Pharmaceutical Summit and Expo October 08-10, 2015 New Delhi, India

Introduction: Rational use of medicines is a major concern to community physicians. Most of the physicians depend on the promotional literature of pharmaceutical companies in medical journals to keep themselves well informed about new drug entering into the market every year. This is why it is important that the quality of advertisement of pharmaceuticals in journals should be of high standards. Maintaining such standards will help physician prescribe drugs in a rational manner. Aims & objective: To evaluate and compare the quality of promotional advertisement published in a national and international medical journal and exploring the scope for improvement in it. Material and methods: It was an observational cross sectional study of all advertisement on medicinal drugs in two medical journal i.e. one national and one international journal published over a period of one year [June-2014 to June-2015]. Advertisements for parenteral fluids, milk foods, medical devices, laboratory equipment and the educational advertisements were excluded. An assessment was made of whether the advertisement adhered to the guidelines of the WHO or the OPPI. Results: A total of 76 and 35 medicinal drug advertisements were published in a national and an international medical journal respectively. There was a significant difference in compliance to WHO criteria among national (43.5+/-35.2) and international (70.6+/-23.8) journal [p< 0.05]. Only brand name and manufacturer details were provided in all the promotional drug literature i.e. 100% compliance. There was significant difference in the compliance to WHO criteria for active ingredient causing adverse reaction, pregnancy category, precaution and contraindication, drug interaction, dosage regimen and date of production in the two journals. Conclusion: The compliance criteria are frequently overlooked by the medical journal publishers. It is expected that the promotional drug literature may be thoroughly checked for compliance more so by the reputed national than an international medical journal. Key words: Drug promotion, Medical ethics, WHO-OPPI criteria, Rational use of medicine

Ridhima is pursuing B. Tech + M. tech (Dual) degree course from Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh from India

The nosocomial infections are one of the biggest challenges faced worldwide in tertiary care Hospital. Non-fermenting gram negative bacilli have been found associated with the pathology of lower respiratory tract Infection. The nosocomial infection affects patient of all age group and both sexes throughout the life span of an individual but prevalence is higher in males. Increasing antibiotic resistance in pathogens makes it essential to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of commonly isolated Lower Respiratory Tract pathogens so that appropriate antibiotics can be used for prevention of further spread of antimicrobial resistance in community and hospitals. The present study on 1526 samples from tertiary care hospital was planned to identify the non-fermenting bacteria using a standard conventional method, Antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and Vitek-2. Out of 1526 respiratory samples 172 were identified as Non-Fermenting Gram Negative Bacilli, out of which Acinetobacter baumanii was the predominant isolate accounting 103(59.88%) specimens followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 57(33.13%). Other isolates were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia 9(5.23%) and Burkholderia cepacia 3(1.74%). From the 172 samples Endotracheal Aspirate was found to be the most infected amongst all the other samples. Acinetobacter baumanii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common NFGNB isolated in our study from patients of Respiratory Tract Infections. Both Acinetobacter baumanii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed good sensitivity to colistin, amikacin, cefoperazone. while in most cases carbapenam is found to be highly resistant. Colistin along with amikacin and cefoperazone should be used against this pathogen.s

Lovely Gupta is pursuing B. Tech + M. tech (Dual) degree course from Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh from India

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the pathogenic microorganisms widely present in human. It colonizes the skin, glands, mucous membrane, and anterior nares in healthy adult population. Approximately, 25-30% of normal individuals are carrying S. aureus in their anterior nares and skin. It is one of the commonest human pathogen that causes both nosocomial and community-acquired infection. S. aureus can commonly be treated with antibiotics. But over a period of time, some strains of S. aureus have become resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin, methicillin, oxacillin. S. aureus having resistance against methicillin, is known as methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), was first discovered in 1961. Longer stay in hospital and prolonged antibiotic administration to the patients resulted in methicillin resistance. In the present study, the prevalence rate of methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in nasal swabs among health care workers (HCWs) and healthy individuals in a tertiary care hospital was studied. 60 nasal swab samples were collected and cultured on the blood agar plates. S. aureuswas identified and confirmed using gram staining and biochemical tests. By Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, antibiotic susceptibility test was performed for the detection of MRSA using cefoxitin disc. In result, 41.66% (25/60) S. aureus and31.66% (19/60) MRSA strains were isolated. MRSA carriage rate in males were 30.30% (10/33) and in females 33.33% (9/27). High prevalence rate of MRSA was detected in 21-40 years of age group i.e., 40.47% (17/42). MRSA isolated in health care workers was 32.65% (16/49), among which, carriage rate was found highest in nurses. In conclusion, percentage of MRSA prevalence was quite high among hospital care workers particularly in nurses. Therefore, periodical surveillance of MRSA should be done in all the health care workers in the hospital

