Buccal Absorption of Biopharmaceutics Classification System III Drugs: Formulation Approaches and Mechanistic Insights.

Buccal drug delivery emerges as a promising strategy to enhance the absorption of drugs classified under the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class III, characterized by high solubility and low permeability. However, addressing the absorption challenges of BCS Class III drugs necessitates innovative formulation strategies. This review delves into optimizing buccal drug delivery for BCS III drugs, focusing on various formulation approaches to improve absorption.

Clonidine and dexmedetomidine for controlled hypotension during functional endoscopic sinus surgery: a comparative study.

Background: Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is minimally invasive, ambulatory endoscopic surgical procedure usually performed in most paranasal sinus diseases. Controlled hypotension during anaesthesia (hypotensive anesthesia) improves surgical field visibility and reduces risk of injuring surrounding structures. Clonidine (C) and dexmedetomidine (D) are both used to reduce blood pressure and heart rate while maintaining tissue perfusion.

Nebivolol ameliorates sepsis-evoked kidney dysfunction by targeting oxidative stress and TGF-β/Smad/p53 pathway.

Sepsis is a potential fetal organ destruction brought on through an overzealous immunologic reaction to infection, causing severe inflammation, septic shock, and damage to different organs. Although there has been progress in the identification and controlling of clinical sepsis, the fatality rates are still significant. This study, for the first time, intended to examine the possible ameliorative impact of Nebivolol, a β1-adrenergic antagonist antihypertensive drug, against nephrotoxicity resulted from cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in rats, on molecular basis.

A Window for Enhanced Oral Delivery of Therapeutics via Lipid Nanoparticles.

Oral administration of dosage forms is convenient and beneficial in several respects. Lipid nanoparticulate dosage forms have emerged as a useful carrier system in deploying low solubility drugs systemically, particularly class II, III, and IV drugs of the Biopharmaceutics Classification System. Like other nanoparticulate delivery systems, their low size-to-volume ratio facilitates uptake by phagocytosis.

Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Locally Delivered Plant Stem Cells for Treatment of Periodontitis: Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Periodontitis causes the destruction of soft and hard tissues. Stem cells have immense potential in regenerative cellular therapy. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate clinically and radiographically the effectiveness of the local application of Edelweiss stem cells as a nonsurgical treatment for stage III periodontitis.

Identifying the core concepts of pharmacology education: A global initiative.

Background And Purpose: In recent decades, a focus on the most critical and fundamental concepts has proven highly advantageous to students and educators in many science disciplines. Pharmacology, unlike microbiology, biochemistry, or physiology, lacks a consensus list of such core concepts.

Experimental Approach: We sought to develop a research-based, globally relevant list of core concepts that all students completing a foundational pharmacology course should master.

In utero Treatment of Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome via Fetal Laryngoscopy and EXIT Procedure.

Introduction: Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS) is a rare condition that can progress to fetal hydrops and demise in utero or at birth unless interventions are undertaken to alleviate the tracheal obstruction. While the ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure for airway stabilization is technically feasible, abnormal pulmonary development as a result of the antenatal obstructive process may result in severe postnatal respiratory complications.

Case Presentation: We describe a case of CHAOS with secondary hydrops treated in utero at 24 0/7 weeks' gestation by fetoscopic tracheal decompression via laser perforation of the airway obstruction.

Russelioside A, a Pregnane Glycoside from Caralluma tuberculate, Inhibits Cell-Intrinsic NF-κB Activity and Metastatic Ability of Breast Cancer Cells.

Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a potential target for inflammatory-breast cancer treatment as it participates in its pathogenesis, such as tumor initiation, progression, survival, metastasis, and recurrence. In this study, we aimed to discover a novel anti-cancer treatment from natural products by targeting NF-κB activity. Using the 4T1-NFκB-luciferase reporter cell line, we tested three pregnane glycosides extracted from the herb Caralluma tuberculata and discovered that Russelioside A markedly suppressed NF-κB activity in breast cancer.

Mechanisms and Extent of Enhanced Passive Permeation by Colloidal Drug Particles.

Formulations containing nanosized drug particles such as nanocrystals and nanosized amorphous drug aggregates recently came into light as promising strategies to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. However, the increased solubility due to the reduction in particle size cannot adequately explain the enhanced bioavailability. In this study, the mechanisms and extent of enhanced passive permeation by drug particles were investigated using atazanavir, lopinavir, and clotrimazole as model drugs.

Comparisons of Models to Evaluate the Membrane Permeability of Amorphous Drug Nanoparticles.

