Original Research article


Stability Study of Nanoparticle, Microemulsion, Multiple Emulsion and Niosome Cream From Ethyl Acetat Fraction Of EGCG in Green Tea (Camelia sinensis L.) Leaf

naniek widyaningrum, Hudan Taufiq, Sri Lestari, Andi Nur Devitasari B, Binta Farahiya, Intan Fairuzia, Thendi Abdul Arief

International Pharmacy Acta, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2024), 24 Mordad 2024, Page e1: 1-7
https://doi.org/10.22037/ipa.v7i1.44820

The stability of EGCG in green tea leaves is significantly impacted by temperature and storage duration. The formulation of w/o cream was not the best for preserving the stability of EGCG, thus it was required to change the way cosmetic preparations were delivered in a number of dosage forms. Physical and chemical tests were conducted on the ethyl acetate fraction of green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.) in the dosage forms of nanoparticles, microparticles, multiple emulsions, and niosomes cream. Test of accelerated stability (temperature 50, 60, and 7000C). HPLC was used to evaluate EGCG. The results of the physical test preparations for nanoparticles, microemulsions, multiple emulsions and niosomes met the positive control parameters, namely the dispersion power of 6.34 ± 0.76 cm; 5.26 ± 0.45 cm; 6.07 ± 0.76 cm; 6.16 ± 0.19 cm. pH of each preparation 4.73 ± 0.10; 5.30 ± 0.2; 5.46 ± 0.19; 5.05 ± 0 and viscosity 2834 ± 844.6744; 3390 ± 1.57; 2582 ± 360; 3300 ± 173.20. EGCG levels in cream preparations of nanoparticles, microparticles, multiple emulsions, and niosomes at a temperature of 250C and 100C, respectively 476.0236 ± 332.6097; 32.6651 ± 3.5385; 0.2221 ± 0.0078; 3.4320 ± 1.9533. In contrast to W/O creams, preparations including nanoparticles, microemulsions, multiple emulsions, and niosomes can preserve their physical and chemical stability. Nanoparticle cream, microemulsion, multiple emulsion type W/O/W, and niosomes were proven to maintain physical stability compared to cream type O/W. Nanoparticle cream, microemulsion, multiple emulsion type W/O/W, and niosomes were proven to maintain chemical stability compared to cream type O/W.

Adenoviruses play a critical role in molecular biology and gene therapy due to their interaction with coxsackie and adenovirus receptors (CAR). Human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) has been widely used in the design of gene vectors for therapeutic applications, particularly in drug delivery and gene therapy. This study aims to compare the structural and molecular interactions between Ad5 fiber protein and CAR receptors from humans and mice to enhance the design of adenoviral vectors for drug delivery systems and gene therapy. Amino acid sequences of the Ad5 fiber protein and CAR receptors from humans and mice were obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and UniProt database. These structures were refined using molecular dynamics simulations and analyzed using the I-TASSER system and GalaxyRefine server. Quality assessments included Ramachandran plot analysis and ProSA-web Z-score calculations. Molecular docking analysis was performed using ClusPro 2.0 to compare the binding affinities. Refinement of hCAR and mCAR models showed significant structural improvements, with residues in favorable areas increasing to 80.3% for hCAR and 78.3% for mCAR. The Z-scores also improved, indicating better structural stability. Molecular docking revealed that mCAR had a stronger binding affinity to the Ad5 fiber protein than hCAR, suggesting species-specific differences in adenoviral infection mechanisms. This study highlights the importance of species-specific CAR receptor interactions in the design of adenoviral vectors. The stronger binding affinity of mCAR for Ad5 fiber protein suggests distinct drug and gene delivery mechanisms in mice compared to humans. These insights are crucial for developing more effective adenoviral vectors for targeted therapeutic applications.

Comparison of Two-‏Bag ‎ and Three-‏Bag ‎ N-acetyl cysteine Treatment ‏Protocols in Acute Acetaminophen Poisoning: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Ideh Baradaran Kayal, Mohammad Javad Zarei, Mitra Rahimi, Babak Mostafazadeh, Peyman Erfan Talab Evini, Shahin Shadnia

International Pharmacy Acta, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2024), 24 Mordad 2024, Page 1-6
https://doi.org/10.22037/ipa.v7i1.45643

Acetaminophen poisoning is a major medical challenge requiring effective interventions. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a commonly used antidote. While the FDA has approved the three-bag method, some sources suggest that the two-stage treatment offers comparable effectiveness in preventing liver damage, resulting in fewer adverse reactions, a lower risk of anaphylaxis, and more flexibility in timing adjustments. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and adverse effects of the two-bag and three-bag NAC prescription methods in individuals with acetaminophen poisoning. In this prospective, double-blind, quasi-experimental study, patients with paracetamol overdose who required NAC (N-acetylcysteine) treatment over a one-year period at Loghman Hakim Hospital in Tehran were included. The two-bag regimen consisted of a loading dose followed by a maintenance dose, while the three-bag regimen included three separate doses. Clinical parameters such as blood levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), along with demographic data (age, gender) and poisoning characteristics (ingested dose, blood acetaminophen levels, time of overdose), as well as adverse reactions to NAC, were examined. A total of 61 patients participated in the two-bag group and 49 people in the three-bag group. A significant decrease was found in AST in both groups (p < 0.05) compared to the time of arrival, and a significant decrease in ALP was seen only in the two-bag group (p = 0.007). No cases of hepatotoxicity or acute liver injury were observed. The two groups had no significant difference in the average NAC consumed and the patients' adverse reaction to NAC. The initial and discharge levels of liver enzymes ALT, AST, and ALP did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The two-bag method may be a viable alternative to the traditional three-bag method, as it can ease the workload for ward nurses and has not resulted in any reported deaths.