Mohini Agarwal is pursuing B. Tech + M. tech (Dual) degree course from Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh from India

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most commonly occurring bacterial infections, characterized by multiplication of microorganisms in any part of the urinary tract. UTI is predominantly caused by gram negative bacilli, where Escherichia coli being the commonest. Increasing antibiotic resistance in urinary pathogens makes it essential to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of commonly isolated UTI pathogens so that appropriate antibiotics can be used for prevention of further spread of antimicrobial resistance in community and hospitals. In the present study, identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed for various microorganisms isolated from urine specimen of patients with suspected UTI. 140 urine samples were received in the Microbiology laboratory and cultured on Cystine-Lactose-Electrolyte Deficient (CLED) and MacConkey agar plates. Gram staining and conventional biochemical tests were done to identify the microorganisms grown on culture media. Antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. In Result, 20(14.28%) bacterial isolates were identified. The maximum UTIs were found in females i.e., 55%, whereas in males, it was 45%. Gram negative bacilli (GNB) were responsible for 85% cases of UTI, whereas Gram positive coccus (GPC) was responsible for 15% of the cases. Among the total UTI cases, E. coli (60%) was the predominant isolate followed by Klebsiella spp. (15%), Enterococcus spp. (15%) and Pseudomanas aeruginosa (10%). Gram negative bacteria, isolated from urine sample has shown 100% sensitivity to antibiotics like nitrofurantoin, netilmicin and imipenem and was highly resistant to ampicillin, whereas in the Gram positive bacterial isolates, vancomycin was 100% sensitive and ampicillin was 100% resistant. It is important to have the current knowledge of antibiotic susceptibility pattern of urinary isolates of a particular geographic area, so that the antibiotics can be prescribed judiciously, to prevent antibiotic resistance

Mamta Chaudhary is pursuing her Post-Graduation (MPharm IDD) from Department of Pharmaceutics, Indian institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), India. Her current area of research is nano-technology based drug delivery system. She is doing her research work under the supervision of Mrs Ruchi Chawla, Assistant Professor at Department of Pharmaceutics, IIT (BHU). She has qualified GATE-2015. She is receiving financial assistance from MHRD, Government of India for her Post-Graduation research work

Breast cancer, a carcinoma type of cancer, begins in the breast tissue made up of the mammary glands (lobules), duct and other supportive tissue and it is one of the most commonly occurring cancer in females. The aim of the present study was to formulate and evaluate curcumin nanoparticles for its anticancer activities. Polymeric nanoparticles were prepared using Polycaprolactone (PCL) as polymer and Tocopheryl Polyethylene Glycol 1000 Succinate (TPGS) as surfactant by nano-precipitation method. 23 full factorial deign was used to optimize the formulation by using Design Expert® Version 9 software. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized for physico-chemical properties such as particle size, Polydispersity Index (PDI), Zeta Potential (ZP), %Entrapment Efficiency (%EE), surface morphology, drug and polymer interaction studies and in vitro drug release characteristics. The optimized nanoparticles exhibited an average particle size of 273±2.6 and PDI of 0.322±0.03. The zeta potential of the optimized batch of polymeric nanoparticles was found to be -42.30±3.1 mV suggesting good stability. FTIR and TGA studies showed no interaction between the drug and excipients. Transmission electron microscopy showed that nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a smooth surface. In vitro drug uptake studies of curcumin loaded (PCL+TPGS) nanoparticles and curcumin loaded PCL nanoparticles performed on MCF-7 cell lines, showed enhanced uptake of curcumin loaded (PCL+TPGS) nanoparticles as compared to curcumin loaded PCL nanoparticles in the cells. These finding suggest the potential of curcumin loaded (PCL+TPGS) nanoparticles for use as an adjuvant therapy in breast cancer

Ujjawal Bairagi is pursuing her Post-Graduation in Pharmaceutics at Department of Pharmaceutics, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi. She has excellent academic record at UG level. She has qualified GATE 2015. Currently, she is doing her research work on development of nanopaticulate drug delivery system under guidance of Professor B Mishra. She is receiving financial assistance, from MHRD, Government of India for her Post-Graduation research work

