A Guide to the Alternatives to Animal Experimentation

Authors: Dr Syed Ziaur Rahman, MD, Dr Mohd Tariq Salman, MD
Publisher: Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences
1st Edition: 2009, ISBN 978-81-906070-8-7

We teach animal experimentation in all science disciplines. However, since it is now not possible to sacrifice and demonstrate the effects of drugs on animals in large numbers due to ethical considerations; we in medical colleges in India are either shifting or planning to move to alternatives of these experiments. Simulations of many conventional experiments through CAL are now available. "A Guide to the Alternatives to Animal Experimentation” helps students to handle these softwares and see the effects of drugs. This is a remarkable achievement as there is still no such specific guide available in India as far as I know. In the guide, softwares including ExPharm have all been explained very well.While the book by InterNICHE entitled "From guinea pig to computer mouse" is an excellent one meant for faculty and research scientists, this particular guide by Dr Rahman (and myself as co-author) is basically aimed at undergraduate students in pharmacology to help them use the freely available downloadable softwares such as ExPharm, Ep_Dog, Organ Bath Simulation and ReMe independently and learn the effects of drugs. When the students are themselves able handle the softwares (with an instructor nearby to troubleshoot), learning becomes so easy and interesting.

To get a copy please contact me.

Simulation softwares for teaching Pharmacology

A number of simulation softwares are available for teacing of pharmacology to students at the following sites:

WINSIM, University of Strathclyde
http://www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/PhysPharm/

Sheffield BioScience Programs http://www.sheffbp.co.uk 

Pharma-CAL-ogy British Pharmacological Society www.bps.ac.uk 
http://www.bps.ac.uk/site/cms/contentCategoryView.asp?category=240

Biosoft www.biosoft.com

InterNiche www.interniche.org

AVAR database www.avar.org

EuRCA database www.eurca.org

NORINA database http://oslovet.veths.no/NORINA/

CoAcS http://www.coacs.com/software/bespoke_software/default.htm 
http://www.coacs.com/software/published_titles/pharmacology_menu.htm

IAUPHAR http://www.iuphar.org/sections/teaching/t_resources.html

IndPharNet www.indphar.org

Pharmacology Simulations

The Strathclyde Pharmacology Simulations package is a suite of programs simulating pharmacological experiments on isolated tissues or whole animals. A range of drugs in varying concentrations can be applied and the effects observed. The programs will run under Windows 95 or later.

Available at http://spider.science.strath.ac.uk/sipbs/page.php?show=software_sims

Simulations
Virtual Cat	Installation File (v2.5.6; Jul 05)
Virtual Rat	Installation File (v3.3.3; Jan 09)
Virtual Twitch	Installation File (v2.1.8; Jul 05)
Virtual NMJ	Installation File (v2.1.8; Jul 05)
Virtual Organ Bath	Installation file (v1.3; Sep 07)
Virtual Nerve	Installation File (V1.1.1 13/8/8)

ExPharm (Pharmacology experiment software)

The software is aimed at helping the UGs understand, remember and recall drug actions. The package contains four programs :

1. Rabbit - Effects drugs on the rabbit eye
2. Heart - Effects of drugs on the frog heart
3. Ileum - Bioassay of histamine on the guinea-pig ileum
4. Oesophagus - Effects of drugs on the frog oesophagus

The above programs can simulate drug actions. The user can conduct experiments and collect data. Each program can be run in two modes (a) Tutorial mode (b) Examination mode
Drugs can be chosen (from a list drugs available) and administered. The effect is displayed in animated sequences for realistic simulation. All programs are menu driven and user friendly. The entire package is mouse operable and the need to use key board is minimal.

In tutorial mode, drugs administered are known whereas unknown drugs are given in examination mode. The student has to identify the unknown drug(s). Examination mode which available only in ver E1.00 can be used for conducting examinations.

ExPharm will be helpful for UGs doing a course in Pharmacology. The software can be used for Medical and Dental UGs and also for the students of paramedical courses such as nursing, pharmacy, medical laboratory technology and physiotherapy.
This software is NOT a DEMO package. It has fully functional and usable modules.Installation :
Download all nine files into a single directory in your hard disk. Run 'setup.exe' to install the software.
You can download and use version T1.00 and use it without any restrictions.
To download go to http://ampiweb.org/indphar/epwin.htm

Software for Research Methodology

Software ReMe ver1.0.0 - 'Research Methodology for Undergraduates'
The software is absolutely free and anyone can download it from http://www.ampiweb.org/indphar/sware.htm. It is a fully working CAL software to learn about research methodology. Though the software is aimed at UGs, it would still be useful for anyone who is yet to be inducted into research/dissertation work. It includes modules for planning & conducting a simulated experiment on animals, analysing data and drawing conclusions. Background text material for each topic (such as how to search literature,animal research ethics, random allocation, allocation concealment, statistical analysis of data etc.) is available for the user to help him plan and execute the study.
If you download and use it, I would appreciate receiving your comments