OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the self-practices with conventional and herbal drug use among ear, nose, and throat outpatients.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out among all ear, nose, and throat outpatients on their first visit to the otorhinolaryngology department at a tertiary care hospital. The survey comprised a total of 14 questions with 4 different sections, including demographic characteristics, self-medication of conventional medicines, herbal medication usage, and perception regarding herbal medicines.RESULTS: Overall, 255 questionnaires were distributed among patients, of which 183 completed the questionnaire (response rate=71.7%). Respondents reported self-medication (44.8%) with conventional drugs before visiting a hospital. The most commonly used medicine was analgesics (31.7%) and antibiotics (21.9%). Nearly half of the patients (49.2%) used at least one herbal drug. The most commonly used herbal medications were Tilia cordata (78.8%), Zingiber officinale (62.2%), and Camellia sinensis (45.5%). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, most of the medicinal herbs were considered as data deficient/least concern. About 36.6% of the participants perceived that herbal drugs are effective for ear, nose, and throat problems. Moreover, 22.9% of the patients did not know about herbal-drug interaction with other medications.CONCLUSIONS: This study observed a considerable prevalence of self-based practices with conventional and herbal medications. Strict national regulations on conventional and herbal medication access and long-term actions should be implemented to discourage inappropriate drug use.

Purpose: Antidepressant effects of analgesics have been investigate in both clinical and experimental studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the analgesic-antipyretic drug, dipyrone, also had antidepressant-like effects. Methods: Depression-like effects were investigated in an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model in both male and female mice. Cage changes, light-dark cycle reversal, cage tilting, wet floor, empty cage, foreign material on the floor and predator sounds were used to induce light stress at different times for six weeks. Dipyrone was administered intraperitoneally beginning from the third week. Splash, rota-rod (RR) and forced swimming (FST) tests were performed at the seventh week as behavioural tests to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of dipyrone. Coat state score (CSS) and weights of animals were recorded at seventh weeks. Results were analyzed using one or two-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferonni post hoc test. Results: Weight of UCMS-exposed mice did not change compared with controls; however, significant changes were observed in CSS in both sexes of stressed mice (p<0.05). RR latency decreased and immobility time enhanced in FST test in both sexes of stressed mice (p<0.05). Grooming behaviour was not different between the groups in female mice, but different in male mice in the splash test. Dipyrone did not produce a significant change in CSS in the UCMS-exposed group but reversed the latency time and immobility time to normal values in both sexes of mice and augmented the number of grooming behaviour only in stressed male mice. Conclusion: These results indicate that dipyrone produce antidepressant-like effects to some symptoms of UCMS according to gender.

Migren, çocukluk, ergenlik veya erken erişkin dönemde başlayan, sıklıkla bulantı, ışık ve ses duyarlılığı gibi semptomların eşlik ettiği, periyodik aralıklarla gelen zonklayıcı karakterde bir baş ağrısı türüdür. Migrenli hastalarda en çok görülen psikiyatrik bozukluklarda ilk sırada depresyon yer almaktadır. Migren ve depresyon birçok kişiyi etkiler ve yaklaşık %10-15 dolayında benzer prevalansa sahiptir. Migren tedavisi eğer eksik yapılırsa durumun kontrol edilemez olmasının getirdiği çaresizliğin sonucunda hastalarda depresyon ortaya çıkabilmektedir. Migrenin akut ataklarının profilaksi ve tedavisi iki aşamada gerçekleştirilmektedir. Akut atakta; analjezikler ve non-steroid antiinflamatuar ilaçlar, ergot alkoloidleri ve triptanlar kullanılırken, profilaktik tedavide; beta blokörler, antiepileptikler, antidepresanlar, kalsiyum kanal blokörleri gibi ilaçlar kullanılmaktadır. Bu ilaçlarla hastalarda atakların sayısının ve şiddetinin azaltılmasında tam bir başarı elde edilememektedir. Bu sebeple son zamanlarda antidepresan ilaç gruplarının tedavideki yeri araştırılmaktadır. Özellikle depresyon, stres, anksiyete ve uyku bozukluğu ile birlikte sık migren atağı geçirenlerin, profilaktik farmakolojik tedavisinde başta trisiklik antidepresanlar (TSA) olmak üzere, selektif serotonin geri alım inhibitörleri (SSRI) ve selektif serotonin-noradrenalin geri alım inhibitörleri (SNRI) tercih edilmektedir. Bu çalışmamızda migren tedavisinde kullanılan antidepresanların migrenin şiddeti ve süresindeki etkilerini incelemek amaçlanmıştır.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess dental care professionals' drug prescription knowledge, practices, and reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted by using a face-to-face survey administered to a sample of dentists from tertiary care hospitals in Adana, Türkiye. A questionnaire consisted of six sections with closed-ended items including sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge about drugs, patient history information, counseling practices during prescribing, source of information and ADR reporting. Results: The study included 180 dentists, with a 95.3% response rate. More than half of the dentists (50.6%) stated their level of knowledge about drug price/cost as low. Most of the dentists (50.6%;n=91) claimed that they never/rarely asked about health insurance during patient history information. Moreover, most of the participants reported that they never/rarely and sometimes counsel the patients regarding drug mechanism of action, side effects of the drug, interaction of prescribed drug with other drugs/nutrients. It was determined that the dentists learned about the drugs from Vademecum (Turkish Medication Guidebook: 70%;n=126) and the internet (55%;n=99). A higher proportion (85.5%) of the dentists indicated that they did not report ADR during their clinical practice. Conclusion: This study showed a general improvement in dentists prescribing knowledge and practices, although they reported some lack of knowledge regarding drug cost, discussion about the possible side effect of a drug/interaction with other drugs/nutrients with patients and under-reporting of ADRs. Periodic education and training for dentists are critical to overcoming any problem related to prescribing errors and potential ADRs.