Breast cancer is abnormal growth in the tissues of breast usually ducts and lobules. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and ranks second as a cause of cancer death in females worldwide. The objective of this study was to develop Exemestane (EXE) loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (EXE-SLN) to enhance the solubility of anticancer drug in order to provide more effective and targeted therapy to breast cancer. Solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared by high shear homogenization process followed by ultrasonication method. 23 full factorial design was used to optimize the formulation by using Design Expert® Version 9 software. The prepared SLNs were evaluated for various characteristics like particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and drug loading. The in vitro release study showed sustained release after an initial burst effect. From the Regression coefficient (R2) values for various models, it was observed that the formulations followed Higuchi model of release kinetics. The stability study under accelerated conditions did not show any significant changes in particle size and zeta potential of prepared SLNs. In vitro cytotoxic efficacy study against Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cell lines showed that EXE-SLN have better activity as compared to pure drug which is attributed to increased cellular uptake and EPR effect due to its smaller size. This study, thus, demonstrated that prepared EXE-SLN provided sustained release of drug with improved bioavailability and therefore could produce improved therapeutic efficacy with safety for better management of breast cancer

Yash is pursuing B. Tech + M. Tech (Dual) degree course from Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh from India. He has also published two research articles in collaboration with Helix BioGenesis Pvt. Ltd, Noida, India

The parts of the Nicotiana tabacum plant have been known to possess a wide range of biological activities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activity, phytochemical screening and the antioxidant activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the stem of Nicotiana tabacum. The antibacterial activity was observed against two gram positive bacteria (Bacillus amyloiquefaciens, Staphylococcus aureus) & two gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in its aqueous, ethanolic, acetone and methanolic extracts by agar well diffusion method, where maximum antibacterial activity was found to be present in the methanolic and ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus with an inhibition length of 10.667±1.527 mm and 8±1.00 mm, respectively. This was also observed that they has shown inhibitory effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an inhibition length of 5.33±1.154 mm in its methanolic extract, where its ethanolic extract has also shown it inhibitory effect against Bacillus amyloliquefaciens with an inhibition length of 4.667±1.154 mm. Phytochemical screening of aqueous, ethanolic & methanolic extract have revealed the presence of saponin, flavonoids and alkaloids. Flavonoid content in stem was found to be 838 mg QE/g of extract in the 80% of ethanol extract by aluminium colometric method. Antioxidant activity was observed in order to estimate the Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione content, Glutathione S Transferase & Lipid Peroxidase i.e. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the aqueous and methanolic extract where methanolic extract has shown a high level of antioxidant activity. The present study suggests that the stems of Nicotiana tabacum can be utilized as a good source of herbal drug for microbial and neurological disease

Janarthanan Thathan is doing his PhD in J S S College of Pharmacy, Ooty (a Constituent of J S S University, Mysore). He has 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry as a Quality Control Executive. He has a few publications in national and international journals. He has attended various industrial and academic training and workshop programs

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has long been recognized, and it is today considered to be a serious worldwide health problem. As a result of resistance, some bacterial infections are either difficult to treat with antibiotics or even untreatable. This problem has become especially serious with the recent development of multiple drug resistance in certain strains of bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae (sp), mycobacterium tuberculosis, and enterococcus. As a result of the need to combat drug-resistant bacteria and the increasing failure of the available drugs, there has been a resurgent interest in discovering new antibiotics. One attractive strategy for developing new antibiotics is to inhibit DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, bacterial enzymes necessary for DNA replication, and therefore, necessary for bacterial cell growth and division. Type II topoisomerases catalyse the inter-conversion of DNA topoisomers by transporting one DNA segment through another bacteria encode two type II topoisomerase enzymes, DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV. DNA gyrase controls DNA supercoiling and relieves topological stress. Topoisomerase IV decatenates daughter chromosomes following replication and can also relax supercoiled DNA. Bacterial type II topoisomerases form a heterotetrameric complex composed of two subunits. DNA gyrase forms an A2B2 complex comprised of GyrA and GyrB, whereas topoisomerase IV forms a C2E2 complex comprised of ParC and ParE. As bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become an important public health problem, there is a continuing need to develop newer and more potent antibiotics. More particularly, there is a need for antibiotics that represent a new class of compounds not previously used to treat bacterial infection. Compounds that target the ATP binding sites in both the GyrB (gyrase) and parE (topoisomerase IV) subunits would be useful for treating various bacterial infections

