Medicine Packaging Research Articles

Isolation of cellulose nanofibers from rapeseed straw via chlorine-free purification method and its application as reinforcing agent in carboxymethyl cellulose-based films

In this study, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were successfully isolated from rapeseed straw (RS) whose valorization has been rarely investigated to date. A combined bleaching method without chlorine was applied for the purification of cellulose fibers, previously unexplored for RS. Chemical composition analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the purification method eliminated hemicellulose and reduced lignin content from 24.4 % to 1.8 %. The isolation of CNFs was performed using sulfuric acid hydrolysis under different acid concentrations (55 and 60 % v/v) and hydrolysis times (15, 30, and 45 min). The isolated CNFs were characterized by FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The formation of CNFs was confirmed by a significant increase in crystallinity index from 46.45 % of RS to >79.41 % of CNFs, depending on acid concentration and isolation duration. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) films with different contents of CNFs were prepared by casting method. The mechanical properties and cytotoxicity of the prepared films were investigated. The CNFs obtained from RS via a chlorine-free purification method showed promising results for their usage as reinforcement in CMC matrix and film fabrication for various applications such as transdermal medicine and food packaging.

From Nature to Lab: Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production and Modification with Synthetic Biology.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a macromolecule with versatile applications in medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology, cosmetology, food and food packaging, ecology, and electronics. Although many bacteria synthesize BC, the most efficient BC producers are certain species of the genera Komagataeibacter and Novacetimonas. These are also food-grade bacteria, simplifying their utilization at industrial facilities. The basic principles of BC synthesis are known from studies of Komagataeibacter xylinus, which became a model species for studying BC at genetic and molecular levels. Cellulose can also be of plant origin, but BC surpasses its purity. Moreover, the laboratory production of BC enables in situ modification into functionalized material with incorporated molecules during its synthesis. The possibility of growing Komagataeibacter and Novacetimonas species on various organic substrates and agricultural and food waste compounds also follows the green and sustainable economy principles. Further intervention into BC synthesis was enabled by genetic engineering tools, subsequently directing it into the field of synthetic biology. This review paper presents the development of the fascinating field of BC synthesis at the molecular level, seeking sustainable ways for its production and its applications towards genetic modifications of bacterial strains for producing novel types of living biomaterials using the flexible metabolic machinery of bacteria.

Evaluation of user’s perspective on readability and understanding of medicine package inserts

Background: Aim of this study was to evaluate the user’s perspective on readability and understanding of Medicine package inserts (MPIs). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the community pharmacy settings, encompassing participants from urban and rural areas of Pune, Mumbai, and Thane districts. The user’s ability to read and understand was assessed using a 3-point Likert scale and was correlated to their socio-demographic characteristics using Pearson’s coefficient. Also, the difference in the means between the groups was analysed using the student’s test. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 502 respondents, most of the participants had the habit of reading MPI (51.3%). Although, on correlating the level of difficulty to the participant's socio-demographic characteristics, a little difficulty in reading (57.8%) and understanding (60%) of instructions respectively were reported in participants of the age group: 38-57 years (57%; 60%), who were graduate (70.2%; 69.8%), and was significantly associated to their area of residence (p<0.5). Addressing the language barrier and providing MPI in their native language increased participants’ readability by a whopping 57%, who earlier stated ‘difficulty to read (70.49%)’ as the major factor to not refer MPIs. Conclusions: More than half the respondents (51.4%) usually read the MPI. Nonetheless, people stated that they faced difficulty in reading and understanding it. Diversifying this data by age and level of education can help policymakers ensure a user-directed upgrade of the package inserts and implement patient education in the users’ native language by healthcare providers such as pharmacists.

