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To assess prescribing care indicators, utilization pattern, cost per prescription, cost ratios, and percent cost variation of antidepressants (ADs).A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out at the tertiary care hospital of Peshawar, Pakistan among major depressive disorder (MDD) outpatients from July 2019 to February 2020. The ideal standards for World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing care indicators were used. The ePharma Guide was used to calculate the cost in Pakistani rupees (Rs) and United States dollar (USD) 2021 (exchange rate: 1 USD = 154.43 Rs).A total of 296 MDD patients received 846 drugs (average 2.86; range:1-8), of which 366 were ADs (average number ADs/prescription; 1.23). About 23% (n = 68) of patients received more than one AD. Only 21 (5.7%) generic ADs were prescribed, and 346 (94.5%) ADs were prescribed from the hospital formulary list. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were the most prescribed ADs (67.5%). The average cost of ADs per prescription per month was 700.95 Rs (4.54 USD). Escitalopram (5.69 Rs; 0.04 USD) showed highest cost ratio and maximum percentage cost variation (468.97%).This study observed low generic prescribing, a higher prescribing trend of SSRI, wide differences in cost ratio and percentage cost variation among ADs.

Current study aimed to develop and evaluate interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) nanogels for transdermal delivery of ondansetron (OND) using combination of natural and synthetic polymers. Owing ...

In the aftermath of global warming, organizations are coming under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and generally become more responsible in their practices. To this ...

Curcumin has been reported to be used widely against many types of pathological conditions in clinics. However due to its limitations such as poor solubility, poor oral absorption and low stability has limited its applications. In current study, a series of novel chemically cross-linkable depot gel formulations were developed based on thermoresponsive micellar polymer (Pluronic®127) with polyelectrolyte hydrophilic monomer i.e. 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid by cold and insitu grafting polymerization method. The formulations were aimed to deliver curcumin at controlled rate from insitu formed depot after administration through subcutaneous route invivo. The sol-gel phase transitions of formulations were observed by rheological analysis, tube titling and optical transmittance measurements. Maximum swelling of gel formulations was observed at pH 7.4 and below CGT i.e. 25 °C. The invitro release profile exhibit maximum drug release at pH 7.4 and 25 °C owing to relaxed gel state. Invitro degradation profile of gel formulations showed controlled degradation rate. Cells growth inhibition study confirmed the biocompatibility and safe nature of bare gel formulations against L929 cell lines. Invitro cytotoxic study showed that curcumin loaded in gel formulation has controlled pharmacological activity against HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cells as compared to free drug solution. The IC50 values calculated for pure curcumin solution (30 ± 0.77 µg/ml for HeLa and 27 ± 0.39 µg/ml for MCF-7) were found higher in comparison to curcumin loaded thermogels; against HeLa (19 ± 0.28 µg/ml and 23 ± 0.81 µg/ml) and MCF-7 (22 ± 0.54 µg/ml and 21 ± 0.49 µg/ml). Histopathological and Haematological analysis showed the biocompatible nature of hydrogels. Structural confirmation was done by Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HNMR). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the thermal stability of the gel formulation. The porous structure of gel formulations was assessed by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. Results concluded that newly developed gel formulations has thermoresponsive behavior with phase transition at body temperature and can be used as insitu controlled drug depot.

Ferulic acid is (FA) is a phenolic compound found in vegetables, fruits, cereals and coffee. It exists in both a free form and covalently conjugated to polysaccharides in the plant cell wall, polyamines, hydroxyl fatty acids, lignin, and glycoproteins. It has exhibited many vital biological properties, such as growth enhancing, antioxidant, antibacterial and immunomodulatory effects. It can be used as a food preservative and has a wide range of applications. FA has been reported to be a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and is considered as part of a promising strategy for improving vascular cell-compatibility and blood compatibility as well. Additionally, dietary FA could improve the antioxidant capacity and, hence, meat quality in poultry. Supplementation of FA at 40 mg/kg or 80 mg/kg diet reduced the formation of hepatic MDA in case of carbon tetrachloride toxicity. The susceptibility of meat to oxidation in broiler chickens receiving oats at 200 g/kg diet as a source of FA was higher compared to the stability of meat in chickens receiving 200 ppm vitamin E. After examining the literature, it became apparent that the research on promising therapeutic effects of FA in poultry, in particular, is limited. So, the aim of this review was to indicate the importance of FA and its beneficial effects. In addition, this review includes information on the use of FA as a natural phenolic compound in poultry nutrition and its different applications in the poultry industry.