Omer Imtiazuddin is an Undergraduate student of Deccan School of Pharmacy pursuing Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD D V/VI), affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 3 new anticoagulants, that for the first time, offer patients with such conditions as stroke in the setting of atrial fibrillation (AF), deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism a long-awaited alternative to the vitamin K antagonist Warfarin. This new class of drugs, called \"target-specific oral anticoagulants\" (TSOACs), includes dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a common tachy-arrhythmia in Australia, with a prevalence over 10% in older patients. AF is the leading preventable cause of ischaemic stroke, and strokes due to AF have a higher mortality and morbidity. Stroke prevention is therefore a key management strategy for AF patients, in addition to rate and rhythm control. Anticoagulation with warfarin has been an enduring gold standard for stroke prevention in Non-Valvular AF (NVAF) patients. Noval Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) are now approved and reimbursed for stroke prevention in patients with NVAF. International European Cardiology guidelines now recommend either an NOAC or warfarin for NVAF patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2, unless contraindicated. Apixaban is a direct factor Xa inhibitor with a 12 hour half-life and 25% renal excretion that was found in a large trial of NVAF patients to be superior to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolism. Apixaban also resulted in less bleeding and a lower mortality rate than warfarin. The predictable pharmacokinetics and minimal drug interactions of apixaban should allow for safe anticoagulation in the majority of patients, including temporary interruption for elective procedures.

T K Mohd Rayees is an Undergraduate student of Deccan School of Pharmacy pursuing Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD D V/VI) affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

The last two decades of research have brought a tremendous improvement in knowledge of the endocannabinoid system components and functions under physiological and pathological conditions. The endocannabinoid system is composed by a number of cannabinoid receptors, including the well-characterized CB1 and CB2 receptors, with their endogenous ligands and the enzymes related to the synthesis and degradation of these endocannabinoid compounds. Endocannabinoid signaling has been demonstrated to modulate numerous concomitant pathological processes, including neuro-inflammation, excite-toxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. Targeting the endogenous cannabinoid system has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach to treat • Effect of cannabinoids on Aβ • Cannabinoids on tau hyper-phosphorylation • Anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids • Cannabinoid actions on mitochondrial activity: Oxidative stress and energy metabolism • Cannabinoids modulate neurotransmission • Other effects of cannabinoids in AD Conclusion: In conclusion, in light of the polyvalent properties for the treatment of AD and the limited side effects exhibited by these compounds, progress toward a clinical trial to test the capacity of cannabinoids to curb this neurodegenerative disease seems to be fully justified.

Mohd Abdul Nafay Shoeb is an Undergraduate student of Deccan School of Pharmacy pursuing Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD D V/VI) affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a fatal, complex, neurodegenerative disease affecting over 5 million Americans as of 2014, with one new AD case being reported every 67 seconds in the United States. The annual cost for AD treatment is estimated to be approximately 172 billion dollars in USA and anticipated to soar to 1.1 trillion dollars by 2050. Currently, there are five FDA-approved Alzheimer\'s drugs that treat the symptoms of Alzheimer\'s — temporarily helping memory and thinking problems in about half of the people who take them. But these medications do not treat the underlying causes of Alzheimer\'s. To date, no truly efficacious drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) have been developed; moreover, all new anti-AD drugs developed since 2003 have failed. To succeed where previous ones have failed in drug development, new approaches for AD therapy are needed. Here we discuss the potential application of network medicine as a new approach to AD treatment. Unlike traditional approaches that focused on a single target/pathway, network medicine targets and restores disease-disrupted networks through simultaneous modulation of numerous proteins (targets)/pathways involved in AD pathogenesis. We consider several drug candidates under development for AD therapy, including Keap1–Nrf2 regulators, endogenous neurogenic agents, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) activators. These drug candidates are multi-target ligands with the potential to further develop as network medicines, since they act as master regulators to initiate a broad range of cellular defense mechanisms/cytoprotective genes that exert their efficacy in a holistic way. We also explore their diverse mechanisms of action and potential disease-modifying effects, which may have profound implications for drug discovery.

Syed Azeemuddin Razvi is a PharmD student at Deccan School of Pharmacy affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

Statins being very effective and safe in numerous randomized clinical trials became the first-line treatment against atherogenic dyslipidemia. However, even with optimal statin treatment, 60% to 80% of residual cardiovas¬cular risk still exists. The patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) which results in extremely high level of Low Density Lipopro¬tein Cholesterol (LDL-C) level and the patients who are intolerant or unresponsive to statins are the other hurdles of statin treat¬ment. Recently, new classes of lipid-lowering drugs have been developed: • The pro-protein convertase subtilisin/kexintype 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor increases the expression of LDL receptor in hepatocytes by enhancing LDL receptor recycling. It recently showed promising results of significant LDL-C lower¬ing in FH patients from the long-term phase III trials. • The microsomal triglyceride transport protein (MTP) inhibitor and antisense oligonucleotide against apolipoprotein B (ApoB) reduce the ApoB containing lipoprotein by blocking the hepatic very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) synthesis pathway. • The apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) mimetics pursuing the beneficial effect of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and can reverse the course of atherosclerosis. However it needs more validation in humans. • 2, 3-diaryl-substituted indole-based Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors (2,3-diaryl-indole coxibs) are potent anti-inflammatory agents and also show the ability to scavenge Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Therefore act as potent inhibitors of oxidative modification of Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), which is considered a key factor in atherogenesis. We would discuss the benefits and concerns of these new lipid-lowering drugs anticipating additional benefits beyond statin treatment.

