I. S. Anand

  To evaluate the prescribing pattern of anti-malarial drug and to assess the adherence of anti-malarial drugs prescribing according to Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of malaria in India 2011 and to explore the possibility of development of resistance with anti-malarial drugs.A retrospective, Single-centric study with cases of anti-malarial drugs prescribed in duration of 1 year from Jan-2011 to Dec-2011 at Lions General hospital, Mehsana, Gujarat, India. Data were analyzed with different evaluations. A total of 474 cases were collected including 282 (59.49%) male and 192 (40.51%) female. Out of these 283 (59.70%) were uncomplicated, 115(24.26%) were complicated and 76 (16.04%) were seen of non-malaria prescribed with anti-malarial drugs. Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) was prescribed in 44(7.96%) patients. Artesunate monotherapy were prescribed in 230 (41.59%) patients. Adherence to National Guideline in cases with P. vivax malaria is 71.53% and for pregnant women and with mixed infection is 100%, while non adherence is more than 80% seen in P. falciparum malaria (87.39%) and clinical malaria (84%) cases. Artesunate and Chloroquine were also prescribed in non-malarial patients. Among all the cases IV injection of anti-malarial drugs prescribed were 48.82%. Average drug cost/prescription is INR 123.28 Rs and % drug cost on injection is 87.50%.This study shows the prescribing pattern of anti-malarial drug adherence to National Guideline therapy is low. Inappropriate use of anti-malarial drugs among the patients is very high. So possibility of development of resistance with anti-malarial drugs in the population will rapidly spread and cost of the prescription will burden on the patients. Key Words: Malaria, Anti-malarial drugs, Artesunate, Chloroquine, Drug resistance

Gastroretentive dosage forms have potential for use as controlled-release drug delivery systems. The use of floating dosage forms is one method to achieve prolonged gastric residence times, providing opportunity for both local and systemic drug action. The present work was aimed to formulate floating tablets of Itopride hydrochloride using an effervescent approach for gastroretentive drug delivery system. The present investigation concerns the development of floating tablets of Itopride hydrochloride, a novel prokinetic drug, which after oral administration are designed to prolong the gastric residence time and thereby increase drug bioavailability, and drug release rate. This would help in promoting gastrointestinal transit and speed up gastric motility, and thereby it will relieve the symptoms associated with it. Floating tablets were fabricated; using direct compression method; containing Itopride hydrochloride, polymers HPMC K100M, HPMC K15M and HPMC K4M, along with gas generating agent sodium bicarbonate. The floating tablet formulations were evaluated for physical characterization, assay, swelling index, in‐vitro drug release, hardness, friability and weight variation.