STABILITY STUDIES ON FLUCLOXACILLIN SODIUM IN CAPSULE DOSAGE FORMS

Objective: Flucloxacillin is easily broken down by moisture and this raises stability concerns of the drug in a country where humidity is very high.Stability studies on flucloxacillin sodium in capsule formulations were done with three pharmaceutical excipients. The studies sought to determine the best of three excipients for the formulation of flucloxacillin that gives the best stability in an environment of high humidity. The study also sought to establish if the amount of excipient influences the stability of flucloxacillin in the formulation.Methods: Fixed amounts of flucloxacillin sodium were mixed with varying amounts of dried starch, undried starch and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (sodium cmc) in Petri dishes. The mixtures were exposed to humidity in a room for 12 w and iodimetry was used to monitor the amounts of flucloxacillin sodium in the mixtures for 12 w.Results: It was noticed after 12 w that, the mixtures with the dried starch experienced the least breakdown or gave the most stable products, followed by those with the undried starch while those with sodium cmc experienced the most breakdown. Also, the higher the amounts of excipients used, the more stable the drug.Conclusion: Dried starch should be preferred and in higher amounts in formulating capsule dosage forms of flucloxacillin sodium.Keywords: Stability studies, Flucloxacillin sodium, Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Dried starch, Undried starch, Iodimetr

STABILITY STUDIES ON FLUCLOXACILLIN SODIUM IN RECONSTITUTED ORAL SUSPENSIONS

Objective: Stability studies on flucloxacillin sodium in reconstituted oral suspensions were carried out. The experiment sought to investigate the effects that the different types of water for reconstitution and different storage conditions have on the stability of flucloxacillin sodium in the reconstituted suspensions.Methods: Suspensions of flucloxacillin sodium were reconstituted with tap water, commercial bottled water (Voltic brand was used), commercial sachet water (Everpure brand was used) treated tap water and distilled water and stored under refrigeration (RF) (4-6 °C), at room temperature (RT) (31-33 °C) and in a bowl of water (BW) (26-27 °C). Assay of flucloxacillin sodium was by iodimetry at predetermined time intervals for 8 d.Results: The amount of flucloxacillin sodium in all the suspensions stored under the various storage conditions reduced with time and at different rates. The percentage breakdown, a parameter of stability, was calculated for each reconstituted suspension stored at the different conditions investigated and they were as follows: commercial bottled water (RT-22.40 %, RF-9.90 % and BW-15.90 %), distilled water (RT-29.14 %, RF-18.0 %, BW-28.80 %), tap water (RT-25.0%, RF-14.60 % and BW-25.10 %) and commercial sachet water (RT-25.0 %, RF-10.17 % and BW-22.50 %).Conclusion: At the end of the study, it was found that those suspensions reconstituted with the commercial bottled water were the most stable and had the smallest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium whereas those reconstituted with distilled water were the least stable and had the largest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium. Commercial sachet water reconstituted more stable suspensions than tap water. Also, the suspensions stored under refrigeration were the most stable followed by those stored in a bowl of water. The formulations kept at room temperature were the least stable and thus, had the largest breakdown of flucloxacillin sodium

Educational status and religion influence uptake of voluntary HIV counseling and testing by Ghanaian antenatal clinic attendees.

A cross-sectional survey of 150 gravidae, randomly sampled from three antenatal clinics in Tema was conducted to investigate factors influencing their acceptance of routine “opt-out” counseling and testing. Descriptive analysis was done for participants’ demographic characteristics, as well as knowledge of vertical transmission and its implications for mother and child. Other measures of interest were rate and potential determinants of acceptance. Associations between respondents’ socio-demographic variables and acceptance behaviour were determined using odds ratios, with p-values and 95% confidence intervals. P-values were obtained from Fisher’s exact tests and significance levels set at a p-value of 0.05. Participants’ mean age was 29.7years±1.31 (95% CI 24.15-35.25). Of 150 participants, 76.7% (115/150) were married, 9.3% (14/150) had received no formal education, 25.3% (38/150) were unemployed and 78.7% (118/150) were Christians. Most (96%; 144/150) respondents knew about the disease and 89% (128/144) of this proportion identified vertical transmission as a means for its spread. Within the latter, 69% (87/128) knew of preventive interventions against vertical transmission. Acceptance rate of counseling and testing was approximately 93% (140/150). Main reasons cited for acceptance were to safeguard mother’s own health (92.1%, 129/140) and to prevent transmission to baby (87.1%, 122/140). Respondents identified fear (80%, 8/10) and stigmatization (70%, 7/10) as perceived barriers to acceptance. Age (OR=2.78; 95% CI=0.62-12.42; p=0.16), parity (OR=1.98; 95%CI=0.39-10.14; p=0.41) and marital status (OR=2.04; 95%CI=0.46-9.02; p=0.34) did not influence acceptance behaviour. Educated women were about 1.5 times [(132/136)/(9/14); OR=24.44; 95%CI=5.02-118.99; p=0.001)] more likely than their uneducated counterparts to accept counseling and testing services, while Christian women were 1.2 times [(115/118)/(26/32]); OR=13.27; 95%CI=2.53- 69.51; p=0.001)] more likely to do so than Muslims. Counseling and testing services were highly acceptable among our sample irrespective of age, parity and marital status. Educational status and religion were potential determinants of acceptance. Keywords: HIV, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), Ghana

