Preface

With great pleasure, we present the "Handbook of Practical Pharmacology - I," which is devoted to the teachers and students of this nation's pharmacy institutes. This book was created and edited in compliance with the Pharmacy Council of India's (PCI) "Practical Pharmacology-I" syllabus requirement for the second year (4th semester) B. Pharm. degree in pharmacy, as stated in the "Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm.) course regulations 2014." The book is broken up into fifteen chapters, which are as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction to experimental pharmacology

Chapter 2: Instruments used in the experimental pharmacology laboratory

Chapter 3: Study of common laboratory animals

Chapter 4: Maintenance of laboratory animals as per CCSEA guidelines

Chapter 5: Commonly used laboratory techniques

Chapter 6: Study of different routes of drug administration in murines

Chapter 7: Effects of hepatic microsomal enzyme inducers on phenobarbitone-induced sleep duration in mice

Chapter 8: Drugs acting on ciliary motility of frog oesophagus

Chapter 9: Impact of several drugs on the rabbit eye

Chapter 10: Impact of skeletal muscle relaxants assessed via Rotarod apparatus

Chapter 11: Effect of drugs on locomotor activity of mice using Actophotometer

Chapter 12: Anticonvulsant effect of drugs by the MES and PTZ method

Chapter 13: Drugs used for anti-cationic activity and stereotype-like behavior in murines

Chapter 14: Study of anxiolytic activity of drugs using mice/rats

Chapter 15: Study of local anaesthetics by different methods

CCSEA Guidelines

Purpose: The Committee for the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA) aims to uphold the humane treatment of animals in experimental research by enforcing strict regulatory oversight and supervision. The committee's primary focus is to minimize unnecessary pain, suffering, and distress, thereby fostering ethical and responsible scientific practices involving the use of animals. By acting as a regulatory body, the CCSEA ensures that the welfare of animals is prioritized and safeguarded in research environments.

Mandate: The mandate of the CCSEA is to ensure strict compliance with ethical guidelines and legal requirements pertaining to animal experimentation. This involves monitoring and evaluating research practices to ensure that they adhere to the established standards of animal welfare. The committee is tasked with reviewing and approving research protocols, conducting inspections, and providing guidance to researchers to ensure that all experiments are conducted responsibly and ethically.

Principles: The CCSEA operates on a set of core principles aimed at promoting respect for animal life. This includes minimizing pain and distress experienced by animals during experiments. Researchers are required to employ the principles of the Refinement, Reduction, and Replacement (the three Rs) to ensure that animal use is justified, the number of animals used is minimized, and procedures are refined to enhance animal welfare.

Scope: The guidelines and oversight of the CCSEA extend to all researchers and facilities engaged in the use of animals for scientific, educational, and medical purposes. This includes universities, research institutions, and private laboratories. The CCSEA functions as the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) at the local level, providing localized oversight and ensuring that all animal use within institutions is in compliance with national and international standards.

Commitment: The CCSEA is committed to fostering a culture of accountability and ethical responsibility in scientific research. This involves continuous education and training for researchers, promoting transparency in research practices, and encouraging the development and adoption of alternatives to animal testing. The committee is dedicated to advancing science in a manner that respects animal welfare and upholds the highest ethical standards.

Sincere attempts have been made to clearly explain the theoretical parts of the pharmaceutical practical components, accompanied by flowcharts and illustrations. Giving pupils comprehensive knowledge of the subject in an easy-to-understand format is the main goal of this book. The challenges that students typically encounter have been taken into consideration. The book’s noteworthy aspects are:

1. It covers every subject listed in the Pharmacy Council of India's "Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) course regulations 2014."

2. The language used is modest and eloquent.

We earnestly believe and apprehend that the brilliant budding students of pharmacy (Degree Program) in all Indian universities will definitely find this compilation extremely useful to provide them with sufficient deliberation, understanding, and in-depth knowledge on the subject.

We are grateful to Editorial Manager Publications, Bentham Science Publishers, Sharjah, U.A.E., for all their efforts in publishing this book.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome, and they shall be gratefully acknowledged.