Development of Dermal Films Containing Miconazole Nitrate

This study aims to develop new antifungal dermal films based on their mechanical properties (elongation, adhesion, behaviour towards vapour moisture) and the in vitro availability of miconazole nitrate, used as a pharmaceutical active ingredient in various concentrations. The three polymeric films prepared were translucent or shiny, with the surface of 63.585 cm2, 0.20–0.30 mm thickness, and content of miconazole nitrate of 3.931 or 15.726 mg·cm2. The mechanical resistance and elongation tests demonstrated that the two films based on hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) polymer were more elastic than the one prepared with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). The vapour water absorption and vapour water loss capacity of the films revealed that the HPMC film did not dry very well in the process of preparation by the evaporation of the solvent technique, unlike the HEC films that jellified more evenly in water and had higher drying capacity at 40 °C. The in vitro availability of miconazole nitrate from dermal films was evaluated using the Franz diffusion cell method, through a synthetic membrane (Ø 25 mm × 0.45 µm) and acceptor media with pH 7.4 (phosphate buffer and sodium lauryl sulphate 0.045%), resulting a release rate of up to 70%

The influence of hydrogen peroxide on the rheological behaviour of Ultrez-21 gels

Objectives. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2) and its concentrations on the rheological characteristics of Ultrez-21 1% gel, in order to develop and optimize formulations easy to prepare in the pharmacy, for various pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications. Material and methods. A series of gels containing 5-29.5% H2O2 were analysed and compared to the gel base in terms of rheological properties induced by the action of forces applied either with constant intensity (adhesiveness, consistency, extensibility, viscosity) or with variable intensity (viscous structural flow, thixotropy). Perhydrol has been selected as a source of H2O2, as it is a product commonly used in pharmacy, and which, being a concentrated solution (30% m/mH2O2), can be very easily diluted by mixing with water to obtain the desired concentration in gels. Outcomes. Even if the presence of H2O2 causes changes in adhesiveness, consistency, extensibility and viscosity of gels, they do not correlate with the H2O2 contents, each gel having its own specific behaviour. The gels have a lower flow threshold when are sheared at D = 0.33 s-1 than the gel base. Differences between shear flows are statistically significant both in terms of the deviation from linearity (Runs test) and the deviation from zero value (F test). The slopes of the regression lines have positive values in all cases, but statistically different (p 15% H2O2 decrease the thixotropic capacity of the Ultrez-21 gel with comparable values (32, 38, 35 and 28%). Conclusions. All the studied gels have a plastic-thixotropic behaviour which changes both with the presence and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The differences in consistency, adhesion and extensibility between the gels cannot be attributed to the viscosity, but rather to the degree of homogeneity and / or strength of the dispersed system formed by hydrogen peroxide in the Ultrez-21 gel. The flow behaviour of the gels correlates with the variation of pH, consistency and adhesiveness, and less with the spreading properties

Changes in snow cover climatology and its elevation dependency over Romania (1961–2020)

Study Region: Romanian territory and the Carpathian Mountains, Romania.Study focus: We provide a consistent picture of long-term changes in relevant snow cover characteristics, including phenology (timing of the snow onset and melting), snow cover duration, and frequency of snow cover and snow-free days in Romania, from 1961 to 2020, that could be relevant for understanding the regional dynamics of terrestrial water resources.New hydrological insights: The trend behaviour shows different dynamics between the elevation bands and Koeppen-Geiger climate regions of Romania, which may play a crucial role in the variability of snow water budgets and the distribution of water resources. We found systematic delays in snow onsets and earlier snow melting throughout the country. These trends are particularly prominent at mid-elevations and in the lowlands, reflecting the contribution of the intensified seasonal warming process in the last decades. We also observed widespread and significant declines in snow cover duration, snow cover day frequency, and increases in snow-free days in most climate regions of the country. The trends in snow cover parameters are elevation-dependent up to 2000 m. Above 2000 m the observed changes are visibly diminished or reversed (e.g., earlier snow onsets in the alpine areas). The long-term snow cover variability shows significant shifts in the mean of the snow cover parameters, generally clustered during the 1990 s or earlier. Relationships between the large-scale atmospheric circulation (herein expressed as NAO) and changes in seasonal temperature and precipitation have been identified

Ibuprofen in the current practice of the pharmacist in the community pharmacy

The pharmacist from the community pharmacy plays a key role in the case of patients who seek directly for pathologies related to pain. Being a health specialist, he has the ability to offer pharmaceutical healthcare for drugs that need a medical prescription and also for the ones that are registered as OTC’s. Ibuprofen (IBU) is a part of the drug group called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) being registered in Romania under 17 pharmaceutical formulation by the National Agency of Drugs and Medical Devices. Due to its pharmacological profile which consists of a low risk of gastrointestinal side effects, IBU is an OTC recommended and frequently prescribed for decreasing the low and moderate pain. World Health Organization (WHO) indicates IBU as a drug that can be used to babies aged over three months. Through this paper, we try to analyze the pharmacist’s vision from the community pharmacy in IBU recommendation. In this paper were mentioned some legal aspects that are linked to the pharmacist competences, and also its approach regarding IBU recommendation during pregnancy and breastfeeding and also to children and to a category of patients who have various associated pathologies