Identification of Fake Printed Medicine Packaging from a SVM Approach and Dots Shape Features

Identification of Fake Printed Medicine Packaging from a SVM Approach and Dots Shape Features

Hybrid materials based on chitosan functionalized with green synthesized copper nanoparticles: Physico-chemical and antimicrobial analysis

Recently, the development of materials with antimicrobial properties has become a challenge under scrutiny. The incorporation of copper nanoparticles (NpCu) into a chitosan matrix appears to represent a viable strategy to contain the particles and prevent their oxidation. Regarding the physical properties, the nanocomposite films (CHCu) showed a decrease in the elongation at break (5 %) and an increase in the tensile strength of 10 % concerning chitosan films (control). They also showed solubility values lower than 5 % while the swelling diminished by 50 %, on average. The dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) of nanocomposites revealed two thermal events located at 113° and 178 °C, which matched the glass transitions of the CH-enriched phase and nanoparticles-enriched phase, respectively. In addition, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) detected a greater stability of the nanocomposites. Chitosan films and the NpCu-loaded nanocomposites demonstrated excellent antibacterial capacity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, proved through diffusion disc, zeta potential, and ATR-FTIR techniques. Additionally, the penetration of individual NpCu particles into bacterial cells and the leakage of cell content were verified by TEM. The mechanism of the antibacterial activity of the nanocomposites involved the interaction of chitosan with the bacterial outer membrane or cell wall and the diffusion of the NpCu through the cells.These materials could be applied in diverse fields of biology, medicine, or food packaging.

Environmental assessment of a novel ionic-liquid based method for recycling of PVC in composite materials

Waste PVC is scarcely recycled due to its high chlorine content and its use in composite materials, which reduces the applicability of conventional waste treatment methods, including thermal, mechanical and chemical recycling. For this reason, alternative treatment options are being developed to increase the recyclability of waste PVC. This paper focuses on one such option which utilises ionic liquids (ILs) for material separation and dehydrochlorination of PVC contained in composite materials. Taking blisterpacks used as a packaging for medicines as an example of a composite material, the paper presents for the first time the life cycle environmental impacts of this novel PVC recycling method, in comparison with thermal treatment (low-temperature pyrolytic degradation of PVC). Three ILs were considered for the PVC recycling process: trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride, bromide and hexanoate. The results suggested that the impacts of the process using the first two ILs were comparable, while the system with hexanoate-based IL had 7–229 % higher impacts. Compared to the thermal treatment of waste blisterpacks, the IL assisted process had significantly higher impacts (22–819 %) in all 18 categories considered due to the greater heat requirements and the IL losses. Reducing the latter would lower most impacts by 8–41 %, while optimising the energy requirements would reduce the impacts by 10–58 %. Moreover, recovering HCl would increase significantly the environmental sustainability of the process, resulting in net-negative impacts (savings) in most categories. Overall, these improvements would lead to lower or comparable impacts to those of the thermal treatment. The findings of this study will be of interest to the polymer, recycling and related industries, as well as to process developers.

Surface modification of polyester films with polyfunctional amines: Effect on bacterial biofilm formation

The development of materials with antifouling properties is crucial in many areas, including medicine and food packaging. In this study, 2D-matrices made of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), or polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHB-HV) were surface functionalized through aminolysis with three polyfunctional amines, 1,6-hexamethylenediamine (HDA), tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), and polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH). The aminolysis procedure was thoroughly studied to ensure a high amount of amine groups while preserving the structural properties of the films. Interestingly, PHB and PHB-HV were found to be more sensitive to aminolysis than PLA, and the highest amino group density was achieved in surfaces etched with PAH. A decrease in the contact angle from ca. 85° to ca. 70° was revealed for polymers functionalized with HDA and TEPA and a drastic reduction in Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion was observed for PHB-HV functionalized with the polymeric amine PAH. Polymer antimicrobial activity was found to be related to the degree of surface functionalization. The functionalized, cationic polymer surfaces were supposed to act upon contact with bacteria, without releasing any antimicrobial agent. The developed bioactive surfaces may have potential applications as flexible films for food packaging.

