Jordan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Development of Novel HPLC Method for Analysing Drugs Used in H-Pylori Treatment

Rawan Alfaqeer, Ramia Albakain, Mohammad Rasheed, Ahmad Makahleh — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most chronic bacterial infection on human being that is found in the gastric mucous layer and adapted to survive in acidic conditions. Because of the resistance of this organism, triple therapy treatment is required. In this study, RP-HPLC method was developed in terms of mobile phase composition, buffer concentration and additive amount to separate the complex drugs mixture used as triple therapy for H. pylori treatment. The first result showed that C18 reversed phase column has better resolution than C8 for analyzing amoxicillin, metronidazole, omeprazole and clarithromycin at isocratic elution mode. Design of experiments was then implemented to evaluate the best separation parameters. The results showed that amoxicillin was detected at 254 nm, where metronidazole, omeprazole and clarithromycin were detected at 304 nm. Moreover, better resolution was achieved at mobile phase compositions of 30:30:40 (acetonitrile: methanol: buffer), respectively. Regarding the optimum amount of trimethylamine added to the mobile phase to improve the resolution, the outcomes showed that 30 µL was the best choice at pH around 6.0 with 0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate as a buffer. The developed method could separate the mixture as following; amoxicillin and omeprazole at 2.56, 4.84, respectively, where metronidazole and clarithromycin were retained 3.04 min.

Celecoxib inhibits cancer growth through cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) independent pathways in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma

sana bardaweel, Sara Khlefat — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Chronic inflammation has long been associated to carcinogenesis. Evidence has shown that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may decrease the risk of certain types of cancer. In this study, we assessed the anti-proliferative effects of different NSAIDs against liver cancer using HepG2 cell line. In addition, we evaluated the combined effects of a selective COX2 inhibitor (Celecoxib) with chemotherapeutic drugs. The anti-proliferative and combined effects of COX2 inhibitors were evaluated by MTT assay. The effect of COX2 inhibitors on gene expression was assessed using real time PCR (RT-PCR). Also, the effect of COX2 inhibitors on colony formation was assessed through colony-formation assay. COX2 inhibitors treatment significantly inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The combined treatment of Celecoxib with either doxorubicin or raloxifene resulted in synergistic effects. In addition, Celecoxib treatment significantly reduced the expression of Bcl2 and VEGF genes in HepG2 cells, while the COX2 gene was not detected at all in HepG2 cell line suggesting that the anti-tumorigenic activity of Celecoxib is COX2 independent. Our results also revealed that COX2 inhibitors treatment significantly reduced the number and size of colonies formed by HepG2 cells.

Evaluation of phytochemical and pharmacological activities of Taraxacum syriacum and Alchemilla arvensis

Hazar Ali, Raed Alkowni, Nidal Jaradat, Motasem Masri — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Oxidative stress, obesity, and multidrug resistance to pathogenic microorganisms are major challenges in the health care systems and pharmaceutical industries that prompt scientists to search for alternative sources with maximum efficacy and few side effects. Therefore, this study aimed to screen phytoconstituents, and estimate total phenols, flavonoids contents, antioxidant, antilipase, and antimicrobial activities of two selected plants, Taraxacum syriacum and Alchemilla arvensis four extracts. Conventional phytochemical assays were utilized for qualitative and quantitative determinations of the major phytochemical classes, total phenol, and flavonoids contents of methanol, hexane, acetone, and water extracts of both plants. While the antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. In addition, the antilipase activity was conducted using the porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory test which was conducted by using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of both plants’ four extracts was established utilizing agar diffusion and micro-broth dilution methods against six microbial strains. The results revealed that the highest total phenol content was observed in the T. syriacum acetone extract (272.0 mg gallic acidE/g), while the highest total flavonoid content was detected in A. arvensis methanolic extract (83.3 mg rutinE/g). Actually, T. syriacum water extract has the best antioxidant potential among other extracts with an IC50 value of 95.5 µg/ml while A. arvensis acetone extract has the best antioxidant activity among other plant extracts with an IC50 dose of 4.9 µg/ml. Regarding antilipase activity, A. arvensis water extract showed a potent porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 21.4 µg/ml. However, most of the evaluated T. syriacum and A. arvensis plants’ extracts showed broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities. This study recommended targeting these potentially medicinal plants in antioxidants and anticipate drugs for further in-vivo and preclinical studies.

