Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research最新文献

{"title":"Establishing 18F-PSMA-1007 Production in Armenia: Radiosynthesis and Comprehensive Quality Control.","authors":"Hayk Petrosyan, Marine Mnatsakanyan, Isabella Karapetyan, Andranik Manukyan, Gurgen Elbakyan, Davit Arshakyan, Nona Ginosyan, Armine Badeyan","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-169428","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-169428","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>18F-prostate-specific membrane antigen (18F-PSMA-1007) is a recognized positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer commonly used for prostate tumor imaging due to its excellent tumor-to-background contrast and advantageous pharmacokinetics. Although 18F-PSMA-1007 has been extensively manufactured and used in many countries, it has not been available in Armenia until now. The aim of this work is to synthesize 18F-PSMA-1007 for the first time in Armenia for local clinical implementation and to demonstrate the reproducibility of the process.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Based on this, the objective of this work was to synthesize 18F-PSMA-1007 with high synthesis efficiency and chemical purity, which would enable us to perform precise studies in the field of prostate cancer diagnosis. The start of its production also represents a major advancement in the country's nuclear medicine capabilities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study presents the initial report of the first successful production of 18F-PSMA-1007 in Armenia, detailing the synthesis method, quality control criteria, and adherence to good manufacturing practices (GMP) standards to ensure safe and efficient clinical use. An 18 MeV cyclotron was used to produce the 18F radioisotope needed for the production of the radiopharmaceutical. Starting ingredients, chromatographic resins, and a semi-automatic device were used in closed lead-shielded cells to synthesize 18F-PSMA-1007. The chemical reaction started after 18F ions were eluted into the reaction vessel using tetrabutylammonium bicarbonate (TBA). Residual solvents were then removed at 110°C for 5 minutes. The fluorination process was carried out using one-step radiolabeling at 95°C for 10 minutes, after which the resulting product was purified on a chromatographic resin for 10 minutes. Finally, 18F-PSMA-1007 was eluted into the dispensing cell. Comprehensive quality control analyses have been carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the European Pharmacopoeia (EP). To demonstrate the reproducibility of the synthesis of 18F-PSMA-1007 at the Radioisotope Production Center, as well as the quality control results, the work also presents the results of two additional syntheses and the corresponding quality control.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The successful synthesis of 18F-PSMA-1007 in Armenia, with a 52.2 % decay not corrected yield and 95 % purity, marks a significant advancement in the country's nuclear medicine capabilities, providing highly sensitive and accurate PET examinations. The product met all specifications.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The start of 18F-PSMA-1007 production locally has become a significant turning point for Armenian nuclear medicine. In addition to providing patients in the nation with access to cutting-edge PET diagnostic techniques, it also opens the door for the domestic radiopharmaceutical industry to grow and concentrate on exports.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e169428"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13558867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydroalcoholic Extract of <i>Ferula aucheri</i> Shows Anti-depressant Effect Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depression in Mice: Involvement of NF-κB and TLR4 Signaling Pathway.","authors":"Mohammad Mehdi Gravandi, Maryam Naseri, Nasim Jamshidi, Samira Shirooie","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-166242","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-166242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders worldwide. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin, induces depressive-like behaviors by activating microglia and promoting the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide, eicosanoids, and various cytokines. Owing to its rich content of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and terpenoids, <i>Ferula aucheri</i> possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may contribute to its potential as an alternative treatment for depression.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>F. aucheri</i> on LPS-induced depression in mice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>After preparation of the hydroalcoholic extract of <i>F. aucheri</i>, 30 mice were randomly divided into five groups: (1) Control; (2) LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.); (3) LPS+fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, i.p.); (4) LPS+<i>F. aucheri</i> extract (100 mg/kg, i.p.); and (5) LPS+<i>F. aucheri</i> extract (200 mg/kg, i.p.). Lipopolysaccharide was administered to induce depressive-like behaviors, and after 24 hours, behavioral assessments were conducted using the forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and open field test (OFT). Subsequently, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to assess the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and NF-κB in the brain tissue.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The FST and TST results revealed that treatment with <i>F. aucheri</i> extract significantly reduced immobility time compared to the LPS group, particularly at the 200 mg/kg dose, which showed superior efficacy even compared to fluoxetine. The OFT confirmed that the observed behavioral changes were not due to alterations in locomotor activity. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that LPS significantly increased the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB in the brain. Notably, treatment with <i>F. aucheri</i> (200 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the expression of both biomarkers compared to the LPS group (#P < 0.05 and ##P < 0.01, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that <i>F. aucheri</i> exhibits antidepressant-like effects in an LPS-induced model of depression, potentially mediated through modulation of neuroinflammatory pathways involving TLR4 and NF-κB. Given its promising preclinical efficacy and mechanistic relevance, <i>F. aucheri</i> could be considered an appropriate candidate for future clinical investigations as an antidepressant agent.