Pharmacokinetics Parameters of Diagoxin among Saudi Patients in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The pharmacodynamic effects of digoxin are susceptible to multiple factors, most notably, heart uptake of the digoxin dose and its concentration in the serum. Another important factor to mention is the renal function state of an individual. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to develop a simple algorithm based on subsets of clinically relevant information, which will help to personalize digoxin based on pharmacokinetic (PK) approach which can help in marketing the appropriate utilization of this medication. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review and analysis of 48 patients who were admitted to the Drug and Poison Information center in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2016 and April 2019. All pharmacokinetic parameters were added according to the C-peaks and C-troughs. MONOLiX® was used for data pharmacokinetic analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (56%) were males and twenty-one (44%) were females with an average age of 63.6 years across both genders. The mean volume of distribution was 496.6 litres with an average clearance of 6.6 L/h. For females, their average volume of distribution was slightly higher than that for males (526 litres compared to 473 litres). In addition, the clearance rate between both genders showed a 2.1 litre/hour discrepancy (7.8 L/h for females compared to 5.7 L/h for males). CONCLUSION: In order to individualize the digoxin dosage regimens, this model can be used to predict digoxin serum concentration. Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of nutritional status and co-administration of medications on digoxin pharmacokinetics.

Major CYP450 Polymorphism among Saudi Patients.

BACKGROUND: Cytochrome P450 (CYP) contributes to a huge collection of medicinal products' Phase I metabolization. We aimed to summarize and investigate the current evidence regarding the frequency of CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and MDR1 in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A computerized search in four databases was done using the relevant keywords. The screening process was done in two steps; title and abstract screening and full-text screening. Data of demographic and characteristics of included studies and patients were extracted and tabulated. RESULTS: Ten studies were eligible for our criteria and were included in this systematic review. The age of participants ranged between 17-65 years. Only two subjects showed PM phenotype of CYP2C19 in the Saudi population. The most frequent alleles were CYP2C19*1 (62.9%), CYP2C19*2 (11.2%-32%), and CYP2C19*17 (25.7%). The CYP2C19m1 was observed in 97 cases of extensive metabolizing (EM) phenotype CYP2C19. Concerning the CYP2C9, the most frequent alleles were CYP2C9*1 and CYP2C9*2, and the most frequent genotype was CYP2C9*1*1. The CYP2D6*41 allele and C1236T MDR1 were the most frequent allele in this population. CONCLUSION: The current evidence suggests that Saudi resembled European in the frequency of CYP2C19, Caucasians in both the incidence of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19m1, and the absence of CYP2C19m2. The CYP2D6*41 allele frequency in Saudi is relatively high. We recommend further research to evaluate the basic and clinical relevance of gene polymorphism in such ethnicity.

Knowledge about and attitude toward cosmeceuticals among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Whitening cosmeceuticals are commonly used for beauty purposes and managing pigmentation disorders. There is significant variability across the world with regard to knowledge as well as legislation of cosmeceuticals. AIM: To evaluate the knowledge of and attitude toward whitening cosmeceuticals among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional observational study based on an online survey conducted between February and August 2019. The participants were registered pharmacists in different sectors in Saudi Arabia. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qassim, Ministry of Health. The pharmacists' response to questions on demographic characteristics, occupation, knowledge, and attitude toward whitening cosmeceuticals were collected in an online sheet. RESULTS: In all, 584 pharmacists completed the survey; of these, 5.49%, 24.82%, and 70% were consultants, pharmacists I, and pharmacists, respectively. The male-to-female ratio was 1.6:1. The most common response in the survey is "I don't know." Interestingly, 324 (59.12%) of the participants could define whitening cosmeceuticals, but 520 (90%) did not identify the term's source. Regarding practice, 196 (35.77%) participants had never used a whitening cosmetic, whereas 72 (13.14%) had but could not identify the agent. Forty percent of the participants were unaware of the possibility of combining two or more whitening cosmeceuticals and 13.14% thought that such combinations are contraindicated. CONCLUSION: There is significant variability among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia regarding the understanding and practice of whitening cosmeceuticals. Our results indicate that further measures are essential for increasing the awareness of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia.