Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume:14 Issue: 4, 2008

To determine the most common reasons of self medication، knowledge of people about self medication, to Compare OTC and POM users about knowledge and their sources of knowledge and effective factors on user's knowledge.

A cross-sectional study using a semi structural questionnaire was conducted among three hundred cases of 21 Tabriz pharmacies in 2007.

The most common reasons for self-medication were no need to see a doctor (41. 3%), having medicator at home (34. 0%), reducing cost 26. 7%) and not having sufficient time (13. 0%). Customers received higher quality information from pharmacists than physicians. Sixty percent and 30% of users respectively had much less information about side-effects and recognition between OTC and POM medicines. Effective factors on participant's knowledge of self-medication were education level (P<0. 001), job (P<0. 001), and marriage status (P<0. 001). There was no statistically significant difference between knowledge of participants about OTC and POM medicines, except the name of medicines (P<0. 020). Analgesics (OTC) and antibiotics (POM) were the most wanted medicine.

The results showed that people had much less information about the side-effects of medicines and recognition of the type of medicines (OTC or POM). Effort to increase participant's knowledge about medication is a necessary need especially for OTC medicines those are accessible easily. In this study antibiotics were the most demanded POM medication. Using provided information from pharmacists could be one of the most efficient methods to increase customer's knowledge.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in men and women in world wide. In molecular biology of lung cancer, different genes particularly telomerase gene expression seems to be under regulation of variety of factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum levels of Zn, Cu, and their ratio and telomerase gene expression in lung cancer patients. In this cross sectional study, 50 subjects with lung cancer and 20 patients with lung disease were recruited. The concentration of Zn and Cu were measured by atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Telomerase gene expression was carried out using TRAP Assay. The mean serum levels of Cu and the ration of Cu/Zn were significantly higher in lung cancer patients than non tumor lung disease (120.8 ± 5.70 vs. 107.20± 6.50 ug/dl) and (1.6 ±0.4 vs. 1.1 ±0.2) respectively (p<0.05). The mean serum levels of Zn were not significant between two groups. The Mean relative activity of telomerase as indirect telomerase gene expression, was significantly higher in lung cancer subjects than controls (32.80 ±16.10 vs. 0.00 percent) (p<0.01). There was a relatively positive correlation between telomerase activity and Cu concentration in lung cancer patients(r = 0.36, p<0.05). There was a positive and significant correlation between Cu levels and age (r = 0.39, p<0.01) and the Cu/Zn ratio and Cu concentration (r = 0.36, p<0.05). However, there was a reverse and highly significant correlation between Cu/Zn ration and Zn concentration (r = -0.72, p 0.01). In categorized lung carcinomas, the mean concentration of Cu was higher in small cell lung carcinoma (123.70 ±2.8 ug/dl) than in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (117.60 ±4.8 ug /dl) and this difference was significant (p<0.05). Telomerase activity was significantly higher in small cell lung carcinoma (112 ±0.57 percent) than non-small cell lung carcinoma (6.4 ±2.5 percent) (p<0.05). There was no difference in Zn and Cu/Zn ration in categorized lung cancer patients. It is speculated that evaluation of Zn, Cu in lung tumors could have some biological function in telomerase gene expression which indicate initiation and progression of tumor tissues.

Kinetic study of drug dissolution and release is of importance from different points of view including quality control, comparison, bioavailability of drug dosage forms and delivery systems. Thus, in the present work different kinetic models available in many scientific sources are reviewed analytically. Several equations and laws of dissolution and release were gathered from many sources. The models then were categorized into two general groups of applied to pure solids and conventional dosage forms as well as controlled release systems. Each group was further classified into subgroups for analytical purposes. The analytical review indicates that the models are essentially based on theoretical, semi-theoretical and empirical principles. Also some of the models are applicable for all forms i.e. pure solids, conventional forms and controlled release systems. Depending on the processes involved, the drug dissolution and release kinetic models are versatile. The prominent mechanisms of the processes which determine the kind of suitable kinetic model are diffusion, dissolution, osmosis and combination of these phenomena.

