Assessment of drug prescribing pattern and prescription errors in elderly patients

The rate of aging is rapidly increasing and the term of geriatric refers to offer a medical care to elderly people. Drug consumption study on geriatric population is a vital issue since this group is totally neglected in Libya. The aim of this study was to assess drug utilization pattern among elderly patients in terms of world health organization core prescribing indicators and to evaluate the treatment cost. A total of 106 prescriptions were randomly collected from different community pharmacies located in Tripoli during the summer 2019, and were evaluated (total number of prescribed drugs is 359) for their clinical efficacy and safety. The findings revealed that 60 drugs acting on GIT (16.7%), 50 antimicrobial drugs (13.9%), 31 antihypertensive drugs (8.6%) and 30 drugs for respiratory diseases (8.4%) were prescribed to patients who are 65 years old or more. With regard to disease pattern in the elderly Libyan patients, 27 drugs were prescribed for diabetes mellitus (7.5%), 24 drugs for cardiovascular drugs (6.7%) and 14 drugs for anti-hyperlipidemia (3.9%). According to the WHO core drug use indicator pattern, the average number of drugs prescribed per encounter was 3.3. Prescription by generic name was low (41.5%). Antibiotics were 36.8% while injections were 26.6%. Thus, this study suggest that geriatric medicine and rational drug use should strongly be implanted in medical schools and teaching hospitals. Besides, a drug pattern use of the Libyan community is urgently required to avoid drug prescribing errors.

Fathi M. Sherif Fathi m. sherif

Vaccination coverage and timeliness among children aged 12-23 months in kongwa district, dodoma, tanzania

Children's vaccinations play a significant role in public health efforts, particularly in reducing morbidity and mortality rates among children worldwide. However, challenges such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, misinformation, and perceptions continue to affect the achievement of immunization goals in Tanzania and other developing countries. Based on the need to protect the community from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, this study aimed to assess vaccination coverage and timeliness among children aged 12-23 months who attended postnatal immunization clinics in the Kongwa district located in the Dodoma region, Tanzania. A quantitative cross-sectional study was employed, involving 200 children who visited vaccination clinics along with their caregivers. Data were obtained through a questionnaire prepared and vaccination cards. This current study revealed that 96.0% were fully vaccinated, with 4.0% partially vaccinated, while no children were found to be totally unvaccinated. Timeliness varied across vaccines assed vaccines: 75.0% of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccinated on time, four doses of Oral Polio Vaccine ranged from 74.0-87.0% of on time vaccination. Three doses of the Pentavalent Vaccine and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine had on-time vaccination rates ranging from 79.5% to 86.0%. Two doses of the Rotavirus Vaccine reached on-time rates of 84.5% to 86.0%. 60.5% of people received the Measles and Rubella vaccine, with 35.5% experiencing delays and 4.0% remaining unvaccinated. This study revealed that, despite the national efforts to improve vaccination rates for children, issues such as delays and incomplete immunizations persist. Strategies like community engagement, continuous training for healthcare professionals, and improving healthcare accessibility in remote areas should be reinforced to improve vaccination uptake in Tanzania.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Experimental investigation of double delta wings with different angles of attack at subsonic speeds

The wind tunnel experimental study has been carried out on a double delta wing of different geometrical configurations such as 80°/45°, 75°/45° and 70°/45° sweep angles given as Model I, Model II and Model III with various freestream velocities from 10 to 40 m/s with a step of 10 m/s in Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, Low Speed Wind tunnel (HITSLSWT). The experiment is conducted for the measurement of lift and drag forces using single component force balance. The investigation was done to look into the effects of changing the double delta wing's leading edge sweep angles. Three differentmodels have been tested at various angles of attack ranging from0° to +16° and 0° to −16° with 4° and four different freestream velocities based on the delta wing’s chord. It is observed that the influence of variation of leading edge sweep angles affects the performance of aerodynamic characteristics of themodel. The increase in angle in attack with increased velocity gives better aerodynamic performance. This paper provides good insight into the aerodynamic force measurement of double delta wing and the low-speed performance of the models.

