The Effect of an Antihypertensive Drug – Nifedipine on Some Biochemical Parameters in Rats
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to:
- find out why young people take dangerous drugs.
- identify the factors contributing to the use of these drugs.
- assess the effects of drug abuse in the body.
- identity social and psychological problems relating to drug abuse.
- see how possible solutions and remedies could be provided to these nagging problems.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Many people use drugs with the hope that they will feel better, more relaxed, and free from pains, stress and strain. Some feel that it gives a “kick” and use it as a sign of rebellion against the authority, while some other people feel that drug in a substance used in the treatment of diseases. According to Family Encyclopaedia (Volume 6, page 274), drugs are substances given to humans or animals for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. They are used to relieve pains, improve and control abnormal conditions of the mind and body.
What is Drug?
Horo (1977) puts it that drug is any substance other than food which when taken into the body alters its normal functioning, while Gadd (1982) says that drug is any chemical agent that affects the living protoplasm.
They are so numerous that it would be almost hopeless to attempt to study them without the aid of some system groupings. Drugs may be classified in various ways. They can be grouped according to their sources, chemical composition, actions, effects and their uses. These include Narcotics, Hallucinogens, Marijuana, Alcohol, Barbiturates, Tranquilizers and Amphetamines and Cocaine.
Narcotics are habit-forming drugs and can result in addiction. Examples are opium, morphine, heroin and codeine. Heroin is considered the most dangerous of the Narcotic drugs. Jones et al (2006) indicates that the most widely abused drugs across the globe are the so-called Narcotics. The word narcotics comes from a Greek word meaning “to benumb” and is defined here as drugs having the power to produce a state of sleep or drowsiness and to relieve pain with the potential of being dependence producing.
A drug in popular usage or as it is used in the context of this research is a substance people use hoping that they will feel better, more relaxed, free from pains, stress and strain or that they will experience a superior emotional state (“feel high”). However, a more complete or scientific definition of a drug as observed by Jones (1974), is that a drug is any substance other than food which alters the body or its functions.
The general action of Narcotics on the nervous system is one of depression. These depressant actions lead to the principal use of narcotics. Narcotics are also paradoxical in that they produce nausea and vomiting by stimulation of areas in the brain. The major depressant actions include analgesias (relief of pain) and sedation (freeing the mind of anxiety and calming emotions).
Barbiturates are drugs derived from barbituric acid and are synthetic drugs that, like morphine, are depressants of the Central Nervous System. They are classified as sedative hypnotics because they relieve anxiety and produce euphoria and drowsiness.
The tranquilizers are of two types, the major and minor tranquilizers. Major tranquilizers or narcoleptic drugs are useful in the treatment of psychosis; they are also called narcoleptic drugs. There are three major types of narcoleptic drugs.
- Phenothiazines, such as thorazine and mellaril
- Butyrophenones, such as italdol.
- Thioxanthenes, such as navana.
Minor tranquilizers or anti anxiety drugs e.g. Milltown, Valium and Palmane are among the class of compounds known as Benzochazepine drugs.
Unlike the minor tranquilizers, the major antipsychotic tranquilizers are used in the treatment of serious psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia.
Amphetamines and cocaine are the most commonly abused stimulants. They are dangerous drugs with high risk of addiction or dependence, and have numerous effects on the body. The effects of cocaine show up in loss of appetite and loss of weight (Samuel et al, 1979).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter is concerned with the design and methodology of the research, instruments and procedure used in the data collection and analysis.
Area Of Study
The area of study of this research is Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Uyo Local Government Area is one of the thirty one (31) Local Government Areas which makes up Akwa Ibom State. It is actually the Akwa Ibom State Capital, and it is its central location that had really made this possible. Thus, it occupies the North central part of Akwa Ibom State.
The people of Uyo Local Government Area are culturally homogenous with a common identity and language, being the Ibibio language. The major occupation of the Uyo people who greatly occupy the metropolis white collar jobs such as in the civil service, administrative quarters, teaching, nursing, etc, while subsistence farming is carried out in the villages. The people of Uyo are very friendly, welcoming visitors from all works of life at all times.
Uyo Local Government Area is bounded by other Local Government Areas like Ikono, Itu and Ibiono Ibom on the North, Etinan, Nsit Ibom, Ibesikpo Asutan on the South, Uruan on the East and Abak Local Area on the West. It is made up of four (4) clans of Etoi, Offot, Ikono and Oku. As the state capital; there are so many administrative offices as well as so many schools, ranging from nursery to the higher institutions.
There are so many secondary schools both public and private in Uyo Local Government Area, but for the purpose of this research, public secondary schools were considered.
A total of five (5) secondary schools were selected, each from the four clans that make up Uyo Local Government Area and the fifth secondary school selected was considered the most popular in the Local Government Area and questionnaire administered.
Research Design
In this study, the research design used were survey and exploratory. Here, the researcher visited these selected secondary schools and administered questionnaire on the students. These methods of research design were chosen because it is credited with the advantage of wider area coverage.
Population
For precise, concise and accurate work done and meaningful interpretation of the data, the researcher randomly selected and distributed his questionnaire to respondents in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The population covered five (5) Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Government Area.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Introduction
This chapter deals with the presentation and analysis of the data collected in the field through the administration of questionnaire. The specific questions here analyzed are those used for the research (i.e. the Research Questions).