The fundamental mechanisms including development of tolerance and dependence on opioides are relationship between glutamatergic system and analgesic effect of opioides. However other reports show only the analgesic effect of gabapentin on glutamatergic system and NMDA receptors. In this study we evaluate individual effects of gabapentin and sodium selenite alone as well as co-administration of these drugs on the development and dependence to morphine. Experiments were performed on 18 groups (n=8) of albino swiss male mice weighing 25-30 g. Animals received saline (10 ml/kg, i.p.), vehicle of drugs (saline normal- 10 ml/kg, i.p.) with morphine (50 mg/kg, i.p.), morphine with gabapentin (10, 20, 40 mg/kg, i.p.) or sodium selenite (1, 2, 4 mg/kg, i.p.), morphine with both of drugs (gabapentin 10 mg and sodium selenite 1 mg) for a period of four days. On the fifth day, a hot-plate test was done after administration of test dose of morphine (9 mg/kg, i.p.). In order to assay the effect of gabapentin and sodium selenite on morphine dependence, animals received morphine (50 mg/kg, s.c.) and saline or drugs for five days. Two hours after the last dose of morphine, the naloxone (4 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected and withdrawal signs (jumping and standing on feet) were recorded for 30 minutes. The results showed that gabapentin (in all three doses) and sodium selenite (in two higher doses) decreased morphine tolerance (p<0.05- 0.001) and co-administration of these drugs had the additive effect (p<0.05). In dependence studies, the administration of gabapentin and sodium selenite alone decreased withdrawal signs (in two higher doses- jumping: p<0.01-0.001, standing on feet: p<0.05-0.01) and gabapentin pluse sodium selenite had additive effect only on jumping (p<0.001). Our data indicate that glutamatergic system and additive effect of the related antagonists have an essential role on development of tolerance and dependence to morphine.

Previous studies indicated that hippocampal opioid receptors have an important role in memory retrieval, but the underyling subtypes of opioid receptors are not known. The aim of the present study was investigate to examine the role of hippocampal kappa opioid receptors on spatial memory retrieval in a water maze. 80 young rats (250-300 gr) in Wistar strain, carrying bilateral cannulae aimed at the hippocampus were trained in a WM task with six trials per day for six consecutive days. Retention of the spatial training was assessed 24h after the last training session with a 60-s probe trial. Animals were received inta-hippocampal injections of U111 (0.8, 2, 5 μg/0.5 μl per site), a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist or N-BNI (0.75, 1.5 and 3 μg/0.5 μl per site), a selective kappa opioid receptor antagonist 60 min before retention testing. Control animals received same volume of saline. The results showed that both U111 (0.8, 5 μg) and N-BNI in all tested doses induced an impairment of spatial memory retrieval as compared with control animals (P<0.05). Findings above indicated that hippocampal kappa opioid receptors have an important role in regulating of spatial memory retrieval.

Several studies indicate that central serotonergic neurons have important role in tolerance and dependency to morphine. The aim of this study was to investigate effect of buspirone (as a partial agonist of 5-HT1A receptors) in severity of morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice. Study was carried out on Swiss male albino mice weighing 25-30g. In order to induce dependency, we used daily subcutaneous injection of morphine at the schedule of: day 1=5 mg/kg; days 2-3=10 mg/kg; days 4-5=15 mg/kg; days 6-7=20 mg/kg and days 8-9= 25mg/kg. Withdrawal syndrome was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of naloxone (5 mg/kg) and then straub tail and jumps were recorded during 40 min period as indicators of morphine withdrawal syndrome. In treated groups, buspirone (5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) was co-injected daily with morphine and severity of naloxone induced withdrawal behaviors were recorded at day 9. Our results showed that naloxone induces sever (P<0.001) withdrawal behaviors (as indicated by straub tail and jumping behaviors) in morphine dependent mice. Daily coinjection of buspirone (5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg) with morphine caused significant (P<0.001) reduction in straub tail and jumping behaviors. Buspirone (5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg) did not produced any significant effect on morphine withdrawal syndrome. Results of this study show that buspirone attenuates morphine withdrawal behaviors.

