Augustine Okhamafe | University of Benin (original) (raw)

Papers by Augustine Okhamafe

Chloroquine is still a first-line antimalarial drug in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Increasi... more Chloroquine is still a first-line antimalarial drug in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Increasing resistance to chloroquine has been reported in many parts of Nigeria. Clinical and parasitological responses and classes of resistance to chloroquine in falciparum malaria in five communities in Delta region, southern Nigeria were assessed. Chloroquine was administered to 218 patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The levels of parasitemia, clinical response and classes of resistance were monitored for 7 days. High levels of therapeutic failures of chloroquine in P. falciparum malaria were recorded in the region. The frequencies of clinical and parasitological failure of chloroquine were 25.7% and 55%, respectively. These frequencies were significantly lower in children below 5 years than older people. R2 and R3 resistance occurred in 37.2% and 17.4% of the patients, respectively. The therapeutic failure of chloroquine was not gender dependent. We conclude that chloroquine is still effective in the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in some communities in Delta region of Nigeria. However, resistance to chloroquine is likely. These results may be used as an important indicator of the significant level of therapeutic failure of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria to chloroquine in Nigeria.

Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs used worldwide.They kill or prevent the g... more Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs used worldwide.They kill or prevent the growth of bacterial microorganisms in the body, hence, they are the major agents used in treating bacterial infections. Because they are prone to abuse and misuse, regular evaluation of their utilization is important for optimal healthcare delivery.Objective: This study determined the antibiotics type, utilization, prescriptions and cost patterns in the adult out-patient pharmacy of a public tertiary health facility in Nigeria.Methods: This is a retrospective observational study using medication utilization records (prescriptions) to investigate the study objectives. Prescriptions dispensed in 2018 in adult out-patient pharmacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi were reviewed. Data were evaluated using the World Health Organization-developed prescribing indicators. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the results. The percentage and averages of th...

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2020

Purpose: To carry out an interventional study on the knowledge, attitude and perception of penult... more Purpose: To carry out an interventional study on the knowledge, attitude and perception of penultimate and final year undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Ibadan on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among penultimate and final-year undergraduate students of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan using semi-structured questionnaire. A seminar was organized for the intervention group. The data were summarized using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Pre-intervention PharmD knowledge assessment of majority, 63 (94.0 %) control group and 63 (87.5 %) intervention group participants was below average. Post-intervention, 38 (52.8 %) intervention group participants had satisfactory scores, while 54 (80.6 %) of control group had below average scores. Generally, the participants had good PharmD attitude and perception. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between pre- and post-intervention Ph...

INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2015

The composition of elemental impurities in paediatric powder for suspension (PPS) and double stre... more The composition of elemental impurities in paediatric powder for suspension (PPS) and double strength tablet (DST) commercial anti-malarial formulations of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) were determined. Six randomly selected PPS and DST products from a list of marketed products were purchased from a registered Pharmacy outlet and analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The heavy metal levels were compared with the official limits for permitted daily exposure. The paediatric and adult products of AL presented the same types and number of elements with a total of 10 metals and levels ranging from 0.001-0.016 and 0.001-0.017ppm for the PPS and DST formulation, respectively. One of the DST and PPS products had significantly higher levels of cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel and cobalt compared with their respective formulation types (p<0.05). There was significant difference in the levels of chromium, nickel and cobalt but no difference in the levels of cadmium, lead, zinc and arsenic when DST and PPS products were compared (p<0.05). The drug products presented elemental oral exposure significantly lower than the permitted daily exposure. The levels of elemental impurities are satisfactory with respect to safety requirements. These impurities may adversely affect drug stability, shelf-life and bioequivalence of the products. Key words : Elemental impurities, Permitted Daily Exposure, Artemether-lumefantrine, Paediatric Powder for Suspension, Double Strength Tablets

