Exploring the perception and readiness of Pharmacists towards telepharmacy implementation; a cross sectional analysis.

Background: Amid the turbulent nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, telepharmacy has shifted the paradigm of patient care by leveraging digital medicine. Government mandated lockdowns and norms of social distancing have further underscored the need for telepharmacy. Many developed and developing countries implemented such initiatives where pharmacists have provided tele-pharmacy services via telecommunications. However, the implementation and utilization of tele-pharmacy services are quite negligible in resource limited settings due to financial and administrative constraints. This study was aimed to ascertain the perception and readiness of pharmacists working in various sectors of a resource limiting country. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in all provinces of Pakistan to explore the perceptions of pharmacists towards telepharmacy implementation through a 35-items study instrument. The collected data was analyzed descriptively and scored accordingly. The chi-square test was used for inferential analysis on pharmacist's perception regarding implementation of tele-pharmacy with their demographics. Results: Of 380 pharmacists, the mean age is 27.67 ± 3.67 years with a preponderance of male pharmacists (n = 238, 62.6%). The pharmacists (n = 321, 84.5%) perceived that telepharmacy implementation improves patient's quality of life and decreases patients' visits (n = 291, 76.6%). Overall, pharmacists (n = 227, 59.7%) had negative perception towards benefits of telepharmacy implementation, but pharmacists had positive perception towards eligibility (n = 258, 67.9%), regulatory issues (n = 271, 71.3%) and telepharmacy during pandemic and beyond (n = 312, 82.1%). In chi-square testing gender (p = 0.03) and age (p = 0.03) had a significant association with perception regarding regulatory issues. Among perception regarding telepharmacy during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond age had a significant association (p = 0.03). Among perception regarding eligibility job location of pharmacists had significant association (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The majority of pharmacists had a positive perception regarding the eligibility of patients and regulatory issues/legal framework regarding the implementation of tele-pharmacy, as well as its use during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The implementation of tele-pharmacy can play a major role in providing timely and better patient care to remote patient areas and may help in the prevention and treatment of different infectious diseases.

Nanocomposites drug delivery systems for the healing of bone fractures.

The skeletal system is fundamental for the structure and support of the body consisting of bones, cartilage, and connective tissues. Poor fracture healing is a chief clinical problem leading to disability, extended hospital stays and huge financial liability. Even though most fractures are cured using standard clinical methods, about 10% of fractures are delayed or non-union. Despite decades of progress, the bone-targeted delivery system is still restricted due to the distinctive anatomical bone features. Recently, various novel nanocomposite systems have been designed for the cell-specific targeting of bone, enhancing drug solubility, improving drug stability and inhibiting drug degradation so that it can reach its target site without being removed in the systemic circulation. Such targeting systems could consist of biological compounds i.e. bone marrow stem cells (BMSc), growth factors, RNAi, parathyroid hormone or synthetic compounds, i.e. bisphosphonates (BPs) and calcium phosphate cement. Hydrogels and nanoparticles are also being employed for fracture healing. In this review, we discussed the normal mechanism of bone healing and all the possible drug delivery systems being employed for the healing of the bone fracture.

Novel N-phenylcarbamothioylbenzamides with anti-inflammatory activity and prostaglandin E2 inhibitory properties.

A number of 2-((4-ethylphenoxy)methyl)-N-(substituted-phenylcarbamothioyl) benzamides (1a-h) were synthesized via reaction of 2-((4-ethylphenoxy)methyl)benzoyl isothiocyanate (2) as a key intermediate with several substituted primary aromatic amines. The new compounds were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR), carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C-NMR), infrared spectrometry (IR), mass spectrometry (MS), and elemental analysis. The anti-inflammatory activity of 1a-h was investigated by acute carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice using the reference drug indomethacin. The results obtained indicated that, of the derivatives developed, 1a and 1d-h exhibited significantly higher anti-inflammatory activity (26.81%-61.45%) when compared with the reference drug indomethacin (22.43%) (P = 0.0490 for 1a, 0.0015 for 1d, 0.0330 for 1f, and P < 0.001 for 1e and 1h). Moreover, the ulcer incidence of 20% for 1e and 1h was clearly lower when compared with the indomethacin group (in which the ulcer incidence was 80%). Of particular note, the ulcer index of 0.2 for 1e was significantly less than that in the indomethacin group (0.6, P = 0.014). Additionally, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) inhibitory properties were found to be high with 1e (68.32 pg/mL), significantly different from those of the placebo group (530.13 pg/mL, P < 0.001), and equipotent to the effect observed in the indomethacin-pretreated group (96.13 pg/mL, P > 0.05). Moreover, the PGE2 level of 54.15 pg/mL with 1h was also significantly different from that of the placebo group (P < 0.001) and of the indomethacin group (P < 0.05). The significant inhibition of PGE2 observed with 1e (68.32 pg/mL) and 1h (54.15 pg/mL) agree with their observed ulcer incidences. Our overall findings for N-phenylcarbamothioylbenzamides 1a-h clearly suggest that the compounds exhibit an anti-inflammatory effect, potently inhibit PGE2 synthesis, and markedly demonstrate low ulcer incidence.

Antimicrobial prospect of newly synthesized 1,3-thiazole derivatives.

A new series of 1,3-thiazole and benzo[d]thiazole derivatives 10-15 has been developed, characterized, and evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity at concentrations of 25-200 µg/mL against Gram+ve organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Gram-ve organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the fungal strain Aspergillus niger (A. niger) by the cup plate method. Ofloxacin and ketoconazole (10 µg/mL) were used as reference standards for antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively. Compounds 11 and 12 showed notable antibacterial and antifungal activities at higher concentrations (125-200 µg/mL), whereas benzo[d]thiazole derivatives 13 and 14 were found to display significant antibacterial or antifungal activity (50-75 µg/mL) against the Gram+ve, Gram-ve bacteria, or fungal cells used in the present study. In addition, a correlation between calculated and determined partition coefficient (log P) was established which allows future development of compounds within this series to be carried out based on calculated log P values. Moreover, compounds 13 and 14 show that the optimum logarithm of partition coefficient (log P) should be around 4.

Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial evaluation of oxadiazole congeners.

A series of 1,3-oxazole, 1,3-thiazole, isomeric 1,2,4-oxadiazole, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, and 1,2,3,4-tetrazole heterocycles was synthesized. All the compounds shared as a common feature the presence of a 4-hydroxyphenyl substituent. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by MS, ¹H-NMR, and elemental analysis. In vitro antimicrobial activity for all the newly synthesized compounds at concentrations of 200-25 µg/mL was evaluated against Gram+ve organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Gram-ve organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the fungal strain Aspergillus niger (A. niger) by the cup plate method. Ofloxacin and ketoconazole (10 µg/mL) were used as reference standards for antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively. Compounds 15, 16, and 20 showed notable antibacterial and antifungal activities at higher concentrations (200 µg/mL), whereas 17-19 were found to display significant antibacterial or antifungal activity (25-50 µg/mL) against the Gram+ve, Gram-ve bacteria, or fungal cells used in the present study.