Knowledge of tuberculosis: a survey among tuberculosis patients in Omdurman, Sudan

A cross-sectional study was conducted in different health settings in Greater Omdurman Province with the objective of measuring the patients' knowledge about tuberculosis and its treatment. One thousand tuberculosis patients were randomly selected. Results revealed general unawareness with the disease and its treatment among the interviewees. Only 36.2% of them had satisfactory knowledge about tuberculosis and its treatment. The level of this knowledge was inversely proportional with respondent's age. Males [38.7%] were more knowledgeable than females [31.4%]. The level of satisfactory knowledge increased with increasing educational level. Respondents treated at health facilities implementing the ational Tuberculosis Programme guidelines [34.5%] were more knowledgeable compared to those treated at general hospitals and private clinics where there is no commitment to the uidelines [23.1%]. Increasing coverage of programme implementation to include general hospitals and private sector, the designing of special health educational programmes and interventions directed toward tuberculosis patients to increase their general awareness about the disease and its treatment were recommended

study of incidence of adverse drug reactions among tuberculosis patients, Omdurman, Sudan

A cross sectional study was conducted in Omdurman 'Alkobra' Province with the objective of identifying the occurrence of side effects among tuberculosis [TB] patients, treated with first line anti-TB drugs. Nine hundred forty one patients were selected randomly. Of the interviewees, about 71.2% reported the occurrence of one or more adverse drug effects. The occurrence of dizziness [33.3%], nausea [26.5%], joint pain [23.4%]. burning sensation [15.0%]. and numbness in hands/feet [16.0%] were observed. Certain groups of respondents complained from these effects more than others, e.g. females [78.7%], and alcoholics [75.0%]; [71.8%] of respondents had other disease/s together with TB. and those who used other medication/s with anti-TB drugs [73.7%]. The principal factor responsible for the increased incidence- of these effects seems to be the observed over-doses of anti TB drugs. A set of recommendations was proposed including revision of prescriptions to correct or modify doses, continuous training of health care providers especially in counseling the TB patients about adverse drug reactions, and teaching them to recognize these effects and education of the public to recognize the anti-TB drugs' adverse effects are needed

Cheminetrics assisted spectrophotometric method for sinultaneous determination of certain fluoroquinolones and their decarboxylated degradants

Simple multivariate spectrophotometric procedure for simultaneous determination of levofloxacin and norfloxacin as representative examples of fluoroquinolones and their decarboxylated degradation products is described. The method is based on the spectrophotometric measurements of the studied drugs and their degradants in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid solutions in the general range of 200-370 nm together with multivariate calibration analysis. The components of mixtures composed of either levofloxacin or norfloxacin and the corresponding degradant. show a considerable degree of spectral overlapping [85.1-87.4%]. Resolution of the binary mixtures under investigation has been accomplished mainly by using classical least squares [CLS] analysis. The method is applied successfully for determination of each drug in pure form, laboratory prepared degraded samples and in expired commercial dosage forms and good recoveries were obtained. Results were compared to those obtained by reported procedures for the same combinations and the required statistical parameters were calculated. The degradation rates for the studied drugs at 150° in 2 M HCl were also studied using the proposed procedure. The calculated first order rate constants for the decarboxylation of the studied drugs were found 0.109 and 0.082 hour -1 and the t 1/2 were 6.32 and 8.50 hours for levofloxacin and norfloxacin respectively

Formulation and evaluation of controlled release ibuprofen granules and coprecipitates

Ibuprofen controlled release granules were prepared by either pan coating or solid dispersion technique. In the first case, ibuprofen core granules were coated with different ratios of certain polymers; namely, ethyl cellulose, Eudragit RS 100 and 1:1 mixture of both polymers. The process of pan coating was continued until the weight of the granules has increased by 20, 30 and 40% for each type of polymers. In the second case, coprecipitates of ibuprofen were prepared by solvent evaporation technique using the same polymers in ratios 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1. The adhered drug and microencapsulated drug were determined and the coated granules were evaluated for angle of repose, flow rate, bulk density, Hausner factor, compressibility and drug content and dissolution. The coprecipitate was evaluated for drug content and dissolution. Both coated granules and coprecipitate were evaluated for ulcerogenic activity using albino rats