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e166242"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180303/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin P Significantly Inhibits the Expression of Ki67 and VEGF and Promotes the Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer Cells.","authors":"Xin Zhao, Shang Guo, Rongwei Shen, Wei Zhang, Yamin Zhang","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-163955","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-163955","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, with a high incidence and mortality rate. Ki67 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play important roles in tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Vitamin P is a natural flavonoid compound with various biological activities.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To explore the effects of vitamin P on the proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In vitro cultivation of human colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT116 and SW480) was performed. Vitamin P was added to the cells in varying quantities. Cell proliferation was identified using the CCK-8 technique. The flow cytometry method was used to determine the proportion of apoptotic cells. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot methods were used to measure the expression levels of the VEGF and Ki67 genes and proteins. Secretion of VEGF was observed via immunofluorescence staining.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Vitamin P treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (ICs₅₀) at 48 hours were 72.3 μM (HCT116) and 85.6 μM (SW480). Moreover, in the vitamin P treatment group (42.7 - 68.9% and 35.4 - 61.2%), the secretion of VEGF decreased by 52.3 - 79.8%. The percentage of apoptotic cells induced by 20 - 80 μM vitamin P increased from 5.3% in the control group to 18.6 - 37.9%, with increased caspase-3 activity. In vivo experiments showed that vitamin P significantly inhibited the growth of colorectal cancer transplanted tumors and reduced the expression of Ki67 and VEGF in the tumors. Meanwhile, vitamin P treatment induced apoptosis of tumor cells, and this effect was closely related to the regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the promotion of caspase-3 activation. Vitamin P may play a regulatory role by inhibiting the phosphorylation of the STAT3 signaling pathway and downregulating the expression of proteins related to the PI3K/AKT pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Vitamin P can inhibit the malignant biological behavior of colorectal cancer cells by suppressing Ki67-mediated cell proliferation, blocking VEGF-related angiogenesis pathways, and activating mitochondrial apoptotic pathways.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e163955"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quercetin Induces Macrophage Polarization through PI3K-AKT Pathway in Atherosclerosis: Network Pharmacology, Molecule Docking and in vitro Analysis.","authors":"Li Wang, Yifan Han, Yuyu Lei, Jingfeng Liu, Jiajun Yu, Guiyu Li","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-168202","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-168202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Quercetin (QU) is a major flavonoid in multiple herbs with wide biological effects, while its role in preventing atherosclerosis progression remains largely unknown.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In this study, we aimed to uncover the effect and underlying mechanism of QU in treating atherosclerosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Network pharmacology and protein-protein interaction analysis were conducted to predict potential targets of QU in treating atherosclerosis. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed. Cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays were conducted to evaluate the biological effects of QU on atherosclerosis-associated macrophages. Genome expression sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to identify differentially expressed genes and regulated pathways after QU treatments. Macrophage differentiation and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), western blot, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were further performed to verify the results of RNA-seq and the effects of QU on regulating the indicated pathway.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 180 potential targets were identified by network pharmacology analysis, and multiple anti-inflammatory pathways were enriched in QU treating atherosclerosis. Our data also indicated that QU promotes macrophage cell viability by reducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in an atherosclerosis-associated macrophage cell model. Additionally, RNA-seq revealed that the PI3K-AKT pathway might be the significantly upregulated pathway after QU treatment in macrophages to induce M2 polarization, which was further verified by protein and RNA detection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Taken together, we are the first to combine multiple database analyses and genome expression data to uncover the protective effect of QU in treating atherosclerosis by inducing M2 polarization through regulating the PI3K-AKT pathway.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e168202"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13187692/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147987510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Affordability Analysis of Selected Medicines in Iran: A National Cross-sectional Survey Using World Health Organization Out-of-Pocket Methodology.","authors":"Fatemeh Soleymani, Amirhossein Abdi, Alireza Mirzaei, Mohammad Mahdi Raeis Zadeh, Ali Zeinalkhani, Behzad Fatemi","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-163774","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-163774","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Increased costs of prescription drugs impose tremendous economic burdens on patients globally, which usually result in low drug adherence and poor health outcomes. In Iran, out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures are severe, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly. This analysis reviews OOP expenditures of 51 medications in Iran to provide useful insights regarding healthcare policy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives: &lt;/strong&gt;To analyze OOP payments for medications in Iran during a seven-year period, revealing trends, financial needs, and policy requirements that increase financial protection and drug access.