{"title":"Assessment of Medicines Cold Chain Storage Conformity with the World Health Organization Requirements in Health Facilities in Tanzania","authors":"S. Ringo, V. Mugoyela, E. Kaale, J. Sempombe","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.810024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.810024","url":null,"abstract":"A descriptive study on assessment of medicines cold chain storage conformity \u0000with World Health Organization (WHO) requirements in public health facilities \u0000was carried out in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma regions. Storage conformity \u0000in selected health facilities was assessed by monitoring temperature using \u0000temperature data loggers mounted in the refrigerators for a period of 30 days. \u0000Results indicated almost half of the health facilities 48.5% visited, did not significantly \u0000(P = 0.031) comply with storage temperature (+2°C to +8°C) as per \u0000WHO requirement because all recorded Mean Kinetic temperature (MKT) > \u00008°C. In rural areas, 59.2% of visited health facilities adhered to the WHO \u0000recommended storage temperature while in urban areas only 31.6% complied. \u0000The study has established electricity failure in urban and lack of gas in rural \u0000areas coupled with absence of contingency plan as major challenges to WHO \u0000temperature conformity in storage of cold chain medicines in health facilities \u0000in Tanzania.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86119792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oscar Morales-Dionisio, F. Cruz, M. Franco-Colín, Oriana Hidalgo-Alegria, G. Flores, J. Luna-Muñoz, L. Garcés-Ramírez
{"title":"Differential Effects of Valproic Acid on Immobility Responses and Locomotor Activity in Female and Male Rats","authors":"Oscar Morales-Dionisio, F. Cruz, M. Franco-Colín, Oriana Hidalgo-Alegria, G. Flores, J. Luna-Muñoz, L. Garcés-Ramírez","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.810025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.810025","url":null,"abstract":"Valproic acid (VPA) is used in the treatment of epilepsy and behavioral disorders. \u0000However, the exposure to VPA during pregnancy increases the risk of \u0000having offspring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reports indicate that \u0000men are more likely to suffer ASD than women who were exposed to VPA \u0000prenatally. Few studies have related the sex differences and behavioral changes \u0000in the ASD rat model. Our aim was to determinate whether male and female \u0000Wistar rats whose mothers were exposed to either VPA (600 mg/kg; animal \u0000model for ASD) or saline (0.9%) i.p. at 12.5 day of gestation, have different effects \u0000on immobility induce by clamping (IC), dorsal immobility (DI), catalepsy, \u0000locomotor activity, stereotypes, and analgesia (tail flick). For this purpose, \u0000we made four groups (n = 8). Group: A) saline male rats, B) saline female rats, \u0000C) VPA male rats and D) VPA female rats. At 35 (prepubertal age), 56 (postpubertal \u0000age) and 180 days, we tested the behaviors previously mentioned. \u0000Finding that VPA has the same effect on IC, catalepsy, and analgesia in male \u0000and female rats, the time of these tests was increased. However, VPA only has \u0000an effect on DI in males but not in female rats. On the contrary, there is \u0000hyperactivity and an increase of stereotypes in female but not in male rats. \u0000Thereby, VPA has an effect on the three immobility responses tested (IC, DI \u0000and catalepsy), locomotor activity and analgesia but in a differential way on \u0000DI, stereotypes and locomotor activity between male and female rats.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80311917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of -Lipoic Acid on Proteasomal Induction: Protection against Oxidative Damage in Human Skin Fibroblasts Cell Line NHDF","authors":"Sohely Sikdar, M. Papadopoulou, J. Dubois","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.89022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.89022","url":null,"abstract":"As human skin is daily exposed to oxidative stress causing various unesthetical abnormalities, the road to effective anti-aging substances is being widely investigated. 20S proteasome is a key pathway in the breakdown of oxidized proteins. But its activity declines dramatically in aging cells. Nrf2 inducers -lipoic acid (LA) and sulforaphane (SFN) have been described in the dietary industries for their antioxidant effects on various cell lines. However, since little is yet known about LA’s capacity to protect skin cells from premature and extrinsic aging; our aim was to demonstrate the beneficial effect of LA on the cellular detoxification systems. On this purpose, we evaluated its effects against injuries induced by H2O2 in NHDF and its likely positive effect on the chymotrypsin-like (CT-like) activity of 20S proteasome, using SFN as a reference. The cellular content in proteins was measured, as well as the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Also, the induction of the proteasomal protein expression was investigated. The results show that after 48 h treatment, LA significantly decreased the percentage of ROS positive cells. Also, LA decreased the level of H2O2-induced carbonylated proteins and increased the proteasomal activity. Furthermore, LA upregulated the expression of the 20S proteasome s-subunit responsible for the CT-like activity (PSMB5). Overall, both molecules enhanced cell proliferation over 8 days. So, our investigation found evidence of the higher capacity of LA to induce 20S proteasome activity with less toxicity in human fibroblasts compared to reference molecule SFN. These results tend to demonstrate that the induction of the proteasomal activity might be a part of the antioxidant potential of LA. To our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the capacity of LA to activate detoxification systems in human cell lines through the induction of 20S proteasome.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84464854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Ezeonwumelu, M. Ntale, S. Ogbonnia, Ezera Agwu, J. Tanayen, Dr. Keneth Iceland Kasozi, C. Okonkwo, Anthonia Shodunke, Ambrose Amamchukwu Akunne, O. E. Dafiewhare, Jennifer Chibuogwu Ebosie, F. Byarugaba
