What’s in the name Asoka?

Many are wondering why our company is named Asoka. One curious and witty consumer even commented if we were propagating Buddhism (like the famous King Ashoka) by any chance. Well, our medicines are only violent enough to feed on viruses! From that point of view, we are definitely propagating non-violence to the organs of the body. And going by Buddha’s teachings, we humbly acknowledge that it’s just not possible to find a single human being who has not been touched by sufferings, either due to death or disease. That’s the only thing definite and constant about human life. It stretches and makes us suffer. That’s where Asoka comes in. Asoka is the name of a famous tree. Legend has it that Gautam Buddha was born under this tree in Lumbini. The tree is well known for its flowers and beautiful foliage. Besides, this tree is an integral part of herbal medicine and is used for curing a lot of disorders especially of the female body. All these factors taken together give us reasons enough to consider this as our namesake. We are about to spread our branches very soon in the pharmaceutical market of the Indian subcontinent.  And Buddha wishing, we are all poised to attain nirvana!

Asthma Linked to Reflux Diseases

The human body is an intricate piece of mysterious art. It is a complicated machinery where every organ and their functioning is linked with the other.  It’s very difficult to ascertain the inherent relationship and determine to what extent they are dependent upon one another. However, researchers are trying their level best to unravel this mystery and the recent developments substantiate this statement.

A link has been found between asthma and the gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies have indicated that people with GERD also suffer from asthma. This is basically because the acid inhaled in small amounts during the reflux attacks goes to the lungs and induces changes in the immune system to create conditions for asthma. Thus, people who are in the threat of asthma might as well consider the following preventive measures to fight asthma arising out of GERD.

These include mainly changes in your diet and avoiding heavy meals. Apart from eating smaller meals and finishing your dinner several hours before going to sleep, you should also alter your sleeping patterns. Elevate the head side of the bed raised by a few inches.

Since asthma falls under the category of lifestyle diseases, a gradual change in lifestyle can reduce the incidence of the disease to a large extent. Since no treatment has been invented for asthma, following a disciplined lifestyle is all we can do to combat it.

Frequently Asked Questions on Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects our breathing. It arises due to a contraction of the airways. These airways are the tubes that carry oxygen in and out of our body.

What causes asthma?

There are no definite causes of asthma. Researchers have not been able to identify any particular factor to be wholly responsible for asthma. The common thing among all asthma patients is inflammation of airways which is caused by reaction to cigarette smoke, pollen, animal hair, dampness, etc.

How does an asthma attack occur?

We have an asthma attack when the inner walls of the airways swell up due to reaction to some substance or situation which is known as a trigger. This makes the passages narrower and lesser amounts of air flow to the lung tissues. This causes breathing trouble to the patient.

How do I know if I have an asthma attack?

You know you have an asthma attack when you have:

·         Chronic coughing

·         Wheezing that is a whistling sound produced during exhalation.

·         Shortness of breath

·         Tightness of chest  

What are the types of asthma?

There are two broad classifications of asthma:

·         Extrinsic (allergic) Asthma
This is the most common form of asthma and usually occurs due to the immune system’s response to some allergens like pollens, animal dander, or dust mite particles. It is prevalent among the younger people who usually have other allergy related problems.

 

·         Intrinsic Asthma

This is due to some serious respiratory infection and is not related to allergens. People with intrinsic asthma are patients of stress, or are exposed to harmful fumes and gases.  

When is it right to consult a doctor?

Asthma starts with some very common symptoms that one might as well dismiss as common cold or general fatigue. You know when to consult a doctor when:

·         A general fatigue accompanies you all the time.

·         Your throat itches.

·         You have a runny nose.

·         There is a headache that never seems to leave you.

·         You develop chest tightness.

·         There is a change in the colour, thickness or amount of mucus.   

Is asthma curable?

Asthma is NOT a curable disease. However, with proper medication and precautions, the attacks can be greatly reduced with time. There is no definite time period as to how long the treatment may go on. It varies from person to person, although some people have to carry on with their medication for the rest of my life.

Is it possible to prevent an asthma attack?

Asthma attacks cannot be prevented but the frequency can be greatly reduced. The following precautions need to be taken:

·         Keep your house clean and dust free

·         Keep your surroundings clean

·         Avoid dampness and humid conditions

·         Do not smoke

·         Do not use perfumes

·         Do not allow pets in the house

·         Do not take up gardening as a hobby

·         Do not take food or substances you are allergic to 

Novel Drug Delivery For a Layman

In the formal launch of our first product Res-Q, the world’s first poly-herbal mouth dissolving tablet for respiratory distress, the man behind the medicine Prof. Bishwanath Sa of the Pharm. Tech. Deptt of Jadavpur University enlightened us on the concept of a novel drug delivery system. I’m going to copy and paste the exact speech in this post. Hope you enjoy reading it!

“About 4 yrs ago, one young gentleman came to me and expressed his desire to develop a poly herbal product based on research and development. He also emphasized that the product should be made using the form of novel drug delivery system, and not in the conventional form of churna, powder, paste, or ordinary tablets. We have selected some time tested constituents which have been recognized by the Indian system of medicine as safe and efficacious. Respiratory distress was out first area of interest, because of the growing environmental pollution. We scanned through the plant products and selected some constituents that have been proved to be effective for centuries. These plants grow in different regions. Depending upon the geographical conditions the active constituents may vary. After collecting the plants, we separated the extracts. Then we thought of incorporating the novel drug delivery system. Let us understand what novel drug delivery is.

 

When we take a tablet, we swallow it. Now what is the journey of the drug in the body? It reaches the stomach and breaks down to the components of the drug. The drug dissolves in the fluid of stomach and intestine. Then it crosses the gastro intestinal barrier and reaches the blood. Finally, it goes to the liver, and then to the blood and finally the target area.

 

In case of these plant products, or modern medicine or chemical constituents, there is a great possibility that many compounds will be destroyed in the highly acidic pH of the stomach. The absorption of many drugs will be interfered by the presence of covalent areas. And many components may be metabolized by the liver before reaching the blood. The consequence is the actual amount of the drug may not reach the blood. If the drug doesn’t reach the blood at a minimum level which is known as ‘minimum effective level’ then there will be no therapeutic effect. So when our doctor tell us to take baasak in a cup of boiling water, the amount of baasak might not have reached the blood, not producing the desired effect. To counter this problem, pharmaceutical technology is looking for alternative route of administration. Our oral cavity is perfused with blood. Blood comes from carotid artery in the mouth and returns to the heart directly through general circulation through jugular vein. If we place the drug in the oral cavity, it will bypass the acidic pH of the stomach; bypass the interference of food material in stomach, and the food metabolism. This was the basic idea behind incorporating novel method of drug delivery in our poly herbal product making it the world’s first poly herbal mouth dissolving tablet for respiratory distress and giving it an efficacy equivalent to that of Sorbitrate.”