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We included 51 medicines, meeting the WHO/HAI minimum sample size requirement for reliability (n = 50), consisting of the universal core list (n = 14) and a supplementary list based on local disease prevalence (n = 37). Following RECORD guidelines for observational studies, data were sourced from the two largest national health insurance funds [Social Security Organization (SSO), Iran Health Insurance Organization (IHIO)], covering the majority of the Iranian population, and pharmacy records from 2016 to 2022. OOP costs, insurance coverage, and affordability were analyzed using impoverishing health expenditure (IHE) and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) metrics. To control for economic confounders, costs were adjusted using purchasing power parity (PPP). Joinpoint regression assessed annual OOP changes, with significance set at P-value &lt; 0.05.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Over the seven-year period, PPP-OOP payments showed a non-significant decreasing trend [average annual percent change (AAPC): -1.2% for SSO; -1.38% for IHIO]. Despite this, OOP expenditure remained high, averaging approximately 40% of total medication costs. Significant heterogeneity was observed; for instance, Spironolactone saw the highest cost increase (AAPC +8.29%), while Insulin Glargine showed the largest decrease (AAPC -12.59%). High OOP payments were observed for medications like dexamethasone and chlorpromazine, while insulin and clozapine also carried high costs under insurance. The variability in OOP expenses across medicines highlights differences in pricing and insurance policies. Catastrophic expenses were prominent for certain medications, such as enoxaparin, especially at higher expenditure thresholds based on the 40% capacity-to-pay metric. Limitations included the use of administrative claims data subject to potential operational errors and the restriction of the sample to 51 medicines, which may limit generalizability to the broader pharmaceutical market.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This research reveals high OOP spending for Iranian patients, with considerable drug-specific heterogeneity. The implications suggest that policy action in terms of price reform and wider insurance coverage is needed to minimize financial burden and ensure access to medicines. Further studies are ","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e163774"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13181218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Innovative Peptide Therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2: Design, Docking, and Functional Analysis.","authors":"Samaneh Karimkhanilouei, Saeid Ghorbian, Sanaz Mahmazi, Changiz Ahmadizadeh, Keivan Nedaei","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-160762","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-160762","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants necessitates the rapid development of novel therapeutics, particularly those targeting conserved viral proteins. Peptide-based drugs offer high specificity and low toxicity, making them ideal candidates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives: &lt;/strong&gt;This study employed an integrated computational approach, combining structural biology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to design and evaluate novel peptide analogs targeting three key proteins of SARS-CoV-2: the Spike (S) protein, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and nucleocapsid (N) protein.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The first step involved preparing a dataset containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 peptides using the DRAVP database and a literature survey. Then, the best inhibitory peptides were screened using the AVPPred tool, and analogous peptides were designed based on the selected lead peptide. The designed peptides were then investigated in terms of their structure, physicochemical properties, and antiviral potency. Additionally, molecular docking, performed using the specialized nCoVDock2 server, showed that all designed analogs exhibited highly favorable binding. Specifically, the best-performing analogs achieved remarkable docking scores in the range of -200 to -300 a.u. (arbitrary units), indicating a strong predicted relative binding affinity for their respective targets. The top-ranked complexes were then subjected to 100 ns explicit solvent MD simulations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Our findings suggest that peptide W is the most effective analogue for inhibiting S protein, achieving a relative docking score of -303.41 a.u., in contrast to the -284.12 a.u. relative docking score of the EK1 lead peptide. Regarding the inhibition of RdRp protein, the top newly designed analogue is peptide A5, which has a relative docking score of -187.36 a.u., compared to the score of -121.3 a.u. for lead peptide 5, respectively. The leading novel analogue for inhibiting the N protein is A7, which has a relative docking score of -317.69 a.u., surpassing the relative docking score of -255.48 a.u. for Plectasin. The MD results confirmed the high dynamic stability of the W (targeting S protein) and A5 (targeting RdRp) complexes, demonstrating low Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) and maintaining critical hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions throughout the trajectory.