Many evidance indicated that glucocorticoids play an important role in emotional learning and memory processess and suggested that this effecsts were differentiated in during of memory consolidation and memory retreival. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pripheral injection of corticosteron as a agonist of glucocorticoid receptors on consolidtaion and retreival of spatial memory. In this experimental study 100 male Wistar rats (250 – 300 gr) were used. At the first animals were trained in a Water Maze task with eight trials for one day for consolidation and six trials per day for six consecutive days for retreival processess. Retention of the spatial training was assessed 24h after the last training session with a 60-s probe trial. Corticosterone (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 3 mg/kg) was injected IP immediately after training or 30 min before retention testing. The results show that corticosterone in doses of 1 and 3 mg/kg induced enhance of consolidation and impair of retrieval spatial memory (P<0.01). But in doses of 0.1 and 0.5 hadnot significantly effects (P>0.05). These findings provide evidence for the view those glucocorticoids have differentialy effects of consolidation and retreival of spatial memory.

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders and may cause symptoms, such as rectal bleeding, pain, soiling, prolapse, secretion and pruritus. The previously marketed ointment had low efficacy in the treatment of hemorrhoids. The aim of this study was to formulate an herbal ointment from Quercus, Black cumin and Fenugreek for the treatment of internal anal hemorrhoids. The plants were extracted using percolation method. Tannin percent in Quercus and mucilage content in Fenugreek were determined. The pH and percent of dried extraction were determined. The extracts were incorporated in absorption bases and after preliminary studies 5 formulations were prepared finally. Physicochemical tests such as content uniformity, creaming and coalescence, centrifugal tests, freeze and thaw test, cooling and heating test, thermal tests and pH changing were determined. After concentration of extracts, from every 100 g of Quercus, Black cumin and Fenugreek, 26.1±4.1, 25.5±2.1, 22.3±3.5 gram concentrated extract were resulted respectively. After drying of extracts, weight of dried extracts result from 100 g extract of Quercus, Black cumin and Fenugreek were 16.7±. , 18.8±1.9, 15.2±1.4 gram respectively. The pH of extracts used in the formulations were in the range of 6.0- 6.4. All formulations except No. 4 had appropriate physicochemical characteristics with respect to appearance, consistency, viscosity, content uniformity and stability parameters. The prepared formulations were stable in the experimental conditions. From 5 formulations, 4 were stable and the third formulation was selected for the next clinical trial on hemorrhoids.

Topical clindamycin is widely used and is highly effective in the treatment of acne. Since 1981 clindamycin phosphate has been commercially available in a solution formulation. However topical clindamycin preparations are still occasionally compounded from clindamycin hydrochloride capsules by pharmacists at the time of dispensing. In this study we aimed to prepare a gel formulation of clindamycin hydrochloride and also to evaluate its biological activity for treatment of acne. Eight different formulation of 1% gel clindamycin hydrochloride in hydroxy ethyl cellulose were prepared. In some of the formulations allantoin was also added. Stability studies were done by cylinder plate method using Micrococcus luteus PTCC1110 as microorganism. Clinical studies also were done by a double blind study on 3 groups of patients. Two formulations (one with allantoin and the second without it) were tested for the biological activity and compared with 2% gel erythromycin. Patients who applied the clindamycin formulation with allantoin showed more decrease in the number of papules, pustules, open and closed comodone in comparison to patients who applied the clindamycin formulation without allantoin. Both these two formulations were more effective than the erythromycin formulation. All of the formulations kept 97% of their potency after 8 mounts and a shelf life of 2 years for the products were determined. The results showed desirable anti acne activity for 1% gel clindamycin hydrochloride in comparison to erythromycin. Gel formulation of clindamycin hydrochloride is a suitable preparation for acne and economically preferred to clindamycin phosphate.

