The present study carried out GC-MS analysis, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and ADMET study of the crude ethanol extract (CRE), ethyl acetate (EAF), and aqueous (AQF) fractions of Diospyros mespiliformis (DM). Grandiflorenic (25.36%) and cis, cis-linoleic (27.13%) acids were the most abundant of the 59 and 40 compounds identified in the EAF and AQF, respectively. The EAF and CRE exhibited total antioxidant capacity of 77.78 ±0.01 ascorbic acid equivalent (mg AAE/g extract) and 60.20 ±0.01 mg AAE/g extract, respectively, significantly (p < 0.05) than the AQF (29.63 ±0.01 mg AAE/g extract). Furthermore, the EAF (38.27% ±2.44) exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentage inhibition via the ferric thiocyanate assay than the CRE (17.45% ±2.18) and AQF (15.91% ±2.11). All the extracts showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower malondialdehyde concentrations than AA in the thiobarbituric acid assay. Additionally, the AQF exhibited a significantly higher percentage of H2O2 scavenging than the AA and EAF at 100 µg/ml. Diazoprogesterone (compound III) identified in the EAF exhibited the lowest respective binding affinity and inhibition constant, interacting with myeloperoxidase (-9 kcal/mol and 0.25 µM), xanthine oxidase (-9.9 kcal/mol and 0.05 µM), 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (-10 kcal/mol and 0.05µM), and sirtuin 6 (-10 kcal/mol and 0.05 µM). The molecular dynamics simulations showed residue fluctuations of the diazoprogesterone-docked complexes with the highest observed at Ser42 (5.14 Å), Cys1325 (8.96 Å), Ser281 (7.71 Å), and Leu78 (3.91 Å) for myeloperoxidase, xanthine oxidase, 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and sirtuin 6, respectively compared to the undocked targets. Moreover, diazoprogesterone was predicted to possess good ADMET properties. Conclusively, DM possesses significant antioxidant and antidiabetic potential, containing compounds that might be a source of novel therapeutics against oxidative stress and diabetes.

In this review, chemical and biological assays performed in the pharmaceutical industry to determine the potency and bioactivity of antibiotics are discussed. Though commonly employed chemical methods can measure the potency of antibiotics, inefficiency to estimate the bioactivity is one of their major limitations. Due to their sensitivity and cost-effectiveness, common microbiological assays can serve as alternative methods. Several factors like doses of antibiotics, homogeneity of agar medium, inoculum concentration, chemical composition of agar media, size and solubility of samples or drug molecules, pH, relative humidity and exposure time can influence microbiological assays. Based on specific requirement and experimental targets, agar diffusion assays are designed focusing on their costs, errors, accuracy and simplicity. To avoid the misuse and overuse of antibiotics that leads to drug-resistance, parameters like zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, mutation prevention concentration and critical concentration are also conversed in this study. Finally, microbiological and high-performance liquid chromatography methods were specifically compared for their sensitivity, accuracy and assessment of biological activity with minimal cost. Due to their advantages and disadvantages, parallel use of both bioassays and chemical methods are suggested to precisely determine the potency of antibiotics.

The current study set out to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of Daidzein (Dz) on the isoproterenol (Iso)-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in male Wistar rats. Iso(80 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously into rats to cause MI for two days at intervals of 24 hours. ELISA kits were used to measure the amounts of TNF-α & IL-6 in cardiac tissues. The quantity of NF-kB in the cytosol and nuclei was measured using a western blot approach. H&E staining was used to identify histological cardiac changes. In rats with Iso-induced myocardial infarction, Dz therapy shrunk the size of the infarct and reduced histological anomalies in the myocardium. Dz significantly lowered cardiac pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and prevented NF-kB nuclear translocation in MI-damaged rats, substantially reversing Iso-induced damage. This research shows that daidzein treatment in vivo reduces Iso-induced myocardial damage by preventing NF-kB activation, which may therefore reduce the release of inflammatory cytokines.