Boopathy Govindarajan Boopathy govindarajan

Ai-enhanced remote patient monitoring: a technological frontier in personalized healthcare

This paper delves into the dynamic intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), exploring how the integration of these technologies is reshaping the landscape of healthcare. By examining recent breakthroughs, practical implementations, and ethical considerations, the article elucidates the transformative potential of AI-enhanced RPM in providing personalized, proactive, and efficient healthcare solutions.

Dhruvitkumar Talati Dhruvitkumar talati

Importance of herbaria in herbal drug discovery

The conservation of traditional medicinal knowledge opens the door towards modern aspects of herbal drug discovery. It started with knowledge exchange through ethnic groups through oral tradition and then in the documented form. Herbaria conserving identified and authenticated plants for future correspondence play an important role. In presenting the review, the authors have declared different auxiliary aspects of herbaria for phytomedicinal research.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of four varieties of bell pepper (capsicum annum l.) in rodents

The aim of the study was to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of four different colored (green, yellow, orange, and red) sweet bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are available at the local market in Karachi, Pakistan. Their 95% ethanol extracts at 200 and 400 mg/kg were prepared and compared with commonly used analgesics (aspirin) and anti-inflammatory agents supporting its traditional use. The analgesic effects of 95% ethanol extracts of Capsicum annum L. were investigated by acetic acid-induced writhing, tail immersion and hot plate test. The anti-inflammatory activities were observed using carrageenan-induced edema of the hind paw in rats. Animals were divided into ten groups (n=7): (1) Control (2) CAG 200 (3) CAG 400 (4) CAR 200 (5) CAR 400 (6) CAO 200 (7) CAO 400 (8) CAY 200 (9) CAY 400 and (10) Standard. All the extracts were given orally. Acute toxicity was also determined by increasing the dose to 3000 mg/kg, which showed no evidence of mortality. All extracts of Capsicum significantly increased the hot plate pain threshold and remarkably reduced the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema. Results obtained were compared with the corresponding control group, revealing that the fresh fruit extract of all four kinds of bell pepper (200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg) possess anti-inflammatory and pain-suppressing activities possibly mediated via PG synthesis inhibition

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Performance analysis of first order digital sigma delta adc

Ever-growing era of mobile and personal wireless networks, motivated research in several fields of engineering resulted in low power and low cost consumer products. The voice band processing required in mobile applications demand for architectures, which can easily be integrated in single chip SoC applications. The conventional approach is to have a dedicated IC outside the digital ICs to perform analog to digital conversion. The motivation of single chip radios demand for integration of such ADC modules on digital cellular related ICs. Mixed signal design is very challenging and hence usually it is preferred to have separate ADC chip before the ASIC/FPGA. In this paper we present a digital sigma delta ADC architecture, which can perfectly be integrated in any digital IC with a targeted sampling rate of 20 kS/s with more than 80 dB dynamic range.

P.a. harsha vardhini

Zootherapeutics (animal-based remedies) for urolithiasis: history, current scenario and future dimensions

Animals like plants are also medicinal agents for preventing and curing different health problems worldwide, practically in all human cultures. Zootherapy is ancient and has strong evidence of the medicinal use of animal resources. Different animal body parts and preparations are used in folk medicines. Zootherapy reveals that medical practitioners have always considered animals a source of surprising and numerous therapeutic effects. A high diversity of animals, their parts, and derivative products are used, and this is a heritage that could constitute a fundamental step in the discovery and isolation of natural extracts and new and low-cost alternative drugs from animals. About 12% of people worldwide are affected by different types of urolithiasis; the recurrence rate in females is 47-60%, and in males is 70-80%. According to WHO, 75% of the population relies on traditional medicines to prevent and cure diseases. Hence, there is a need to concentrate on all folk natural products effective in urolithiasis for their pharmacological evaluation and isolation of single drug molecules responsible for anti-urolithiasis activity to develop suitable formulations against urolithiasis.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Public perception and behavior on the disposal of unused and expired drugs

