Doctor of pharmacy as a career option: a cross-sectional study exploring PharmD students and practitioners expectations in Jordan.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) investigate the expectations and preferences of PharmD students and practitioners regarding their role in the health care system, and (2) to contrast those expectations and preferences of PharmD practitioners with real-life practice in Jordan.

Methods: Two cross-sectional descriptive questionnaires were used to collect data from PharmD students and PharmD practitioners in Jordan. A total number of 330 students and 280 practitioners were interviewed.

Preparation and evaluation of ascorbyl glucoside and ascorbic acid solid in oil nanodispersions for corneal epithelial wound healing.

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an effective topical formulation to promote corneal epithelial wound healing. Ascorbyl glucoside (AA-2G), a stable prodrug of AA, was formulated in solid in oil (S/O) nanodispersions by emulsifying AA-2G solutions in cyclohexane using Span 85 as an emulsifying agent and freeze-drying emulsions to produce AA-2G - surfactant complex. The complexes were then dispersed in castor oil to produce S/O nanodispersions which were evaluated in terms of their particle size, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, morphology, physical stability as well as the transcorneal permeation and accumulation of AA-2G.

Simultaneous determination of furosemide and carbamazepine in biological matrices by solvent bar microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector and central composite design.

A sensitive and simple sample pretreatment method based on a two-phase solvent bar microextraction (SBME) technique coupled with HPLC-diode array detector (DAD) was developed for simultaneous extraction and determination of trace amounts of furosemide and carbamazepine in human urine and plasma samples. The significance of operational factors on carbamazepine and furosemide extraction efficiency % (EE%) was screened using full factorial design (FFD) while central composite design (CCD) was used to model the entire process. A quadratic model was found convenient to correlate the extraction EE% of selected drugs with dominant experimental factors.

Evaluation of the effect of items' format and type on psychometric properties of sixth year pharmacy students clinical clerkship assessment items.

Background: Examinations are the traditional assessment tools. In addition to measurement of learning, exams are used to guide the improvement of academic programs. The current study attempted to evaluate the quality of assessment items of sixth year clinical clerkships examinations as a function of assessment items format and type/structure and to assess the effect of the number of response choices on the characteristics of MCQs as assessment items.

Prevalence, determinants, and characteristics of extemporaneous compounding in Jordanian pharmacies.

Background: Pharmaceutical compounding is an essential component in pharmacy practice allowing pharmacists to provide dosage forms or strengths that are commercially unavailable. Medications compounded for patient-specific needs contribute to personalized medicine. Extemporaneous compounding provided by pharmacies overcomes the market shortage of these therapeutic products.

Quantitative analysis of single best answer multiple choice questions in pharmaceutics.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to: (1) analyze the quality of single best answer multiple choice questions (MCQs) used in pharmaceutics exams, (2) identify the correlation between difficulty index (DIF I), discriminating index (DI), and distractor efficiency (DE), and (3) understand the relationship between DIF I, DI, and DE and the number of MCQ answer options and their cognitive level.

Methods: 429 MCQs used in pharmaceutics exams were analyzed. The quality of the MCQs was evaluated using DIF I, DI, and DE.

The influence of ethanol on superdisintegrants and on tablets disintegration.

Disintegration of immediate release tablets originates from the volume expansion of disintegrants within the formulation. Here, we study the impact of ethanol on the disintegrant expansion and on tablets disintegration. The three most commonly used superdisintegrants, namely sodium starch glycolate (SSG), crospovidone (PVPP) and croscarmellose sodium (CCS) were investigated alone and incorporated in dicalcium phosphate and in drug-containing tablets.

Clarithromycin laurate salt: physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics after oral administration in humans.

Objective: To prepare and characterize the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of clarithromycin laurate (CLM-L), a fatty acid salt of clarithromycin (CLM).

Methods: CLM-L was prepared by a simple co-melting process. The formation of CLM-L was confirmed using FTIR, H NMR, and C NMR.

Zein as a Pharmaceutical Excipient in Oral Solid Dosage Forms: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Zein is the main storage protein of corn and it has several industrial applications. Mainly in the last 10-15 years, zein has emerged as a potential pharmaceutical excipient with unique features. Zein is a natural, biocompatible and biodegradable material produced from renewable sources.

Aggregation of zein in aqueous ethanol dispersions: Effect on cast film properties.

In this study, we evaluate the influence of zein aggregation in aqueous ethanol dispersions on the properties of zein films. The effects of zein concentration, ethanol content and temperature on transmittance of zein dispersions were investigated. Dynamic light scattering was used to measure the degree of zein aggregation in the dispersions.

Development of a biphasic dissolution test for Deferasirox dispersible tablets and its application in establishing an in vitro-in vivo correlation.

In a biphasic dissolution medium, the integration of the in vitro dissolution of a drug in an aqueous phase and its subsequent partitioning into an organic phase is hypothesized to simulate the in vivo drug absorption. Such a methodology is expected to improve the probability of achieving a successful in vitro-in vivo correlation. Dissolution of Dispersible tablets of Deferasirox, a biopharmaceutics classification system type II compound, was studied in a biphasic dissolution medium using a flow-through dissolution apparatus coupled to a paddle apparatus.

Evaluation of hydrophilic matrix tablets based on Carbopol(®) 971P and low-viscosity sodium alginate for pH-independent controlled drug release.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate matrix tablets containing different ratios of Carbopol(®) 971P (CP) to low-viscosity sodium alginate (SA) and assess their suitability for pH-independent controlled drug release.

Methods: Two processing methods (physical mixing, PM and spray-drying, SD) were applied before compaction and the release from corresponding matrices was compared. The release from CP-SA PM matrices was also investigated using three model drugs (paracetamol, salicylic acid, and verapamil HCl) and two dissolution media (0.

Development of a predictive in vitro dissolution for clarithromycin granular suspension based on in vitro-in vivo correlations.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro behavior of different clarithromycin granular suspensions based on a developed in vitro-in vivo correlation model, using one reference and two test formulations. In vitro release rate data were obtained for each product using the USP apparatus II, operated at 50 rpm under different pH conditions. The dissolution efficiency was used to analyze the dissolution data.

A comparative study of first-derivative spectrophotometry and column high-performance liquid chromatography applied to the determination of repaglinide in tablets and for dissolution testing.

A fast and reliable method for the determination of repaglinide is highly desirable to support formulation screening and quality control. A first-derivative UV spectroscopic method was developed for the determination of repaglinide in tablet dosage form and for dissolution testing. First-derivative UV absorbance was measured at 253 nm.

Optimization of methacrylic acid ester copolymers blends as controlled release coatings using response surface methodology.

The aim of this study was to statistically optimize the use of blends of methacrylic acid ester copolymers with different permeability properties as controlled-release coating systems for tablets to produce predictable predesigned release profiles. A full factorial design was used to study and optimize the use of methacrylic acid ester copolymers Eudragit RS 30D and Eudragit RL 30D as coating materials for controlled release. Directly compressed theophylline tablets were coated with aqueous dispersions containing different proportions of the two copolymers using a side-vented coating pan (Accela Cota).