Online distance learning systems gained importance during school closures all over the world after the COVID-19 outbreak. Pharmacy schools in Türkiye were also affected by these changes and educational activities which shifted to online distance education. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the attitudes of pharmacy students concerning distance education during the pandemic regarding their gender, infrastructural issues, having separate rooms, their classes, residency areas and the number of theoretical and applied courses. We conducted a cross-sectional survey. Thus, a total of 380 pharmacy students participated from pharmacy schools in Türkiye. The perceptions of pharmacy students were compared as per their demographical and educational status. Except gender variable, no significant difference was found among the students. Switching to online distance education formed as a response to the crisis in the pandemic. Although student perceptions from different disciplines have been examined in the existing literature, pharmacy students' perceptions remained limited. Hence, it is important to understand and point out the students' perceptions related to online distance education in pharmacy schools to be prepared for future emergencies.

The aim was to study the stress-protective effect of sodium 2-((4-amino-5-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate. The analysis of the effect of the sample on the behavior and psycho-emotional state of animals, physiological parameters, antioxidant-prooxidant system was studied. Studies of stress-protective properties were performed on white outbred rats. As a comparison drug was used a Mebicar (Adaptol®) (reference sample). One hour after the simulation of immobilization 6-hour stress, the animals were subjected to a series of tests: "Open Field", "Light and Dark Chamber", "Morris Water Labyrinth". Behavioral tests were performed according to generally accepted methods in simplified modifications. Serum and liver homogenate were used to determine the content of markers of the antioxidant-prooxidant system: quantitative content of diene conjugates (DC), thiobarbituric acid reactants (TBA reactants), as well as catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Based on complex behavioral tests data, Catalase, TBA reactants, DC, SOD data in the serum and in the liver homogenate it can be concluded the presence of stress-protective properties of sodium 2-((4-amino-5-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate in the model of acute immobilization stress.

The present work aims to optimize and assess the Cisplatin (CIS) and Quercetin (QCT)-loaded biodegradable polymeric nanomicelles (PNM). The development of a quantitative method for the estimation of CIS and QCT in pharmaceutical dosage form was another objective. The aluminum plates coated with silica gel F254 used for separation of both the drugs employing Toluene: Methanol: Ethyl acetate: DMF: Triethylamine (5:0.5:3.5:1:1 drop % v/v/v/v/v) as mobile phase. Results of the validation parameter indicate that the developed method was precise, accurate, and robust. CIS and QCT-loaded PNM formulated using solvent evaporation technique employing poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) 50:50. The Quality by Design (QbD) was accomplished to identify the critical manufacturing attributes and critical process parameters. Optimization of the formulation was performed by central composite design using particle size and % encapsulation efficiency as dependent variables. The amount of PLGA and Span selected as independent variables. Statistically substantial variables identified using regression analysis and analysis of variance. A diffusion study revealed that optimized nanomicelles were capable to sustain the drug release up to 8h. Zeta sizer, TEM confirmed the stability and nano-sized nanoparticles. CIS-QCT PNM was found to be an alternate route to systemic treatment.

Empathy is defined as a fundamental tool to improve the healthcare professional-patient bond and understanding of both patient and other professionals which enhances the healthcare professional’s experience. The empathetic attitude of the pharmacist could be a key element in effective interaction and this skill can be improved with various methods. In this study, it is aimed to reveal whether pharmacy education has an effect on the level of empathy by comparing the opinions of the students and their empathy levels. The validated Turkish version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) questionnaire was used to reveal the participants’ empathy level. 311 students participated the survey from 699 students and 306 of them were included for the analysis. According to the scale scores’ mean of student, a statistically significant difference was found only in terms of gender. Additionally, whether they had an internship or not did not make a significant difference on empathy levels. Pharmacy students' technical skills in providing therapeutic recommendations may be negatively affected by their inability to communicate or engage with patients due to their lack of empathy. To prevent this, empathy as a teachable ability could be involved in the pharmacy education curriculum with various practices and techniques.