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 2021

Background Regular evaluation of antimicrobials prescriptions is important for optimal use. Objec... more Background Regular evaluation of antimicrobials prescriptions is important for optimal use. Objective This study determined the prescription patterns, class and costs of antimicrobials in the adult out-patient pharmacy of a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. Methods A 1-year retrospective study from 1st January to 31st December 2018. The data, which included identification code, age, sex, antibiotics prescribed, number of antibiotics per prescription, number of medicines per prescription, dosage form, generic prescribing, drug on the essential drug list, and cost, were used in the analysis. The Chi-square test and Analysis of Variance were used to compare our data with the WHO–developed antimicrobial prescription Guidelines for Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical and Defined Daily Dose assignment of 2019. Results From 450 patient records, significantly more females (70%) were prescribed with antimicrobials ( P = 0.0038). The prescription pattern showed that antimicrobials selection by class...

As part of continuing efforts to develop low-cost pharmaceutical grade cellulose, α-cellulose (MC... more As part of continuing efforts to develop low-cost pharmaceutical grade cellulose, α-cellulose (MC) was extracted from an agricultural waste (de-grained maize cob) and characterized as a tablet diluent using a commercial brand of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and a mixture of lactose and starch (LS) as reference standards. The α-cellulose met the pharmacopoeial specifications (for Powdered Cellulose B.P.), including pH-6.5 ± 0.5; loss on drying-6.0%; residue on ignition-0.03%; and water-soluble substances-0.9%. Presence of organic impurities and starch was not found. MC compared well with MCC and LS in terms of bulk density (0.36g/cm 3) and true density (1.59g/cm 3). MC, MCC and LS were individually evaluated as tablet diluents for some commonly used drugs, namely, folic acid, chloroquine and vitamin B complex. The tablets were prepared by pre-compression. Based on the tablet parameters examined, (including tensile strength, disintegration time and dissolution data), MC-based tabl...

International Journal of Current Research and Review, 2018

This work evaluates in vitro interaction of food components with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in ... more This work evaluates in vitro interaction of food components with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in tablet. Pelletized food components (i.e., starch, albumin, sunflower oil and carbonated drink) with AL tablet were observed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy while spectra obtained were compared using essential FTIR (eFTIR) software. The influence (i.e., instantaneous change in pH (IPH) and acid buffering capacity (ABC)) of food components on Fasted State Simulated Gastric Fluid (FaSSGF) and Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid (FeSSIF) were assessed alongside dissolution kinetics of actives in AL tablets. Artemether and lumefantrine produced identical spectra features with reference infra red (IR) spectra. No change in spectra features of AL on carbohydrate, vitamin A and oil treatment but noted with albumin and the carbonated drinks. IPH values for albumin revealed statistical higher value (p < 0.05) than other food components in FaSSGF. ABC for albumin treatment was statistically lower (p < 0.05) than for other food components in FaSSGF. Artemether overall release was significantly reduced by starch, lactose and carbonated drink (p < 0.05) while that of lumefantrine was significantly increased by sunflower oil (p < 0.05). There was interaction between AL and albumin, or carbonated drinks which can be of importance in drug treatment outcome.

Journal of Excipients and Food Chemicals, 2012

α-Cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders, derived from agricultural waste products, tha... more α-Cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders, derived from agricultural waste products, that have for the pharmaceutical industry, desirable physical (flow) properties were investigated. α–Cellulose (GCN) was extracted from groundnut shell (an agricultural waste product) using a non-dissolving method based on inorganic reagents. Modification of this α -cellulose was carried out by partially hydrolysing it with 2N hydrochloric acid under reflux to obtain microcrystalline cellulose (MCGN). The physical, spectroscopic and thermal properties of the derived α-cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders were compared with Avicel® PH 101, a commercial brand of microcrystalline cellulose (MCCA), using standard methods. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the α-cellulose had lower crystallinity. This suggested that treatment with 2N hydrochloric acid led to an increase in the crystallinity index. Thermogravimetric analysis showed quite similar thermal ...

