Informatics Publishing Limited

Nutan Nabar ¹, Rama Vaidya ², D. B. A. Narayana ³, Ashwinikumar Raut ⁴, Sanjiv Shah ⁴, Bhushan Patwardhan ⁵, Ashok Vaidya ⁴

Affiliations
1 Symbiosis International University, Pune, IN
2 Kasturba Health Society's Medical Research Centre, ICMR Advanced Centre for Reverse Pharmacology in Traditional Medicine Medical Research Center-KHS, 17, Khandubhai Desai Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai 400 056, IN
3 Ayurvidye Trust, Bangalore, IN
4 Kasturba Health Society's Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, IN
5 The Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Pune, IN

Abstract

Diabetic patients, in India are known to take one or more Marketed Ayurvedic Antidiabetic Formulations (MAAF) alone or with the conventional drug/s as over the counter or through self medication. The labeling information is crucial for patient information and safety besides fulfilling the regulatory needs. for drugs from any system of medicine. The present study was aimed at to study MAAF for patient information, regulatory compliance and patient safety.

The labels of 180 MAAF were analysed as to the details of brand names, dosage forms, ingredients, composition, dosage schedule and precautions. Package inserts of additional fifty three MAAFs were reviewed for the compliance.

The ingredients used in the products varied widely, as to the plants' identity, parts and extracts used and their concentrations. The dosage of the ingredients ranged from a few mgs to 2-3 gms, depending on raw herbs or extracts used. The current labels, studied for the composition details, did not clearly indicate the quantity of each ingredient to the original raw herb quantum. There was a wide variation in the way composition was printed on the label. The study shows a need for improvement in compliance to labeling regulations. There was no information about the suitability of these drug's administration in pregnancy and/or lactation.,or specific dose and drug formulation for paediatric and geriatric groups.

Brand names studied have chiefly reflected antidiabetic/Madhumehaghna activity. However, some of the brand names like Sugar Knocker, Sugar balance etc convey exaggerated claims. Drug regulators may continue to license MAAF with brand names but sanction those that could be misleading. Ayurvedic manufacturers need to consider and register their trade names under Trade Mark Registration Act to avoid duplicity and misuse of same names, across the state of India.

Keywords

Ayurvedic Antidiabetic Medicine, Ayurvedic Pharmacoepidemiology, Drug Regulation, Brand Names, Labeling and Package Inserts, MAAF.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹

Affiliations
1 Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹

Affiliations
1 Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN

Abstract

While modern science was progressing in the West leading to Renaissance and Industrial Revolution, the geopolitical situation in India was not conducive for research or development. Although significant knowledge, wisdom and competence existed in this region, hardly any scientific advancement was possible. Indian communities were more concerned about preserving knowledge. This, in a way, led to the compartmentalization and monopolization of knowledge. India has witnessed a long period of great stagnancy that continued even during the pre- and post-independence periods.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Shubhada Nagarkar ², Shridhar R. Gadre ³, Subhash C. Lakhotia ⁴, Vishwa Mohan Katoch ⁵, David Moher ⁶

Affiliations
1 Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Department of Library and Information Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, IN
2 Department of Library and Information Science, Interdisciplinary School of Scientific Computing, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, IN
3 Interdisciplinary School of Scientific Computing, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, IN
4 Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, IN
5 Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur 302 033, IN
6 Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, CA

Abstract

Scholarly journals play an important role in maintaining the quality and integrity of research by what they publish. Unethical practices in publishing are leading to an increased number of predatory, dubious and low-quality journals worldwide. It has been reported that the percentage of research articles published in predatory journals is high in India. The University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi has published an ‘approved list of journals’, which has been criticized due to inclusion of many substandard journals. We have developed a protocol with objective criteria for identifying journals that do not follow good publication practices. We studied 1336 journals randomly selected from 5699 in the university source component of the ‘UGC-approved list’. We analysed 1009 journals after excluding 327 indexed in Scopus/Web of Science. About 34.5% of the 1009 journals were disqualified under the basic criteria because of incorrect or non-availability of essential information such as address, website details and names of editors; another 52.3% of them provided false information such as incorrect ISSN, false claims about impact factor, claimed indexing in dubious indexing databases or had poor credentials of editors. Our results suggest that over 88% of the non-indexed journals in the university source component of the UGC-approved list, included on the basis of suggestions from different universities, could be of low quality. In view of these results, the current UGC-approved list of journals needs serious re-consideration. New regulations to curtail unethical practices in scientific publishing along with organization of awareness programmes about publication ethics at Indian universities and research institutes are urgently needed.