Kanser tedavisine yönelik terapötiklerin ve tedavi yaklaşımlarının geliştirilmesine rağmen hastalık dünya çapında önde gelen ölüm nedenlerinden biridir. Spesifite eksikliği, sitotoksisite ve çoklu ilaç direnci gibi sınırlamalar nedeniyle kemoterapi, radyasyon terapisi ve immünoterapi gibi kanser tedavileri ile henüz istenen düzeyde başarı elde edilememiştir. Bu nedenle yan etkilerin azaltılarak etkin bir tedavinin gerçekleştirilebilmesi için hedefe yönelik tedavilerin geliştirilmesi büyük önem taşımaktadır. Ancak kanser mikroçevresi, vaskülarizasyonu ve hipoksik bölgeleri ile hedeflendirme için birçok fizyolojik engele sahiptir. 1800’lü yıllardan günümüze kadar yapılan araştırmalar, bakterilerin bu fizyolojik engelleri aşarak kanser dokusuna seçici olduğunu göstermiştir. Bakterilerin doğal olarak tümör dokularını hedefleme ve dokuda birikme özelliklerine sahip olduğunun keşfedilmesiyle birlikte araştırmacılar, bakteri destekli ilaç taşıyıcı sistemler üzerine yoğunlaşmıştır. Bakterilerin hareketlilik, immün yanıt oluşturma ve kolay modifikasyon özelliğiyle konvansiyonel ilaç taşıyıcı sistemlerden daha üstün olduğu bildirilmiştir. Bu derlemede kanser tedavisine yönelik bakteri destekli ilaç taşıyıcı sistemler konusunda literatürde yer alan en güncel gelişmeler değerlendirilmiştir.

Karite Ürünlerinin Besinsel Faydaları ve Karite Yağının Tıbbi Özellikleri
 
 ÖZET
 Karite veya Shea ağacı, Vitellaria paradoxa (Syn: Butyrospermum paradoxum, B. paradoxa, B. parkii) (Sapotaceae), Batı Afrika’nın kuru savan kuşağında doğal olarak yetişir. V. paradoxa subsp. paradoxa ve V. paradoxa subsp. nilotica olmak üzere iki alt türü tanımlanmıştır. Ağaç farklı ülkelerde farklı isimlerle bilinir. Karite ağacının önemi yüzyıllar önce meyvesi, çekirdekleri ve yağı aracılığıyla anlaşılmıştır. Günümüzde ise karite ağacı büyük bir ekonomik potansiyele sahiptir. Geleneksel olarak bitkinin farklı kısımlarının çok çeşitli kullanımları kayıtlıdır. Yağ; gıda hazırlama, ilaç ve kozmetik endüstrisinde kullanılır. Yağın ve yağdan izole edilen bileşiklerin anti-inflamatuvar, antimikrobiyal, antioksidan, anti-diyareik, anti-arthritik, antitümör, UV-koruyucu, emoliyan, nemlendirici, yaşlanma karşıtı ve proteaz inhibisyon etkilerinin olduğu çeşitli araştırmalarda gösterilmiştir. Ayrıca yağın kolesterol ve protein metabolizması üzerine etkisi bildirilmiştir. Yağ sabunlaşmayan maddelerin yüksek yüzdesi nedeniyle uluslararası kozmetik endüstrisinde oldukça talep görmektedir. Bu çalışmada; karite ağacının yayılışı, geleneksel kullanımı, ağaçtan elde edile meyve, çekirdek ve yağın kimyasal içerikleri; besinsel faydaları ve yağın tıbbi özellikleri ve kullanım alanları ile ilgili güncel bilgiler derlenmiştir.
 Anahtar Kelimeler: Vitellaria paradoxa, karite yağı, doğal kozmetik, kimyasal içerik, yemeklik yağ