{"title":"In vitro Antibacterial Efficacy of Bidens pilosa, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum suave Extracts against HIV/AIDS Patients’ Oral Bacteria in South-Western Uganda","authors":"J. Ezeonwumelu, M. Ntale, S. Ogbonnia, Ezera Agwu, J. Tanayen, Dr. Keneth Iceland Kasozi, C. Okonkwo, Anthonia Shodunke, Ambrose Amamchukwu Akunne, O. E. Dafiewhare, Jennifer Chibuogwu Ebosie, F. Byarugaba","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.89023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.89023","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of the study was to determine the antibacterial efficacy of Bidens pilosa Aqueous (BPA), Bidens pilosa Ethanolic (BPE), Ageratum conyzoides Aqueous (ACA), Ageratum conyzoides Ethanolic (ACE), Ocimum suave Aqueous (OSA) and Ocimum suave Ethanolic (OSE) extracts on HIV/AIDS patients’ oral bacteria. Healthy green leaves of the plants were collected in Ishaka Uganda, processed and portions separately extracted with hot distilled water and cold ethanol. The susceptibility, MIC and MBC of each extract were determined using standard protocols. The bacteria had significant (p Bidens pilosa, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum suave on oral lesions of HIV/AIDS patients made by traditional healers and local people in South-Western Uganda. We recommend a detailed study of structural identities and activities of the active antibacterial principle(s) in these plants for possible new drug entities and verification of the interactive effects of the principle(s) with ARVs and cotrimoxazole used daily by HIV/AIDS patients.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82841811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Bioactive Potent Compounds from Terminalia chebula against Some Common Human Pathogens","authors":"S. Datta, N. Pal, A. Nandy","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.89021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.89021","url":null,"abstract":"Objective: Emergence of community-acquired infections due to multi drug resistant (MDR) common human pathogens have caused a great problem to clinicians and this directed us to search systematically for a different remedy with compounds particularly from plant origin. Methods: The antibacterial activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay method against some common gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Results: In vitro study with Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) stem bark extracts, eight isolated triterpenoids and four triterpenoid derivatives were found to be effective against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Conclusions: Pure compounds from T.chebula could be effectively used as antibacterial agents if it is possible to develop the molecules synthetically. At the same time crude extracts with specified active principles could also be used and/or introduced in Traditional Medicine/Complementary Alternative Medicine (TM/CAM) as antibacterial into National/International Health Systems as per the guideline of Ayurvedic formularies.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78441293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Toxicity and Viral Load in Urine during Valganciclovir Therapy in Premature Infants","authors":"M. Boesveld, H. L. M. Straaten, M. Hemels","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.88020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.88020","url":null,"abstract":"Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most important cause of mental retardation and sensorineural hearing loss. Antiviral treatment with valganciclovir, a relatively new but potential toxic oral drug, is recommended to prevent further hearing deterioration. In this retrospective cohort study we evaluated the relation between the dose of valganciclovir and the reduction of CMV viral load, as well as the toxicity. All neonates with gestational age","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74740697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Medication Use by Runners in Self-Care Situations","authors":"D. Taylor, C. Santanello","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.88019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.88019","url":null,"abstract":"The benefits of running for cardiovascular health have long been established, but no relationship between runners/non-runners and their usage of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications has been established. A comprehensive survey was sent out via Facebook, Inc., to self-identified runners to assess runners’ first response to 5 common self-care situations. The results were compared to the national average of the U.S. population who take prescription and OTC medications. What was also assessed was the relationship between average weekly miles run and the likelihood to choose OTC medications. 714 runners, residing predominately in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area, completed the survey and their results were drastically different than the national average use for prescription and OTC medication in the general (non-runners) population. Approximately 30% of the runners in this study are on daily prescription medications versus a national average of 70% of the U.S. population. In each of the 5 common self-care situations, less than 50% of runners chose an OTC medication as their first option for self-care vs. the national average of 80%. Results of the study also showed that runners with a weekly mile average of 30 miles or more were less likely to choose an OTC option for self-care than runners with a weekly average of 15 miles or less. Overall, results of this survey suggest that runners are less likely to take medications and may be healthier than the average U.S. citizen overall.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88542718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Z. Khan, F. Moni, S. Sharmin, M. A. Al-Mansur, A. Gafur, O. Rahman, F. Afroz
