Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Placental transfer of third-generation antiepileptic drugs: in vivo lacosamide case study and in vitro investigation of transporter inhibition by lacosamide and perampanel.","authors":"Ayami Ueda, Ayako Furugen, Ayako Nishimura, Takeshi Umazume, Ryoichi Aoyagi, Keisuke Okamoto, Katsuya Narumi, Hinata Ueda, Masaki Kobayashi","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00537-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00537-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Antiepileptic drugs must be continually used to control seizures in pregnant people with epilepsy. Lacosamide (LCM) and perampanel (PER) are third-generation antiepileptic drugs that were introduced to clinical practice in 2008 and 2012, respectively. LCM and PER are increasingly being prescribed. However, little information is available regarding the safety or placental transfer of LCM and PER during pregnancy. We investigated the placental permeability of LCM in vivo and the effects of LCM and PER on efflux transporters in human placental cells in vitro. METHODS: Clinical umbilical cord and maternal plasma samples were collected from a woman who had been receiving a regular oral regimen of 100 mg LCM twice daily. The LCM concentrations in the samples were quantified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Accumulation assays were conducted using in vitro syncytiotrophoblast models to determine the effects of LCM and PER on the functions of efflux transporters, including breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2), multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs/ABCCs), and P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1). RESULTS: The LCM concentrations in the maternal plasma and umbilical cord plasma samples were 4.02 µg/mL (predelivery trough level) and 3.22 µg/mL (3.5 h after last dose), respectively. The LCM concentration in the umbilical cord plasma was near the lower end of the maternal therapeutic range, and the fetal-to-maternal plasma concentration ratio likely remained below 1.0. Therapeutic concentrations of LCM and PER did not increase the accumulation of fluorescent substrates of the efflux transporters in the in vitro assays. In contrast, high LCM doses increased the accumulation of BODIPY™ FL prazosin, a BCRP substrate, whereas PER did not affect the accumulation of any substrate. CONCLUSIONS: LCM was transferred to the fetus at concentrations close to the lower end of the therapeutic range, suggesting that fetal plasma levels did not exceed the maternal levels. High LCM concentrations inhibited BCRP function in vitro, whereas PER did not inhibit major placental efflux transporters. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12911044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146043935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhodiola rosea L. roots powder strongly reduces anxiety and corticosterone level induced by chronic stress in a murine model.","authors":"Camille Lelong, Laurence Ris, Oksana Sytar, Sylvie Defrère, Agnès Villers","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00532-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00532-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic stress disrupts physiological and psychological homeostasis, yet effective therapeutic strategies remain limited. This study investigated the adaptogenic effects of Rhodiola rosea root powder (standardized to 3% salidroside) on stress-induced behavioral and physiological changes in a murine model of chronic mild stress. Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a 19-day chronic mild stress protocol and received daily oral supplementation of Rhodiola rosea root powder, administered in gummies to ensure accurate and stress-free intake, or a placebo. At the end of the experiment, behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Open Field (OF) tests. Compared with stressed controls, stressed treated mice demonstrated significant improvements. In the EPM, treated mice showed significantly higher locomotor activity (greater distance and speed), with more open-arm entries and time, as well as increased head dips, indicating reduced anxiety and enhanced exploration. In the OF test, they also displayed greater locomotion and more center-zone entries, both reaching statistical significance and supporting reduced anxiety-like behavior. These behavioral improvements were accompanied by a significant reduction in serum corticosterone levels, indicating modulation of the physiological stress response. Together, the findings support the anxiolytic and adaptogenic properties of Rhodiola rosea root powder and highlight its potential as a natural intervention for managing chronic stress. Future studies should investigate the long-term efficacy and mechanisms of its bioactive compounds in stress resilience and mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12903619/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146010902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of Upadacitinib in elderly patients with IBD: a case series.","authors":"Ruby Arai, Kazuyo Okayama, Takanori Nishiguchi, Masayuki Fukata","doi":"10.1186/s40780-026-00541-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-026-00541-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Upadacitinib (UPA) is a selective Janus kinase (JAK) 1 inhibitor that may rapidly induce and maintain a remission of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through potent suppression of cytokine signaling. While a pan-JAK inhibitor has been shown to increase the risk of thromboembolic and major cardiovascular events (MACE), especially in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis, UPA may potentially be a better therapeutic