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The use of bioinformatics algorithms to develop engineered peptides with high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 virulence proteins offers a promising outlook for peptide-based therapies against SARS-CoV-2. It also presents a promising approach for developing therapeutic methods against other viral diseases. Furthermore, these computational insights lay the groundwork for subsequent in vitro and in vivo validation studies to ascertain the therapeutic efficacy and saf","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e160762"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12933649/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pharmaceutical Utilization Review: A Five-Year Time Trend Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Market in Iran.","authors":"Mohammadamir Nemati, Behzad Fatemi, Fatemeh Soleymani, Meysam Seyedifar, Donya Zali, Zahra Shahali, Hossein Ranjbaran","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-158927","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-158927","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The primary objective of this study was to compare the total and insurance-covered utilization of pharmaceuticals in Iran from March 2018 to March 2023. The findings of this study can offer valuable insights to healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to make informed decisions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cross-sectional study in Iran examined drug utilization patterns (specific databases, e.g., Iranian Health Insurance Organization and Social Security Organization) using Joinpoint regression. The study calculated the Defined Daily Doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID) for each medicine based on the anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose (ATC/DDD) system. All medicines with valid ATC/DDD assignments available during 2018 - 2023 were included to ensure comprehensive national coverage rather than a selected sample. Joinpoint regression was employed for trend analysis, focusing on annual and monthly percent changes in pharmaceutical utilization. Statistical analysis was conducted using MS Excel and Joinpoint software, with significance set at P-value < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study assessed 1185 ATC codes, out of which 751 were found eligible for analysis. Among these, 728 were covered by two major Iranian insurance organizations. The study found that the share of insurance utilization of these pharmaceuticals ranged from 27 to 48 percent. The trend utilization showed significant increases in overall utilization in classes C, J, L, N, and P. The utilization trends under insurance coverage revealed that classes L, R, and S showed a significant increase. After the implementation of the Daruyar Plan and the removal of the preferred currency exchange rate for all classes, there has been an increase in utilization under insurance coverage.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study reveals notable patterns and discrepancies in utilization levels within different drug classes, as well as the impact of insurance coverage and the Daruyar Plan on medication utilization.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e158927"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12933975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determining Modern Marketing Mix Elements and Their Measurement Indicators for Selling Cosmetic and Health Products in Iranian Pharmacies: A Descriptive-Analytical Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Reza Yaghoubi Nezhad, Majid Annabi, Amin Akbari, Yasaman Bastami, Mahdi Maleki Zadeh","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-166280","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-166280","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The cosmetic and health products market is a competitive market. Traditional marketing elements do not respond to the market, and the use of modern marketing mixes is necessary for sales success. With the increase in the number of pharmacies in Iran, they are forced to use modern marketing mix elements for this purpose.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The present study aims to identify and define modern marketing mix elements and their measurement indicators that are effective on the sale of cosmetic and health products.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The research method is conducted as a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study. The statistical population consists of two groups. The first group is experts to determine modern marketing mix elements and the validity of their items, who have been identified and selected with the Snowball method. The second group is customers in Iranian pharmacies. In the experts' point of view, mix elements are determined using the fuzzy Delphi method, and the validity of their elements and items is determined using content and face validity assessment. Subsequently, the effect of the determined factors in Iranian pharmacies is determined using factor analysis of structural equations, and the validity and reliability of their measurement indicators are confirmed (Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability obtained were higher than 0.7).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results indicated that out of the twelve elements of the modern marketing mixes, the seven elements of price, quality, attractiveness, brand image, emotions, advertising, and customer trust are effective elements on the sale of cosmetic and health products, for which measurement indicators have been proposed in the market. The model showed an acceptable fit with CFI values above 0.93, indicating good consistency between the model and the observed data, and path analysis showed that price (β = 0.78), product quality (β = 0.75), and emotional appeal (β = 0.75) had the strongest positive effects on cosmetic and hygiene product sales.