Chitosan is a sugar derived naturally and used in medicine for its different uses, like wound dressings, drug delivery systems, medical implants, and hydrogels. This study fabricated a chitosan hydrogel loaded with curcumin, gentamicin, and metformin. The physical properties included swelling index, tensile strength, elongation profile, and drug release. The chitosan hydrogel is used to treat burn wounds and boost the healing process in Wistar rats. The chitosan hydrogel showed bonding with acetate, and after the formation of chitosan acetate, the pH was raised using sodium hydroxide to achieve cross-linking using formaldehyde and tween 80. The hydrogel characterization showed all the peaks and parameters that ensured the fabrication of drug-loaded chitosan hydrogel. The physical properties revealed increased tensile strength and elongation percentage with increased chitosan concentration. At the same time, there was a negative effect on the porosity and water adsorption. The best tensile strength and elongation percent were shown at 1.2 grams of chitosan, 0.32 Mpa, and 62 percent, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pore sizes were 50±2 µm. The surface showed drug loading, which is the reason the drug was released initially as a burst and then uniform. When compared to the control group, the in vivo study found that the drug-loaded chitosan and chitosan hydrogel improved wound healing. Compared to the control group, there was an increased formation of collagen, rete ridges, epidermal bed length, and scar formation in the chitosan and drug-loaded chitosan groups. The best wound closure was seen in the drug-loaded chitosan group, which was 12.5% wound size by the end of the 3rd week. Using chitosan alone can accelerate burn wound healing, and the lower wound PH in the respective group also showed this. However, certain drugs could boost wound healing even more, as showcased in this study. Drug-loaded hydrogel wound dressings could revolutionize the wound-healing process.

The Ends of Lecirelin on the Destruction of Ovarian Cancer Cells

Fatemeh Tahoori, Zahra Salehi-Najafabadi

International Pharmacy Acta, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2024), 24 Mordad 2024, Page e5: 1-8
https://doi.org/10.22037/ipa.v7i1.46123

As a gynecological cancer, ovarian cancer has the highest lethality among females on the globe. Evidence shows that the GnRH agonists and antagonists dramatically inhibit the growth of most cancer cell lines expressing the GnRH receptor. The current research focuses on the effectiveness of three novel GnRH analogs showing anticancer activities on the cell lines of ovarian cancer. The present investigation synthesized Lecirelin in the solid phase and changed the peptide chain’s C-terminal. Two ovarian cancer cell lines were examined for the impacts of the purified peptides. The hydrazide derivative with an approximate concentration of 30 mg/mL (lC50~30) can kill more than half of the ovarian cancer cells, while the Lecirline needs twice more active ingredient to kill this amount of the cells (lC50~47, p = 0.001). Lecirelin and its hydrazide derivative have anticancer activity against ovarian cancer cells, and this GnRH analog may be considered a promising candidate for further studies.

Healthcare Providers' Vaccination Against COVID-19: Safety Concerns

Elham Rezaee, Shafagh Ali Asgarzadeh, Javad Ali Asgarzadeh, Ghazale Farhadi, Sevda Mikaeili Mirak

International Pharmacy Acta, Vol. 7 No. 1 (2024), 24 Mordad 2024, Page e2: 1-7
https://doi.org/10.22037/ipa.v7i1.45396

This study examined parameters that may affect the severity and type of side effects associated with COVID-19 vaccine administration at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil, Iran. Based on a reliable and valid questionnaire, data were collected from 149 hospital employees at random. 77.2% of the study participants were women, and 52% were between the ages of 30-39. Approximately 50% of the participants had a healthy body mass index. Of the participants, 76.5% had no underlying disease. The prevalence of complications after injection of the first dose (regardless of vaccine type) included fever (45%), chills (28.3%), injection site complications (34.9%), myalgia (46.3%), weakness and fatigue (43%), headache (24.2%), thrombocytopenia (1.3%), cough (4%), nausea (6.7%), diarrhea (6.7%), and other complications (5.4%). After receiving a second dose, the most frequently reported adverse reactions were fatigue and weakness. This pattern was repeated for third dose. Injection of the first dose of vaccine induced the most severe side effects. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between severity and duration of side effects and participants' age, sex, body mass index, diet quality, physical activity, and complementary medicines. Participants with underlying health conditions and those using corticosteroids had higher adverse effects incidences. A significant positive correlation (0.878%) was observed between fever severity and chills. SputnikV and AstraZeneca vaccines were associated with more side effects. In general, the rate and severity of side effects after vaccination are directly related to female gender, low body mass index, previous infection, and young age.