Achievements

Autonomic Pharmacology

1. Characterization of various adrenergic and purinergic receptors and their subtypes in different tissues of poultry; a difference from mammals was recorded.
2. Epinephrine rather than norepinephrine is the probable neurotransmitter in poultry.
3. The blood pressure of chicken is variable with age, sex and laying cycle - role of H1 and H2 receptors was elucidated.
4. In GIT, alpha receptors are both excitatory and inhibitory whereas beta receptors are inhibitory.
5. Possibility of third alpha receptor-subtype was revealed in infundibulum.
6. In infundibulum excitatory alpha and beta receptors are present, alpha-2 receptors are present post synaptically.
7. Sex hormones affected the activity of both alpha-1 and alpha-2 receptor-subtypes.
8. In isthmus a new population of beta receptor-subtype was revealed.
9. An alternate model of isolated chicken duodenum for bioassay of cholinomimetic drugs was developed.

Pharmacokinetics of Chemotherapeutic Agents

1. The dosage regimen of sulphonamides, antibiotics and other antimicrobials in healthy and clinical models (buffaloes, goats, dogs and poultry) was established.
2. Sulphonamide-trimethoprim was found ideal for intrauterine infusion in uterine infection of buffaloes but was not rational for systemic administration.
3. For the control of susceptible bacterial diseases in poultry the dose of sulphadiazene (300 mg) + trimethroprim (60 mg) per litre water was found ideal.
4. Closantel and ivermectin were highly effective in Haemonchus contortus strain resistant to levamisol in goats and benzimidazole in sheep, thus preventing the losses in wool production and body weight gain.

Indigenous Medicinal/Toxic Plants

1. Biological activities of several medicinal plants for their therapeutic values evaluated.
2. Marked antihypertensive activity comparable to reserpine was found in Anchusastrigosa (gaozban).
3. Aegle marmelos (Bael) leaves possessed significant antidiabetic activity and potential to regenerate destroyed beta cells of Islets of Langerhans in pancreas.
4. Withania somnifera roots have protective effect on chlorpyrifos induced lipid peroxidation in brain liver and plasma of rats.
5. Aqueous extract of leaves of Moringa oleifera and methanolic extract of stem of Tinospora cordifolia have no acute or delayed toxicity when administered at a dose of 5000 mg/kg b.wt. orally.
6. Aqueous extract of leaves of Moringa oleifera and methanolic extract of stem of Tinospora cordifolia were found to be non genotoxic and genoprotective in cyclophosphamide induced genotoxicity.

Toxicology of Xenobiotics

1. Organophosphates on persistent low level exposure produced stress and lowering of resistance in animals.
2. The immunosuppressive effect of malathion to humoral immune response was through the cooperation of T cells in poultry.
3. Triazophos exhibited age and gender related differences on its neurotoxic effects in rats; young being more susceptible.
4. Plasma cholinesterase can be used as a reliable marker of triazophos toxicity in rats.

Pharmacodynamic of drug/compound

1. Application of quercetin (0.3%) ointment accelerates wound healing in healthy and diabetic rats.
2. Quercetin nanoparticles at 0.03% (w/v) have better wound healing effect than its bulk form in rats after topical applications. The quercetin nanoparticles at 10 times lowered concentration (i.e. 0.03% quercetin) also has better wound healing than the 0.3% bulk quercetin.
3. Bilirubin nanoparticles (0.3%) treatment has better cutaneous wound healing effect in rats in comparison to bulk bilirubin.

List of awards received by the faculty members of the department:

RECOGNITION TO FACULTY

NATIONAL CONFERENCES/ SYMPOSIUM/ SEMINAR ORGANIZED

SUMMER SCHOOL ORGANIZED