Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences最新文献

Objectives: The consumption of medicines has been increasing over the last decades. The lack of medication knowledge (MK) may affect the process of medication use and, consequently, may lead to negative health outcomes. This study carried out a pilot study using a new tool to assess MK in older patients in a daily clinical practice.

Materials and methods: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted, including older patients (≥65 years), taking two or more medicines, followed in a regional clinic. Data were collected during a structured interview, which included an algorithm for assessing MK regarding the identification of the medicines and its use and storage conditions. Health literacy and treatment adherence were also assessed.

Results: The study enrolled 49 patients, mainly between 65 and 75 years (n: 33; 67.3%) and polymedicated (n: 40; 81.6%), taking a mean of 6.9 ± 2.8 medicines per day. A lack of MK (score <50%) was observed in 15 (30.6%) participant patients. "Drug strength" and "storage conditions" were the items which presented the lowest score. MK was positively correlated with higher scores for health literacy and treatment adherence. Younger patients (age <65 years old) also had a higher MK score.

Conclusion: This study showed that the applied tool could evaluate the MK of the participants and identified specific gaps regarding MK within the process of medicine use. Further studies, with more participants, will allow the confirmation of these findings and will stimulate the development of specific strategies to improve MK, thus contributing to better health outcomes.

Paclitaxel (PTX) is used as a viable cancer medication in the chemotherapy of breast, ovarian, lung, bladder, neck, head, and esophageal tumors. The focus of this review is to survey various folate-targeting PTX-loaded nanopreparations in both research and clinical applications. There are diverse nanopreparations, including liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanopreparations, lipid nanopreparations, lipoprotein nanocarriers, and other inorganic nanopreparations for folate-associated PTX tumor targeting. Here, the folate targeting PTX-loaded nanopreparations, which have promising results in the constructive treatment of cancer by reducing toxic side-effects and/or improving effectiveness, was mainly reviewed.

Objectives: The study was aimed to formulate resveratrol (RSV) loaded microsponges to deliver drug at the wound site and incorporate it in the Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) gel base to provide an appropriate moist environment for wound management. RSV, a stilbenoid that activates sirtuins and cell-signaling regulators involved in the process of wound healing.

Materials and methods: Microsponges were prepared by oil in oil emulsion solvent diffusion method by optimizing the independent variables; drug: polymer ratio and volume of internal phase solvent and their effects on entrapment efficiency and particle size. Formulation batches were evaluated for drug content, production yield, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release. The microsponges were further incorporated into M. oleifera gum gel, which was then evaluated for spreadability, viscosity, ex vivo diffusion study and in vivo studies using an excision wound model in rats.

Results: Scanning electron microscopy revealed spherical and porous nature of the microsponges in vitro-release study of the optimized batch of RSV microsponges showed 80.88% drug release within 8 h. Differential scanning calorimetry results revealed no drug and polymer interaction during the formation of microsponges. An ex vivo diffusion study through goat skin revealed sustained release of RSV through porous microsponges embedded in the gel base at the wound site. An in vivo study performed using an excision wound model showed wound healing and closure within day 8. Histopathology showed increased re-epithelization and reduced ulceration in RSV microsponge gel-treated group compared with sham operated.

Conclusion: RSV microsponge gel delivered the drug at the wound site and the gel base provided a moist environment and influenced cell adhesion, thereby promoting faster wound healing.

Objectives: Aromatase is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. While inhibition of aromatase is a useful approach for treating breast cancer, it may also have toxicological consequences due to its endocrine disrupting/modulating effect. In this study, sensitivity and performance of two in vitro assays -a cell free and a cell-based- for evaluating aromatase activity were investigated by testing known aromatase inhibitors and partial validation of the methods was performed. Advantages and disadvantages of these methods are also discussed.

Materials and methods: Aromatase activity was evaluated via two in vitro models; direct measurement with a cell-free assay using a fluorescent substrate and recombinant human enzyme and indirect evaluation with a cell-based assay where cell proliferation was determined in estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 BUS) in the absence of estrogen and the presence of testosterone.

Results: In the cell-free direct measurement assay, reference compounds ketoconazole and aminoglutethimide have been shown to inhibit the aromatase enzyme with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values concordant with literature. In cell-based indirect measurement assay, only ketoconazole dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation with 3.47 x 10^-7 M IC₅₀. Inter-assay and intra-assay reproducibility of both methods was found to be within acceptable deviation levels.

Conclusion: Both methods can be successfully applied. However, to evaluate the potential aromatase activity of the novel compounds in vitro, it seems better to perform both the cell-based and the cell-free assays that allows low-moderate biotransformation and eliminate cytotoxicity potential, respectively.