26 research outputs found

    Pharmacy Practice and Education in Latvia

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    The PHARMINE (“Pharmacy Education in Europe”) project studied the organisation of pharmacy practice and education in the member states of the European Union (EU). The work was carried out using an electronic survey sent to chosen pharmacy representatives. The surveys of the individual member states are now being published as reference documents. This paper presents the results of the PHARMINE survey on pharmacy practice and education in Latvia. In the light of this, we examine the harmonisation of practice and education in Latvia with EU norms.publishersversionPeer reviewe

    Functional evaluation of THIQ, a melanocortin 4 receptor agonist, in models of food intake and inflammation

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    The central melanocortinergic system plays an important role in regulating different aspects of energy homeostasis and the immunomodulatory response. In the present study, we evaluated the in vivo activities of food intake suppression and anti-inflammatory activity of THIQ, which has been proposed to possess high and selective melanocortin-4 receptor agonistic activity in vitro. The results showed that THIQ (0.1, 0.3 and 1 nmol/rat, intracerebroventricularly) is less effective in reducing food intake and body weights of rats than the non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist melanotan II. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements in mice brain tissue showed that THIQ at doses of 0.001 and 0.01 nmol/mouse (intracisternally) increased the concentration of nitric oxide, which is not typical for melanocortin receptor agonists. In an experimental brain inflammation model, THIQ only weakly antagonized lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide overproduction in brain tissue at a dose of 0.01 nmol/mouse. Our findings provide new insight into the in vivo pharmacological profile of the in vitro selective melanocortin-4 receptor agonist THIQ and give grounds for caution when interpreting and predicting melanocortin receptor selective agonist activity in vivo.publishersversionPeer reviewe

    Neuroprotective Properties of Mildronate, a Small Molecule, in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

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    Previously, we have found that mildronate [3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium) propionate dihydrate], a small molecule with charged nitrogen and oxygen atoms, protects mitochondrial metabolism that is altered by inhibitors of complex I and has neuroprotective effects in an azidothymidine-neurotoxicity mouse model. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mildronate in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that was generated via a unilateral intrastriatal injection of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). We assessed the expression of cell biomarkers that are involved in signaling cascades and provide neural and glial integration: the neuronal marker TH (tyrosine hydroxylase); ubiquitin (a regulatory peptide involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system); Notch-3 (a marker of progenitor cells); IBA-1 (a marker of microglial cells); glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP (a marker of astrocytes); and inducible nitric oxide synthase, iNOS (a marker of inflammation). The data show that in the 6-OHDA-lesioned striatum, mildronate completely prevented the loss of TH, stimulated Notch-3 expression and decreased the expression of ubiquitin, GFAP and iNOS. These results provide evidence for the ability of mildronate to control the expression of an array of cellular proteins and, thus, impart multi-faceted homeostatic mechanisms in neurons and glial cells in a rat model of PD. We suggest that the use of mildronate provides a protective effect during the early stages of PD that can delay or halt the progression of this neurodegenerative disease

    Barriers to medication counselling for people with mental health disorders : A six country study

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    Provision of medication information may improve adherence and prevent medication related problems. People with mental health disorders commonly receive less medication counselling from pharmacists than people with other common long term and persistent disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare and contrast barriers pharmacy students perceive toward providing medication counselling for people with mental health disorders in Australia, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, India and Latvia. Methods: Barriers identified by third-year pharmacy students as part of the International Pharmacy Students' Health Survey were content analysed using a directed approach. Students' responses were categorised as pharmacist related, patient related, health-system related, or social or cultural related. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 14.0. Results: Survey instruments were returned by 649 students. Of the respondents, 480 identified one or more barriers to medication counselling for people with mental health disorders. Patient related factors accounted for between 25.3% and 36.2% of barriers identified by the pharmacy students. Pharmacist related factors accounted for between 17.6% and 45.1% of the barriers identified by the pharmacy students. Students in India were more likely to attribute barriers to pharmacist and social and cultural related factors, and less likely to healthsystem related factors, than students studying in other countries. Conclusion: The nature of barriers identified by pharmacy students differed according to the country in which they studied. Undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education programs may need to be amended to address common misconceptions among pharmacy students.publishersversionPeer reviewe

    Perception of the Professional Knowledge of and Education on the Medical Technology Products among the Pharmacists in the Baltic and Nordic Countries—A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

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    With increased development of medical technology (MT), new challenges emerge related to education and training of pharmacists and other healthcare specialists. Currently, only a few universities in the EU promote MT education and research. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the current status, views on, and need for the education on MT for the pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists in the Baltic and Nordic countries. Methods: The representatives of higher education institutions and community/hospital pharmacists from six Baltic and Nordic countries participated in a qualitative cross-sectional exploratory internet-based study from May to October 2014. Results: Approximately two-third of the respondents considered professional knowledge about MT products important for pharmacists, but half of them had never participated in any MT courses. More practicing pharmacists than representatives of academia underlined the need for increased MT education for pharmacy students in the future. Conclusions: The pharmacists in the Baltic and Nordic countries consider the professional knowledge about MT as pertinent in their education and work. The limited number and status of MT courses available today, however, is a major concern among both pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists in these countries. In the future, increasing education combining theory and practice about MT products would be one possible solution to overcome this challenge.Peer reviewe

