Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Pharmacy

Pharmaceutical Chemistry

About the department

Pharmaceutical chemistry is a discipline at the intersection of chemistry, especially synthetic organic chemistry, and pharmacology and various other biological specialties, where they are involved with design, chemical synthesis and development for market of 

pharmaceuticals (drugs).

Core competencies:

We are a fully integrated organization with a rich history of discovering and developing novel drugs from original concept in small molecule drug discovery spanning multiple therapeutic areas and indications, we offer medicinal chemistry strategic guidance and consulting services for:

• Assessing drug-like properties of lead molecules

• Designing new analogs

• Synthesizing new analogs

• Improving compound properties

• Developing optimization strategies

• Molecular properties

• Phytochemical analysis

 Research Focus:

Synthesis of various novel heterocyclic compounds and its derivatives.

Molecular Docking Studies.

QSAR Studies.

ADME & toxicity prediction.

Characterization of synthesis of organic compounds and its derivatives.

Extraction and Isolation of active components from natural sources (herbal, marine, animal, etc).

Consultancy:

Phytochemical analysis and characterization of multiple herbal extracts.

Pharmaceutics

About the Department:

Pharmaceutics is unarguably the most diverse of all the subject areas covered in pharmaceutical sciences concerned with the design and development of suitable dosage form for a drug and to develop strategies to deliver the drug to the desired site of action in the body. The department of Pharmaceutics, Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Pharmacy attained an up gradation with the establishment of M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics) in the year 2004 with an intake of 10 students. The department is equipped with the state of art laboratories having sophisticated infrastructure & ultra-modern facilities, and competitive staff to formulate of different dosage form and drug delivery systems with the safety, efficacy and stability.

Core competencies:

The department involved in the development and evaluation of following products

Immediate release dosage forms

Sustained release dosage forms

Nanopharmaceuticals

Transdermal drug delivery systems

Multi-particulate drug delivery systems

Ocular drug delivery systems

Semisolid dosage forms

Infrastructure:

The department has sophisticated modern instruments with like Sonicator, High speed Homogenizer, Brookfield Viscometer, Dissolution apparatus, 10 station Tablet punching machine, Refrigerated Centrifuge and Stability chamber and well equipped for formulation studies.

Research Focus:

The focus areas of research include design, development and evaluation of drug formulations, nanoformulations, novel, controlled and targeted drug delivery systems. The following research work studies are carried out in the department. The focused research areas of the department are Preformulation studies, Development of different pharmaceutical dosage forms including novel and nanotechnology based drug delivery systems, Evaluation of developed dosage forms with respect to various in vitro and in vivo parameters and Studying the biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic aspects of the drug as well as its dosage forms.

Consultancy:

• We can carry out the consultancy projects for Industry and Academics. The Department got expertise in the following fields

• Pre-formulation studies of New Drug Molecules

• Development & Evaluation of Conventional dosage forms & Nano Drug Delivery System other Advanced drug delivery designs

• Development and Standardization of Herbal Formulations.

• Antimicrobial Studies

• Trouble shooting in the formulation Development.

• The following work may be carried out to support research project of the students /Research scholars/Industry on payment basis (Based on active Medicament and dosage form, Nature of work & consultancy Involved)

• Particle size analysis

• Viscosity studies

• Compression of solid materials

• Design of dosage form

• Invitro drug release studies of formulation

• Development of Nanoparticles and Nano composites

• Stability studies of developed formulations

• Anti microbial studies

Pharmaceutical Analysis

About the Department:

The Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis has the state of art facilities for qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs and pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical analysis includes a series of process for identification, determination, quantification and purification of substance, separation of the components and determination of structures of chemical compounds. It supports pharmaceutical product development from early development to manufacture.

The principal focus of the department is development and application of analytical methods and techniques relevant to pharmaceutical sciences. The Pharmaceutical Analysis laboratory is closely associated with other departments of the Institution.

The department is well equipped with modern analytical instruments and other facilities and is involves in various research activities like development and validation of novel analytical methods by using HPLC & UV / Vis spectrophotometer.

The department is provided with eminent faculty members. The faculty members have been attending various seminars, workshops and conferences at National and International levels. They have also been presenting and publishing their research findings in National/International journals.

Core competencies:

The department involved in the development and evaluation of following products

1. Immediate release dosage forms

2. Sustained release dosage forms

3. Nanopharmaceuticals

4. Transdermal drug delivery systems

5. Multi-particulate drug delivery systems

6. Ocular drug delivery systems

7. Semisolid dosage forms

Services Offered:

The activities of the department other than the regular conduct of theory and practical classes for under graduate and post graduate courses include the following:

Analytical method development:

Analytical methods can be developed for raw materials and dosage forms for which no compendal methods are available. Development of newer analytical methods for the estimation of food constituents and contaminants by LCMS and Atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Analytical method validation:

Method validation (to confirm that the particular method is suitable for it use) can be performed for non-compendial methods- Linearity / Range, Precision, Repeatability, Ruggedness, Accuracy, Specificity, Detection / Quantitation Limit, Robustness.

