The Effect of the Phytocomplex Electrophoresis on the Clinical Symptomatology and Quality of Life of Patients with the Knee Joint Osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND: Improving the effectiveness of rehabilitation of patients with osteoarthritis necessitates the use of drug electrophoresis with sinusoidal modulated currents (SMC-electrophoresis) in conjunction with drug therapy. The phytocomplex is proposed for electrophoresis composed of the compared, alfalfa and hops dry extract, containing flavonoids, coumestans, polysaccharides, steroids, essential amino acids, vitamins, mineral components and causing its possible use in osteoarthritis. AIM: The research aims to study the effect of the phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis on the clinical symptoms and quality of life of patients with the knee joint osteoarthritis. METHODS: One hundred and eight patients were randomly distributed into 3 groups (n = 36). The phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis was assigned to the first group, the amplipulse therapy (SMC) – to the second group, and the "basic" drug therapy – to the third group. The drug therapy of the patients of the third group was comparable with the drug treatment of those in the first two groups. The concentration of phytocomplex in the working solution was 10%. The electrotherapy was carried out in the aligned SMC mode in the first and fourth kind of works. Comparative indicators were as follows: WOMAC index, pain level on a visual analogue scale (VAS), Lequesne index, joint range of motion (JROM), articular and tendon indices, quality of life as per Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). RESULTS: The use of the phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis had a more pronounced positive effect on pain, knee joint function and quality of life of the patients compared with the treatment with drugs alone or using amplitude therapy. This was especially pronounced immediately after the rehabilitation. The analgesic effect was consistently maintained in the patients of the first group for up to 6 – 12 months, the second group – up to 3 – 6 months in terms of the level of pain according to the WOMAC and Lequesne indices, VAS, articular and tendon indices. Stable results have been obtained for improving the functions of the knee joint for up to 6 – 12 months using the phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis as per the WOMAC and Lequesne indices. In the treatment by the phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis, no side effects were registered. CONCLUSION: The obtained results give grounds for further research on the evaluation of the effectiveness of using the phytocomplex SMC-electrophoresis in microcirculatory disorders in the affected joint, for correcting connective tissue metabolism and electrolyte metabolism in the patients with the knee joint osteoarthritis

Control of the Transdermal Delivery Process of Active Substances of the Phytocomplex during Phonophoresis in Model Experiments

BACKGROUND: The scientific substantiation for the selection of therapeutically significant dosage of phytocomplex in the dosage form for phonophoresis, control over the delivery of active substances into the body, and what affects this process require the study of the kinetics of phytocomplex flavonoids delivery during phonophoresis. AIM: The aim was to study the possibilities of controlling the process of transdermal delivery of phytocomplex active substances (flavonoids) during phonophoresis in vitro model experiments. METHODS: Working compositions with different concentrations of phytocomplex for phonophoresis were used. The content of flavonoids in the compositions was determined using the spectrophotometric method and was calculated equivalent to quercetin, the flavonoid prevailing in the phytocomplex. The study of the kinetics of flavonoids delivery from working compositions was carried out using Franz diffusion cells and Carbosyl-P membranes. The authors determined the main parameters of the process and established the dependence of the delivery rate of flavonoids on their initial concentration in the working composition. The authors studied the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide and the base-forming substances of the working composition on the kinetics of phytocomplex flavonoid delivery during phonophoresis. RESULTS: The authors recorded an increase in the rate of delivery of the active substances from working compositions containing dimethyl sulfoxide into the model medium by almost 1.5-2 times during the first ten minutes of the experiment (approximate duration of the phonophoresis procedure). The authors proposed technological techniques for improvement of the phonophoresis method for the phytocomplex. The possibilities of control over the process of transdermal delivery of the phytocomplex active ingredients during phonophoresis in vitro model experiments were shown. CONCLUSION: The obtained results provide information for further pharmacological studies of the nature and mechanism of the effect of phytocomplex flavonoids during phonophoresis in the rehabilitation of patients with osteoarthrosis

Influence of Flavonoids on the Cytotoxic Activity of Mononuclear Blood Cells in Model Tests

BACKGROUND: The spread of phytocomplex application and justification of its selective effects on tumour cells (mainly due to the presence of flavonoids) require research of its cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activity. AIM: The goal was to study the direct cytotoxic effect of the phytocomplex and its modulating effect on the cytotoxic activity of the donor's mononuclear blood cells in in vitro experiments. METHODS: The phytocomplex was a dry extract from marsh cinquefoil, creeping alfalfa and common hop; its main active ingredients were flavonoids. Transplantable monolayer cultures of lung adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, erythroblastic leukaemia, and fibroblasts were used as target cells. The cytotoxic activity was assessed using a cytotoxic test based on the selective ability to live cells to reduce MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethyltriazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) to formazan in mitochondria. Quantitative determination of formazan was performed using spectrophotometry. RESULTS: A direct cytotoxic effect of the phytocomplex in concentrations of at least 2.5 mg/ml on tumour cells has been established. Its modulating effect on the cytotoxic activity of mononuclear blood cells at a concentration of 0.05 mg/ml was shown. The phytocomplex in doses of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml increased the killer activity of the mononuclear cells in a diseased person's blood, but did not affect these blood cells in a healthy donor. Incubation of lymphocytes with a phytocomplex for 24 hours increased the cytotoxic activity of mononuclear cells by 20-25%. CONCLUSION: The direct cytotoxic effect of the phytocomplex and its modulating effect on the cytotoxic activity of mononuclear blood cells in model experiments in vitro have been established

Marketing Research of Personnel Motivation and Pharmacy Chains

The purpose of the study is to analyze the motivation of pharmacy and pharmacy chain employees to identify problem areas and develop instructions to improve the business management system. As a result of the study, motivation was found to be one of the main conditions for the effective work of a pharmaceutical organization, while the most important components of the employee motivation system are positive external factors such as financial motivation. Based on the results of the study, recommendations have been developed to improve the construction of the motivation system.El propósito del estudio es analizar la motivación de los empleados de farmacias y cadenas de farmacias para identificar áreas problemáticas y desarrollar instrucciones mejorando el sistema de gestión empresarial. Como resultado del estudio, se descubrió que la motivación es una de las principales condiciones para el trabajo eficaz de una organización farmacéutica, mientras que los componentes más importantes del sistema de motivación para los empleados son factores externos positivos como la Motivación financiera. Con base en los resultados del estudio, se han desarrollado recomendaciones para mejorar la construcción del sistema de motivación