Neeta Banzal is pursuing Residency in Pharmacology (2nd year), SMIMER, Surat affiliated to VNSGU. She is serving as a Tutor in Pharmacology SMIMER, Surat, since 2004.

Vaccines are defined as “preparations given to patients to evoke immune responses leading to the production of antibodies (humoral) or cell-mediated responses that will help in combating infectious agents or non-infectious conditions such as malignancies”. The WHO’s policy recommended universal immunization of all children to reduce child mortality under its Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI). Immunization is an effective tool for controlling and even eradicating disease. Our country contributes to one-fourth of global under five mortality with a significant number of deaths which can be prevented by vaccines. Immunization needs to be brought closer to the communities for proper coverage. Innovative methods and practices are needed for better immunization. Most vaccines available in the developed world are available in India. Newer delivery systems are the need of the hour and therefore are being extensively researched. Some of the reasons for the need of new vaccine delivery systems are - alarming safety profile of live vaccines, weak immunogenicity of sub-unit vaccines and poor patient compliance to booster doses. Carriers help in sustained release and accurate targeting and are being used in developing of the new vaccine delivery systems. Carrier systems such as liposomes, microspheres, nanoparticles, dendrimers, micellar systems, ISCOMs, plant-derived viruses are being investigated and developed as vaccine delivery systems. Amongst others, development of “needle free technologies”, to help administration of vaccines through different routes into the human body, is generating worldwide interest. This poster will highlight three categories of delivery systems: (i) adjuvants and formulations; (ii) antigen vectors, including live attenuated micro-organisms and synthetic vectors; and (iii) novel devices for vaccine administration.

Dr Jayant Rai is pursuing his post graduation in M.D. Pharmacology at Government Medical College, Surat, Gujarat. Currently he is doing his research work on Effect of anti-epileptic drugs on cognition in patients of Complex partial seizure at New Civil Hospital and Govt Medical College, Surat.

Targeted drug delivery is a method of delivering drug in a manner that increases the concentration of the drug at the desired site of action in the body and produces fewer side effects. The treatment of Central Nervous System diseases is particularly challenging because the delivery of drug molecules to the brain is prevented by a variety of factors like physiological, metabolic and bio-chemical barriers that collectively comprise the BBB (blood brain barrier), and B-CSF barrier.Various pharmacological agents have been used to open the BBB and direct invasive methods can introduce therapeutic agents into the brain. It is important to consider not only the net delivery of the agent to the brain, but also the ability of the agent to access the relevant target site within the brain. Various strategies that have been used for manipulating the BBB for drug delivery to the brain include osmotic and chemical opening of the blood-brain barrier as well as the use of transport/carrier systems. Various routes of administration as well as conjugations of drugs, e.g., with liposomes and nanoparticles, are considered. Now-a-days nanotechnology is proved to be more efficient for enhancing drug delivery to brain. It includes coated nano-particles, pegylated nano-particles, solid lipid nano-particles and nanogels. Liposomes have shown versatility and can play a significant role in formulation of potent drugs to improve therapeutics in drug delivery system in brain. The most advantageous features of liposomes are their ability to incorporate and deliver large amounts of drug and the possibility to decorate their surface with different ligands. This poster focuses on targeted drug delivery system for delivery of drugs in Brain

Dr. Asif A. Barejia has completed his MBBS at the age of 23 years from Sardar Patel University, Gujarat. Currently he is studying as 2nd Year Resident in department of Pharmacology at Government Medical College, Surat.

Pharmacogenomics is the study of genetic variations that influence individual response to drugs. It combines pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions) to develop effective & safe medications that will be tailored to a person’s genetic makeup. Since long it has been postulated that various adverse drug reactions have some genetic determinants. To the date various genes have been identified and studied. Presence of particular gene determines individual susceptibility for adverse drug reaction for a particular drug. Genome-wide association studies and HLA genotyping have detected novel associations for serious, idiosyncratic and adverse drug reactions. This poster highlights genes involved in serious adverse drug reactions for drugs which are widely prescribed and occasionally give rise to serious ADR and newly licenced drugs or drugs still in development with liability to give rise to serious ADR as detected during clinical trials based on genome wide association studies, candidate gene analysis and HLA genotyping. Targeting susceptible genes may help to avoid some of the serious adverse drug reactions seen with licenced drugs.

