Ana C. D. Medeiros

Indicadores de prescrição médica nas unidades básicas de Saúde da Família no município de Campina Grande, PB

INTRODUCAO: O Sistema Unico de Saude (SUS) assegura o acesso aos medicamentos, mediante a garantia da execucao integral da Assistencia Farmaceutica. A Organizacao Mundial de Saude (OMS) desenvolveu os Indicadores do Uso de Medicamentos com o intuito de descrever e avaliar aspectos que afetam a pratica farmaceutica nos centros de saude. OBJETIVO: Conhecer a(s) classes terapeuticas mais prescritas, segundo os indicadores de prescricao medica nas Unidades de Saude da Familia (UBSF) do municipio de Campina Grande. METODOS: O estudo baseou-se nos Indicadores de Prescricao de Medicamentos propostos pela OMS. Os medicamentos foram classificados segundo a Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC) e os dados analisados utilizando-se os programas EpiInfo 2000 e Excel. RESULTADOS: Foi prescrita uma media de 1,5 medicamentos por receita medica. A porcentagem de antibioticos prescritos foi de 21,1%. Os medicamentos foram prescritos pelo nome generico em 84,2% das prescricoes e apenas 1,1% eram injetaveis. Faziam parte da lista de medicamentos padronizados 91,9% dos prescritos. O grupo farmacologico mais prescrito foi o de antibioticos (21,0%), seguido dos antiparasitarios (18,4%), analgesicos e antipireticos (15,4%), medicamentos para o aparelho digestivo (9,5%) e respiratorio (9,2%). CONCLUSOES: Percebe-se a importância de conhecer as principais demandas da comunidade, a fim de que os servicos possam planejar e realizar intervencoes pertinentes as necessidades da populacao. Os indicadores apresentaram bons indices, demonstrando possivel consequencia da Politica Nacional de Medicamentos e da realizacao da Conferencia Municipal de Medicamentos e Assistencia Farmaceutica.

Thermal stability of metronidazole drug and tablets

TG and DSC data were used to determine the thermal parameters of metronidazole drug and tablets. Three tablets A, B and C were analysed. The TG curves of metronidazole drug and tablets A and B displayed five and C four thermal decomposition processes, respectively. Analysis of the DSC data pointed to chemical interactions between metronidazole drug and the excipients of tablets, suggested by alterations in the melting point of metronidazole. The rate constants obtained from the isothermal TG data presents following sequence of the thermal stability: tablet A>tablet C>metronidazole drug>tablet B.

Compatibility studies of trioxsalen with excipients by DSC, DTA, and FTIR

Psoralens are widely used for the treatment of psoriasis. Trioxsalen is a drug prescribed low-dose, belonging to the group of substituted psoralen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the compatibility of trioxsalen with pharmaceutical excipients used in the solid forms by analytical techniques. Binary mixtures between the trioxsalen and pharmaceutical excipients (namely, magnesium stearate, α-lactose, microcrystalline cellulose 102, pregelatinized starch, mannitol, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium starch glycolate, and croscarmellose sodium) were examined. The trioxsalen–sodium lauryl sulfate mixture displayed some physical interaction based on the DTA and DSC results, but the FTIR study ruled out any chemical change.

Evaluation of compatibility between Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler extract and pharmaceutical excipients using analytical techniques associated with chemometric tools

Compatibility studies comprise an important step in pre-formulation since they allow the identification of the excipients most compatible with herbal extracts from different analytical techniques. The objective of this work is to evaluate the compatibility between the nebulized extract of S. brasiliensis Engler with pharmaceutical excipients using analytical techniques associated with chemometric tools. The extract was nebulized through aspersion and produced from the hydroalcoholic extract of the bark of S. brasiliensis Engler. Binary mixtures were produced in various proportions using the following pharmaceutical excipients: starch, microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel® 101 and 102), lactose, magnesium stearate, PVP K-30 and talc. The samples were analyzed by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction (XRD). With the data obtained from DSC curves, matrices for hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were made. Using microscopy, an amorphous formation and/or crystalline components could be seen. In DSC curves, as well as in PCA and HCA analyses, possible interactions were identified with starch, lactose and magnesium stearate. This was confirmed by XRD. The starch showed the greatest interaction. The results indicate that the DSC technique associated with chemometric tools contributed to a better interpretation of compatibility studies and that microcrystalline cellulose, PVP K-30 and talc were the most compatible excipients in relation to the extract.

Evaluation of the Interaction between the Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz Extract and Antimicrobials Using Biological and Analytical Models.

Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz (Fabaceae) is an endemic tree of northeastern Brazil, occurring mainly in the Caatinga. Its medicinal use is widespread and is an important therapeutic option against diarrhea, dysentery, and respiratory and urinary infections, among other diseases. In this study we determined the chemical marker and evaluated the interaction between P. pyramidalis extract and a commercial antimicrobial through the use of biological and analytical models. To obtain the extract, an ethanol-water mixture (50:50 v/v) was used as solvent. It was nebulized in a spray dryer using colloidal silicon dioxide as a drying adjuvant. The extract (ENPp) was subjected to HPLC analysis to verify the presence of certain secondary metabolites. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extract against Gram-negative bacteria was determined by broth microdilution and the MIC of synthetic antimicrobial drugs in the presence and absence of the extract. The antioxidant activity of ENPp was evaluated by the DPPH method. The compatibility between the antimicrobial and the extract was evaluated by thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The acute toxicity of the extract was evaluated in vivo in rodents. The results indicate significant additive action of the extract on synthetic antibiotics, considerable antioxidant activity and absence of toxicity. This extract shows high potential for the development of formulations for antimicrobial therapy when used with a vegetable-active ingredient.