International Journal of Current Research and Review, 2018

This work assesses tablets of artemether and lumefantrine in vitro drug interaction with lamivudi... more This work assesses tablets of artemether and lumefantrine in vitro drug interaction with lamivudine or metronidazole. Spectra changes on artemether or lumefantrine vibration bands were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and analyzed with essential FTIR (eFTIR) software. Instantaneous pH changes and acid buffering capacity in biorelevant media were also determined. USP type-2 dissolution apparatus (paddle) containing Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid Version 2 (FeSSIF-V2) was employed for dissolution test. Sample (5 mL) collected at various predetermined time intervals were analyzed simultaneously for artemether and lumefantrine with high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) reverse phase (RP) system, at 25 o C. Artemether (O-H) stretching vibration was shifted to wavenumber 3387.0 and 3408.22 cm-1 by lamivudine and metronidazole, respectively. There was no significant shift in spectral bands corresponding to the endoperoxide linkage due to both drugs. Lamivudine and metronidazole showed no significant change in the pH of biorelevant media (p > 0.05). The release kinetics in FeSSIF-V2 for artemether changed from Higuchi (R 2 = 0.9124) to first order (R 2 = 0.9422) due to presence of lamivudine while that of lumefantrine from first order (R 2 = 0.9423) to Higuchi due to the metronidazole (R 2 = 0.9871). There was no significant level of interaction between lamivudine and metronidazole with the actives of AL tablet in vitro. The drugs therefore can be co-administered without any biopharmaceutical implications.

International journal of current research and review, 2015

Physicochemical properties bothering on the quality of powder for paediatric suspension (PPS) of ... more Physicochemical properties bothering on the quality of powder for paediatric suspension (PPS) of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) were evaluated. The moisture content, viscosity, total solid and chemical contents were determined. The assay was analyzed simultaneously for artemether and lumefantrine using high pressure liquid chromatography (chromosil C18 column/ UV detection at 216 nm). Acetonitrile: 25 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate (70: 30%, v/v) and nevirapine served as mobile phase and internal standard, respectively. Statistical analysis was done using students t-test to compare the parameters for the products at CI, 95%. The artemether and lumefantrine contents varied from 40.3-112.54% and 71.9 – 91.4%, respectively. The range of values (mean) of moisture content, viscosity, pH and total solid were 2.9-6.9 (4.68)% , 99.1-193.8(124.7) mPa.s, 3.5-7.8 (4.7) and 93.1- 97.1 (95.3) %, respectively. The results showed statistical different outcomes (P < 0.05). PPS products sampled ...

International Journal of Phytopharmacy, 2015

Objective: This study investigates microcapsulated aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (GK) and Hun... more Objective: This study investigates microcapsulated aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (GK) and Hunteria umbellata (HU) seeds. Method: Extracts obtained after maceration of dried powdered seeds were prepared as microcapsules with chitosan-alginate by counterion coacervation method. Microcapsules were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffractometry (XRD) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In vitro release studies were carried out at pH 1.2 for 2 h and 6.8 for a further 10 h. Results : Between 20 and 50% extract release occurred from microcapsules after 2 h while conventional tablets released 100% after 1 h at simulated gastric pH. At pH 6.8, >80% of extract was released from microcapsules after 6 h. DSC revealed the presence of complex materials. XRD and FTIR showed stable character of the plant extracts within the microcapsules. Conclusion: Controlled release of aqueous extracts derived from these plants was achieved by microencaps...

In this work a comparative study on different methods of extraction of α-cellulose from agricultu... more In this work a comparative study on different methods of extraction of α-cellulose from agricultural residue- maize (Zea mays) cob was carried out. α-Celluloses were extracted from the agricultural residue using various chemical procedures based on:- nitric acid/ sodium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, organsolvent and ionic liquid (IL) [1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl)]. The chemical composition and flow properties of the extracted α-celluloses were estimated using the known standard methods. The α-celluloses extracted from the agricultural residue using nitric acid/ sodium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide methods, respectively, were relatively free from other lignocellulosic contents (lignin content < 0.70% and hemicelluloses < 1.30%) compared to the organosolvent method (lignin content 1.54-4.03 % and hemicelluloses 4.50-10.05%), and IL method (lignin content 3.45% and hemicelluloses 12.50%). Apart from the α-cellulose obtained with IL, others showed poor flow pro...