Evaluation of trial dosage forms:

Identification, assay, content uniformity, related substances, water content and physical parameters can be analysed for tablets and capsules (IR, MR, ER) ,Liquids and Injectable

Analysis of marketed samples

Identification, assay, content uniformity, related substances, water content and physical parameters can be analysed for tablets and capsules (IR, MR, ER), Liquids and Injectables.

Analysis of active pharmaceutical ingredients:

Active pharmaceutical ingredient can be tested as per compendial monographs or as per In-house methods.

Identification of new synthetic compounds by IR spectroscopy:

IR spectra can be taken for identification of functional groups for new synthetic compounds.

Release and in-process testing:

Analysis of in-process samples like granules, blend etc and finished products (tablets, capsules etc) for Assay, Related substances and Water content.

Stability testing and Stability data trending:

Analysis of stability samples for Assay, Related substances and Water content and preparation of stability report.

Analytical support for pharmaceutics department:

Analysis of trial samples of pharmaceutics department-Assay, Related substances, Content uniformity. Release rate etc.

Reference standard analysis:

Analysis of reference standard for potency

Analysis of spiked samples for invitro studies:

HPLC quantification-Spiked plasma samples can be analysed using HPLC.

Water content:

Analysis of water content of raw materials, powder, granules and dosage forms using Karl Fischer titrimetry.

Clinical analysis:

Clinical analysis of metals in biological fluids and tissues such as whole blood, plasma, urine, saliva, in some pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and analyzing water for its metal content by Atomic absorption spectrometry.

Determination of crystallinity:

Identification of crystalline material, polymorphic forms (“fingerprints” ),distinguishing between amorphous and crystalline material and quantification of the percent crystallinity of a sample by X-ray diffraction.

Topographical, morphological and compositional analysis:

High-resolution images of shapes of objects (SEI) and show spatial variations in chemical compositions can be done by Scanning Electron Microscope.

Pharmacology

About the department:

Pharmacology is the scientific discipline that, in the attempt to improve health and cure disease, studies the mechanisms by which drugs change biological systems. Toxicology is the study of mechanisms by which drugs and chemicals in the environment produce unwanted effects. Together these disciplines encompass the molecular basis of drug action, the actions of drugs on cells, organs, and organisms, genetic variations in drug action, and drug discovery.

The Department of Pharmacology at Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Pharmacy, Krishnankoil was established in the year 1988. Post-graduation was started in the year 2010. The department has centralized animal house approved by CPCSEA (Registration no: 509/01/C//CPCSEA for conducting laboratory experiments. Department of pharmacology has different aspects to the graduate programs, like proficiency by the students of fundamentals of physiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, cell biology, signal transduction and toxicology. Fundamentals are taught to all the graduate levels through formal courses, conversations in laboratory, seminars and journal club.  Innovative teaching was provided for the students by Quiz, Group discussion & Drug information chart, Impartus (visual capturing), Puzzles, Problem-based learning, Project-Based Learning.

Department also focus regarding, Development of communication skills, writing scientific papers, presenting seminars in conferences that are essential for a successful career in research. Department offers training in research skills to both under graduate, post graduate and Pharm. D students. Training programs - practical skills based on the Subject curriculum: Various experimental methods used to investigate the actions of drugs both in the intact organism and isolated preparations are being taught. Who may subsequently go on to exciting research, regulatory and administrative careers in academic, industrial and health care provision settings.

Wherever animal experimentations are prescribed in the curriculum, the required knowledge and skill should be imparted by using computer assisted modules” and is adopted by the department as per Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) guidelines issued through Gazette Notification No.10-1/2012- PCI; Dated 25 August 2014. In this direction, the department goal is to prepare exceptional students for productive and successful careers in pharmaceutical industry, academia, research and public sectors.

Core competencies:

1. State of art facilities and faculty

2. Multi-disciplinary curriculum

3. In house library

4. CPCSEA approved centralized animal house facility.

5. Strong research environment and outstanding scientific atmosphere

6. High Throughput Screening and Safety studies Research

7. Research opportunities at the forefront of modern pharmaceutical sciences.

8. Scheduled journal club activities

9. PODCAST Database

10. Campus placements

Research Focus:

The following Pharmacological studies are conducted in consultancy basis for research scholars doing Post Graduate, MPhil, and PhD for various Colleges / Industries.

Screening of Analgesic activities

Screening of Anti inflammatory activities

Screening of CNS activities

Screening for anticancer activities, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Cytotoxic

Screening for anti diabetic activities.

Screening for in vitro wound healing activity

Screening of Phytochemicals, synthesised compounds, marine sources in animal models for Toxicological studies.