What is the NCD service capacity and disruptions due to COVID-19? Results from the WHO non-communicable disease country capacity survey in the Americas region

ObjectiveThis article presents the Americas regional results of the WHO non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Country Capacity Survey from 2019 to 2021, on NCD service capacity and disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.SettingInformation...

Survey on Visiting Nurses' Awareness of the Roles of Pharmacists in Pediatric in-Home Care

In recent years, there has been an urgent need to build a pediatric in-home care system with multiple occupations. This study aims to clarify the role of pharmacists in this system by investigating what visiting nurses' expectation from them. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted, targeting nurses enrolled in 10 home-visit nursing facilities. Responses were received from 51 nurses at six facilities, and the questionnaire collection rate was 42.5%. The primary role of the pharmacists that nurses regarded was the management of prescribed oral medications such as "mixing powders, single-dose packages at each time" and "sorting and summarizing each time medicine packages are taken." Other roles included providing information based on the drug's physicochemical properties such as "the tube gets clogged easily when the medicine is administered" and "do not crush the medicine when administering it." The findings of this study are novel because they revealed that pharmacists need to perform pharmaceutical assessments on the influences of changes in children's physical condition and the presence or absence of effects of drugs, and share information in real time. They also need to participate in a conference at discharge. For the first time, this study revealed the roles of pharmacists expected by nurses in pediatric in-home care. However, further knowledge or training are required, especially in terms of the relationship between the symptoms in children and the medicine administered, for pharmacists to effectively practice their roles.

Arduino-based Reverse Vending Machine Metal Medicine Packaging Exchange

As technology develops, the use of vending machines also develops. In addition to purchasing food and drinks, it can also be used to exchange medicine packaging for coins. To simplify the exchange process to make it more practical and not to spend a lot of time, a reverse vending machine was built for drug packaging containing metal as input. Collecting data using the method of observation and literature study. This type of research is prototyping because the results obtained are in the form of a prototype. This prototype used 3 buttons in main process. The first stage is pressing button 1 to detect metal, then pressing button 2 to weigh, and button 3 to release coins. The test results obtained from the Arduino-Based Reverse Vending Machine Metal Medicine Packaging Exchange indicate that the prototype is able to be used as a medium of exchange for drug packaging trash containing metal into a medium of exchange in money form. The prototype is able to provide a solution for reducing or managing medical trash which contains metal.

Simultaneously improving of thermal resistance and mechanical performances of cyclic olefin copolymers by incorporation of bulky adamantane side group

AbstractDue to the low toxicity, excellent thermal resistance, optical performances and dielectric properties, cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs) could be widely applied in manufacturing of food and medicine package, optical components, electronic device, and so forth. However, most of the commoditized COCs possessing glass transition temperatures (Tgs) higher than 150°C always show non‐ignorable mechanical brittleness. Herein, a bulky cyclic olefin, 5‐norboenene‐2,3‐dicarboxylicacid‐adamantan‐1‐yl ester (NBDAE), was synthesized by one step reaction in high yields and subsequently employed to copolymerize with cis‐cyclooctene (COE), affording a series of COCs bearing bulky adamantane side group. Due to the incorporation of the bulky norbornene derivative (NBDAE), the obtained COCs exhibited high Tgs (up to 216°C) and transparency (higher than 90%), even at relatively low NBDAE incorporations. As expected, the NBDAE‐COE copolymers also showed improved mechanical properties compared to commercialized Zeonex® 330R (Stress at break: 39.1 MPa, strain at braek: 2.3%). Most of the synthesized COCs showed thermal decomposition temperatures (Tds) higher than 300°C and did not decompose under maintaining at 250°C for 1 h. Considering the performances mentioned above, the prepared COCs would show more greatly potential application in various fields.