International Journal of Phytopharmacy, Sep 1, 2014

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2009

A widely used approach for the microencapsulation of drugs especially for controlled drug deliver... more A widely used approach for the microencapsulation of drugs especially for controlled drug delivery is emulsion polymerization. The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate chitosan-alginate microcapsules for oral delivery of ibuprofen using two techniques. Alginate-based microcapsules were prepared using the emulsion/internal gelation and electrostatic droplet generator/counter-ion coacervation methods. The effect of production parameters on the size of the microcapsules and in vitro ibuprofen release at pH 1.2 and 7.4 was determined. For emulsion/internal gelation method, the results showed that increase in stirring rate, volume of dispersion medium and viscosity of the coating materials did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect the size of the microcapsules. Microcapsules produced by the electrostatic droplets generator method had a narrower size distribution compared to the emulsion method. Drug release at pH 7.4 was considerably more than at pH 1.2, especially for uncoated microcapsules, microcapsules coated with high-viscosity (undigested) chitosan, and microcapsules prepared by the emulsion method. The encapsulation efficiencies of the two methods were similar as over 90% of ibuprofen was entrapped in each case. The two microencapsulation techniques can be applied in the microencapsulation of ibuprofen for oral delivery.

British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2015

Aims: To develop a powder dosage form of insulin for intranasal administration and investigate it... more Aims: To develop a powder dosage form of insulin for intranasal administration and investigate its glucose-lowering effect in albino rabbits. Methods: Nine different powder formulations, each containing 500 mg powder equivalent to 50 IU of insulin were prepared by adsorbing soluble insulin solution mixed with varying amounts of polysorbate 80, guar gum and porcine mucin on to microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder by solvent evaporation. The formulations were subjected to in vitro release studies, from which two optimized formulations (E and H) were further evaluated in vivo for their glucose lowering effect in albino rabbits via the intranasal route. Results: All the formulations released &gt; 90% of insulin within 30 min in the in vitro release studies. Original Research Article Arhewoh et al.; BJPR, 8(4): 1-7, 2015; Article no.BJPR.20574 2 Formulations E and H containing 0.1% Tween 80 and either guar gum or mucin gave the highest drug release of 85% each in 15 min and were selected for the in vivo studies. In vivo results obtained after 30 and 60 min of intranasal administration showed a reduction of 30 and 15% in blood glucose level for formulation E and 40 and 30% for formulation H as against the subcutaneously administered insulin (control) with 51 and 46% reduction respectively. There was no significant difference (p &gt; 0.05) between the control and the formulations with regard to their glucose-lowering effect. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the insulin powder dosage form prepared with MCC for intranasal delivery achieved a moderate reduction in blood glucose level in rats via the intranasal route, indicating the formulations can be further developed to achieve enhanced insulin administration.

Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research, 2009

British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2015

Chloroquine is still a first-line antimalarial drug in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Increasi... more Chloroquine is still a first-line antimalarial drug in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Increasing resistance to chloroquine has been reported in many parts of Nigeria. Clinical and parasitological responses and classes of resistance to chloroquine in falciparum malaria in five communities in Delta region, southern Nigeria were assessed. Chloroquine was administered to 218 patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The levels of parasitemia, clinical response and classes of resistance were monitored for 7 days. High levels of therapeutic failures of chloroquine in P. falciparum malaria were recorded in the region. The frequencies of clinical and parasitological failure of chloroquine were 25.7% and 55%, respectively. These frequencies were significantly lower in children below 5 years than older people. R2 and R3 resistance occurred in 37.2% and 17.4% of the patients, respectively. The therapeutic failure of chloroquine was not gender dependent. We conclude that chloroquine is still effective in the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in some communities in Delta region of Nigeria. However, resistance to chloroquine is likely. These results may be used as an important indicator of the significant level of therapeutic failure of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria to chloroquine in Nigeria.

Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs used worldwide.They kill or prevent the g... more Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs used worldwide.They kill or prevent the growth of bacterial microorganisms in the body, hence, they are the major agents used in treating bacterial infections. Because they are prone to abuse and misuse, regular evaluation of their utilization is important for optimal healthcare delivery.Objective: This study determined the antibiotics type, utilization, prescriptions and cost patterns in the adult out-patient pharmacy of a public tertiary health facility in Nigeria.Methods: This is a retrospective observational study using medication utilization records (prescriptions) to investigate the study objectives. Prescriptions dispensed in 2018 in adult out-patient pharmacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi were reviewed. Data were evaluated using the World Health Organization-developed prescribing indicators. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the results. The percentage and averages of th...

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2020

Purpose: To carry out an interventional study on the knowledge, attitude and perception of penult... more Purpose: To carry out an interventional study on the knowledge, attitude and perception of penultimate and final year undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Ibadan on Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among penultimate and final-year undergraduate students of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan using semi-structured questionnaire. A seminar was organized for the intervention group. The data were summarized using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Pre-intervention PharmD knowledge assessment of majority, 63 (94.0 %) control group and 63 (87.5 %) intervention group participants was below average. Post-intervention, 38 (52.8 %) intervention group participants had satisfactory scores, while 54 (80.6 %) of control group had below average scores. Generally, the participants had good PharmD attitude and perception. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between pre- and post-intervention Ph...

INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2015

The composition of elemental impurities in paediatric powder for suspension (PPS) and double stre... more The composition of elemental impurities in paediatric powder for suspension (PPS) and double strength tablet (DST) commercial anti-malarial formulations of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) were determined. Six randomly selected PPS and DST products from a list of marketed products were purchased from a registered Pharmacy outlet and analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The heavy metal levels were compared with the official limits for permitted daily exposure. The paediatric and adult products of AL presented the same types and number of elements with a total of 10 metals and levels ranging from 0.001-0.016 and 0.001-0.017ppm for the PPS and DST formulation, respectively. One of the DST and PPS products had significantly higher levels of cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel and cobalt compared with their respective formulation types (p<0.05). There was significant difference in the levels of chromium, nickel and cobalt but no difference in the levels of cadmium, lead, zinc and arsenic when DST and PPS products were compared (p<0.05). The drug products presented elemental oral exposure significantly lower than the permitted daily exposure. The levels of elemental impurities are satisfactory with respect to safety requirements. These impurities may adversely affect drug stability, shelf-life and bioequivalence of the products. Key words : Elemental impurities, Permitted Daily Exposure, Artemether-lumefantrine, Paediatric Powder for Suspension, Double Strength Tablets

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 2021

Background Regular evaluation of antimicrobials prescriptions is important for optimal use. Objec... more Background Regular evaluation of antimicrobials prescriptions is important for optimal use. Objective This study determined the prescription patterns, class and costs of antimicrobials in the adult out-patient pharmacy of a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. Methods A 1-year retrospective study from 1st January to 31st December 2018. The data, which included identification code, age, sex, antibiotics prescribed, number of antibiotics per prescription, number of medicines per prescription, dosage form, generic prescribing, drug on the essential drug list, and cost, were used in the analysis. The Chi-square test and Analysis of Variance were used to compare our data with the WHO–developed antimicrobial prescription Guidelines for Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical and Defined Daily Dose assignment of 2019. Results From 450 patient records, significantly more females (70%) were prescribed with antimicrobials ( P = 0.0038). The prescription pattern showed that antimicrobials selection by class...