Evidence demonstrates that inappropriate drug disposal creates a significant risk to global environmental safety. Study participants' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding the disposal of unwanted and expired medications were assessed. The study was carried out at Sebha city, in southwestern Libya, from October 2021 to April 2022. A self-administered questionnaire designed explicitly to be completed by a respondent without an interviewer's assistance was used. Out of 650, only 500 completed questionnaires was returned. The majority of the respondents admitted they have at least one medication stored at home (71.6%). Keeping expired drugs were reported by 28.2% of the respondents compared with unused medications in their house (51.2%). Almost half of the respondents (47.4%) declared that their medication were taking from the private pharmacies. “I’ll need it in the future” (48.8%), "Medicines change" (37.2%) and "Symptoms improve and recover" (32.6%) were the top three explanations given by participants. The majority of drugs reported were antibiotics (41.0%). This is followed by antipyretic and analgesic drugs, which were used by 29.8% and 27.8% of respondents, respectively. 52.2% of the respondents agreed that disposing of medicines in the garbage is the most appropriate method. Concordantly, the majority of them indicated they discarded unused or expired medicines whether they were solid (82.6%), liquid (58.4%), or semisolid (79.6%). The majority of participants indicated they were aware of the negative impact of drug waste on the environment (80.6%). More than three quarters of the participants said they had never been given instructions on how to properly dispose of medications and 60.8% thought a medical team would be the best source of knowledge. Despite acknowledging being aware of the harmful effects on the environment, the majority of participants admitted to keeping unneeded pharmaceuticals in their homes and throwing them out in the trash. The government should support the pharmacists' role in educating the public about how to properly dispose of their medications and establish the Return Unwanted Medicines Project in order to raise awareness and create cost-effective medication waste management programs.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Prevalence of thrombocytopenia during pregnancy among libyan women

Thrombocytopenia is a recurrent hematological disturbance in pregnancy. In pregnant women with thrombocytopenia, the risk of excessive bleeding during or after child-birth is high, particularly when they require a cesarean section, other surgery during pregnancy, labor or in the puerperium period. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women attending antenatal care service at Tripoli University Hospital, Libya. A cross-sectional analysis was used to determine the prevalence thrombocytopenia in pregnant women attending prenatal care services from July to December, 2020 at Tripoli University Hospital. A structured pretested questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic data, nutritional factors, obstetrics and gynecological factors, history and clinical conditions. Venous blood samples were collected for platelet count and other platelet parameters, which determined by using Sysmex automation. A total of 72 participated women; about 40%, 35% and 259% of the participants were in the third, second and first trimester, respectively. The mean number of children that women have was 2, with 2.7% having just one child and 47% having three or more children. This study concluded that the prevalence of thrombocytopenia and mostly with mild form is 8.3% and as being greater among pregnant women living in rural areas. Health care providers should do thrombocytopenia test regularly for every pregnant woman in order to prevent excessive bleeding during pregnancy, especially whom living in rural areas.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Bridging the digital divide: understanding consumer awareness towards cyber security in rural and urban communities

In an era of rapid technological advancement, the digital divide between rural and urban communities has become increasingly apparent. This study aims to investigate consumer awareness towards cyber security in both rural and urban settings, recognizing its critical importance in safeguarding personal and sensitive information. The study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to bridge the digital divide in cyber security awareness. Policymakers, educators, and community leaders must collaborate to implement initiatives tailored to the unique needs of rural populations, including improving access to technology, enhancing digital literacy programs, and fostering a culture of cyber security consciousness. By addressing these disparities, we can strive towards a more inclusive and resilient digital society where all individuals, regardless of their geographic location, are empowered to navigate the digital landscape securely. This research paper delves into the awareness and attitudes of consumers regarding cyber security in both rural and urban settings. With the increasing prevalence of online activities, particularly e-commerce, understanding the level of awareness and concerns about cyber security is crucial. The study analyzes data collected from 100 respondents, examining demographics, online shopping behavior, encounters with security issues, familiarity with safety measures, and sources of information about cyber security. The findings provide insights into the digital divide between rural and urban communities and offer recommendations for enhancing cyber security awareness and education.

