruriens Linn Seeds showed significant analgesic activity as depicted by decrease in number of lickings in 30 minutes period i.e, seeds in lgm/kg group, 32.625 +/- 6.13 and group receiving seeds 2gm/kg 24.25 +/- 6.64. Group receiving 3gm/kg seed powder is 21.0 +/- 8.48 which is significantly less than the control which is 44.125 +/- 5.88 [p < 0.05]

Conclusion: Mucuna pruriens seeds powder showed significant analgesic activity in all three groups and activity increases with increasing the dose of the seed powder