Vesicular drug delivery systems have gained wide attention in the field of nanotechnology. Among them proniosomes become the superior over other vesicular carriers. Proniosomes are dry formulations of water soluble nonionic surfactant coated carrier system which immediately forms niosomes upon hydration. They have the capability to overcome the instability problems associated with niosomes and liposomes and have the potential to improve solubility, bioavailability, and absorption of various drugs. Furthermore, they offer versatile drug delivery concept for enormous number of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. They have the potential to deliver drugs effectively through different routes at specific site of action to achieve controlled release action and reduce toxic effects associated with drugs. This review discusses the general preparation techniques of proniosomes and mainly focus on the applications of proniosomes in drug delivery and targeting. Moreover, this review demonstrates critical appraisal of the literature for proniosomes. Additionally, this review extensively explains the potential of proniosomes in delivering drugs via different routes, such as oral, parenteral, dermal and transdermal, ocular, oral mucosal, vaginal, pulmonary, and intranasal. Finally, the comparison of proniosomes with niosomes manifests the clear distinction between them. Moreover, proniosomes need to be explored for proteins and peptide delivery and in the field of nutraceuticals and develop pilot plant scale up studies to investigate them in industrial set up.

The study investigated aerosolization, pulmonary inhalation, intracellular trafficking potential in macrophages and pharmacokinetics profiles of rifampicin-oleic acid first-generation nanoemulsion and its respective chitosan- and chitosan-folate conjugate-decorated second and third-generation nanoemulsions, delivered via nebulization technique. The nanoemulsions were prepared by conjugate synthesis and spontaneous emulsification techniques. They were subjected to physicochemical, drug release, aerosolization, inhalation, cell culture and pharmacokinetics analysis. The nanoemulsions had average droplet sizes of 40–60 nm, with narrow polydispersity indices. They exhibited desirable pH, surface tension, viscosity, refractive index, density and viscosity attributes for pulmonary rifampicin administration. All nanoemulsions demonstrated more than 95% aerosol output and inhalation efficiency greater than 75%. The aerosol output, aerosolized and inhaled fine particle fractions were primarily governed by the size and surface tension of nanoemulsions in an inverse relationship. The nanoemulsions were found to be safe with third-generation nanoemulsion exhibiting higher cell internalization potential, reduced plasma drug concentration, and higher lung drug content.

Lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) are the most promising technique to formulate the poorly water soluble drugs. Nanotechnology strongly influences the therapeutic performance of hydrophobic drugs and has become an essential approach in drug delivery research. Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) are a vital strategy that combines benefits of LBDDS and nanotechnology. SNEDDS are now preferred to improve the formulation of drugs with poor aqueous solubility. Areas covered: The review in its first part shortly describes the LBDDS, nanoemulsions and clarifies the ambiguity between nanoemulsions and microemulsions. In the second part, the review discusses SNEDDS and elaborates on the current developments and modifications in this area without discussing their associated preparation techniques and excipient properties. Expert opinion: SNEDDS have exhibit the potential to increase the bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. The stability of SNEDDS is further increased by solidification. Controlled release and supersaturation can be achieved, and are associated with increased patient compliance and improved drug loads, respectively. Presence of biodegradable ingredients and ease of large-scale manufacturing combined with a lot of 'drug-targeting opportunities' give SNEDDS a clear distinction and prominence over other solubility enhancement techniques.