Thermal decomposition profile of chitosan microparticles produced with Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler extract

Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler is a plant of Anacardiaceae family, used in the treatment of various diseases. Dried extracts have been used as intermediate product to obtain different pharmaceutical forms. Microparticles are a controlled-release system that protects unstable materials, and assist in increasing bioavailability parameters, while still allowing release to the specific site. This study aimed to trace the profile of microparticles of thermal degradation produced with S. brasiliensis Engl. extract in a chitosan matrix, evaluating some microparticles parameters (encapsulation efficiency, zeta potential, polydispersity index and SPAN factor). Thermal behavior of microparticles showed chitosan is able to protect the S. brasiliensis extract. Encapsulation efficiency and zeta potential are not directly proportional to flow rate, differently to polydispersity index and SPAN factor. This study showed the chitosan potential to protect S. brasiliensis extract of thermal degradation, allowing future applications.

The correlation between anthropometric measurements and biochemical cardiovascular risk markers in the hypertensive elderly

OBJECTIVES This study was aimed at correlating anthropometric markers indicating additional cardiovascular risk in a hypertensive elderly population enrolled in the HIPERDIA programme in Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil, South America. METHODS The sample consisted of 131 hypertensive elderly people aged60 to 92 (25.9 % males and 74.1 % females). A socioeconomic, demographic, life-style questionnaire was used in the assessment. Information about anthropometry measurements and pathology frequency were also recorded via this questionnaire. Pearsons correlation, descriptive statistics, comparison between anthropometric variables by gender using Students t-test and one-way ANOVA were used in the analysis for comparing groups by age(60 to 69, 70 to 79 and > 80 years). RESULTS 14.7 % of men and 24.7 % of women were overweight and 11.8 % of men and 21.6 % of women were obese. 57.0 % of women and 26.5 % of men had inadequate values in waist-to-hip ratio analysis. 95.9 % of women and 52.9 % of men had high risk and 95.9 % of women and 38.2 % of men had high abdominal circumference values regarding waistline measurement. After selection (n=40) for correcting potential confounders, it was found that 27 subjects had high C-reactive protein values, an additional cardiovascular risk factor. CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that additional cardiovascular risk could be demonstrated by the high prevalence of being overweight and central obesity presented by the population and the presence of subclinical inflammation amongst hypertensive ones.

Compatibility study of dry extract of Ximenia americana L. and pharmaceutical excipients used in solid state

Ximenia americana L. is a plant of the Olacaceae family, used in the treatment of infectious diseases. Dry extracts are API’s of great interest for the pharmaceutical industry and have been used as final and intermediate products, resulting in different pharmaceutical forms. The aim of this study is to evaluate the compatibility of dry extract of X. americana with pharmaceutical excipients used in the solid forms. The extract was obtained by spray dryer, and binary mixtures of the dry extract and pharmaceutical excipients were analyzed. The studies were obtained using thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and optical microscopy. With the data obtained from DSC curves, matrices for hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were made. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed changes in the mixtures’ profile with corn starch, lactose and magnesium stearate. Thermal behavior of the mixtures showed incompatibilities between the extract and lactose, corn starch and magnesium stearate. This study shows the importance of using instrumental analytical techniques in the early stages of development of herbal medicine to ensure the effectiveness, safety and quality of the final product.

Dissolution and uniformity of content of tablets developed with extract of Ximenia americana L.

Herbal medicines currently represent an important part of the world pharmaceutical market, which shows growing interest in the use of herbal medicines. However, the production of such medicines involves a complex series of steps, which determine the production viability and the quality of the final product. Ximenia americana L. is a plant occurring in several regions of the world, with well-known and applied medicinal properties. Thus, the aim of this work was to develop and evaluate the physical and physical-chemical quality of tablets produced with X. americana L. extract. The extract was spray-dried from a hydroethanolic extractive solution and characterized as to its phytochemical composition. The chemical marker was determined and quantified using validated chromatographic methods. These methods indicated the presence of gallic acid at a concentration of 1.61 mg g-1. Formulations were proposed and analyzed for their flow and compaction properties. The best formulation was used to obtain a batch of tablets, which was evaluated for its quality characteristics and showed to be within the pharmacopoeial specifications for average weight, hardness, friability, and disintegration time. The dissolution profile of the tablets produced was obtained, showing the release of about 70% of the vegetable extract content within 30 minutes. Results showed that it was possible to obtain herbal tablets containing a high content of vegetal extract by direct compression, developing a rapid process of formulation and production and guaranteeing the quality characteristics of the final product.

Ximenia americana L.

Ximenia americana L. (Olacaceae) is widespread throughout the tropics, especially in Africa and Brazil. It is used as food or supplements and in the cosmetic industry. It is also used for traditional medicine as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antimalarial, measles, mouth wounds, rheumatism, diarrhea, lung abscess, muscle cramps, and HIV. This species showed high sensitivity in tumor cell lines and the cell lines of MCF7 breast cancer, BV173 CML, and CC531 colon carcinoma. Santana et al. developed and validated an analytical method for the identification of gallic acid as a chemical marker of X. americana. It were also showed compounds such as sambunigrin, quercitrin, avicularin, and ximenynic acid. The fruit is a rich source of vitamin C and contains hydrocyanic acid riproximin.