The spontaneous formation of amorphous drug nanoparticles following the release of a drug from a supersaturating formulation is gaining increasing attention due to their potential contribution to increased oral bioavailability. The formation of nanosized drug particles also has considerable implications for the interpretation of and data. However, the membrane transport properties of these drug particles remain less well understood.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of Lebanese pharmacists in providing patient counseling on urinary tract infection and its treatment.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the second most common type of infections, accounting for about 7 million annual visits to health-care providers. Pharmacists have an important role in counseling patients about this disease.

Objectives: The study explored the Lebanese pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes and counseling practices (KAP) around UTI.

Prospects of Curcumin Nanoformulations in Cancer Management.

There is increasing interest in the use of natural compounds with beneficial pharmacological effects for managing diseases. Curcumin (CUR) is a phytochemical that is reportedly effective against some cancers through its ability to regulate signaling pathways and protein expression in cancer development and progression. Unfortunately, its use is limited due to its hydrophobicity, low bioavailability, chemical instability, photodegradation, and fast metabolism.

Do Medical Students' Learning Styles and Approaches Explain Their Views and Behavior Regarding Lecture Attendance?

Introduction: Medical students' attendance at lectures, particularly in the preclinical years, has been steadily declining over the years. One of the many explanations offered for this observation is that students have different learning styles and approaches, such that not all of them benefit from attending lectures; however, no studies have specifically examined this possibility. While there is evidence against learning styles as affecting objective measures of learning, they are associated with subjective measures of learning and may therefore influence student behavior.

Pharmacological regulation of cytochrome P450 metabolites of arachidonic acid attenuates cardiac injury in diabetic rats.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a well-established complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. DCM is diagnosed at advanced and irreversible stages. Therefore, it is of utmost need to identify novel mechanistic pathways involved at early stages to prevent or reverse the development of DCM.

Effect of Targeted Curricular Reform on the Learning Environment, Student Empathy, and Hidden Curriculum in a Medical School: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study.

Objective: The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine follows the American model of medical education. In 2013-2014, a carefully designed new curriculum replaced the previous, largely traditional curriculum, and aimed to improve student wellbeing, upgrade the learning environment, enhance student empathy, and counter the negative influences of the hidden curriculum. This longitudinal study assessed the effectiveness of the new curriculum in those domains over a period of 7 years.

Factors That Determine the Perceived Effectiveness of Peer Feedback in Collaborative Learning: a Mixed Methods Design.

Introduction: Peer assessment has been promoted as a valuable approach to formative assessment to support learning and peer professionalism. This mixed methods study employed a conceptual framework to explore the factors that enhance the perceived effectiveness of formative peer assessment in the context of team-based learning as a form of collaborative learning.

Materials And Methods: The volume and quality of written peer comments of two medical school classes at three time points were analyzed.

Cetuximab-conjugated chitosan-pectinate (modified) composite nanoparticles for targeting colon cancer.

In the present study, we successfully developed a cetuximab-conjugated modified citrus pectin-chitosan nanoparticles for targeted delivery of curcumin (Cet-MCPCNPs) for the treatment of colorectal cancer. In vitro analyses revealed that nanoparticles were spherical with size of 249.33 ± 5.

Respecting patient choices: using the 'Go Wish' cards as a teaching tool.

Background: Individuals have different values and priorities that can have an important impact on their medical management. Understanding this concept can help physicians provide medical care that is in line with the goals of their patients. Communicating this message effectively to students is challenging.

Topical aqueous extract of Ephedra alata can improve wound healing in an animal model.

Purpose: Ephedra alata (E. alata) is perennial tough shrub plant that grows in Palestine and other regions. It is used often in folk's medicine for the treatment of various diseases.

Interactive and collaborative learning in the classroom at the medical school Automated response systems and team-based learning.

There has been a pedagogic shift in higher education from the traditional teacher centered to the student centered approach in teaching, necessitating a change in the role of the teacher from a supplier of information to passive receptive students into a more facilitative role. Active learning activities are based on various learning theories such as self-directed learning, cooperative learning and adult learning. There exist many instructional activities that enhance active and collaborative learning.

Facilitation by the renin-angiotensin system of cyclosporine-evoked hypertension in rats: Role of arterial baroreflexes and vasoreactivity.

Aims: Cyclosporine (CSA) elevates blood pressure (BP) and alters arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and vasoreactivity. In this study we determined whether the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) interplays with other vasopressor pathways in mediating the CSA actions.

Materials And Methods: Whole animal and isolated vascular preparations were employed to determine the effects of pharmacologic interruption of angiotensin II (Ang II), endothelin (ET), or thromboxane (TXA2) signaling on the adverse cardiovascular effects of CSA.