Dr. Kishor Bholane Dr. kishor bholane

India’s trade growth: a comprehensive analysis of import and export

India’s economic system has undergone significant changes in recent years reflecting globalization and changes in national policies. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of India’s economic growth, focusing on imports and exports. The study explores the key drivers of economic expansion, including trade liberalization, trade agreements, and technological advancement. It also explores the impact of international trade and geopolitical events on business models. It assesses the role of policy measures such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Make in India initiative, and various free trade agreements in generating economic benefits. The paper also assesses the trade balance and its impact on India’s economic stability and growth. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving the market, including diversifying entrepreneurs, investing in infrastructure, and strengthening the domestic economy. The review provides insights to policymakers, businesses, and academics who want to understand and harness India’s economic potential in the global economy.

Dr Gedam Kamalakar Dr gedam kamalakar

Intergenerational epigenetic inheritance: a minireview of mechanisms and implications for human health and disease

The concept of inherited memories, where experiences from one generation can influence the traits and behaviors of subsequent generations, has long captivated scientific curiosity. Recent advancements in epigenetics have provided compelling evidence for the potential mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. This focused brief review article outlines the current state of knowledge on inherited memories, examining the transgenerational effects observed in animal models, the epigenetic mechanisms involved, and the environmental influences that shape these heritable traits. Additionally, Highlights about emerging areas of inquiry were explored, including the cross-generational transmission of social behaviors, the evolutionary implications of inherited memories, and the ethical considerations surrounding research in humans. Thus, a unique perspective could be deduced from this rapidly evolving field and accordingly, further research could be stimulated into the implication of inherited memories.

Mostafa Eissa Mostafa eissa

A toxicity study of methanolic extract of calliandra surinamensis seeds on liver functions in rodents

Medicinal plants and herbal drugs have widely been used in several diseases which contain highly active pharmacological agents. Several previous studies have mounted about the hepatotoxicity of these remedies which ranges from mild enzyme alterations to liver failure in humans and animals. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity profile of the crude methanolic seed extract of Calliandra surinamensis on rat liver functions. An acute toxicity study was carried out using modified Lorke’s method and sub-chronic toxicity was done following the Organisation for Economic Cooperative and Development guidelines with testing chemicals 423 and 407 to assess the effect of the seed extract on liver function alongside histopathology assessment of the liver. The haematological indices revealed no significant change in red blood cells and other haematological parameters. The average organ weight of the tested rats showed no significant differences. The histopathological examinations of the rat liver revealed no observable toxic injury to the tissue after treatment with the seed extract across all concentrations. There were desirable morphological vasoactive changes of dilatation and active congestion in the organ across all the concentrations which were dose-dependent. There was induced activation of the sinusoidal kupffer cells, which signified a boost to the local immune system of the liver. The nucleoli in the hepatocyte nuclei were remarkably conspicuous which implied an increase in the production of ribonucleic acid that is deployed in protein synthesis.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on prevention of selected postoperative complications among patients undergoing abdominal surgeries