As part of continuing efforts to develop low-cost pharmaceutical grade cellulose, α-cellulose (MC... more As part of continuing efforts to develop low-cost pharmaceutical grade cellulose, α-cellulose (MC) was extracted from an agricultural waste (de-grained maize cob) and characterized as a tablet diluent using a commercial brand of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and a mixture of lactose and starch (LS) as reference standards. The α-cellulose met the pharmacopoeial specifications (for Powdered Cellulose B.P.), including pH-6.5 ± 0.5; loss on drying-6.0%; residue on ignition-0.03%; and water-soluble substances-0.9%. Presence of organic impurities and starch was not found. MC compared well with MCC and LS in terms of bulk density (0.36g/cm 3) and true density (1.59g/cm 3). MC, MCC and LS were individually evaluated as tablet diluents for some commonly used drugs, namely, folic acid, chloroquine and vitamin B complex. The tablets were prepared by pre-compression. Based on the tablet parameters examined, (including tensile strength, disintegration time and dissolution data), MC-based tabl...

International Journal of Current Research and Review, 2018

This work evaluates in vitro interaction of food components with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in ... more This work evaluates in vitro interaction of food components with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in tablet. Pelletized food components (i.e., starch, albumin, sunflower oil and carbonated drink) with AL tablet were observed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy while spectra obtained were compared using essential FTIR (eFTIR) software. The influence (i.e., instantaneous change in pH (IPH) and acid buffering capacity (ABC)) of food components on Fasted State Simulated Gastric Fluid (FaSSGF) and Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid (FeSSIF) were assessed alongside dissolution kinetics of actives in AL tablets. Artemether and lumefantrine produced identical spectra features with reference infra red (IR) spectra. No change in spectra features of AL on carbohydrate, vitamin A and oil treatment but noted with albumin and the carbonated drinks. IPH values for albumin revealed statistical higher value (p < 0.05) than other food components in FaSSGF. ABC for albumin treatment was statistically lower (p < 0.05) than for other food components in FaSSGF. Artemether overall release was significantly reduced by starch, lactose and carbonated drink (p < 0.05) while that of lumefantrine was significantly increased by sunflower oil (p < 0.05). There was interaction between AL and albumin, or carbonated drinks which can be of importance in drug treatment outcome.

Journal of Excipients and Food Chemicals, 2012

α-Cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders, derived from agricultural waste products, tha... more α-Cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders, derived from agricultural waste products, that have for the pharmaceutical industry, desirable physical (flow) properties were investigated. α–Cellulose (GCN) was extracted from groundnut shell (an agricultural waste product) using a non-dissolving method based on inorganic reagents. Modification of this α -cellulose was carried out by partially hydrolysing it with 2N hydrochloric acid under reflux to obtain microcrystalline cellulose (MCGN). The physical, spectroscopic and thermal properties of the derived α-cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose powders were compared with Avicel® PH 101, a commercial brand of microcrystalline cellulose (MCCA), using standard methods. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the α-cellulose had lower crystallinity. This suggested that treatment with 2N hydrochloric acid led to an increase in the crystallinity index. Thermogravimetric analysis showed quite similar thermal ...

International Journal of Current Research and Review, 2018

This work assesses tablets of artemether and lumefantrine in vitro drug interaction with lamivudi... more This work assesses tablets of artemether and lumefantrine in vitro drug interaction with lamivudine or metronidazole. Spectra changes on artemether or lumefantrine vibration bands were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and analyzed with essential FTIR (eFTIR) software. Instantaneous pH changes and acid buffering capacity in biorelevant media were also determined. USP type-2 dissolution apparatus (paddle) containing Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid Version 2 (FeSSIF-V2) was employed for dissolution test. Sample (5 mL) collected at various predetermined time intervals were analyzed simultaneously for artemether and lumefantrine with high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) reverse phase (RP) system, at 25 o C. Artemether (O-H) stretching vibration was shifted to wavenumber 3387.0 and 3408.22 cm-1 by lamivudine and metronidazole, respectively. There was no significant shift in spectral bands corresponding to the endoperoxide linkage due to both drugs. Lamivudine and metronidazole showed no significant change in the pH of biorelevant media (p > 0.05). The release kinetics in FeSSIF-V2 for artemether changed from Higuchi (R 2 = 0.9124) to first order (R 2 = 0.9422) due to presence of lamivudine while that of lumefantrine from first order (R 2 = 0.9423) to Higuchi due to the metronidazole (R 2 = 0.9871). There was no significant level of interaction between lamivudine and metronidazole with the actives of AL tablet in vitro. The drugs therefore can be co-administered without any biopharmaceutical implications.

