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  1. Akbar A, Sharma JN
    Pharmacol Res, 1992 Apr;25(3):279-86.
    PMID: 1518772
    We have investigated the effect of indomethacin on histamine- and acetylcholine (ACh)-induced responses in the intact and denuded epithelium of guinea pig isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Epithelium removal resulted in increased responsiveness to ACh and histamine. Indomethacin (2.8 microM) enhanced the sensitivity of both intact and denuded preparations to histamine and ACh. These findings suggest that the tracheal epithelium of guinea pig plays a protective role against bronchoconstrictors, such as ACh and histamine. Furthermore, indomethacin-mediated hyperresponsiveness caused by these agonists in epithelium denuded preparations might be a reflection of removal of prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis. A similar process of interaction in indomethacin-treated asthmatic patients (with damaged airway epithelium) might take place. The significance of these findings is discussed.
  2. Akbar A, Sharma JN, Yusof AP, Gan EK
    Int J Tissue React, 1998;20(3):95-100.
    PMID: 9894182
    We studied the effect of indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on bradykinin-induced responses in the intact and denuded epithelium of the isolated tracheal smooth muscle in guinea pigs. Epithelium removal alone did not alter the responsiveness to bradykinin. Indomethacin (2.8 microM) enhanced the sensitivity to bradykinin of both intact and denuded preparations. This finding suggests that the tracheal epithelial may have no protective effect on the contractile responses induced by bradykinin. This may be due to the presence of high amounts of bradykinin-inactivating enzymes in the tracheal smooth muscle. Indomethacin-medicated potentiation caused by bradykinin in epithelium intact and denuded preparations may be an indication of removal of the bronchodilator prostaglandin biosynthesis. The significance of these findings is discussed.
  3. Navaratnam V, Mansor SM, Mordi MN, Akbar A, Abdullah MN
    Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1998 Jul;54(5):411-4.
    PMID: 9754985
    OBJECTIVE: A single cross-over, comparative pharmacokinetic study of oral and rectal formulations of 200 mg artesunic acid in 12 healthy Malaysian volunteers is reported.

    METHODS: Plasma concentrations of artesunic acid and dihydroartemisinin were determined simultaneously by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The test drug was well tolerated and no undesirable adverse effects were observed.

    RESULTS: Comparison of pharmacokinetic parameters of artesunic acid after oral and rectal administration showed statistically significant differences in t(max) and AUC, with no changes for Cmax and t1/2. As for dihydroartemisinin, differences were observed for t(max) and Cmax but not for AUC.

    CONCLUSION: There appear to be pharmacokinetic differences between oral and rectal modes of administration. The significance of these findings should be explored in malaria patients before appropriate therapeutic regimens are devised.

  4. Shah SIA, Tipu MY, Aslam A, Khan AU, Shafee M, Khan SA, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2021 Sep 01;38(3):353-359.
    PMID: 34508343 DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.3.078
    Curcumin is a potent antimicrobial herb used traditionally as a spice in culinary. This study was designed to evaluate the antiviral effects of curcuma longa extract against H9 influenza virus. A total of 60 embryonated eggs were equally divided into 5 groups with 12 eggs in each group. Group 1 (G1) served as uninfected negative control. Whereas Group 2 (G2) was kept as positive control infected with known virus @ 0.2 ml with 10-9.3 EID50. Group 3 (G3) was offered Curcuma longa @ 0.2 mg/0.2 ml and H9N2 virus (@ 0.2 ml with 10-9.3 EID50. Similarly, Group 4 (G4) was inoculated with extract of Curcuma longa @ 0.2 mg/0.2 ml per egg, whereas Group 5 (G5) was given Ribazole @ 0.2 ml/ egg. The crude extract and virus were administered on the 15th day of incubation and were checked after every 24 hours up to 96th hour post inoculation by random selection of 3 eggs. Death and survival rate were noted in all groups. Gross and histopathological lesions were also observed. Results revealed that Curcuma longa extract had significantly (p<0.05) reduced the mortality rate of embryos infected with H9N2 virus. In G3, increased lymphocytes and mild fatty changes were seen in liver. Whereas, mature RBCs, plasma cells and some lymphoblast's were observed in Spleen. Similarly, the bursa follicles were with lymphocytic aggregation. The G4 (Curcuma longa) and G5 (Ribazole) were with maximum embryo survival after 48 and 72 h post inoculation. This study revealed potential antiviral activity of Curcuma longa against H9N2 influenza viruses and can be opted as alternative to antibiotics and antiviral drugs to minimize the antimicrobial resistance in human and animal population.
  5. Zeb S, Akbar A, Gul A, Haider SA, Poulova P, Yasmin F
    Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2021;14:1867-1876.
    PMID: 34815724 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S333070
    PURPOSE: In Pakistan, medical professionals face multiple challenges comprising long, fixed working hours and workload overburdening, which leads to emotional fatigue. These conflicts in work-life scenarios, brought about by high work demands causing emotional exhaustion, can create a state of distress among the medical professionals. The present study investigates the association between work-family conflict (WFC), emotional intelligence (EI), and self-efficacy (SE) among medical practitioners during COVID-19 in Pakistan.

    PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study sample included 140 medical professionals from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Cross-section correlational research design was used, and information was gathered employing online surveys through a purposive sampling technique. The scales utilized were the WFC, EI, and SE Scale.