The Influence of the Intergranular Superdisintegrant Performance on New Drotaverine Orodispersible Tablet Formulations

The main objective of this study consists in establishing the influence of the intergranular superdisintegrant on the specific properties of drotaverine hydrochloride fast-dissolving granules (DROT-FDGs) and orodispersible tablets (DROT-ODTs). The orodispersible tablets were obtained by the compression of the FDGs and excipient mixture with an eccentric tableting machine. To develop DROT-ODTs, two types of superdisintegrant excipients in different concentrations (water-soluble soy polysaccharides (SSP) (1%, 5%) and water-insoluble soy polysaccharides—Emcosoy® STS IP (EMCS) (1%, 3%, 5%)) were used, resulting in five formulations (D1–D5). The DROT-FDGs and the DROT-ODTs were subjected to pharmacotechnical and analytical evaluation. All the orodispersible tablets obtained respect the quality requirements in terms of friability (less than 1%), crushing strength (ranging between 52 N for D2 and 125.5 N for D3), and disintegration time (<180 s). The in vitro release of drotaverine from ODTs showed that all formulations presented amounts of active substance released greater than 85% at 10 min. The main objective, developing 30 mg DROT-ODTs for children aged between 6 and 12 years by incorporating the API in FDGs, was successfully achieved

Development and Evaluation of Cannabidiol Orodispersible Tablets Using a 23-Factorial Design

Orodispersible tablets (ODTs) are pharmaceutical formulations used to obtain fast therapeutic effects, usually recommended for geriatric and pediatric patients due to their improved compliance, bioavailability, ease of administration, and good palatability. This study aimed to develop ODTs with cannabidiol (CBD) phytocannabinoid extracted from Cannabis sativa used in the treatment of Lennox&ndash;Gastaut and Dravet syndromes. The tablets were obtained using an eccentric tableting machine and 9 mm punches. To develop CBD ODTs, the following parameters were varied: the Poloxamer 407 concentration (0 and 10%), the type of co-processed excipient (Prosolv&reg; ODT G2&mdash;PODTG2 and Prosolv&reg; EasyTab sp&mdash;PETsp), and the type of superdisintegrant (Croscarmellose&mdash;CCS, and Soy Polysaccharides&mdash;Emcosoy&reg;&mdash;EMCS), resulting in eleven formulations (O1&ndash;O11). The following dependent parameters were evaluated: friability, disintegration time, crushing strength, and the CBD dissolution at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min. The dependent parameters were verified according to European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) requirements. All the tablets obtained were in accordance with quality requirements in terms of friability (less than 1%), and disintegration time (less than 180 s). The crushing strength was between 19 N and 80 N. Regarding the dissolution test, only four formulations exhibited an amount of CBD released higher than 80% at 30 min. Taking into consideration the results obtained and using the Modde 13.1 software, an optimal formulation was developed (O12), which respected the quality criteria chosen (friability 0.23%, crushing strength of 37 N, a disintegration time of 27 s, and the target amount of CBD released in 30 min of 99.3 &plusmn; 6%)

Can Hyaluronic Acid Combined with Chondroitin Sulfate in Viscosupplementation of Knee Osteoarthritis Improve Pain Symptoms and Mobility?

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of intra-articular Hyaluronic acid (HA) and Chondroitin sulfate (CS) supplementation (Hialurom® Hondro (HH)) on pain symptoms and joint mobility. In total, 60 mg/mL sodium hyaluronate and 90 mg/mL CS were administered to 21 patients (17 females and 4 males) respecting the in-force requirements, excluding patients with some specific comorbidities. In addition to the clinical study (where the pain intensity (severity) and joint mobility were assessed), rheological characterization was conducted evaluating the following parameters: elastic modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″) oscillatory frequency (fc) at 0.5 Hz and 2.5 Hz, crossover frequency (fc), relaxation time (λ) where it was noticed that the addition of chondroitin sulfate (CS) to sodium hyaluronate (SH) significantly enhances and improves the viscoelastic properties, particularly at higher shear frequencies. A significant decrease in pain intensity felt by the subjects was found, from 7.48 (according to Wong–Baker scale)—pain close to 8 (the patient is unable to perform most activities), to more reduced values of 5.86—at 6 weeks after injection, 4.81—at 3 months after injection, and 5.24—at 6 months after injection, improvements in symptoms was fast and durable. Data related to the evolution of joint mobility show that at 6 weeks after injection, the mobility of joints increased by 17.8% and at 6 months by 35.61%. No serious adverse events were reported with undesired effects so that they would impose additional measures. Better resistance to enzymatic degradation and free radicals could be expected from the synergic combination of sodium hyaluronate and chondroitin sodium sulfate, this having a special importance for the patients, granting them the ability to perform more ample movements and reducing dependency on attendants, thus increasing quality of life