Research

The department is involved in research activities like moulting of spent birds, pharmacokinetic evaluation of drugs, hormonal profile of chicken, buffalo and camel at different physiological states, macro and micro minerals estimation in animals, drug residues studies in food animals, pharmaceutical and chemical toxicity studies. Research on medicinal plants by our pharmacologists have revealed a large number of indigious herbs with markable anthelmentics antibiotics, antidiabetic, hepato protective anti-lipidemic and antiulcer activities. It is just possible that research on plants used in traditional medicine could play effective role in advancing world health. Such researches would also help save a lot of foreign exchange now being spent on importing drugs and may ultimately become a source of its earning too. Our scientists has worked out the optimal dosage regimens for the most commonly used antibiotics to get successful therapeutic outcome in indigenous animals in local environment

Research Projects:

Project title: Toxic Studies of FMC Products (2004-2005/2008)

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Zia ur Rahman

Co Principal Investigator: Dr. Ijaz Javed Hasan

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: FMC International

Summary:

Monomehypo Technical, 1% solution

The purpose of this study was to establish a dosing regimen for oral LD₅₀.  Range finding groups were consisted of two animals for one dose both in female and male rats. Individual oral doses of Monomehypo Technical, 1% solution, were calculated on per kg body weight basis. Observations for mortality were conducted for a period of 48 hours, post dosing. These experiments revealed dose ranges of 60-130 mg/kg body weight both in female and male rats for this phase. Keeping in view the dose ranges in phase I, the rats were randomly divided into 8 female groups and 8 male groups. Each female or male group comprised of 6 rats. Rats of each female and male group were treated with 60-130 mg/kg body weight oral doses of Monomehypo Technical. One group, untreated control, in each sex, was administered normal saline. Mortality in different groups was observed for 48 hours, post treatment.

NovaStar Technical

The purpose of this phase was to establish a dosing regimen for oral LD₅₀. Range finding groups were consisted of two animals for one dose. Individual oral doses were calculated on per kg body weight basis. Observations for mortality were conducted for a period 48 hours, post dosing. These experiments revealed a dose range of 60-150 mg/kg body weight for LD₅₀ phase. Keeping in view the dose range in phase I, the rats were divided randomly into 12 groups each comprised of 6 female rats. Eleven groups were treated with 60-160 mg/kg body weight oral doses of NovaStar Technical while one group, untreated control, was administered normal saline. Mortality in different groups was observed for 48 hours, post treatment.

 Project title:          Exploitation of maximum productive potential of spent

layers through induced molt by varying nutritional regimes.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Zia ur Rahman

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: Pakistan Science Foundation

Summary:

Technique of induced moult is used to rejuvenate the spent layers for another egg production cycle and helps in supplying of eggs to the common man at cheaper price, eventually extending a helping hand in reducing the protein shortage in the country. Besides this, induced moult may help in reducing the cholesterol concentration of the egg. For inducing moult, post fast feeding with varying nutritional regimes had variable effects on bird's physiology and subsequent egg production performance. White Leghorn Single Comb (WLHSC) layers of a commercial strain (Euribred), 70 weeks old, at the end of their normal production cycle having uniform body weight will be used to explore suitable combination of crude protein and metabolizable energy for moult induction.

Project title: Pharmacokinetic and doses of fluroquinolones in animals

Principal Investigator: Dr Faqir Hussain Khan

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: ALP-PARC

Summary:

Most of the developing countries like Pakistan are importing raw and finished drugs for their human and veterinary health program. Drug developments supported by extensive preclinical and clinical investigation are carried out in the drug importing countries. In most cases the genetic make up of man and animals and environmental conditions are different amongst the drug importing and exporting countries. Several studies have shown that the pharmacokinetic behavior and optimal dosage regimen of investigated drugs was different under indigenous condition when compared with the values given the literature or products inserts supplied by the manufacturers. These studies very clearly demonstrate that the genetic and environmental factors have a significant influence on the disposition and dosage requirement of drugs under indigenous condition (Nawaz, 1982). The investigations in various species of ruminants (Nawaz and Khan, 1979; Nawaz et al. 1980; Khan et al. 1980) have clearly demonstrated that:

1.      The disposition kinetics and dosage of drugs in local ruminants is different from their foreign counterparts and also different from the dosage schedule given in literature.

2.      There are intra species differences in the kinetics and dosage requirements e.g. goat requires less dose than that the sheep.

3.      Young and adult animals of the same species require different dosage regimen.

4.      In the same species there are breed differences as for example in Sahiwal and Cross-breed (Sahiwal x Friesian 50:50) cows.

5.      The metabolic disorders have a significant influence on biodisposition and dosage regimen of various drugs.

 Project title: Pharmacological Evaluation of Two Indigenous Antihyperlipidaemic Medicinal Plants in Albino Rabbits and Determination of their Mechanisms of Action.

Principal Investigator: Dr Ijaz Javed Hassan

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: PSF

Summary

Pakistan is expanding a large amount of foreign exchange to import the drugs from the drug manufacturing countries. To promote the objective of thrilling goal of self reliance and self sufficiency, it is imperative to exploit our own national natural resources. Among these the indigenous medicinal plants, being traditionally used as remedies for different ailments in man and animals, are of great focus of interest. In Pakistan the incidence of cardiac diseases is increasing day by day and one of the major causes of these ailments is atherosclerosis associated with the 4elevation of blood cholesterol. Therefore, the present project has been proposed to pharmacologically screen some native medicinal plants for their cholesterol lowering effects in animals and to determine their mechanisms of action responsible for lipid regulation. Earlier P.I has been involved in the anthelmintic evaluation of indigenous medicinal plants in animals. During these investigations, it was found that these medicinal plants were having fewer side effects than those shown by their synthetic counterparts. Based on this experience, it is hopped that these remedies will prove a comparatively cheaper and safer source of antihyperlipidaemic drugs in man and animals.

Project Title: Determination of antibiotic residues in poultry meat and eggs

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Zia-ur-Rahman

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: Higher Education Commission

Project Title:  Determination of heavy metal residues in edible animal tissues. A threat to public health

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Ijaz Javed Hasan

Duration: 3 years

Funding Agency: Higher Education Commission

Project Title:  Multi-residue determination of pesticides residues in edible animal tissues by novel solid phase micro extraction and chromatographic tecniques

Principal Investigator: Dr. Faqir Muhammad

Duration: 2 years

Funding Agency: Higher Education Commission