In the present study, effects of rhizome hydroalcoholic extract of Cynodon dactylon (L.) pers. (C. dactylon) on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced cardiac infarct size were investigated. Isolated rat hearts were mounted on a Langendorff apparatus then subjected to 30min regional ischemia followed by 120min reperfusion. The hearts were perfused by a modified Krebs solution throughout theexperiment (control) or enriched Krebs solution with extract of C. dactylon (25, 50, 100 and 200μg/ml) during I/R. At the end of reperfusion, the hearts were stained by Evans blue solution then incubated by Triphenyltetrazolium chloride. The volume of infracted tissue, risk zone and the percentage of infarct size were determined by computerized planimetry. The results demonstrated that rhizome hydroalcoholic extract of C. dactylon produces significant reduction in infarct size and volume of infracted tissue versus the control. In the control group, infarct size was 34.3±2.3%, while perfusion of C. dactylon extract (25, 50, 100 and 200μg/ml) reduced it to 4.9±2.2 (p 0.001), 13.4±3.4 (p<0.001), 20.5±3.6 (p<0.01) and 32±3.7% (p>0.05), respectively. Similarly, infracted volume was significantly lowered by the extract (25, 50 and 100μg/ml) from 121±19mm3 (control) to 21±9 (p<0.001), 34±13 (p<0.001) and 67±9mm3 (p<0.05), respectively. Reduction of infarct size and infracted volume were reversely dependent on the concentration of extract. For the first time, results of this study showed protective action of C. dactylon against I/R injuries as reduction of infarct size. Maybe, improvement of some hemodynamic parameters in the isolated hearts may involve in the protective effects of C. dactylon.

Eugenol or isoeugenol have additional antimicrobial, local anesthetic and analgesic properties as well as chelating activity. The purpose of this study is preparation and purification of eugenol and isoeugenol polymers in radicalic or cationic reactions that they can be used as cementing agent. Isoeugenol in 90% yield was prepared from eugenol by isomerization in boiling amyl alcohol in the presence of KOH. Eugenol and isoeugenol acetates were synthesized by use of acetic anhydride and then substrated into radicalic and cationic catalyzed polymerization reactions which resulted in polyeugenol and polyisoeugenol acetate polymers. These polymeric products were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Acetylated polymers were hydrolyzed to polyeugenol and polyisoeugenol in basic solution. The results revealed that cationic polymerization with etheral boron trifluoride is suitable method than radicalic, because reaction was carried out at low temperature and the polymers had very high molecular weight corresponding high degree of polymerization. The obtained polymers then were fractionated to high molecular weight by precipitation in light petroleum ether solvent or steam distillation. After purification, the average molecular weight and poly dispersity index of polymers can be modified.

Nepeta menthoides is an endemic specious of North West and Azarbaijan province of Iran. Samples of the plant have been collected from Sahand Mountain and its essential oil was studied. The essential oil of Nepeta menthoides was extracted by Clevenger apparatus and its component was analyzed by means of GC-MS. From eighteen constituents representing 97.07% of the oil, 4aα, 7a, 7aα neptalactone (36.85%), 1.8-cineole (31.29%), 1-terpinene-4-ol (4.39%), α-terpineole (4.2%) geranyl acetat (3.5%). neryl acetat (3.5%) and β-pinene (3.39%) were the major components of the oil. The finding of the present study and previously published one suggest that two chemotypes of oil: neptalactone and 1.8-cineole may be present in Nepeta menthoides.