Scaffolds play very crucial role in bone tissue engineering. Scaffolds are three dimensional bioactive structures with proper mechanical strength, cytocompatibility and should provide a better template for cell attachment to stimulate bone tissue formation. Hydroxyapatite (HaP) is the major constituent of natural bone with excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity and hence it has been widely explored for hard tissue engineering. In order to overcome the poor fracture toughness of hydroxyapatite, it has been combined with other bioactive materials. In this regard, Graphene oxide (GO) is particularly attractive, since it provides mechanical integrity, large aspect ratio and it does not compromise the inherent bioactivity of hydroxyapatite. Moreover, the carboxyl functional groups bound to the surface of GO are expected to enhance the interfacial interaction between GO and the bioactive polymers such as Chitosan (CS) and Hyaluronic acid (HA). Graphene oxide and chitosan are promising materials for tissue regeneration. HA is well known to be a major component of the natural extracellular matrix of nearly all mammalian connective tissues. The present study explores a novel GO–CS-HA biomimetic composite scaffold containing an osteogenesis-inducing drug simvastatin (SV). The composite scaffold can function as a template material for the biomineralization of HaP, which is crucial for bone regeneration. The bioinspired surface induced nucleation of HaP in a simulated physiological environment. The combination of GO-CS-HA conjugate induced biomineralization contributed in favorably towards the cytocompatibility such as osteoblast cell attachment and proliferation. Furthermore, the release of simvastatin has been known to improve the bone anabolic effects. Cytotoxicity and cell viability study suggest that SV loaded composite scaffold have proper biocompatibility to be used as a scaffold which can induce osteogenesis. So the composite biomimetic scaffold developed in the present study can be used for bone tissue regeneration.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is well recognized across the world and within every culture. CAM is an umbrella term that encompasses a vast array of treatment options supplementing conventional therapies to ease a plethora of symptoms. As this therapy provides a platform which plays paramount role in welfare of human health, it has become essential to explore its scientific and biomedical scope. Cupping therapy constitutes one of the CAM therapies, known to carry a remarkable potential in various maladies. It is practiced with round glass cups that are shaped like glass balls with an opening at one end. This treatment involves placing heated glass cups on painful body parts to generate a partial vacuum that mobilizes the blood flow and promotes effective healing. This therapy is believed to act by correcting imbalances in the internal bio-field such as restoring the flow of ‘qi’. Since these traditional cups do not allow the complete remedy, a modern technology of pulsatile cupping and silicone cups has been developed to provide the comprehensive cupping of big joints along with flexibility in therapy. Cupping refers to the simple application of quick, vigorous, rhythmical strokes to stimulate muscles and is particularly helpful in the treatment of limbs, head, neck, shoulders or back pains. Thus, cupping carries the potential to enhance the quality of life. Understanding the existing mechanisms and pharmacological actions of cupping therapy will certainly aid in rejuvenating its relevance in the current medical scenario.

Nura Suleiman Gwaram has completed his PhD at the age of 32 years from University of Malaya and postdoctoral studies from High Impact Research (HIR), University of Malaya dated March 2014 – November 2014. He is currently a Lecturer at Department of Chemistry, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University. He has published more than 35 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Examination officer for Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, P .M.B. 2218 Katsina, Nigeria

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidant activities are considered potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Laboratory findings have shown that oxidative stress may play an important role to the pathogenesis of AD. Mainly from in vitro studies, phenolic componds have been reported to have antioxidant. Therefore, the risk of AD disease might be decreased by intake of antioxidants that neutralize the unfavorable effects of oxidative stress. A number of morpholine derivatives have been described as analgesics and local anesthetics. Understanding of cholinesterase structure and their inhibition is important for effective drug design and treatment of AD. Condensation reaction between 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine and 4-(2-aminopropyl)morpholine with 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde or 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone yields the corresponding ligands. In the crystal structures, one oxygen atom of hydroxyl group connect the adjacent hydrogen aton of the amine group via O1…H1 interactions to form a six membered ring and morpholine moety adopt a chair transformation. Molecular docking is done by using Autodock 4.2, setting at 160x180x176 Gridbox, centered at 115.955, 105.139, -139.962 with 0.375Å spacing. •Ligand is docked well in the hydrophobic pocket of TRP86, TYR119, GLY120, GLY121, TYR124, SER125, GLY126, ALA127, LEU130, TYR133, GLU202, SER203, TYR337, PHE338, HIS447 and GLY448. There are 3 intermolecular hydrogen bonds between: (1)TYR124:OH - LIGAND:O18 (distance: 2.91336 Å) (2) LIGAND:H19 - TYR124:OH (distance: 2.05211 Å) (3) LIGAND:H20 - GLN71:OE1 (distance: 1.92168 Å). In silico molecular modelling revealed that the compounds may positioned themselves in the enzyme’s active-site gorge, interacting with residues in the peripheral anionic subsite (PAS) and acyl binding pocket (ABP).

