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Medical Pharmacology Padmaja Udaykumar Publishers: CBS Publishers &

Distributors, New Delhi, Fourth Edition 2013, pp. 668. ISBN: 978-81-2311-6
(Hard bound) Price: Rs. ???

Article in Indian Journal of Pharmacology · December 2013

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Medical Pharmacology
Padmaja Udaykumar
Publishers: CBS Publishers & Distributors,
New Delhi,
Fourth Edition 2013,
pp. 668.
ISBN: 978-81-2311-6 (Hard bound)
Price: Rs. ???
The textbook ‘Medical Pharmacology’ by Dr. Padmaja
Udaykumar, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmacology,
at Fr. Muller Medical College, Mangalore has entered its
fourth edition in a span of 9 years suggesting that the author
commands good readership. Maintaining a concise, student
friendly format in this revised edition is laudable. More than
25 new flow charts have been added.
Some of the aspects worth mentioning are simple color
diagrams and flow charts which catch the attention and are
easy to follow and reproduce for the readers. Tables like
Methods of prolonging duration of action of drugs [Table 2.5],
Compilation of some useful examples on pp. 55-57, Uses of
adrenergic agonists [Table 10.2], Wound classification [Table
43.2], Causative organisms for infections, manifestations and
treatment of superinfections [Table 43.3], Therapeutic uses of
estrogens and progestins [Table 62.1], and Some commonly
used radioactive material [Table 70.1] are well-prepared with a
view to compile important information and can help remember
the salient aspects of the topic.
Some other features of the book that grab your attention are
yellow ‘Key boxes’ describing points not discussed in the text yet
important for learners to know. ‘Clinical pharmacology’ boxes
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Book Review
with colored titles serve the purpose of highlighting clinical and
applied aspects of drug therapy of diseases.
Overall all sections and chapters under each section
collectively represent undergraduate pharmacology well.
However, at some places content is lacking in essential
details. The concept of membrane transporters in general
pharmacology section, pharmacovigilance in chapter on
adverse drug reactions, combinations therapy in hypertension
are conspicuous by their absence. The ‘compare and contrast’
boxes are well-prepared except for some which seem
unimportant and occupying space which could be better
utilized by other useful matter. Some examples are lignocaine
and cocaine, nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, atropine and
scopolamine, and digoxin and digitoxin. Lastly, the green
colored boxes with brief description of drug related cases
aimed at highlighting some important take home message for
prescription practices and drug therapy, are very relevant case
descriptions and to the point. However, some of them point
at medication errors and seem less relevant in the chapter
where they are placed. They would serve better purpose if
described under medication errors. Overall the book has
some features that can attract the readers enough to pick up
and own the book, is concise and is quite readable for under
graduate students.
Varsha J. Patel
Department of Pharmacology,
Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand
Municipal Medical College,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
E-mail:drvjp60@gmail.com