Critical evaluation of clinical and pharmaceutical information provided with medicinal package inserts in South India

Background: Package inserts (PIs) are source of drug information provided for the effective use of marketed drugs by prescribers and patients. Aims and Objectives: This study was done to evaluate the completeness of information provided in medicinal PIs. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was done using 100 PIs collected from the drug store in a tertiary care hospital located in South Kerala for 2 months. They were evaluated in terms of completeness as per the criteria mentioned in Schedule D of the Drug Cosmetic Act 1945 and graded into Grade A (>20), Grade B (10–20), and Grade C (<20) based on the degree of completeness and scores obtained. Data were analyzed in Microsoft Excel, expressed in percentages and whole numbers. Results: Out of 100 PIs, majority (23%) were antimicrobials, followed by bronchodilators (12%). Most of them (86%) were oral preparations, followed by injectable (12%) and topical (2%). On evaluation, 19% of them belonged to Grade A, 78% to Grade B and 3% to Grade C. There were deficiencies in clinical data regarding: Last update (37%), the effect of the ability to drive/use machines (42%), use in pediatric and geriatric information (46%). 49% of them lack information on shelf life. 19% of PIs were from multinational companies and 81% were from Indian companies. Conclusion: As PIs are incomplete as per regulatory guidelines, it is essential to improve the standards of preparing and monitoring PIs for avoiding medication errors.

Moisture content measurement model of whole package of Chinese medicinal materials based on microwave transmission technology

In view of the relatively low representativeness of manual sampling inspection, and long time-consuming in oven detection of moisture content, which delayed the subsequent production period, this paper proposed a scheme for rapid moisture quantitative detection for Chinese medicinal materials by microwave transmission technology, and took 8 different types of Chinese medicinal mate-rials as examples to analyze the feasibility and reliability of the scheme for the detection results of moisture content of the whole package of Chinese medicine. In the experiment, the least square method was used to establish the measurement model of microwave absorption rate-moisture content for each kind of medicinal material. The results showed that the microwave transmission measurement of moisture content achieved high-precision measurement of the moisture content of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen, Poria, Pheretima, Lilii Bulbus, Scutellariae Radix, and Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum. The measurement model of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen had the highest accuracy, and the R~2 and root mean square error of the validation set were 0.951 5 and 0.15%, respectively. At the same time, this study found that the microwave absorption intensity of animal medicines including Pheretima and Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum was much weaker than that of plant medicines such as Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, but there was also a good linear relationship between microwave absorption and moisture content, which proved the universality of this method. However, this method was not suitable for Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex because its package contained iron wire. For the whole package of medicinal materials with uniform density and no metal inside, the microwave transmission technology for moisture content measurement can be used to detect the moisture content, which is an effective alternative method to detect the moisture content of medicinal materials.

Risk management -component part of the quality assurance system of pharmaceutical care

Introduction. In the pharmaceutical field, the quality management is a priority and the risk management is a valuable component of an effective quality system. It involves anticipating hazards and controlling risk through a process of risk awareness, reduction, and review. The aim of this paper was to reveal the usefulness of modern risk management strategies and to assess the impact of risk management in the provision of quality services by community pharmacies. Material and methods. The causes that can lead to medication errors in community pharmacies were identified by applying the CNAM Method combined with the Delphi Technique, later the risks were categorized by the Ishikawa diagram, analyzed and evaluated by applying the expert analysis method (MAE) in risk assessment, graphically represented by the Matrix risks and ranked, highlighting pharmacy activities during which medication errors may occur. Results. The risk factor was calculated for 56 potential risks that can cause medication errors, of which 8 for the activity of ordering medicines, 8 potential risks for the activity of receiving products, 6 risks for the activity of storing products, 17 risks for the preparation of drugs and 17 risks for drug dispensing activity. Applying the MAE method in risk assessment, risk occurrence probability and outcome impact values were obtained for each risk. The potential risks of error were graphically represented using the Risk Matrix. Thus, the following activities with a major level of risk were highlighted, for which urgent measures to minimize the impact are required: illegible writing in prescriptions (15.5), fatigue of pharmaceutical staff (15.48), overwork/ multitasking (14.99), prescriptions containing errors (14.26), insufficient staff knowledge (13.81), ordering inappropriate quantities of products in pharmacies (13.59), incomplete prescriptions (12.86) and similar packaging of medicines (12.63). Conclusions. The results of this paper provide the basis for further research in order to develop a Risk Management Plan in community pharmacy. The causes that can lead to errors in the pharmacy have been identified, by highlighting pharmaceutical activities, during which risks of errors may occur. The work has practical use, and the research results can be applied by pharmacies, contributing to the improvement of their performance.

