Phytochemical characterization of South Africa bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.)

A methanolic extract of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides, Asteraceae) was evaluated sensorially. A High Temperature Liquid Chromatography (HTLC)-coupled sensory-guided analysis was performed on bush tea extract to identify potential taste modulating compounds. One fraction showed bitter enhancing effects on caffeine. Fractionated using Fast Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (FCPC) and preparative HPLC followed by structure elucidation using NMR and LC-NMR led to the identification of three polymethoxylated flavones, quercetin-3'- O-glucoside (1), as well as a methoxylated derivative (2). In addition, two dicaffeoyl quinic acids and one coumaric acid ester (3) were isolated. Sensory evaluation of isolated compounds led to the identification of quercetin-3'-O-glucoside as bitterness enhancing principle.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/sajbhb201

Polymorphism: an evaluation of the potential risk to the quality of drug products from the Farmácia Popular Rede Própria

Polymorphism in solids is a common phenomenon in drugs, which can lead to compromised quality due to changes in their physicochemical properties, particularly solubility, and, therefore, reduce bioavailability. Herein, a bibliographic survey was performed based on key issues and studies related to polymorphism in active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) present in medications from the Farmácia Popular Rede Própria. Polymorphism must be controlled to prevent possible ineffective therapy and/or improper dosage. Few mandatory tests for the identification and control of polymorphism in medications are currently available, which can result in serious public health concerns

‘Memory boxes’ as tool for community-based volunteers

This article describes an action research intervention to augment community-based volunteer counsellors’ support capacity. We conducted a case study with purposefully selected community-based volunteers (N=30). From a narrative and positive psychology framework we developed and implemented an intervention which focused on memory box-making (MBM). The participants’ ranges of psychosocial competencies were explored pre- and post-intervention by way of observation, focus-group discussions, as well as informal conversational interviews. We found that the volunteers acquired the skills and applied them competently