Use of transdermal patches can evade many issues associated with oral drug delivery, such as first-pass hepatic metabolism, enzymatic digestion attack, drug hydrolysis and degradation in acidic media, drug fluctuations, and gastrointestinal irritation. This article reviews various transdermal patches available in the market, types, structural components, polymer role, and the required assessment tools. Although transdermal patches have medical applications for smoking cessation, pain relief, osteoporosis, contraception, motion sickness, angina pectoris, and cardiac disorders, advances in formulation development are ongoing to make transdermal patches capable of delivering more challenging drugs. Transdermal patches can be tailored and developed according to the physicochemical properties of active and inactive components, and applicability for long-term use. Therefore, a number of chemical approaches and physical techniques for transdermal patch development are under investigation.

Despite worldwide anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette smoking prevalence is increasing in the third-world countries. It is now regarded as the most important public health issue. Here, we study the current smoking situation and investigate the impact of cigarette smoking on semen quality and hormonal levels among adult people. Furthermore, we suggest various strategies to reduce smoking consumption among young individuals. A cross-sectional data from 804 adult smoker subjects (male n=530 and female n=274) aged between 15 and 45 years were analyzed. One hundred and eleven males were agreed for further evaluation of their semen quality and hormones compared with 93 age-matched non-smoking males. This study showed that the major factors initiating smoking among women were friends' influence (49%), life pressures (16%) and parental imitation (14%). The major reasons in men was friends' influence (65%). Furthermore, 61% of women and 89% of men smoke in public implying social acceptance or even encouragement of this habit. This study also found that low-income Jordanians consume more tobacco materials than those in the middle-and higher income. Furthermore, smokers had significantly lower (p<0.001) sperm concentration and motility values and higher (p<0.001) serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels than non-smokers.

A BSTRACT Background and Purpose: There has been a long-standing belief that generic drugs are of lower value in comparison to their branded name counterparts. They are in particular under scrutiny due to their low market price. Even though the reduction in costs is largely based on skipping expensive preclinical studies and clinical trials for generic drugs, the purity and quality of the raw materials in the production of generic drugs is debatable. Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze and assess the quality comparability of generic furosemide 40 mg (FSD) tablets to branded product available in the market. Materials and Methods: Quality control tests, in vitro drug release assessments, and thermal analysis investigations for both analog products of FSD were performed. Various physical parameters related to the tablet quality, such as hardness, weight variation, and friability tests, were examined. In vitro drug release behavior evaluations were conducted according to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) specifications and guidelines, whereas thermal analysis was carried out using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and tablets were further evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results: The results indicated a significant variation between the two products in terms of hardness, weight variation, and friability. This could be correlated to variation appeared in thermal and spectroscopic spectra between the two products using TGA and FTIR. Drug release of FSD was slightly different between both products following incubation in different pH media (1.2, 3.0, and 6.5; 120 min), however, this was in accordance with USP dissolution requirements as < 80% of drug release was obtained within the first 30 min from each product. Conclusion: This study is a useful example for the independent investigations using thermal and spectroscopic analysis to confirm potential hidden variations between generic and branded products that could not be obtained by the bioequivalence studies.

A new tris-spiro-(3,4-dioxybenzaldehyde)cyclotriphosphazene [PNCHO] was synthesized from the condensation of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene with 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of strong base. Further reaction of the trialdehydic cyclotriphosphazene based molecules [PNCHO] with three different dianilines (benzidine, 4,4'-methylenedianiline and 4,4′-Sulfonyldianiline) resulted in creation of a new poly(tris-spiro-3,4-dioxbenzene)cyclotriphosphazenes with Schiff-base groups [PNSB1-3]. The structures of [PNCHO] and the polycyclotriphosphazenes-schiff base derivatives were characterized by means of FTIR, 1H, 13C NMR and C.H.N elemental analysis. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) revealed a relatively high glass transition temperature (135−175°C) of obtained polymers. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) exhibited their good thermal stability (up to 375oC). The char yield was about 36-42% at 700°C. All polymers were self-extinguishable as the LOI (Limiting Oxygen Index) values were above 26% and this meets with the V-0 and V-1, classification (UL-94). No fumes, soot, or toxic gases emission were observed during burning. The polymers obtained can be used as environmentally friendly, flame-retardant materials.

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New homo-and block copolymers composed of polyacrylate and epoxy resin with hexafunctional cyclotriphosphazene core were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR and 1 H-, 13 C-, and 31 P-NMR. The first homopolymer, PN-polyacry was prepared from the direct condensation of 2-hydroxyethylacrylate with acyl chloride of hexakis(4-carboxyphenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene, PN-acyl. The second homopolymer, PN-Ep, was prepared in a direct reaction of catalyzed carboxyl groups of hexakis(4-carboxyphenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene PN-COOH with epoxy resin via an oxirane ring opening re action. The block copolymer, PN-Ep/polyacry, was prepared from the partial coupling of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate with the PN-acyl, followed by the reaction of unreacted carboxyl groups with epoxy resin. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of the PN-Ep/polyacry copolymer exhibited good compatibility between polyacrylate and cured epoxy resin. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the prepared polymeric systems accumulate 30-38 wt % char at elevated temperatures, compared to neat polyacrylate and cured epoxy resin, which accumulate negligible char at 700 °C. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) exhibited significant enhancement of fire retardant properties of the prepared polymeric systems. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphology study revealed that PN-polyacry and PN-Ep/polyacrylate produced intumescent char residues while PN-Ep produced solid dense char with a nonporous surface.

Background. Our aim was to evaluate the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) on fetal outcome of diabetic mothers. Methods. Diabetes was induced in female rats using streptozotocin and rats were made pregnant. Pregnant control (group 1; n = 9; and group 2; n = 7) or pregnant diabetic (group 3; n = 10; and group 4; n = 8) rats were treated daily with either LA (groups 2 and 4) or vehicle (groups 1 and 3) between gestational days 0 and 15. On day 15 of gestation, the fetuses, placentas, and membranes were dissected, examined morphologically, and then homogenized, to measure cyclooxygenase (COX) activities and metabolisms of prostaglandin (PG) E2 (PGEM) and PGF2 α (PGFM) levels. The level of total glutathione was measured in the maternal liver and plasma and in all fetuses. Results. Supplementation of diabetic rats with LA was found to significantly (p < 0.05) reduce resorption rates in diabetic rats and led to a significant (p < 0.05) increase in liver, plasma, and fetuses total glutathione from LA-TD rats as compared to those from V-TD. Decreased levels of PGEM and elevated levels of PGFM in the fetuses, placentas, and membranes were characteristic of experimental diabetic gestation associated with malformation. The levels of PGEM in malformed fetuses from LA-TD mothers was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in malformed fetuses from V-TD rats. Conclusions. LA treatment did not completely prevent the occurrence of malformations. Thus, other factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of the diabetes-induced congenital malformations.