The aim of the study is to: assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on prevention of selected postoperative complications among 300 patients undergoing abdominal surgeries in selected hospitals. A pre-experimental research design and convenient sampling technique was adopted study. Data were collected by using structured interview schedule and structured questionnaire was used to assess the existing knowledge regarding prevention of selected post operative complications. Shows that majority (42.70%) subjects had inadequate knowledge and (18.30%) had moderate knowledge in pre test. In post test majority 44 (73.3%) had adequate knowledge and 16 (26.7) had moderate knowledge. The pre test mean score was 16.15 with the standard deviation of 4.65, whereas in post test the mean score was 30.7 with the standard deviation of 5.387 which indicates that structured teaching programme is statistically significant at P<0.01 level. There was significant difference between the pre test and post test knowledge scores t=20.56, P<0.01 level. There was a significant association between pre test knowledge scores with their education and no association between age, gender, religion, occupation, marital status, type of family, place of domicile, dietary pattern, personal habits and source of health information at P<0.01 level. Author concluded that that post test knowledge scores was improved after structured teaching programme. So structured teaching programme was effective in increasing the knowledge level regarding prevention on selected post operative complications among patients undergoing abdominal surgeries.

Prof.K.C Yadav Prof.k.c yadav

Unveiling of cannabidiol in the treatment of rare childhood epilepsies: dravet and lennox gastaut syndromes

In childhood, epilepsy is the most common globally widespread neurological problem, usually with serious consequences for this most critical period of development. Dravet and Lennox Gastaut syndromes are two forms of rare and severe treatment resistant epilepsies that occur early in the life. These resistant epilepsies recognised by continuous unrelenting seizures of many types including the occurrence of status epilepticus. In addition, it is associated with the development of behavioural, neurological, cognitive deficits and the sequelae of increased risk of mortality rate. Historically, cannabis was found to possess several medical benefits including its use for epilepsy. In this review, information and data were extracted from 99 references using PubMed and Google Scholar (November, 2021). Data with clinical evidence on cannabidiol regarding its efficacy on Dravet syndrome and Lennox Gastaut syndrome, mechanism of action, safety, pharmacokinetic properties and interactions with anti-epileptic medications were all reviewed and discussed. Highly purified cannabidiol is a cannabis derived compound that is suggested in recent research as an add-on therapy to the existing treatment of both resistant epileptic types; since it is able to reduce the duration, frequency and severity of seizure disorders. It is also characterised with multiple signalling transduction mechanisms, primarily via inhibition of excitatory and potentiation of inhibitory pathways.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

What really matters: experiences of emergency remote teaching in university teaching and learning during the covid-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and related lock downs have accelerated the need for online and remote teaching within university settings. However, due to the abrupt nature of the pandemic, many academic staff were not prepared for this forced transition. This study aimed to understand how the pandemic affected academics at a New Zealand university, with regards to their transition to emergency remote teaching. Specifically, it explores the challenges as well as benefits academics experienced during this transition. Recommendations for future online learning are also made. Academic staff (N 67) at a New Zealand University completed an anonymous online survey. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Major challenges experienced included miscommunication from the university, concerns about student access to technology, finding a quiet space to work, lack of digital competence skills, too much screen-time, managing work hours, and work/ life balance. Benefits included enhanced flexibility, enhanced teacher creativity, increasing autonomy of learners, and reduced commute time. Looking forward, academic staff desired future teaching to include blended learning and virtual immersion. New strategies of working remotely are being explored to facilitate teaching and learning while catering to the preferences and skills of both educators and students. Our findings honor the considerable agility of academic staff who sought to sustain and enhance excellence in remote education. At an institutional level our findings point to the need for staff to be supported by their institutions as they further refine their work within new-found spaces

Gwen Erlam Gwen erlam

Characterizations of the active ingredients of methanol extract of weaver ant and its analgesic activity in mice