The Role of Pharmacists in Patient Counselling for OTC Medication in Jordan: A Cross-Section Study

Ala' Abu-Zaid, Muna Barakat, Rajaa Al-Qudah, Amer Abdalhafez — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Background: Community pharmacists represent the easiest-to-access medical experts for drugs. They play a major part in educating and counselling patients, especially regarding over the counter (OTC) medications. Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of pharmacists in patient counselling for OTC medication in Aqaba, Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with community pharmacists in Aqaba. An online self-administered survey was launched for the study sample via a social media platform (i.e. WhatsApp). The responses were imported into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for statistical analysis. Results: About half of pharmacists started their counselling by asking about the patient’s history. More than 70% of pharmacists advised patients in terms of their dosage regimen, the proper indications for the OTC medication, and any possible food-drug interactions. However, approximately one-third of pharmacists suggested there were many challenges in the counselling process. These included limitations in counselling time, work overload, more patients than the pharmacist’s capacity and a lack of counselling area. Conclusion: This study illustrates that community pharmacists are highly committed to pursuing their pharmaceutical care role through proper counselling for OTC medication in Aqaba. Moreover, our study highlights some challenges that pharmacists could face, which may interfere with the efficacy and safety of the drugs they provide.

Anti-Vibrio from Ethyl Acetate Extract of Sponge- Associated Fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Some of Vibrio spp. bacteria are pathogenic to humans and other organisms, including cultured fish or shrimp. This study aimed to determine the activity of ethyl acetate extract of Trichoderma longibrachiatum as an anti-vibrio fungus. The test bacteria used were: Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio vulvinificus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The fungus was cultured using Malt Extract Agar (MEA) medium for 9 days at 27oC (static conditions, 24 hours dark, pH 5.6, and salinity 60 ppt). Extracts obtained by maceration using ethyl acetate, then the extract is partitioned using water-methanol 70:30 and ethyl acetate. Each fraction was concentrated to obtain polar-ethyl acetate (PE) and semipolar-ethyl acetate (SPE) extracts. The components of the constituent extract were traced with a Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and followed by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The anti-vibrio activity was determined based on the value of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The results of the study showed that SPE was more potential to be used as anti-vibrio. The strongest activity was able to inhibit the growth of Vibrio vulvinificus with 256 μg mL-1 MIC value, while the weakest was against Vibrio parahaemolyticus with 1.024 μg mL-1 MIC value. In conclusion, SPE has the potential to be developed as an anti-vibrio compound, particularly against Vibrio vulvinificus.

Comparative study of selected Rosa varieties’ metabolites through UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, chemometrics and investigation of their insecticidal activity against Culex pipiens L.

Esraa Elhawary, Nada Mostafa, Ahmed Shehata, Rola Labib, Abdel Nasser singab — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

The 70 % methanolic extracts of three Rosa varieties (aerial parts & flowers); Rosa banksiae var. banksiae Ait. (RBW); Rosa polyantha Thunb. ‘orange fairy’ (RPO) and Rosa polyantha Thunb. ‘white fairy’ (RPW) were quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Sixty one compounds were identified where flavonoid glycosides were the most abundant. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) discriminated the six samples into four clusters where RBW-F & RPW-A formed one cluster, RPW-F & RPO-F formed another and RPO-A and RBW-A were in two separate clusters. The six Rosa extracts were tested as insecticidal agents against Culex pipiens L. larvae and pupae and their fecundity reducing activity was evaluated for the emerging adult mosquitoes. RPW flowers and aerial parts’ extracts demonstrated powerful larvicidal and pupicidal activities with LC50 373.3 and 383.2 ppm, respectively. Sterility indices reached 51.4% at highest concentrations used. All flower extracts possessed significantly high mortality and sterility activities (P < 0.001) compared to the aerial parts (P < 0.01).The UPLC-MS/MS metabolic profile of the extracts showed their richness in polyphenolic compounds. The 70% methanolic extracts of RBW, RPO and RPW aerial parts and flowers can be utilized as natural and safe plant-based insecticides for C. pipiens (filariasis vector) control.

Activity of Isoxazole substituted 9-aminoacridines against SARS CoV-2 main protease for COVID19: A computational approach

Rajagopal Kalirajan, Byran Gowramma, Swaminathan Gomathi, Ramachandran Vadivelan — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a life-threatening viral disease affected first in china and quickly spread throughout the world in early 2020. So many scientists are rushing to discover novel drugs and vaccines against the coronavirus, and treatments for COVID-19.In the present article, in-silico studies have been performed to explore the binding modes of Isoxazole substituted 9-aminoacridines(1a-x) against SARS CoV-2 main protease (PDB id - 5R82) targeting corona virus using Schrodinger suit 2019-4. The docking studies are performed by Glide module, in-silico ADMET screening was performed by qik prop module and the binding energy of ligands was calculated using PRIME MM-GB/SA module. From the results, Isoxazole substituted 9-aminoacridines like 1n,f,c,k,h,a,e,g,b,d are significantly active against SARS CoV-2 main protease with Glide score more than -5.5 when compared with currently recommended drug for COVID19 Hydroxy chloroquine (G score -5.47) and Co crystallized ligand CID_24701445 (G score -4.4). The docking results of the compounds exhibited similar mode of interactions with COVID19 and the residues THR24, THR25, THR26, SER46, MET49, HIE41, GLN189, ARG189, ASP187, MET168, HIE164, ASN142 and GLY143 play a crucial role in binding with ligands.