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights that traditional marketing mix elements are insufficient to explain customer behavior in the competitive cosmetic and hygienic products market in Iran. Instead, seven modern marketing mix elements (price, quality, attractiveness, brand image, emotions, advertising, and customer trust) play a crucial role in shaping customer satisfaction and purchasing decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e166280"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13558863/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acylglycerol Kinase 2-mediated Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 Restores AMPK/AKT/mTOR Signaling Balance in Podocytes: A Pharmacological Strategy for Diabetic Nephropathy.","authors":"Zahra Zahid Piracha, Umar Saeed, Syed Muhammad Aun Raza, Zia Ashraf, Bazaid Muhammad, Mehedi Tubaishi Rubab, Aqsa Talib, Roshan Nadeem, Syed Shayan Gilani, Ayesha Yar Khan, Muhammad Usama Khan, Dilber Uzun Ozsahin, Andromeda M Nauli, Surya M Nauli","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-165603","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-165603","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Diabetic nephropathy is a major cause of end-stage renal disease, driven in part by molecular dysfunctions in podocytes. Sirtuin 2 (Sirt2), a cytoplasmic NAD⁺-dependent deacetylase, has emerged as a potential regulator of key metabolic pathways, but its specific role in podocyte biology remains poorly defined.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the function of Sirt2 in human podocytes (hPodo), delineate its interaction with histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), and evaluate the therapeutic potential of Sirt2 inhibition in restoring metabolic balance and protecting against diabetic nephropathy-associated podocyte stress.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Comparative expression analysis was performed between hPodo and HEK293T kidney cells. Pharmacological inhibition of Sirt2 was carried out using acylglycerol kinase 2 (AGK2), alongside siRNA-mediated Sirt2 knockdown. AMPK/AKT/mTOR signaling activity was assessed by Western blotting and functional assays to determine metabolic and growth responses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Human podocytes exhibited significantly elevated Sirt2 expression and high levels of HDAC6, forming a unique Sirt2-HDAC6 regulatory complex. Inhibition or silencing of Sirt2 induced robust AMPK activation while suppressing AKT/mTOR signaling. This signaling reprogramming restored energy sensing and attenuated hyperactive growth pathways, alleviating podocyte stress. Acylglycerol kinase 2 treatment reestablished metabolic homeostasis by disrupting Sirt2-mediated repression of AMPK.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Sirtuin 2 inhibition, particularly through AGK2, emerges as a novel pharmacological strategy to protect podocytes, restore metabolic regulation, and potentially slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Significance Statement By inhibiting one of the important intracellular signaling pathways in human kidney cells, we could reduce the cellular stress that is commonly observed in diabetic kidney injury. This could serve as a drug target to slow the progression of kidney disease associated with diabetes mellitus.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e165603"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180335/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147972651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of the Effects of Sevoflurane and Isoflurane During Liver Transplant Surgery on the Short-Term Cardiac, Hepatic, and Renal Outcome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.","authors":"Mohammadreza Moshari, Sadaf Tahery, Mastaneh Dahi Taleghani, Shide Dabir, Maryam Vosoughian, Soudeh Tabashi, Mohsen Ariannik, Firoozeh Madadi","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-166290","DOIUrl":"10.5812/ijpr-166290","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Liver transplantation is frequently complicated by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), which may impair hepatic, renal, and cardiac function. Volatile anesthetics such as isoflurane and sevoflurane are believed to mitigate this injury.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to compare their effects on short-term organ outcomes in deceased donor liver transplant recipients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, 70 liver transplantation candidates at Taleghani Hospital in Tehran were enrolled after obtaining informed consent, and various variables were assessed before, during, and at two intervals immediately after surgery and one week post-operation. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either isoflurane or sevoflurane for anesthesia maintenance using the sealed opaque envelope technique for allocation concealment. Randomization was performed by a study nurse not involved in patient care using computer-generated random numbers. The primary outcome was defined as the postoperative peak serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. Secondary outcomes included peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin, creatinine, troponin I, C-reactive protein (CRP), intraoperative blood product requirements (packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma), hemodynamic parameters, and urine output.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. No significant differences were found in intraoperative hemodynamics or postoperative laboratory values of liver and renal function (P > 0.05). Postoperative liver enzyme levels increased in both groups following reperfusion, consistent with IRI. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the isoflurane and sevoflurane groups in peak serum ALT levels, measured 6 hours after reperfusion and on postoperative day 7 (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Similarly, AST levels did not differ significantly between groups at any postoperative time point. Renal and cardiac biomarkers, including creatinine and troponin I, were also comparable between groups. In contrast, patients receiving sevoflurane required significantly higher volumes of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma intraoperatively compared with the isoflurane group (P < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results obtained in this study showed that the use of isoflurane and sevoflurane did not have a significant difference in the severity of ischemic reperfusion injury caused after liver transplantation surgery on the liver, kidney, and heart; also, in this study, the functional conditions of these organs during and after surgery were evaluated, and by examining at different time intervals, these two inhalation anesthetics did not have a different effect on the short-term outcome of patients after receiving a liver transplant.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"25 1","pages":"e166290"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12933973/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}