Pain according to WHO has been one of the greatest issues to plague man, in the bid to handle this issue of pain, man has sought to look for other means to reduce pain to its bare minimum. This study is aimed at investigating the analgesic activity of the methanolic extract of the African weaver ant using acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate method, and formalin-induced pain models in Swiss mice. In the acetic acid test, the methanolic extract of Oecophylla longinoda (OL) was administered orally at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight while aspirin was administered at 100 mg/kg and tween 80 served as standards. In the hot plate and formalin models, the extract was administered orally at two doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg while pentazocine at 10 mg/kg and tween 80 at 10 mg/kg served as standards. The methanolic extract of OL exhibited significant analgesic activity in all the models, with none less than the standard significant difference (p < 0.05) by increasing the reaction time of the mice after treatment in comparison to the control. The 400 mg/kg extract in the acetic acid-induced writhing response has a percentage inhibition of 52.7%, which shows how well the extract inhibits pain in mice. The methanolic extract significantly reduced pain response in mice, with a p-value of 0.03, 0.02, and 0.001 in all the test models, respectively. OL increased the pain threshold over time and significantly reduced the writhing response that mice experience from acetic acid. Furthermore, pretreatment with OL significantly and dose-dependently decreased the early and late phases of formalin-induced pain in mice. Thus, these findings suggest that the methanolic extract of OL acts on central and peripheral pain pathways.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Long-standing iron deficiency anemia could be a presentation of non-classical celiac disease: a case report and literature review

Celiac disease (CeD) is a complex disorder characterized by gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms as well as extraintestinal manifestations, sometimes difficult to diagnose. Commonly referred to as a childhood disease, adult CeD is a well-known entity that should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic diarrhea or malabsorption syndrome. The pathogenesis involves a genetically mediated autoimmune pathway. In individuals with genetic susceptibility, the mucosa of the small intestine is damaged in response to foods containing gluten. The clinical presentation is variable and ranges from typical GI symptoms to extra-intestinal and systemic manifestations. Clinical improvement and restoration of the intestinal mucosa occur simply by eliminating gluten from the diet. We reported a case of CeD in a young man after 6 years of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), without asserting a clear etiology during this time. In our country, the search for CeD in patients with IDA is usually forgotten and we hereby put it in the spotlight.

Karishma Karishma

Anti-emetic activity of cleome brachycarpa vahl ., and cleome viscosa l., (leaves) in chicks

Cleome brachycarpa Vahl . and Cleome viscosa L. were evaluated for anti-emetic activity in the copper sulfate-induced chick emesis model. Emesis was induced by copper sulfate (50 mg/kg), and the methanolic extracts of leaves were tested orally at a dose of 150 mg/kg. Chlorpromazine (150mg/kg orally) was used as standard anti-emetic drug. The anti-emetic activity was determined by calculating the mean decrease in the number of retching as compared with the control. Cleome brachycarpa and Cleome viscosa showed comparable anti-emetic activity with chlorpromazine.Cleome brachycarpa Vahl ., and Cleome viscosa L., leaves extract in a dose of 150 mg/kg body weight., reduced the numbers of retches by 57.57% and 43.06%. Cleome brachycarpa significantly (**P<0.005) reduced the number of retches. The group of chicks treated with chlorpromazine had 45 retches compared to the 71 retches of the control group, thus chlorpromazine reduced the retches by 36.99%. From the results, it is clear that Cleome brachycarpa Vahl. and Cleome viscosa L. leaves extracts have antiemetic potential and are comparable with standard chlorpromazine. Although the result is significant the mode of action is not known. Antiemetic activity by using copper sulfate proposed 5-HT3, 5-HT4, or NK1 receptor antagonism. Therefore, the extracts effectively prevented its effect and had a peripheral anti-emetic action. As mentioned earlier, triterpenoids such as brachycarpone, deacetoxybrachycarpone, cabralealactone and ursolic acid are reported from Cleome brachycarpa6, whereas flavonoids are reported from Cleome viscosa. Flavonoids and triterpenoids possess anti-emetic properties18. So, if flavonoids and triterpenoids are present in the studied extracts, the observed anti-emetic effects may be due to flavonoids and triterpenoids. The present study is on the preliminary level, and further investigation is required to confirm the anti-emetic effect of Cleome brachycarpa Vahl ., and Cleome viscosa L. leaves and determine the compounds responsible for this activity with their possible mode of action.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

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