Knowledge and Attitudes of Pharmacists in a Midwestern State Regarding Natural Products

Objectives. The purpose of this descriptive investigation was to determine the perceived knowledge of and attitudes toward natural products by pharmacists in Missouri. Methods. A questionnaire was mailed to 2921 licensed pharmacists. Assessments were conducted regarding the venues and specific resources these pharmacists utilized in order to gain knowledge in the area of natural products. Results. Over half (56.9%) of those surveyed indicated that they received natural product questions on a weekly basis, but only a minority (2.4%) felt they could “always answer natural product questions.” The most commonly used means for education was printed continuing education (70.2%). Only 12.5% of pharmacists indicated that they had gained knowledge about natural products from their didactic pharmacy education. Conclusions. These results confirm the need to provide pharmacists with additional education on natural products. Ideas for integrating education on natural products into pharmacy school curricula are presented. Read More: https://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/aj67024

Evaluation of antioxidant and cytoprotective activities of <it>Arnica montana</it> L. and <it>Artemisia absinthium</it> L. ethanolic extracts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Arnica montana</it> L. and <it>Artemisia absinthium</it> L. (Asteraceae) are medicinal plants native to temperate regions of Europe, including Romania, traditionally used for treatment of skin wounds, bruises and contusions. In the present study, <it>A. montana</it> and <it>A. absinthium</it> ethanolic extracts were evaluated for their chemical composition, antioxidant activity and protective effect against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in a mouse fibroblast-like NCTC cell line.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>A. absinthium</it> extract showed a higher antioxidant capacity than <it>A. montana</it> extract as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, Oxygen radical absorbance capacity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging activity, in correlation with its flavonoids and phenolic acids content. Both plant extracts had significant effects on the growth of NCTC cells in the range of 10–100 mg/L <it>A. montana</it> and 10–500 mg/L <it>A. absinthium</it>. They also protected fibroblast cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage, at the same doses. The best protection was observed in cell pre-treatment with 10 mg/L <it>A. montana</it> and 10–300 mg/L <it>A. absinthium</it>, respectively, as determined by Neutral red and lactate dehydrogenase assays. In addition, cell pre-treatment with plant extracts, at these concentrations, prevented morphological changes induced by hydrogen peroxide. Flow-cytometry analysis showed that pre-treatment with <it>A. montana</it> and <it>A. absinthium</it> extracts restored the proportion of cells in each phase of the cell cycle.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>A. montana</it> and <it>A. absinthium</it> extracts, rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids, showed a good antioxidant activity and cytoprotective effect against oxidative damage in fibroblast-like cells. These results provide scientific support for the traditional use of <it>A. montana</it> and <it>A. absinthium</it> in treatment of skin disorders.</p