    RESULTS: The current study hypothesized a significant relationship between work-family conflict, general self-efficacy (GSE) and emotional intelligence among medical practitioners during COVID-19 in Pakistan. The results showed that those with more family-to-work conflict had less EI and GSE. Furthermore, findings uncovered that there is a significant positive relationship between EI and GSE.

    CONCLUSION: The findings propose that it is important for medical professionals to have a high level of EI and GSE to navigate through the WFC more healthily. In future, awareness seminars could be arranged related to EI and its significance to stimulate the psychological well-being of medical professionals. Future studies could also consider other healthcare workers, including nurses and internees doing house jobs and other medical staff, as they are also exposed to several stresses due to the workload and family demands.

  6. Ran Z, Gul A, Akbar A, Haider SA, Zeeshan A, Akbar M
    Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2021;14:2231-2244.
    PMID: 35002341 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S335022
    PURPOSE: Business competition is getting more intense nowadays, and corporate survival is getting harder; consequently, corporate managers have to make financial decisions in complex and globalized scenarios. As a result, in order to compete in today's global economy, businesses are contemplating incorporating behavioural components of human psychology into their decision-making processes. Corporations are masters of quantitative analysis, but they rarely pay attention to behavioural elements of organizational success. Emotional intelligence is important in many parts of life; therefore, it is crucial to look at its dimensions when it comes to corporate financial decision-making.

    METHODS: A simple random sampling technique was used to collect data from 200 senior-level managers from the corporate sector located in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad of Pakistan. SPSS version 22 was used to test the hypotheses.

    RESULTS: Results of the study show the gender-based variation in corporate financial decision-making detailing the higher impact of EI of males on CFD than their counterparts in the corporate sector organizations. The elements of self-awareness, empathy, motivation and self-regulation affect the financial decision-making of both the genders with varying degrees of influence, whereas social skills do not affect CFD of both genders.

    CONCLUSION: The study findings explicate that the influence of self-awareness and empathy constructs of EI on corporate financial decisions is stronger in female managers than their male counterparts. However, male managers exhibit a significantly stronger influence of motivation, social skills, and self-regulation dimensions on their financial decisions compared to female managers in a corporate setting. Overall, the impact of EI on CFD is slightly higher in male managers. These empirical outcomes imply that organizations should assess the employees not only for technical skills but also based on their emotional intelligence during the recruitment process.

  7. Saleem Z, Faller EM, Godman B, Malik MSA, Iftikhar A, Iqbal S, et al.
    Med Access Point Care, 2021 12 16;5:23992026211064714.
    PMID: 36204499 DOI: 10.1177/23992026211064714
    Background: Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness because of the rapid emergence of resistant bacteria. Unnecessary antimicrobial use increases antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There are currently no published data on antibiotic consumption in Pakistan at the community level. This is a concern given high levels of self-purchasing of antibiotics in Pakistan and variable knowledge regarding antibiotics and AMR among physicians and pharmacists.

    Objective: The objective of this repeated prevalence survey was to assess the pattern of antibiotic consumption data among different community pharmacies to provide a baseline for developing future pertinent initiatives.

    Methods: A multicenter repeated prevalence survey conducted among community pharmacies in Lahore, a metropolitan city with a population of approximately 10 million people, from October to December 2017 using the World Health Organization (WHO) methodology for a global program on surveillance of antimicrobial consumption.

    Results: The total number of defined daily doses (DDDs) dispensed per patient ranged from 0.1 to 50.0. In most cases, two DDDs per patient were dispensed from pharmacies. Co-amoxiclav was the most commonly dispensed antibiotic with a total number of DDDs at 1018.15. Co-amoxiclav was followed by ciprofloxacin with a total number of 486.6 DDDs and azithromycin with a total number of 472.66 DDDs. The least consumed antibiotics were cefadroxil, cefotaxime, amikacin, and ofloxacin, with overall consumption highest in December.

    Conclusion: The study indicated high antibiotic usage among community pharmacies in Lahore, Pakistan particularly broad-spectrum antibiotics, which were mostly dispensed inappropriately. The National action plan of Pakistan on AMR should be implemented by policymakers including restrictions on the dispensing of antimicrobials.

  8. De Simone B, Abu-Zidan FM, Chouillard E, Di Saverio S, Sartelli M, Podda M, et al.
    World J Emerg Surg, 2022 Dec 16;17(1):61.
    PMID: 36527038 DOI: 10.1186/s13017-022-00466-4
    BACKGROUND: The incidence of the highly morbid and potentially lethal gangrenous cholecystitis was reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the ChoCO-W study was to compare the clinical findings and outcomes of acute cholecystitis in patients who had COVID-19 disease with those who did not.

    METHODS: Data were prospectively collected over 6 months (October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021) with 1-month follow-up. In October 2020, Delta variant of SARS CoV-2 was isolated for the first time. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and reported according to the STROBE guidelines. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients who had COVID-19 were compared with those who did not.

    RESULTS: A total of 2893 patients, from 42 countries, 218 centers, involved, with a median age of 61.3 (SD: 17.39) years were prospectively enrolled in this study; 1481 (51%) patients were males. One hundred and eighty (6.9%) patients were COVID-19 positive, while 2412 (93.1%) were negative. Concomitant preexisting diseases including cardiovascular diseases (p 

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