Pyrimidoquinoline derivatives are of particular interest because biological properties displayed by this class of compounds mainly depend on nature and position of substituents and possess an malerial,1 antiallergic,2 and antimicrobial,3 activities. t-BuOK-catalyzed cyclization of 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbonitriles with guanidine hydrochloride provided simple and rapid synthesis of 2-amino-3H-pyrimido[4,5-b]quinolin-4-ones in very short reaction time with good yield. Other 1,3-binucleophiles are found to react at the same rate. This methodology could be extended with their 3-formyl and 3-ester derivatives for the synthesis of pyrimido annulated quinolines

Mr. Thomas Abhilash is a Research Scholar of J.S.S. College of Pharmacy, J.S.S. University, Ooty, Tamil Nadu from the year of 2013. He is qualified with M. Pharm (Clinical Pharmacy Practice-Dr. M.G.R. Medical University), PDCR and has been working in the field of Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Research since 2008. In career, he had worked with Apollo Hospitals Group Ltd, Fortis Healthcare Ltd and Reliance Life Sciences Ltd. Mr. Thomas Abhilash is currently doing his Doctoral Research in the area of hepatic CYP450enzyme Dysregulations in response to stressors, drug pharmacokinetics and dose optimization in human population.

Sympathetic arousal is a stress response causes increase in heart rate, blood pressure and musculo skeletal symptoms. Some individuals respond with greater autonomic arousal while others not. The purpose of this study was to assess the intensity of perceived psychological stress of occupational and environmental stimuli in healthy subjects by using Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to evaluate the degree to which individuals believe their life has been unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded during the previous month. It also aimed test retest validity and reliability and psychometric properties of DASS-21. Among the 128 of study subjects enrolled, intensity of occupational and environmental Depression and anxiety stresses in healthy subjects in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu was assessed. The psychometric properties were checked using the DASS-21 Scale. The depression-hopelessness, low self esteem, and low positive effect, anxiety-autonomic arousal, musculoskeletal symptoms, situational anxiety and subjective experience of anxious arousal were also measured. High prevalence of moderate and high grade Depression was found in both men and women and high to severe level of Anxiety was found in women where in men it seemed increasing proportionally. The results conclude high stress response triggers cascade producing a series of changes in human body vital physiological functions such as blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate were significantly higher. We suggest future researches are potential so that these aspects of stress response measures are important for the cumulative health benefits of patients in secondary or tertiary level treatment.

Dr. Vipul M. Navadiya has completed his MBBS at the age of 23 years from Veer Narmad South Gujrat University, India. Currently he is second year resident in department of pharmacology, Government Medical College, Surat, India

Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that occurs both physiologically as well as pathologically. It is a vital component in development of the embryo, hormone dependent atrophy, elimination of potentially harmful self-reactive lymphocytes, normal cell turnover and elimination of irreparably damaged cells. Inappropriate apoptosis (either too little or too much) is one of the causative factor in many human diseases. Defective apoptosis is involved in many cancers and autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, increased apoptosis is involved in neurodegenerative diseases, ischemic damage and death of virus infected cells. Currently, so much research is going on in the field of drugs affecting apoptosis so as to develop better drugs for above mentioned conditions. The goal of this poster is to provide the general overview on recent advances in this field. Some of the drugs included in this poster are: Oblimersen: it is a Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide. It reduces bcl-2 expression and sensitises cells to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. It has potential to be used in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), Melanoma and small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. IDN-6556: It is a potent inhibitor of caspases. It is being studied to see if it can improve liver function in cirrhosis with end stage liver disease. INO-1001: It is poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor. It has shown hemodynamic improvement in porcine myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common Gram-negative bacterium found in nosocomial infections. It primarily infects immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis patients. Among the key compounds involved in the regulation of virulence factor production of these bacteria are quinolones, such as 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone (Pseudomonas quinolone signal, PQS) and its direct precursor 2-heptyl-4(1H)-quinolone (HHQ). We have developed an efficient synthesis that allows access to PQS and HHQ photoaffinity probes from readily available starting materials. The probes contain a photoreactive group, a diazirine moiety, and a handle which will allow us to perform biorthogonal chemistry in order to pull down potential proteins that bind the bioactive quinolones. These studies will further enhance our understanding of PQS-mediated quorum sensing systems, and they will enable the development of methods that can modulate these signalling networks effectively, with possible therapeutic applications for the treatment of human bacterial infections.

