Clarification of the internal structure and factors of poor dissolution of substandard roxithromycin tablets by near-infrared chemical imaging.

The spread of substandard and falsified medicines has become a global problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Previously, we found that some tablets containing the same active ingredient had large differences in their dissolution even though their contents were comparable. In this study, we investigated the poor dissolution of roxithromycin tablets using near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) to visualize the internal tablet structure.

A Cross-Sectional Investigation of the Quality of Selected Medicines for Noncommunicable Diseases in Private Community Drug Outlets in Cambodia during 2011-2013.

Although the issue of substandard and falsified medicines is quite well known, most research has focused on medicines used to treat communicable diseases, and relatively little research has been carried out on the quality of medicines for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This study was designed to assess the quality of seven widely used medicines for NCDs in Cambodia during 2011-2013. Medicines were collected from private community drug outlets in Phnom Penh (urban area), by stratified random sampling and in Battambang, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Takeo (rural areas) by convenience sampling.

A Cross-Sectional Investigation for Verification of Globalization of Falsified Medicines in Cambodia, Indicated by Tablets of Sildenafil Citrate.

Medicine falsification is a global issue. Viagra, an erectile dysfunction therapeutic (EDT) medicine consisting primarily of sildenafil citrate, is the most commonly falsified medicine worldwide. Recently falsified EDTs have been reported multiple times in developing countries.

Quality of omeprazole purchased via the Internet and personally imported into Japan: comparison with products sampled in other Asian countries.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of omeprazole personally imported into Japan via the Internet and to compare the quality of these samples with previously collected samples from two other Asian countries.

Methods: The samples were evaluated by observation, authenticity investigation and pharmacopoeial quality analysis. Quality comparison of some selected samples was carried out by dissolution profiling, Raman spectroscopy and principle component analysis (PCA).

Erroneous formulation of delayed-release omeprazole capsules: alert for importing countries.

Background: Poor drug quality is a matter of serious concern, especially in countries where drug regulation and law enforcement are constrained by limited resources. This study was carried out to investigate the cause of quality failure of omeprazole in Cambodia in 2010 and Myanmar in 2014.

Methods: We conducted pharmacopoeial quantity, content uniformity and dissolution tests of 156 samples of omeprazole capsules collected in Cambodia in 2010 and Myanmar in 2014.