EFFECT OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE STABILITY OF ASCORBIC ACID IN SOME FORMULATIONS

Objective: The stability of ascorbic acid is affected by temperature, pH, sunlight and the presence of metals like copper and iron.The study seeks to investigate the effect of storage conditions on the stability of ascorbic acid in tablets (buccal tablets) and syrups sampled from the Ghanaian market.Methods: Ascorbic acid tablets were sampled and stored separately at room temperature and under refrigeration (in a fridge) and assayed periodically for 35 d. Ascorbic acid syrups were also sampled and stored at room temperature, in a bowl of water and under refrigeration and also assayed periodically for 35 d. The mode of assay was iodimetry.Results: For both formulations, storage under refrigeration saw the least breakdown and at room temperature, the breakdown of ascorbic acid was greatest. The syrups stored in a bowl of water were more stable than those stored at room temperature. The % breakdown of ascorbic acid in the syrups and tablets stored at room temperature were statistically significant in comparison to that under refrigeration as determined by a T-test. The % breakdown of ascorbic acid in the syrups stored in a bowl of water was not statistically significant in comparison to that under refrigeration.Conclusion: Ascorbic acid formulations should be stored under refrigeration or at low temperatures if possible. In the absence of refrigeration, patients should be advised to store syrups of ascorbic acid in a bowl of water and the tablets at cool places in homes

Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Study on the Leaves of Morinda lucida (Rubiaceae)

An ethno medicinal study was conducted through the means of an informal interview with an herbalist at Akim-Tafo, in the Eastern region of Ghana. Preliminary phytochemical tests carried out on the leaves of Morindalucida indicated the presence of saponins, anthraquinones, cardenolides, alkaloids, sterols and tannins. ThinLayer Chromatography and Column Chromatography method were used in the laboratory for the analysis of acrude extract from Morinda lucida. A total of nine components were isolated from Morinda lucida using asolvent system containing hexane and ethyl acetate (2:1) as the mobile phase and a stationary phase of silica gel.The crude leaf extract of Morinda lucida was investigated for inhibitory activity on Salmonella typhi,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro using the agar well diffusion method. Morindalucida showed inhibitory activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus with no activityagainst Salmonella typhi at a concentration of 10mg/ml.Keywords: Morinda lucida, thin layer chromatography, column chromatography, antimicrobial activity

NTCP gene polymorphisms and hepatitis B virus infection status in a Ghanaian population

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: SLC10A1 gene codes NTCP, a receptor through which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gets access into hepatocytes- A stage of the viral cycle necessary for replication. Polymorphism variants of SLC10A1 play roles in HBV infection, viral clearance, treatment outcome, and complications, in diverse ethnic groups and countries. However, no such study has been conducted in the Ghanaian population, a country with HBV endemicity. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted to investigate the presence of three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene (rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287) and assessed the risk of HBV infection among the Ghanaian population. Method: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the presence of the SNPs among 292 participants comprising 146 HBV infected persons as case-subjects and 146 HBV non-infected persons as control-subjects. Results: The minor allele frequency (T) of rs2296651 was present in a significantly high proportion of cases compared with the control group (11.6% vs. 3.1%, p \u3c 0.0001). The homozygote recessive variant of rs61745930 was present in 2.7% of the control group and 5.5% of the case group. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies of rs4646287 were 9.3 and 8.2% among the control and the case group, respectively (p = 0.767). Under the dominant (CC) genetic model of inheritance, rs2296651 was found to be protective of HBV infection [OR = 0.18 (0.07-0.44)], whereas under the co-dominant and additive model, rs2296651 was a potential risk factor for HBV infection [OR = 5.2 (95%CI: 2.1-12.8); 3.5 (95%CI: 1.6-7.6], respectively. Variants of rs61745930 and rs4646287 were not associated with HBV infection (p \u3e 0.05). Polymorphisms in SLC10A1, however, did not show any significant association with HBV infectivity (p \u3e 0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights some polymorphism proof that variants rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287 exist in HBV-infected individuals in Ghana. Although variant rs2296651 was found to be associated with HBV infection, this association warrants more studies. Polymorphisms in SLC10A1 were not associated with HBV infectivity among the Ghanaian population. Further investigation is warranted to assess the offensive role of the relationship between rs2296651 and HBV infectivity