Ms. Deepika Kathuria has completed her M.S. (Pharm.) from National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar in the year 2014. In 2014, She joined NIPER S.A.S. Nagar and pursuing her Ph. D. in Medicinal Chemistry under Prof. Prasad V. Bharatam.. She is currently working on the Design and Synthesis of antileishmanial agents targeting trypanothione reductase.

Targeting Quorum sensing signalling using Quorum Sensing inhibitors has opened a new avenue for the application of known antibiotics. In this context, twenty five unsymmetrical azines were synthesized and evaluated as quorum sensing inhibitors. An efficient one pot procedure was adopted that directly link 3-Methyl-2-(methylthio)benzo[d]thiazol-3-ium salt, hydrazine hydrate and substituted aldehyde to give the designed compounds. The synthesized compounds were preliminarily tested for their potential to inhibit CviR receptor based QS signals in Chromobacterium violaceum. The bioassay screening results suggested that two compounds exhibited potent QS inhibition activity against CviR receptor showing violacein inhibition (>50%) at 200 µM. Further, the putative positive hits were checked for their potential to inhibit LasR receptor based QS using PlasB-gfp(ASV) biomonitor strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These compounds were found to inhibit the QS mediated GFP signals in a dose dependant manner. Two active compounds were also exhibited biofilm clearance at 50 µM concentration. Docking studies were performed to examine their potential to bind to LasR protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Mr. Sumit S. Chourasiya has completed his M.S. (Pharm.) from National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad in the year 2011. He has a research experience of two year after M.S. He worked in Albany Molecular Research Incorporation (AMRI), Hyderabad as Research Scientist Trainee from 2011-2012. He also worked as a Project Assistant in Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Hyderabad from 2012-2013. In 2013, he joined NIPER S.A.S. Nagar and pursuing his Ph. D in Medicinal Chemistry. He is currently working on the azine class of compounds, their electronic properties, tautomerism and application to the medicinal chemistry.

Azines belong to an important class of compounds which are found to have several applications in medicinal chemistry. Hydrazones are related and more known compounds which carry many biochemical applications. Hydrazones with appropriate substituent can show azine-hydrazone tautomerism. There are many cases in which azines are wrongly considered as hydrazones. In this article, we report the azine and hydrazone tautomeric energy differencesand provide structural details of amidinohydrazones which prefer azine structure rather than the hydrazone structure, an important example being the anti-hypertensive drug – guanabenz. The importance of appropriate tautomeric representation of guanabenz has been established interms of its molecular interactions with a known enzyme. In order to see the taututomerism in this class of molecules under experimental condition, synthesis was carried out. The experimental results are in good agreement with the DFT studies which suggest that the preferred tautomer is only azine even under experimental condition.

Dr. Dhruv Patel has completed his M.B.B.S at the age of 25 years from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University at Government Medical College,Surat. At present I am pursuing post graduate course in clinical pharmacology. He has attended many national and state level conferences.

Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody to CD 20 antigen. It is commonly used in treatment of Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma & rheumatoid arthritis. Rituximab is also under investigation for the treatment of other conditions including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple sclerosis, ANA associated vasculitis & SLE including lupus nephritis. Rituximab has been reported to be effective in patients, including children & infants, with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura refractory to standard treatment. Some of the most common side effects of rituximab are infusion related symptoms such as fever, chills, rigors & flushing. Pulmonary reaction have been reported including reversible interstitial pneumonia & interstitial fibrosis. Gastrointestinal disturbances may occur, which includes abdominal pain, bowel obstruction & perforation. Severe reactions like tumor lysis syndrome, acute renal failure, respiratory failure, reactivation of hepatitis B virus & progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy may occur. Late onset neutropenia has been reported in patients receiving rituximab. Here we report a case of thrombocytopenia that occurs after rituximab infusion in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Dr. Dharna Patel has completed her M.B.B.S at the age of 24 years from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University at Government Medical College,Surat. At present I am pursuing post graduate course in clinical pharmacology. She has attended many national and state level conferences.

Presently there has been growing interest worldwide to identify antioxidant compounds which are pharmacologically active and have minimal or no side effects for use in medical practice. There are list of plants that have ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds known as phytochemicals which are used to perform important biological functions. Many of these phytochemicals have beneficial effects on long term health when consumed by humans and can be used to effectively treat human diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, haemorrhagic shock, CVS disorders, cystic fibrosis, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and gastrointestinal ulcerogenesis. Alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, terpenoid, steroid, cardiac glycoside are some of the known phytochemicals derived from plants. Here we have discussed importance of these phytochemicals in current medical practice.