option for elderly IBD patients owing to its selective effect on JAK1. However, the usefulness of UPA in elderly IBD patients has yet to be well assessed. METHODS: To explore the efficacy and safety of UPA in elderly IBD patients, we conducted a retrospective case series study of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) aged over 60 years who received UPA from December 2022 to March 2025. Clinical response and remission rates, incidence of adverse events, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 8 patients (5 UC and 3 CD) were included in this study. The rate of clinical response in UC was 40% at week 8, 80% at week 16, and the remission rate was 60% at week 16. One patient with acute severe UC underwent colectomy at week 3 due to resistance to UPA, although the patient had also failed a rescue therapy with infliximab (IFX). In patients with CD, the rate of clinical response and remission at week 12 was 33.3% each. After 52 weeks of treatment, 60% of UC and 66.7% of CD patients had sustained UPA treatment. During the median follow-up time of 14.1 months (95% CI 9.2, 24.4 months), adverse events of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 2 or higher were identified in two cases. Although one patient with UC discontinued UPA at week 36 due to anemia and liver damage, most adverse events observed were otherwise mild. No serious infections, thromboembolic events, MACE, or malignancies were noted. CONCLUSIONS: While the small sample size precludes definitive conclusions, this case series suggests that UPA has potential efficacy and relatively acceptable tolerability in elderly patients with IBD. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12892613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145989783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experience-based ambivalence toward medical opioid use among Japanese adults: a nationwide cross-sectional survey using the barriers questionnaire II.","authors":"Tomofumi Watanabe, Atsunobu Sagara, Tomoya Abe, Hiroshi Kudoh, Satoshi Yoshikawa, Atsushi Ishimura, Hiroyuki Terakado","doi":"10.1186/s40780-026-00540-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-026-00540-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pain is one of the most distressing symptoms in patients with cancer. Although established guidelines now recommend appropriate opioid use, even for mild-to-moderate pain, Japan's prescription volume remains markedly lower than that of Western countries. Public ambivalence, recognizing opioids as effective yet fearing dependence and adverse effects, may contribute to this underuse. However, little is known about how indirect exposure to opioids through family members' cancer treatments shapes such attitudes. This study examined the perceived barriers to and willingness to use medical opioids among cancer-free adults, focusing on the influence of family experiences with opioid use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted on July 30, 2025, among 618 Japanese adults aged 20-49 years without a history of cancer. Participants were categorized into three groups: Opioid+ (family with cancer and opioid use), Opioid- (family with cancer but no opioid use), and None (no family history of cancer). Psychological barriers were assessed using the Japanese version of the Barriers Questionnaire II (JBQ-II), comprising an overall score and five subscales. Willingness to use opioids in a hypothetical mild-to-moderate cancer pain scenario was rated on a 10-point Likert scale. Group differences were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Steel-Dwass tests (two-tailed p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the None group, the Opioid + group showed significantly higher scores for overall JBQ-II (3.23 vs. 3.11, p < 0.01), Physiological Effects (3.47 vs. 3.32, p < 0.05), Harmful Effects (3.32 vs. 3.12, p < 0.001), and Disease Progression (3.65 vs. 3.39, p < 0.01), but lower Fatalism scores (2.25 vs. 2.46, p < 0.05). Willingness to use medical opioids was also higher in the Opioid + group (7.43) than in the Opioid- (6.55, p < 0.01) and None groups (6.59, p < 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Indirect exposure to opioids through family members' cancer treatment was associated with ambivalent attitudes, characterized by greater recognition of barriers alongside increased willingness to use medical opioids. Addressing this experience-based ambivalence through evidence-based education, individualized counseling using the JBQ-II, and family-involved communication support may help promote the safe and appropriate use of medical opioids in Japan's cultural and public health contexts.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12888120/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145971022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical outcomes after switching from sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim to atovaquone due to intolerance in patients with non-HIV Pneumocystis pneumonia: a single-center retrospective study.","authors":"Yukino Shirakawa, Takafumi Nakano, Keisuke Sato, Yuka Takahashi, Mika Higashi, Yukiomi Eguchi, Takuya Yamashina, Tadahiro Ikeuchi, Susumu Kaneshige, Masanobu Uchiyama, Atsushi Togawa, Koichi Matsuo, Hidetoshi Kamimura","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00516-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00516-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Atovaquone (Atov), a second-line drug, is used to treat patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) who cannot tolerate sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMX/TMP). However, the efficacy and safety of Atov are based on clinical trials conducted in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, with limited data available on HIV-uninfected individuals with PCP (non-HIV PCP). In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcomes of switching from SMX/TMP to Atov in patients with non-HIV PCP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study included patients with non-HIV PCP who were admitted to Fukuoka University Hospital between 2016 and 2023 and initially received SMX/TMP therapy. The primary endpoint was 30-day survival rate from the date of PCP diagnosis. Secondary endpoints included factors associated with mortality and the cumulative incidence of switching from SMX/TMP to Atov.