International journal of current research and review, 2015

Physicochemical properties bothering on the quality of powder for paediatric suspension (PPS) of ... more Physicochemical properties bothering on the quality of powder for paediatric suspension (PPS) of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) were evaluated. The moisture content, viscosity, total solid and chemical contents were determined. The assay was analyzed simultaneously for artemether and lumefantrine using high pressure liquid chromatography (chromosil C18 column/ UV detection at 216 nm). Acetonitrile: 25 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate (70: 30%, v/v) and nevirapine served as mobile phase and internal standard, respectively. Statistical analysis was done using students t-test to compare the parameters for the products at CI, 95%. The artemether and lumefantrine contents varied from 40.3-112.54% and 71.9 – 91.4%, respectively. The range of values (mean) of moisture content, viscosity, pH and total solid were 2.9-6.9 (4.68)% , 99.1-193.8(124.7) mPa.s, 3.5-7.8 (4.7) and 93.1- 97.1 (95.3) %, respectively. The results showed statistical different outcomes (P < 0.05). PPS products sampled ...

International Journal of Phytopharmacy, 2015

Objective: This study investigates microcapsulated aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (GK) and Hun... more Objective: This study investigates microcapsulated aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (GK) and Hunteria umbellata (HU) seeds. Method: Extracts obtained after maceration of dried powdered seeds were prepared as microcapsules with chitosan-alginate by counterion coacervation method. Microcapsules were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffractometry (XRD) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In vitro release studies were carried out at pH 1.2 for 2 h and 6.8 for a further 10 h. Results : Between 20 and 50% extract release occurred from microcapsules after 2 h while conventional tablets released 100% after 1 h at simulated gastric pH. At pH 6.8, >80% of extract was released from microcapsules after 6 h. DSC revealed the presence of complex materials. XRD and FTIR showed stable character of the plant extracts within the microcapsules. Conclusion: Controlled release of aqueous extracts derived from these plants was achieved by microencaps...

In this work a comparative study on different methods of extraction of α-cellulose from agricultu... more In this work a comparative study on different methods of extraction of α-cellulose from agricultural residue- maize (Zea mays) cob was carried out. α-Celluloses were extracted from the agricultural residue using various chemical procedures based on:- nitric acid/ sodium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, organsolvent and ionic liquid (IL) [1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl)]. The chemical composition and flow properties of the extracted α-celluloses were estimated using the known standard methods. The α-celluloses extracted from the agricultural residue using nitric acid/ sodium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide methods, respectively, were relatively free from other lignocellulosic contents (lignin content < 0.70% and hemicelluloses < 1.30%) compared to the organosolvent method (lignin content 1.54-4.03 % and hemicelluloses 4.50-10.05%), and IL method (lignin content 3.45% and hemicelluloses 12.50%). Apart from the α-cellulose obtained with IL, others showed poor flow pro...

International Journal of Phytopharmacy, Sep 1, 2014

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2009

A widely used approach for the microencapsulation of drugs especially for controlled drug deliver... more A widely used approach for the microencapsulation of drugs especially for controlled drug delivery is emulsion polymerization. The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate chitosan-alginate microcapsules for oral delivery of ibuprofen using two techniques. Alginate-based microcapsules were prepared using the emulsion/internal gelation and electrostatic droplet generator/counter-ion coacervation methods. The effect of production parameters on the size of the microcapsules and in vitro ibuprofen release at pH 1.2 and 7.4 was determined. For emulsion/internal gelation method, the results showed that increase in stirring rate, volume of dispersion medium and viscosity of the coating materials did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect the size of the microcapsules. Microcapsules produced by the electrostatic droplets generator method had a narrower size distribution compared to the emulsion method. Drug release at pH 7.4 was considerably more than at pH 1.2, especially for uncoated microcapsules, microcapsules coated with high-viscosity (undigested) chitosan, and microcapsules prepared by the emulsion method. The encapsulation efficiencies of the two methods were similar as over 90% of ibuprofen was entrapped in each case. The two microencapsulation techniques can be applied in the microencapsulation of ibuprofen for oral delivery.