Screening of Respiratory system activities

Screening of Endocrine system activities

Screening of Cardiovascular activities

Screening of Renal system activities

Screening of Hepatoprotective activities

Screening of Anti-Ulcerogenic activity

Screening of Anti-oxidant activity

Projects are undertaken by faculties either independently or under their able guidance

(UG/PG) students pursue several self-funded/fellowship projects.

Alliances:

Collaborating institutions:

Government Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Government siddha medical college, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.

K.M College of pharmacy, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Memorandum of understanding:

Government Siddha Medical college - Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli

Conference and guest lectures will be arranged every six month once in the department, in thirty area by inviting eminent personalities in that specific area.

Recent Conference organized by the department:

Pharmacological Modelling in Drug Discovery- Recent Development on 29/2/2020.

Infrastructure/Equipments:
Animal simulator Lab - Animal simulator software (online assessment & evaluation portal) – Elsevier.

Pharmacognosy

About the department:

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacognosy, Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Pharmacy. The Department of Pharmacognosy is involved in all aspects of teaching and research and development concerning medicinal plants and their products under the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree (B. Pharm.). The overall goal of the Department is to largely contribute to the multidisciplinary drug research and development from natural products.

The teaching and research facilities in the department include standard laboratories with relevant equipment supports in addition to other useful items of equipment accessible to the other departments of the college; there is a Herbarium, housed in the Department of Pharmacognosy, for medicinal plant authentication and conservation and also maintains a medicinal garden with more than 150 medicinal plants.

Herbal substances are used throughout the world as house hold remedies. Most of the pharmaceutical industries are utilising herbal drug as raw materials for their formulations. Therefore it is essential to find out the quality of herbals used in industry. This is done by Macroscopic, Microscopic and Physio-Chemical examinations of the drug or its powder and the results are recorded and compared with the structures present in the monograph of the particular drug. Thus the students are taught to identify the morphological, anatomical descriptions and their phytochemical constituents present in the crude drug.

Services

• Identification of herbal drugs by their morphological and anatomical characters.

• Detection of adulteration in the entire herbal or in the powder form purchased from market through macroscopic and microscopic examination.

• Extraction of essential oil from natural aromatic drug.

• Preparation of plant dissections and the identification of its cellular structure

• Preparation and Phytochemical analysis of herbal extracts to find out active constituents.

• Preparation of bulk extracts with the help of soxhelation

• Evaluating the purity of powder drugs by quantitative microscopy.

INSTITUTIONAL HERBAL GARDEN

As per the PCI norms and to increase the awareness about the medicinal properties of commonly available plants, our institution maintains a medicinal garden within our campus. It is occupied by more than 89 plant genera constituting of almost 175 medicinal plants. The students are the prime maintaining persons of the garden. The students are given information’s about a medicinal plant once in a week when they visit the garden after their laboratory hours.

Our future includes,

1. Expanding the medicinal plant garden

2. Initiation of Plant breeding techniques

3. Opening of medicinally useful mushroom block

4. Preparation of FYM

Pharmacy Practice

About the department:

Department of Pharmacy Practice (DPP) was established in the year 2015 to elaborate the concept of clinical pharmacy through practice and education in India. It also involved focusing on the importance of the involvement of practicing pharmacists in patient care. To bring about this, a model ‘Clinical Pharmacy Practice Centre’ was established at Government District Head Quarters Hospital, Virudhunagar.

The department has established a ‘Drug and Poison Information Centre’ (DPIC), ‘Patient Counselling and Education Centre’ (PC) to provide the needs of the other health care professionals and the patient community. Department of pharmacy practice instructs Pharm D students in Ward round participation, Medication history interview, Treatment chart review, Prescription audit, Reporting of adverse drug reactions, Answering drug information queries, Bedside counselling and outpatient counselling for improving the health care of patients.

Vision:

Endeavour pioneering pupils in accepted high standards of virtues, values, knowledge and discipline to a steadfast perseverance in pharmacy practice ethics.

Mission:

• The prime priority is to inculcate virtues and values of discipline to our students.

• Excel our students in learning skills and enlighten them by acquiring knowledge.

• Knowledge gained to be implemented for the urbanization of primitive community.

• Facilitate the clinical pharmacy practice for better pharmaceutical patient care.

• Provide drug information for those who indeed deserves when they are in need.

• Inculcate research skills and encourage research activities in diverse domain of Pharmacy Practice.

• Organize an assortment of professional health awareness program to endorse knowledge and attitude.

• Continuous scholastic approach of activities shall be aimed at revamping professional competencies.

• Evaluate patient case sheets and impart clinical services to the health care professionals and patient community.

• Scrupulously nourish and cherish our students towards all the requirements exceeding their expectations of their future endeavour.

Core competencies:

1. Clinical Pharmacy Training / Education at Public Health Sector Hospital

2. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

3. Prescription auditing

4. Detection and monitoring of ADR

5. Clinical Research

6. Community Pharmacy Practice