    Melanocortin receptors: from cloning to selective ligands

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    Since 1957 MSH-receptors have been known as physiological entities. Binding sites for MSH/ACTH peptides have been identified in number of brain and peripheral tissues. Receptor studies were later also performed by binding on melanoma cell lines. These test systems gave comparable results and it is now known that data obtained than with these systems refer to MC1 receptor. Starting in 1992 by the use of molecular cloning genes encoding five different subtypes of MC-receptors have been identified. These five MC-receptors are termed MC1, MC2, MC3, MC4, MC5 and they belong to the class of G-protein coupled receptors which have seven hydrophobic transmembrane domains and are coupled in a stimulatory fashion to cAMP. Acting through these five (localised in central nervous system, immune system and periphery) recptors melanocortin peptides exert so broad array of peripheral and central effects, that their investigation has no borders. One way is to provide means and methods to selectively regulation of MC-receptors by pharmacological affecting processes and conditions related to tissues and cells expressing the MC-receptors. This study describes the design of a new group of chemical compounds which activate MC-receptors selectively and with high potency as well as which antagonise the action of other hormones and agonists on these receptors. Comprehensive testing of natural peptides and their synthetic analogues as well as non-melanocortins allowed to draw general conclusions. Such as, that #alpha#MSH is selective for the MC1 receptor, the MC2 binds ACTH, but not MSH peptides, the MC3 has relatively high potency for #gamma#MSH, but MC4 low, that MC5 has the same potency order as MC1, but MSH peptides bind to MC5 with much lower affinities. Peptides found by phage display screening show higher selectivity for MC1. Besides already known effect of MC1 in melanogenesis there is growing number of data showing importance of MC1 receptor selective substances in immune system modulation. Such substances can be used in the treatment of immunological diseases, including inflammation or any related condition involving the action of macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes, keratinocytes, melanocytes and endothelial cells. Screening hundreds of synthetic peptides revealed novel compounds with high selectivity and affinity for MC-receptor subtypes in combination with effective stimulation of cAMP formation in MC-receptor expressing cells. We discovered that 26 member ring cyclic peptides Cys4, D-Na17, Cys11-#alpha#MSH analogues posses for MC4 receptor, 29 member rings for the MC3. According to data from knock-out mice MC4 selective substances have potential in treatment of overweight, anorexia and bulimia. The present study includes also structural characteristic of these receptors by generation of mutated clones of human MC1, MC3, MC4, MC5 receptors. These mutants were functionally expressed in eukaryotic cells and characterised in radioligand binding assay. Results of this nature is important for 3D modelling of receptors protein as there is no data available of membrane bound receptor protein crystalline structure. Mutagenesis study showed that ligand binding pocket is buried within the TM1, TM2, TM3, TM6 and TM7, but TM4 and TM5 did not affect binding. Concentration of expressed MC-receptors in mammalian cells is inefficient for receptor protein purification what is reason to search for other possibilities. It is known, that baculovirus expression system is one of the most efficient method for high level protein production. It was shown by us first time that infection of insect Sf9 cells with baculovirus carrying corresponding MC-receptor gene gives very high MC-receptor protein level. Nowadays such cells are used in drug companies for large scale screening and in the future will be used for receptor purificationAnnotation in Latvian, Russian, EnglishAvailable from Latvian Academic Library / LAL - Latvian Academic LibrarySIGLELVLatvi

    Intra-Nasally Administered Oligopeptide Lunasin Acts as a Possible Anti-Psychotic Agent in Mice Models

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    Background and Objectives: Previously we have shown that synthetic lunasin, a 43 amino acid residue-containing peptide, after its central (intracisternal) administration in mice demonstrated antagonism against dopaminergic drug behavioural effects, indicating a putative antipsychotic/anti-schizophrenic profile of lunasin. The aims of the present studies were: to test whether lunasin would show an influence on the dopaminergic system after intranasal administration, and to examine the effect(s) of lunasin on serotonin and glutamatergic systems, which could play an essential role in antipsychotic action. Materials and Methods: Lunasin was administered intra-nasally at doses 0.1 and 1 nmol/mouse in ICR mice (n = 7–8) and tested in an open field on hyperlocomotion caused by amphetamine; serotonin 5-HT 2A/2C receptor agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)- 2-aminopropane (DOI); and glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist phencyclidine. Following behavioural testing, the contents of neurotransmitters and their metabolites in brain hemispheres (n = 6–8) were assessed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mas-spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS) method. Also, lunasin binding to serotonin receptors was assessed. Results: Lunasin intra-nasally fully normalized hyper-locomotion and brain monoamine levels in amphetamine- and DOI-treated mice brains. Phencyclidine behavioural effects were not influenced. In vitro receptor binding data demonstrated a low affinity of lunasin (at µM concentrations) compared with DOI (nM concentrations) for the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors. Conclusions: These results demonstrated, for the first time, that the intranasal administration of oligopeptide lunasin normalized mice behaviour and brain monoamine levels in experimental psychosis mice models. Its neuro-regulatory effects indicated a usefulness of this peptide molecule for the design of novel psychotropic agents

    Identification of Abies sibirica L. Polyprenols and Characterisation of Polyprenol-Containing Liposomes

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    The needles of conifer trees are one of the richest sources of natural polyprenols. Polyprenol homologs from Abies sibirica L. lipophilic 80% purified extract were analyzed and quantified. In total, 10 peaks (Prenol-11 to Prenol-20) were observed in the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) chromatogram of Siberian fir with the most abundant compound being Prenol-15 (relative amount 37.23 + 0.56% of the total polyprenol yield). Abies sibirica L. polyprenol solubility and incorporation efficiency into liposomes were studied in various commercially available lecithin mixtures (Phosal IP40, Phosal 75SA, and Lipoid P45). The resulting multilamellar polyprenol liposomes were morphologically characterized by Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy, and the liposome size was discovered to be polymodal with the main peak at 1360 nm (90% of the volume). As polyprenols are fully soluble only in lipids, a liposomal formulation based upon co-solubilization and a modified ethanol injection method of polyprenols into the ethanol-phospholipid system was developed for the entrapment and delivery of polyprenols for potential commercial applications in food supplement and cosmetic industries
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