THE REMAINS OF PHARMACY FOUND IN SHAMKIR TOWN

Archaeological complex discovered in 2014, in medieval Shamkir town in the western part of the Republic of Azerbaijan was the remains of one of the town’s major buildings. A 47 m2 room in the south of the complex is likely to have been remains of pharmacy. On the eastern side of it were revealed the remains of a brick building with 6 furnaces. Archaeological exploration of the complex revealed the equipment typical for the pharmacy - various pottery, glassware items, stone tools and herbal remnants. One of the items used for the distillation process in the chemist’s was almost entirely intact. Sphere-cones, albarello type dishes, pottery containers with small holes for ventilation in the throat and the glazed pottery pan sample, divided into two parts by a partition wall, is also typical equipment for the pharmacy. Among the findings are many fragments of glass flask and drug containers used for the preparation and packaging of medicines. Carbonated plant fossils discovered during the exploration of the complex had healing properties and were used as raw materials in medieval medicine. Archaeological evidence suggests the archeological complex, which was discovered, to be a remnant of the pharmacy that operated in the Seljuk period.

Assessment of the Availability and Accuracy of Dosing Devices Packaged with Oral Liquid Medications in the Ho Municipality of Ghana.

Introduction Administering the right dose of medications is essential in avoiding potentially life-threatening adverse drug reactions. Industry guidelines for manufacturers of oral, over-the-counter, and liquid medications recommend including dose-delivery devices with packaging to limit dosing inaccuracy. This study describes the prevalence and accuracy of dosing devices packaged with oral liquid medications in the Ho municipality of Ghana. Methods Dosing device accuracy was determined after deviation of the measured volume from the expected volume was evaluated using the United States Pharmacopoeia criteria. Results A total of 78.6% of the oral liquid medications were packaged with a dosing device. The most common dosing devices were cups (83.6%), followed by spoons (14.3%), droppers (1.4%), and syringes (0.7%). The volumes measured with cups (5.14 ± 0.52 mL, p = 0.006) and spoons (5.3 ± 0.67 mL, p < 0.001) were significantly different from the desired 5 mL volume; this was dissimilar to the volume measured using syringes (5.01 ± 0.02 mL, p > 0.999). Further, the measured volumes for 38.6% and 72.2% of the cups and spoons, respectively, deviated by more than 15% of 5 mL. Conclusion Dosing cups and spoons are associated with significant inaccuracy. Yet, manufacturers continually favour them over syringes in packaging for oral liquid medications. This is unacceptable and of considerable concern due to the risk of variations in therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, strict regulatory directives on the inclusion of accurate dosing devices in the packaging of oral liquid medicines are needed to reduce the possibility of medication errors.

Data Matrix Based Low Cost Autonomous Detection of Medicine Packages

Counterfeit medicine is still a crucial problem for healthcare systems, having a huge impact in worldwide health and economy. Medicine packages can be traced from the moment of their production until they are delivered to the costumers through the use of Data Matrix codes, unique identifiers that can validate their authenticity. Currently, many practitioners at hospital pharmacies have to manually scan such codes one by one, a very repetitive and burdensome task. In this paper, a system which can simultaneously scan multiple Data Matrix codes and autonomously introduce them into an authentication database is proposed for the Hospital Pharmacy of the Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E. Relevant features are its low cost and its seamless integration in their infrastructure. The results of the experiments were encouraging, and with upgrades such as real-time feedback of the code’s validation and increased robustness of the hardware system, it is expected that the system can be used as a real support to the pharmacists.