{"title":"Isolation of Bulk Amount of Piperine as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) from Black Pepper and White Pepper (Piper nigrum L.)","authors":"Z. Khan, F. Moni, S. Sharmin, M. A. Al-Mansur, A. Gafur, O. Rahman, F. Afroz","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.87018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.87018","url":null,"abstract":"In the pharmaceutical world the majority of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) have been obtained from the natural products. Piperine is such naturally occurring alkaloid which can be considered as major bioactive phytochemical having broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. It is obtained from the most valuable ethnomedicinal spices peppercorns i.e. black pepper and white pepper, which are the fruits of the Asian vine Piper nigrum L. Because of the widespread traditional uses of this medicinal compound, present article reveals a simple and effective isolation method of bulk piperine. The novelty of this investigation is to provide an idea for utilizing such natural method of large scale commercial piperine production as API drug in spite of chemical synthesis. Piperine was isolated in a pure crystal form and characterized by its melting point, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) studies and spectral data, including two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) spectroscopy. Chromatographic techniques like Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were applied to determine the purity of the yielded piperine. It was found that piperine yield from black pepper was within 2.5% - 3.0% and from white pepper within 4.0% - 4.5% and the purity of the yielded piperine was found to be up to 98.5% for black pepper and 98.2% for white pepper. Considering this yield value and purity it is indicated that, such effective isolation method can be successfully utilized for industrial large-scale production commercially. According to the result, it can be claimed that, as a natural product the isolated piperine can also be utilized as API drug like other expensive chemically synthesized piperine in different drug formulation.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80444592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Enedina Zurita, M. Huerta, Luis De Jesús, F. Cruz, R. Ortiz-Butrón, G. Flores, M. J. Gómez-Villalobos
{"title":"Cerebrolysin Effects on Cardiac Neuropathy in Diabetic Rats","authors":"Enedina Zurita, M. Huerta, Luis De Jesús, F. Cruz, R. Ortiz-Butrón, G. Flores, M. J. Gómez-Villalobos","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.87015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.87015","url":null,"abstract":"Autonomic innervation of heart is abnormal in diabetes and produces altered cardiovascular parameters. Cerebrolysin is a neurotrophic factor that improves the dendritic tree and synapses in the central nerve system after brain damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate if cerebrolysin can improve the cardiac neuropathy generated in diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats two months old were injected with streptozotocin (70 mg/Kg/, ip). Hyperglycemia and altered cardiac rate were confirmed after eight weeks of STZ injection, and cerebrolysin treatment was started in control and diabetic rats for two months (1 ml/kg/day, ip). Body weight, heart rate, heart rate variability, arterial blood pressure, and blood glucose levels were measured. Also heart weight and levels of nitrites, NGF and VEGF were measured in left ventricle homogenates. The results show that body weight was reduced and blood glucose levels were increased significantly in diabetic rats. Cerebrolysin treatment produced no significant changes in body weight either in blood glucose level in control and diabetic rats. Cerebrolysin treatment in diabetic rats shows an improvement in the altered basal cardiac rate (306 ± 6.5 lat/min) compared to diabetic saline group (272 ± 8.9 lat/min: P < 0.05), without changes in control rats. Levels of nitrites, VEGF, and NGF in the left ventricle increased in diabetic cerebrolysin treated rats. In conclusion, the results show that cerebrolysin improves some abnormalities observed in the diabetic cardiac neuropathy in rats and suggest that could be considered an additional treatment to prevent or reduce the cardiac autonomic alterations generated in diabetes.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91057538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Megan A. Rocchio, K. Sylvester, N. Beik, N. Glasser, P. Szumita
{"title":"Retrospective Review of Propofol versus Etomidate during Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Emergency Department at a Tertiary Academic Center","authors":"Megan A. Rocchio, K. Sylvester, N. Beik, N. Glasser, P. Szumita","doi":"10.4236/PP.2017.87016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4236/PP.2017.87016","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Etomidate is the standard induction agent used during rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the emergency department (ED). Etomidate shortages require providers to utilize alternative agents. The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and procedural outcomes of propofol and etomidate for RSI in the ED. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of adult patients in the ED who received propofol or etomidate for induction during RSI. The main endpoint was hypotension, defined as a systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure < 60 mmHg, within the first hour of intubation. Time to intubation, intensive care unit length of stay, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality were also evaluated. Results: Two hundred and seventy five patient charts were reviewed. Of the 98 patients included, 43 patients received propofol and 55 patients received etomidate. Propofol was associated with an increased incidence of hypotension within the first hour of intubation (65.1% vs. 25.5%, p < 0.001). No difference was found in the time to intubation: ≤5 minutes (51.2% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.83). The mortality rate was 11.6% in the propofol group and 27.3% in the etomidate group (p = 0.004). There was no difference in hospital or intensive care unit length of stay between the propofol and etomidate groups (7.7 vs. 9.2 days, p = 0.23; 4.2 vs. 6.3 days, p = 0.31). Conclusion: Propofol was a safe and procedurally effective induction agent for RSI. Compared to etomidate, it was associated with an increased rate of hypotension within the first hour of intubation, with no difference in the percent of patients that required an intervention.","PeriodicalId":19875,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacology & Pharmacy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78872448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}