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 56 patients receiving SMX/TMP therapy for PCP, 17 were switched to Atov due to SMX/TMP-related side effects. The Kaplan-Meier estimated 30-day survival was 76.9% in the \"remained on\" SMX/TMP group and 82.4% in the \"switched to\" Atov group (log-rank test, P = 0.58). Univariable logistic regression analysis of 30-day mortality showed that switching to Atov was not associated with higher mortality compared with continued SMX/TMP therapy (odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.17 to 3.05). The Kaplan-Meier estimated cumulative incidence of switching from SMX/TMP to Atov during the PCP treatment period was 33.8%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our data suggest that switching from SMX/TMP to Atov may not be associated with worse survival. Long-term administration of SMX/TMP is often challenging due to its side effects, and in this study, more than 30% of patients were unable to tolerate its therapeutic dose. Our findings support the role of Atov as a viable second-line treatment for PCP in immunocompromised patients, such as those with non-HIV PCP.</p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":"12 1","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12802270/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145966132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating rituximab-induced infusion-related reactions in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with a focus on follicular lymphoma: a retrospective observational study.","authors":"Sachiko Hirobe, Koji Fukada, Mayu Miyamoto, Moeno Inukai, Rinka Fujimoto, Shinichiro Maeda, Makiko Maeda, Yasushi Fujio","doi":"10.1186/s40780-026-00538-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-026-00538-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>INTRODUCTION: The incidence of infusion-related reactions (IRRs) caused by rituximab is very high, and many studies have explored factors related to the onset of IRR; however, most analyses have been conducted on a mixed range of disease indications. This study aimed to investigate rituximab-induced IRR in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), particularly follicular lymphoma (FL), and examine the factors related to its occurrence. METHODS: Data on sociodemographic and blood test findings were collected on the closest possible date prior to rituximab administration. Cytokine/chemokine levels in the blood samples were measured before the drug administration. During rituximab administration, vital signs, including pulse, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and body temperature, were carefully monitored. IRRs were defined as adverse reactions that occurred within 24 hours of drug administration, the grades of which were assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. RESULTS: IRRs were reported in 119/252 NHL cases (47.2%), with incidences of 36/61 (59.0%) FL cases and 48/119 (40.3%) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cases; the incidence of IRR was significantly higher in FL (p = 0.0174). Logistic regression analysis in FL revealed a significant correlation between IRR expression and lymphocyte counts of ≥ 1,600/µL (odds ratio 14.0, p = 0.0162). Additionally, interferon-γ (p = 0.0262), chemokine ligand 26 (p = 0.0394), and vascular endothelial growth factor (p = 0.0359) levels in FL. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IRR differed significantly between patients with FL and those with DLBCL. In FL, rituximab is administered while monitoring the disease condition and when the tumor burden is relatively large, which is thought to increase the frequency of IRR, suggesting that lymphocyte count can lead to effective prediction. The occurrence of IRR can be predicted by measuring the blood cytokine and chemokine levels before rituximab treatment, leading to the provision of safe and useful treatment. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12888495/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145959353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and practical validation of BUBBLESS tapping instrument for efficient bubble removal during antibody drug mixing.","authors":"Masakazu Ozaki, Shoko Tanaka, Sakina Inoue, Toshiki Yoshii, Yuuko Nagatomi, Miwako Takasago, Naoto Okada, Takashi Kitahara","doi":"10.1186/s40780-026-00539-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-026-00539-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Antibody drugs play a central role in modern medical treatments, despite their tendency to aggregate under physical stimuli being a major challenge. Generically, these are prone to foaming, and bubble from syringes is typically manually removed by means of tapping. Hence, this study aimed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a tapping instrument for bubble removal from syringes with minimal physical stress. METHODS: The instrument was designed with a columnar shape to minimize contact area with the syringe surface. This instrument was named BUBBLESS, a coined term combining “bubble” and “less.” To measure the force applied to syringes, a cutting-force measurement system was employed. Twelve