British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2015

Aims: To develop a powder dosage form of insulin for intranasal administration and investigate it... more Aims: To develop a powder dosage form of insulin for intranasal administration and investigate its glucose-lowering effect in albino rabbits. Methods: Nine different powder formulations, each containing 500 mg powder equivalent to 50 IU of insulin were prepared by adsorbing soluble insulin solution mixed with varying amounts of polysorbate 80, guar gum and porcine mucin on to microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder by solvent evaporation. The formulations were subjected to in vitro release studies, from which two optimized formulations (E and H) were further evaluated in vivo for their glucose lowering effect in albino rabbits via the intranasal route. Results: All the formulations released &gt; 90% of insulin within 30 min in the in vitro release studies. Original Research Article Arhewoh et al.; BJPR, 8(4): 1-7, 2015; Article no.BJPR.20574 2 Formulations E and H containing 0.1% Tween 80 and either guar gum or mucin gave the highest drug release of 85% each in 15 min and were selected for the in vivo studies. In vivo results obtained after 30 and 60 min of intranasal administration showed a reduction of 30 and 15% in blood glucose level for formulation E and 40 and 30% for formulation H as against the subcutaneously administered insulin (control) with 51 and 46% reduction respectively. There was no significant difference (p &gt; 0.05) between the control and the formulations with regard to their glucose-lowering effect. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the insulin powder dosage form prepared with MCC for intranasal delivery achieved a moderate reduction in blood glucose level in rats via the intranasal route, indicating the formulations can be further developed to achieve enhanced insulin administration.

Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research, 2009

British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2015

Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major public health problem in Nigeria, despite available interve... more Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major public health problem in Nigeria, despite available interventions. This abstract describes the collaborative efforts between (inter)national organizations, local communities, and stakeholders in the fight against MiP in Nigeria. In 2009, a study was undertaken in some communities in Edo State, Nigeria, assessing knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of MiP among women of reproductive age (15 ­ 49 yrs), and primary healthcare providers. Thereafter, interventions, including peer education on KAP of MiP were provided for health workers, and the women, through workshops, rallies, and door­to­door campaign. In addition, women advocacy groups were inaugurated and supported to continue the dissemination of appropriate KAP of MiP to all stakeholders in the communities. Finally, post­intervention survey was conducted to assess the impact of the intervention among the women. Furthermore, some factors responsible for low utilization of anti­malarial intervention during pregnancy were noted, including non­availability of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) and anti­malarial medications. A total of 1955 women of reproductive age (mean age ±sd, 27.88 ± 9.98) was surveyed. In all, 109 primary care providers (medical officers, nurses, community health extension workers, etc), and 37 women peer educators were trained. The flag­ off awareness campaign attracted a large audience, via in­person and local television station. The door­to­door campaign and rallies reached about 3,000 persons within the study communities. Overall, peer education was effective in improving knowledge on malaria prevention among women of productive age, as knowledge increased significantly between pre­ and post­ intervention studies. Following the study, the National Malaria Control Program of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, in 2011, through a local NGO, CHRADiP, freely distributed over 1000 long lasting ITNs to pregnant women and young children across the various communities in the state. The educational intervention improved KAP of MiP among the stakeholders in the communities. In addition, the primary care workers, and the entire community were mobilized and empowered on appropraite KAP of malaria. The provided free ITNs were appreciated. A national scale­up of a similar intervention is recommended.