Keywords

Predatory and Dubious Journals, Publication Ethics, University Source Component, Unethical Practices.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Archana Thakur ¹

Affiliations
1 University Grants Commission, New Delhi 110 002, IN

Abstract

Research and innovation involve rigorous scientific efforts in the search of truth, and creation of new knowledge contributing to socio-economic benefits for global good. Responsible conduct, academic integrity and publication ethics are central to education and scientific research. It is important to improve quality, safeguard ethics and prevent academic misconduct, including plagiarism. Serious concerns regarding fake science and knowledge crisis have been raised, appealing to faculty members, scientists and other stakeholders. The need to take a firm stand against any fakery and contradict those who promote it has also been stressed¹. Increased incidence of compromised publication ethics and deteriorating academic integrity are a growing global problem contaminating all domains of research. And India is no exception.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Shubhada Nagarkar ²

Affiliations
1 University Grants Commission, New Delhi 110 002, IN
2 Centre for Publication Ethics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN

Abstract

Sarma¹ provides erroneous and misleading information with several flaws. He seems to be totally unaware that the University Grants Commission (UGC)- approved list of journals stands cancelled since 14 June 2019. It has been replaced by the UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) Reference List of Quality Journals (UGCCARE List). CARE has been established by UGC on 14 November 2018. Details are available at the UGC-CARE website (http://ugccare.unipune.ac.in).

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Preeti Chavan-Gautam ², Manish Gautam ³, Girish Tillu ², Arvind Chopra ⁴, Sunil Gairola ³, Suresh Jadhav ³

Affiliations
1 AYUSH Centre of Excellence, Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune Univer-sity, Pune 411 007, IN
2 AYUSH Centre of Excellence, Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN
3 Serum Institute of India Ltd, Pune 411 028, IN
4 Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune 411 001, IN

Abstract

Respiratory viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2 affect immune homeostasis by altering the immune regulatory network leading to decreased responsiveness, changes in lymphocyte sub-populations and decreased macrophage function¹ . Clinically, the immune response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection occurs in two phases: the first immune defence-based protective phase and the second inflammation-driven damaging phase² . The first immune defence-based protective phase is characterized by recruitment of antibody-secreting cells, follicular helper T-cells, activated CD4 and CD8 T-cells and immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies that bind to SARS-CoV-2 (ref.³). The second phase leads to uncontrolled cytokine release causing cytokine release syndrome (CRS), or ‘cytokine storm’ characterized by increased IL-2, IL-7, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha⁴ . CRS damages tissues of the lungs, kidney and heart leading to rapid multiorgan failure. The deaths from COVID-19 are due to massive alveolar damage leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that culminates in respiratory failure. Restoration of Th1/Th-2 cytokine balance is one of the mechanisms of establishing immune homeostasis^5,6 .

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Gautam R. Desiraju ²

Affiliations
1 University Grants Commission, New Delhi 110 002, IN
2 Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, IN

Abstract

With the inevitable push towards better assessment of academics, new quantitative parameters have emerged such as the h-index, which is a measure of how many times an academic, typically a scientist, is cited by others in the field, and the impact factor (IF) of a journal, which is roughly an equivalent measure for the publishing medium itself. These numbers are a bit like retweets and ‘likes’ in Twitter. How many people like you and how many followers do you have? Is not it unfair that those with more followers get more retweets and ‘likes’ for putting out more or less the same kind of material?

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Subhash Chandra Lakhotia ²

Affiliations
1 National Research Professor – AYUSH, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN
2 Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Ravindra Ghooi ¹, Sharad Deshpande ¹

Affiliations
1 Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

Keywords

No Keywords.

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Bhushan Patwardhan ¹, Subhash Chandra Lakhotia ²

Affiliations
1 National Research Professor – AYUSH, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411 007, IN
2 Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

Keywords

No Keywords

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