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Thirty (30) copies of the questionnaire were sent out to each of the five (5) secondary schools, making a total of one hundred and fifty (150) questionnaire, it should be noted that of the total number sent out, four (4) copies of the questionnaire were not available for collection, thus not returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
Drugs have been used throughout history for a variety of reasons, such as treatment, prevention and diagnosis of illnesses. The benefits derived from drugs prescribed by a physician and taken in accordance to the prescriptions far outweigh the possible risks involved in their abuse. Drug is considered dangerous and unacceptable to the society when it is used for a purpose which is not medically legitimate and create problems affecting the society by making their abusers behave abnormally, doing what they would not do if they were in their normal and natural state. This affects the social and economic well being of the society.
The purpose of this study, which was to verify drug use among adolescents in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has been realized and the following facts have been established: –
- That drug abuse may result from many cases including the influence of peer group and the need for self-esteem enhancement. Most youths turn to drugs in seeking for escape from pain, fatigue, anxiety, poverty, failure and frustrations.
- That there are well defined risks related to the abuse of drugs. Some drugs notably cocaine and amphetamines stimulate the Central Nervous System (CNS), others such as narcotics depress the action of the brain
- Cigarette smoking is the cause of lung cancer in humans
- Associated with drug abuse is the cause of high incidence of armed robbery and other forms of violent crimes for over three decades now in Nigeria.
- Many parents as a result of spending most of their income on alcohol cannot adequately provide for their children in areas of clothing, food, housing, medical care and education
- That excessive drug usage is the cause of many road accidents and the reason why there are so many mentally retarded youths in our society today.
- Poverty broken homes and divorce are all the result of drug abuse.
Most of our young ones sincerely ignore these potential dangers and contentedly consume a substantial amount of drugs as often as they wish.
Conclusion
It is realized that there are many factors that contribute to drug abuse. It is pertinent to point out here to all the youths and adolescents that these factors are controllable and should be avoided and discontinued if had already started for it is easy to start a drug habit but very difficult to stop it. Parents should try as much as possible to understand their wards, drawing closer to them by the day and try by all means to advice, caution and solve their problems as they encounter them.
All drugs are dangerous when taken overdose or illicitly, youths and indeed people should not use drugs without medical prescription by a physician.
Recommendations
In order to achieve the objectives of this important research “Drug Abuse among Adolescents” the following recommendations are made by the researcher based on the data collected, presented and analyzed.
Every effort should be intensified at the National, State and Local Government levels to control the usage of drugs among the youths. To achieve this, the following measures are suggested.
- Public enlightenment campaigns should be organized frequently at all levels of the government to educate people, especially youths on the bad effects of drugs. During these public enlightenments, the radio, television, newspapers, churches, mosques, market places, etc should be effectively utilized.
- Illegal manufacturing, distribution, possession or sale of drugs should be controlled strictly from the Federal Government down to the Local Government and strict penalties for violators should be imposed and applied.
- All experimental drug studies must be registered manufacturers and should submit data on any new drug application, reporting both safety and effectiveness
- Locations cultivating drugs such as Indian hemp should be discovered and the plants destroyed at source (i.e. at the plantations) with the farm owner prosecuted accordingly instead of the government closing their eyes on such plantations but wanting to nip the sellers after such drugs had been harvested, processed and sent out for consumption
- Advertisement of dangerous and illicit drugs in the mass media should be prohibited and advertising drugs during children’s programmes should be discouraged. All drugs and medicines should be kept where children cannot possibly get them.
- Parents should maintain cordial and close relationships with their children. Children should not be allowed to get frustrated. They should try to understand and identify any problem facing their children and consult a physician for diagnosis if they suspect that such problems are drugs related. This should often be accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation by a mental health professional.
- Government should study areas and persons that become compulsive for drug users and addicts for common traits, so as to find the conditions, both social and psychological, that possibly make them abuse these drugs and see how to arrive at workable methods of prevention or treatment, rehabilitation and control.
- Self-control is also necessary on the part of the abusers, more control than this is punishment. Participation in self-support programmes during and following treatment often is helpful in maintaining abstinence. It is suggested that the predominant method of dealing with drug abuser should be to place the individual in jail (Ibanga, 2000).
REFERENCES
- Anthony, J. C. and Petronis, K. R. (1995): Early Onset Drug Use and Risk of later drug Problems, 40 (1), 9 –15.
- Anwana, U. I. (1989): Psychology: Aspects of human development. Central Books Ltd, Bendel State
- Anwana, U. I. (1997): Guidance and Counselling (Unpublished), Lecture Note, University of Uyo.
- Blum, R. W. & Rinehart, P. M. (1997): Reducing the Risk: Connections that make a difference in the lives of youth. Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescents Health, U.S.A
- Brook, J. S., Brook, D. W, De La Rosa, M., Whiteman, M., Johnson, E., & Montoya, I. (2001): Adolescent Illegal Drug Use, The Impact of Personality, Family and Environmental Factors. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 24(2), 183 – 203.
- Brooks, N. & Brooks, E. A. (1971): Turner’s Personal and Community Health (7th Ed.) The C.V. Hosby Company Toronto.
- Encyclopaedia Americana (International Edition) (1978); Vol. 9 Vol. 9 Library of Congress.
- Gadd, B. (1982): Human & Social Biology for the Tropics (New Ed.) Macmillan Education Limited.
- Gullato, T. P., Adams, G. R. & Montemayor, R. (1994): Substance Misuse in Adolescence. Sago Publications, Thousand Oaks, C.A.
- Horo, N. S. (1977): Explorations in Personal Health. Houghton Company.