participants each drew 50 mL of distilled water into syringes and removed naturally occurring bubbles. Bubble removal was performed three times each by hand and using BUBBLESS per participant. Infliximab was the model antibody drug to evaluate aggregation, and its solutions were immediately imaged, following bubble removal by manual or BUBBLESS tapping, under a laser microscope. RESULTS: A columnar shape, based on its contact area with the syringe, and polyacetal resin were used for developing BUBBLESS (weight: approximately 38.0 g). The median maximum force (interquartile range [IQR]) applied to the syringe was 129.1 (113.1–175.2) N by hand and 60.7 (47.9–80.9) N with BUBBLESS (p < 0.0001). The median total applied force (IQR) was 1,665,283 (1,176,238–2,445,051) N by hand and 575,061 (400,170.3–731,369.6) N with BUBBLESS (p < 0.0001). Laser microscopy revealed visible aggregation of infliximab following manual tapping but almost none after BUBBLESS tapping. No further changes were observed during a 10-min observation period in either case. The largest recorded horizontal and vertical diameters were approximately 12.5 and 13.4 μm, respectively, with no further changes observed in the aggregate during the 10-min observation period. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the potential of the BUBBLESS tapping method as a novel approach to suppress antibody drug aggregation. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12882348/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145944523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge, attitude and practice towards antimicrobial resistance among final-year undergraduate students in the health sciences at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.","authors":"Fasil Dejene Bedada, Oumer Sada Muhammed, Beshir Bedru Nasir","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00534-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00534-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Globally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex and growing public health challenge, primarily driven by the inappropriate use of antimicrobials. Promoting the rational use of these agents is the most effective strategy for preventing AMR. This can be achieved by improving the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of both prescribers and dispensers. Hence, this study will aim to assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of final year health sciences students regarding AMR, which helps to rationalize the use of antimicrobials. OBJECTIVE: To assess KAP towards AMR among final year health sciences students at Addis Ababa University METHODS: The research employed a cross-sectional study design, involving 230 final-year health sciences students from various programs, including medicine, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, anesthesia, medical radiology technology, and medical laboratory sciences. Data were collected by Kobo toolbox online structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27. RESULT: The findings indicated that while 74.5% of participants possessed moderate knowledge and 81.4% displayed positive attitudes, notable gaps were evident. Among the participants, 137(59.6%) mistakenly believed that antibiotics can eliminate viruses, and 166(72.2%) thought antibiotics were effective against colds and flu. Furthermore, concerning practices such as reserving antibiotics for future use 98(42.6 %) and 73(31.7%) participants responded sharing antibiotics with others. Despite these deficiencies, students exhibited a strong awareness of the consequences of AMR 217(94.7%) and acknowledged the role of overuse in fostering resistance 205(89.0%). Attitudes were predominantly positive, with 189(82.2%) advocating for increased AMR education and 192(83.5%) recognizing that improper use contributes to resistance. However, practical behaviors, such as prematurely discontinuing antibiotics 68(29.6 %) and an overall poor practice 52(22.5%) underscored the necessity for enhanced optimized training for health sciences students. Despite no significant link between gender or field of study and KAP, participants with moderate and good AMR knowledge were significantly more likely to have optimal practices than those with poor knowledge (AOR = 9.44 and 3.9, (P = 0.017 and 0.021) respectively). Similarly, a positive attitude significantly increases optimal practice chances by about 3.39 fold (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: The study revealed moderate AMR knowledge and overall positive attitudes, but persistent misconceptions about antibiotic use. Moderate or good knowledge and neutral or positive attitudes were associated with more optimal practices. Suboptimal practices highlight the need for strengthening education, and institutional interventions including short term trainings. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12882412/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145949000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ibuprofen gargle for quality of life and pain improvement in oral lichen planus: randomized crossover and long-term extension phase II study.","authors":"Yumi Kitahiro, Yasumasa Kakei, Takeshi Ioroi, Nanae Yatagai, Masahiko Kashin, Masaki Kobayashi, Asami Morioka, Kazuhiro Yamamoto, Takumi Hasegawa, Masaya Akashi, Ikuko Yano","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00536-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00536-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa that frequently causes erosive lesions accompanied by pain, thereby impairing the patient’s ability to eat and drink and their overall quality of life (QOL). Current guidelines recommend topical corticosteroids as first-line treatments; however, their efficacy is limited for pain relief, and long-term safety remains a concern. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug mouthrinse formulations can deliver high local drug concentrations to the symptomatic mucosa with minimal systemic exposure. This study evaluated the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of ibuprofen gargling in patients with painful OLP. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study (Days 1–7), followed by a 6-month open-label long-term extension (LTE) study (Days 8–176). Patients with OLP and baseline oral pain of ≥ 20 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) were enrolled. The LTE study’s primary endpoint was safety, and secondary endpoints included changes in the VAS in resting oral pain and oral health-related QOL, which was measured using the Patient-Reported Oral Mucositis Symptom (PROMS) scale. RESULTS: The crossover study enrolled 24 patients, and 18 patients continued the LTE study. No serious adverse events were observed. One patient discontinued treatment because of grade 2 oral pain, while the remaining patients tolerated long-term treatment exhibiting stable laboratory values. During the LTE study, ibuprofen gargling was associated with significant improvements in several PROMS domains. The most pronounced effects were observed in the dietary domains, including eating restriction (βday = − 0.083, p < 0.001) and difficulty eating hard foods (βday = − 0.067, p < 0.001). Modest but significant improvements were observed for mouth pain (βday = − 0.038, p = 0.029), difficulty eating soft foods (βday = − 0.021, p < 0.001), swallowing (βday = − 0.007, p < 0.001), and drinking (βday = − 0.006, p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: A 6-month regimen of ibuprofen gargling may be safe and associated with modest and gradual improvements in pain and oral function-related QOL in patients with OLP. Further confirmatory study is needed to confirm the potential therapeutic role of ibuprofen gargling. TRAIL REGISTRATION: The Registry of Clinical Trials; jRCTs051220009 and jRCTs051220010, date of registration: 22 April 2022. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12870035/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145933790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of pharmaceutical supply chain management practice on operational performance: the case of the central clusters and central Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply service.","authors":"Bekele Boche, Temesgen Dinsa, Zemenu Wube Bayleyegn, Azmeraw Bekele","doi":"10.1186/s40780-025-00533-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40780-025-00533-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Effective pharmaceutical supply chain management ensures the availability of medicines and improves healthcare, while supply chain integration and transparent sharing of quality information are critical to increasing profitability and performance. However, the Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply service faces persistent gaps that impede operational performance. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effect of supply chain management practices on the operational performance of the central clusters and the central Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply service. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2024. The study included all employees from central Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical supply services and central clusters, who were primarily engaged in pharmaceutical supply chain management practices. Thus, a census of supply chain management-practicing staff enabled a thorough examination of operational processes within the target organizational units. Data were collected using five-point Likert scale questionnaires adapted from the literature. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple linear regressions, were employed to determine the relationships between supply chain management practices and the operational performance of the Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply service. RESULTS: The results indicated that quality is a primary criterion in supplier selection (mean = 3.34) and that there is a tendency to rely on a few high-quality, committed suppliers. Information sharing practices were moderate, with 46.2% agreeing that proprietary data is shared and 50.3% confirming transparent communication from trade partners (mean = 3.51). Moreover, the results indicate a moderate to strong positive linear relationship (R = 0.576) between the predictors and the outcome, with a statistically significant correlation that explains approximately 33.2% of the variance in the outcome. Strategic supplier partnerships (β = 0.168, p < 0.010), the level of information sharing (β = 0.165, p < 0.006), the quality of information sharing (β = 0.126, p < 0.042), and internal integration practices (β = 0.224, p < 0.030) had positive and significant effect on operational performance of central Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical supply services and central clusters. CONCLUSION: Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical supply services show moderate to strong performance, with areas needing improvement. Customer service and operational performance were positive, though gaps exist in customer satisfaction evaluation. The quality of information sharing, strategic supplier partnerships, effective information sharing, and internal integration practices collectively drove effectiveness, explaining a substantial portion of performance variability. </p>","PeriodicalId":16730,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12866434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145896373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}