EVALUASI TINGKAT PENGETAHUAN SWAMEDIKASI OBAT TRADISIONAL MAHASISWA PRODI KESEHATAN DAN MAHASISWA PRODI NON-KESEHATAN DI UNIVERSITAS IMELDA MEDAN

The choice of self-medication is used as an excuse by the public to break the chain of the spread of Covid-19, but if it is not done properly it can pose a risk to health. Self-medication will be successful if the community knows adequate information such as recognizing the symptoms of the disease, choosing generic or traditional medicine products according to indications, following the instructions for use and monitoring the results. Knowledge about self-medication is one of the objects related to health that is obtained from the results of one's own experience. The selection and use of medicines (including herbal and traditional products) in an effort to treat a disease or self-identifiable symptom is called self-medication. Based on the results of the study, it shows that the field of study that students take affects the level of knowledge about logos on traditional medicine packaging. Students with Health study program have high knowledge of 100% compared to students with non-health study programs who have high knowledge of 53.3% about traditional medicine. This is because students in the health sector better understand and learn things related to health sciences, including information about traditional medicine self-medication. The average percentage obtained from research data on the level of knowledge of traditional medicine self-medication in students in the Health and non-health fields at the University of Imelda Medan is 76.9% (high category), this is different from research conducted by Cristiana (2014) on knowledge about traditional medicine among students at Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta whose results are in the high category (75.1%). This can be influenced by the environment and the availability of facilities as a source of correct and appropriate information about traditional medicine self-medication. A person's knowledge is also influenced by what is obtained through the eyes and ears of the individual itself which is the main factor in the formation of an attitude or action.&#x0D;

Evaluation of quality and readability of over-the-counter medication package inserts.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medication package inserts are vital references for healthcare professionals to make drug recommendations and influential education materials that patients commonly refer to when self-caring. However, little is known about the quality and readability of the OTC medication package inserts in China. This study aimed at evaluating the quality and readability of OTC medication package inserts. Package inserts of OTC medication were selected based on the market share and pharmacological category. The quality of the package inserts was evaluated based on standards adapted separately from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Working Group. The readability was assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) in conjunction with the Chinese Readability Index Explorer (CRIE). A total of 29 OTC medication package inserts consisting of 12 Western Medicine (WM) and 17 Chinese Tradition Patent Medicine (CTPM) package inserts were included. Overall, the OTC package inserts met 92% of the NMPA standards and 54% of the EMA standards. In terms of readability assessment using PEMAT, the overall median (interquartile range) understandability score was 38% (38-45%) and for actionability score was 40% (40-55%). The overall text reading level of package inserts measured by the CRIE, after removing some medical jargon, is equivalent to the median reading level for the 12th (9.5-12th) grade reading level. The quality of OTC medication package inserts was satisfactory under internal standards but poor under international standards. Some OTC pharmacological information is not provided due to lack of research, especially for CTPM. A more informative and comprehensive package insert may be needed to guide drug use decisions. OTC medication package inserts are not appropriate patient education materials in terms of readability. Additional materials may be developed to supplement package inserts for patient education for OTC medications.

Green synthesis of nanoparticles by different microorganisms

Green synthesis of nanoparticles as a simple, low-cost and eco-friendly method compared to the Physical and chemical methods and its materials have become more widely used. In the green synthesis of plants, algae and microorganisms and their components are used as reducing agents for the production of nanoparticles. In the meantime, biosynthesis Nanoparticles by microorganisms due to high environmental compatibility reduced energy consumption and cost taken into attention. Various microorganisms to carry out their vital processes from organic sources and minerals feed on the environment, these organisms are highly resistant to metals and when exposed to metal ions, they produce nanoparticles by different mechanisms. Metallic nanoparticles can be used for various fields such as optics due to their unique physical and chemical properties, catalysts, antimicrobials, medicine and food packaging. This paper describes how microorganisms can synthesize metal nanoparticles as well as their function and application in biomedicine.