Hygeia journal for drugs and medicines

1-5

Authors: Rakesh Aggarwal, Nithya Gogtay, Rajeev Kumar Peush Sahni,

Measuring academic achievements is never an easy task. This is particularly so when individuals are assessed for promotions in several fields with differing job descriptions. Assessment by peers is time-consuming and may be prone to bias; thus, objective criteria are required to minimize these concerns. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has laid down guidelines for appointments and promotions of teachers in medical institutions in India. Among the criteria used for promotions, publication of research is an essential requirement. Though the need for this requirement has been debated, it is believed that the quality of teaching improves when medical teachers are involved in research. Many countries have made it mandatory for their medical faculty to do research; some other countries incentivize the conduct and publication of research. Reports have also lamented that the physician–scientist might become an endangered species . Thus, linking publications with promotions might benefit both the individual and society. The flip side is that the time spent on research might take teachers away from teaching or clinical duties, particularly in under-staffed specialty departments. Further, the quality of research is likely to be poor when the resources and training in research are lacking . Poor quality may even discredit research asa professional activity. Insistence on a certain amount of published research to maintain teaching credentials may lead to the phenomenon of ‘publish or perish’ . Finally, it is important to consider that biomedical research may, at times, be relevant to non-biomedical journals and criteria for awarding credit to such publications should also be devised.

11-18

Authors: Alex Thomas, Radha A, and D. Suresh Kumar

Plan: To suggest some guidelines for improving the manufacture of ayurvedic āsava and ariṣṭa so thatthey conform to the specification set by Government of India. Prologue: Ayurveda employs several classes of medicine in the treatment of diseases. Spirituous liquors(āsava, ariṣṭa) form an important one among them. Nearly sixty such fermented medicines are used in contemporary Ayurvedic practice. Āsava and ariṣṭa are traditionally prepared by mixing the decoction or juices with jaggery or honey, powders of specific herbs and flowers of Woodfordia fruticosa. It is believed that flowers of W. fruticosa are the source of the inoculum. The analytical laboratory of CARe Keralam Ltd has been estimating the alcohol content of commercial samples of āsava, ariṣṭa since 2012. A look at the results of more than 500 samples analyzed here reveals interesting information. According to Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India āsava and ariṣṭa should contain not less than 5% and not more than 11% alcohol. However, in reality commercially manufactured āsava and ariṣṭa have varying content of alcohol, many of them not conforming to the specifications set by Government of India. Outcome: This problem can be solved by adopting fermentation method employed in the modern brewery science. Paying closer attention to factors like insoluble solids,available nitrogen, acid level, yeast and temperature control can improve the quality of the āsava and ariṣṭa.

29-44

Authors: AsiaBegum, Syed Shaffath Ali, Ranjith D, VinodK.R, Sandhya S*

Plan: Rosmarinus officinalis Albus is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant,evergreen, needle-like leaves and white flowers grown in many partsof the world. It is widely used in the treatment of genitourinary conditions, liver diseases and scalp treatment. Preface: The present study was performed to highlight the micro-anatomical, physiochemical and phytochemical aspects of the plant. Methodology: The microscopical studies of leaf and stem were carried out separately. The chemo-microscopical studies were done using different staining reagents. Thin layer chromatographic analysis was carried out for the methanolic extract and compared with the standard rutin, quercetin and gallic acid. Outcome: The anatomy of the leaf, stemshowed abundant number of branched covering trichomes, collapsed covering trichomes, Stellate, multi cellular covering trichomes and fibres in leaf. Scalariform xylem vessels, pitted fibres were observed in stem. Fluorescence analysis showed wide range of fluorescence colours. Water soluble extractive values were found to be high which shows that most of the phyto-constituents may be polar soluble. The preliminary phytochemical chemical tests showed the presence ofvolatile oil, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, phenolic compounds, steroidsamino acids and proteins.