Development of an Easy and Selective Approach for Determination of Titanium Dioxide in Commerical Cosmetics by UV-Vis Spectrophotometric Technique

Ali Reza Zarei, Faezeh Jokar, Kobra Mardi — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

A simple and selective method was described for the determination of amount of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in cosmetics. The method is based on the complex formation of Ti(IV) with hydrogen peroxide in acidic media and monitoring the absorbance of the colored product by spectrophotometric technique at λmax= 407 nm. The effect of experimental parameters on the reaction was investigated and optimized. Under optimal conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the range of 5.0-100 µg mL-1 of Ti (IV) with the limit of detection of 3.0 µg mL-1. The validity of the method was evaluated by means of the data statistical analysis. For this purpose, the method was applied to the determination of titanium dioxide in cosmetics, and the results were statistically compared based on t- and F-tests with those obtained by the Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). There was no significant difference between the mean values and the precisions of the two methods at the 95% confidence level. The results showed that the proposed method offers an accuracy and reliable approach for the determination of TiO2 in commercial cosmetics, and can be suggested as a routine method in quality control laboratories.

Evaluating pharmacy students’ perceptions of depression and psychotropic medicines in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Esraa Al jomaa, Derar Abdel-Qader, Salim Hamadi — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Background: Although enhancing of pharmacy students’ knowledge and perceptions of mental illness is important for future career development, the pharmacy curricula in Jordan are largely deficient in mental health courses and no study has examined the attitudes of pharmacy students towards mental illness and their knowledge on psychotropic medicines in Jordan. Objective: To evaluate pharmacy students’ knowledge on depression and psychotropic medicines and to assess their attitudes towards providing pharmaceutical care (PPC) to patients with depression. Method: A cross-sectional emailed survey was conducted on a purposive sample of 200 pharmacy students who were in 4th and 5th level in one Jordanian university. The questionnaire included four sections; demographics, knowledge on depression, attitude towards PPC to patients with depression, and knowledge on psychotropic medicines. Chi-square testing was used to determine significant relationships between demographics and other statements. Results: A total of 134 responses were received (response rate 67%). Most of students believed that patients with depression will not take antidepressants forever (n=104, 77.6%). Less than half (n=60, 44.8%) of students thought that antidepressants do not cause addiction. Eighty-seven students (64.9%) were able to monitor efficacy and adverse effects of antidepressants. Only about a third (n=52, 38.8%) of students knew venlafaxine, and 47.0% of students (n=63) didn't know vortioxetine. Having training courses on psychiatry were significantly associated with knowledge of pharmacy students in psychiatry (p<0.05). Conclusion: Despite students expressed positive attitude towards PPC to patients with depression, pharmacy students should improve their knowledge on psychiatric pharmacotherapy. Policy makers should include courses on psychiatric disorders and pharmacotherapy in university curricula.

The Relationship between Family Socialization Patterns and Attitudes towards Drug Use among Users and Addicts of Cannabis and Alcohol Who Wish to be Treated in Private Clinics in Amman, Jordan

Feras Alhabies — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

This study aims to examine family socialisation patterns with attitudes towards drug use among addicts to Cannabis and alcohol, seeking treatment in private clinics in Amman, Jordan. The study employed the quantitative research design, and the sample of the study consists of 45 male participants, where 19 were alcohol users and 26 were hashish users. The participants were selected based on convenient sampling from different private clinics. Every individual in the two groups was subjected individually. To achieve the study's objective, the researcher adopted two scales: attitudes towards drugs and narcotics abuse scale, and family socialisation scale. The study findings showed that the highest mean of addiction was for the pattern of democratic, and the correlation coefficients between addiction and family socialisation are statistically significant. Besides, the relationship is negatively strong between addiction and the democratic pattern, while the relationship is positive between addiction and both the authoritarian and lenient socialisation pattern. Also, results showed that the patterns of family socialisation explained 72% of the prediction of addiction, while the square of the correlation coefficient (R²) is (0.520), with an explanatory ability of (49%) in predicting addiction.