The practice of self medication is continuously increasing worldwide due to its important roles in curing minor conditions or symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the factors associated with self medication practice of Iraqi respondents residing in Baghdad City. This study was designed as cross sectional study in which data was collected via direct interviews with respondents using a previously prepared questionnaire. This study investigated 348 respondents from different age groups. The majority of respondents were male aged between 30-60 years, married with secondary or academic level of education and employed with accepted monthly income. The main reason for practicing self medication was previous experience with the same condition followed by considering the current condition simple with no need to consult a physician. A previous prescription was revealed to be the commonest source of information about the self medicated drugs followed by community pharmacies and family members or friends. Flu or common cold was the commonest indication identified for self medication followed by headache, back or muscle pain, dyspepsia, diarrhea and others. Drugs used in treating these conditions were antibiotics, the commonest, followed by paracetamol, antihistamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cough preparations, antispasmodics, skeletal muscle relaxants, antacids, antidiarrheals and others.

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Fluoxetine (FX) is an antidepressant drug administered only orally in humans. Despite the wide use of FX, until now, there is only limited literature concerning the pharmacokinetics (PK) of FX and the effect of food on its PK. Thus, the objective of this investigation was to study the PK of FX in Arabic healthy male adult volunteers under fasting and fed conditions. In the fasting study, FX 20 mg capsules (Prozac®, Eli Lilly, Canada) were administered to 41 volunteers after overnight fasting of 12 hours, followed by blood sampling from each volunteer immediately before dosing (zero time) and then at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 96, 120, and eventually at 144 hours after FX dosing. The fed study was conducted after 90 days wash-out period following the completion of the fasting study. The same subjects who received FX in the fasting study were administered the drug directly after a fatty breakfast (fed study), followed by blood sampling intervals similar to the schedule mentioned above for the fasting study. The current investigation demonstrated no statistical differences in the FX pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax, AUC0–t, AUC0–∞, Kel, T1/2, MRT, Cl/F, and Vd/F after fasting compared to the fed conditions, whereas there was statistically significant elongation in the Tmax values after food intake. Therefore, this study concludes the absence of food effect on the PK of FX (except Tmax) in the Arabic population and confirms the method of administration mentioned in the product information but also concludes high interindividual variation in FX exposure (AUC), which suggest that therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) might be advisable when feasible.

Objective: Matrix tablet approach is one of the delivery systems intended for poorly water-soluble drugs like candesartan cilexetil. Candesartan cilexetil is a class II drug used for the treatment of hypertension. Methods: Matrix tablets from (F1x to F18z) were prepared in the presence of β-cyclodextrin. Matrix tablet formulation ensures control release of the drug and higher dissolution by β-cyclodextrin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used to study compatibility. Results:The angle of repose determination showed good flow for most of the formulas besides having good compressibility. Weight variation test for all formulas showed accepted value. Drug content measurement showed accepted values. Friability and hardness of tablets were within the allowed values. Higher tablet swelling was obtained for the formulas containing hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) K100M (F3x and F15z) in which the ratio of the polymer was (1:1) and (1:3) respectively. In vitro release showed that F1x to F13z were studied depends on the type and amount of polymer i.e. (1:1), (1:2) and (1:3) respectively. F1x release after 8h was 95% which contain (1:1) polymer ratio in compare to F3x, which showed 85% after 8h, Which include 1:3 (drug: HPMC K100). Kinetic studies showed a zero-order model. Conclusion: The use of β-cyclodextrin modify the release profile of the drug, and control the sustained release formulas. The lower the time of the release but in a range that a sustained release of the drug was observed in compare with the formulas prepared without β-cyclodextrin.