ECM33 gene encodes a protein which belongs to a large group of GPI anchored protein family. Although the precise molecular function of this protein is unknown, several studies have demonstrated an important role in fungal cell wall integrity and virulence. The aim of this study was to identify and clone ECM33 gene in Aspergillus niger. Also the expressional analysis of the gene was carried out. The complete genomic sequence of ECM33 gene along with 5' and 3' flanking regions has been identified in Aspergillus niger by means of bioinformatics and using ECM33 gene of A. fumigatus as template. The genomic fragment was PCR-amplified using specific primers and subsequently was cloned. The expression analysis was performed by RT-PCR. The Aspergillus niger ECM33 gene containing 1327 bp was cloned as a 5.2 kb fragment. Bioinformatic analysis predicted the presence of two introns which was confirmed experimentally. The gene product is a 397 amino acids protein with approximately 70% identity to the homologue proteins from other aspergilli. Expression analysis of ECM33 under different growth conditions including different temperatures, different carbon sources, and differentnitrogen sources confirmed a constitutive expression. This is the first report on characterization of ECM33 gene in an industrially important fungus, Aspergillus niger. The cloned fragment will be used in construction of gene disruption cassette which will be subsequently applied in gene knock out experiments.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oral administration of quercetin (5 mg/kg) and kaempferol (5 mg/kg) versus allopurinol (5 mg/kg) on serum uric acid levels, biomarkers of oxidative stress (total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde concentration) and liver xanthine oxidase/xanthine dehydrogenase activity in normal and hyperuricemic rats. A total of 48 male Wistar rats (body weights: 180-200 g) were randomly divided into eight equal groups including normal; normal + quercetin (5 mg/kg); normal + kaempferol (5 mg/kg); normal + allopurinol (5 mg/kg); hyperuricemic; hyperuricemic + quercetin (5 mg/kg); hyperuricemic + kaempferol (5 mg/kg); hyperuricemic + allopurinol (5 mg/kg) once a day for 14 days. Experimentally hyperuricemia in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate (250 mg/kg). Quercetin and kaempferol treatments for 14 days significantly reduced the serum uric acid levels of hyperuricemic rats in a timedependent manner. All treatments significantly inhibited hepatic xanthine oxidase/xanthine dehydrogenase activity. Quercetin and kaempferol treatment led also to a significant improve in biomarkers of oxidative stress in hyperuricemic rats. Although the hypouricemic effect of allopurinol was much higher than that of quercetin and kaempferol, it could not significantly change oxidative stress biomarkers. The results indicate that these polyphenols could be as possible alternative for allopurinol, and/or as therapeutic supplements to minimize the side effects of allopurinol in treating hyperuricemia and oxidative stress diseases.

This study aimed to investigate the vascular effect of geraniol, a monoterpene essential oils that is found in some medicinal plants, in rat thoracic aorta. The thoracic aorta was isolated, cut into rings, mounted in organ-bath chambers containing Krebs’s solution (37°C, 95%O2 and 5%CO2) and equilibrated in resting tension (2g) for 60 min. Isometric tension was recorded under the treatments with vasoconstrictors, geraniol, and various drugs as pharmacological interventions. The effect of geraniol on the contractions evoked by noradrenaline (10μM) was tested after 20 min pre-incubation of aortic rings with increasing concentrations of geraniol in the bath. In various experiments the endothelium- intact or -denuded aortic rings contracted by 80 mM potassium chloride. When contraction was stable geraniol was applied. Relaxation was expressed as % reduction or reversal of initial contraction induced by vasocative agents. The possible participation of nitric oxide (NO), intracellular cyclic GMP and prostacyclin in the relaxant effects of geraniol, were studied by incubating (for 20 min) some rings with the NO synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 200 μM), methylene blue(10 μM) and indomethacin (10μM), respectively. Geraniol in dose dependent manner reduced the contractile response to noradrenalin and relaxed of KCl induced active tone in rat aorta. Relaxant effects of geraniol on the KCl induced contraction was not modified by L-NAME, methylene blue and indomethacin. In conclusion geraniol induced dose dependent relaxation in rat aorta, which was endothelium-independent.