The low water solubility of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (aripiprazole) is one of the most critical challenges in pharmaceutical research and development. This antipsychotic drug has an inadequate therapeutic impact because of its minimal and idiosyncratic oral bioavailability to treat schizophrenia. The main objective of this study was to improve the solubility and stability of the antipsychotic drug aripiprazole (ARP) via forming binary as well as ternary inclusion complexes with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) and L-Arginine (LA) as solubility enhancers. Physical mixing and lyophilization were used in different molar ratios. The developed formulations were analyzed by saturation solubility analysis, and dissolution studies were performed using the pedal method. The formulations were characterized by FTIR, XRD, DSC, SEM, and TGA. The results showcased that the addition of HPβCD and LA inclusion complexes enhanced the stability, in contrast to the binary formulations and ternary formulations prepared by physical mixing and solvent evaporation. Ternary formulation HLY47 improved dissolution rates by six times in simulated gastric fluid (SGF). However, the effect of LA on the solubility enhancement was concentration-dependent and showed optimal enhancement at the ratio of 1:1:0.27. FTIR spectra showed the bond shifting, which confirmed the formation of new complexes. The surface morphology of complexes in SEM studies showed the rough surface of lyophilization and solvent evaporation products, while physical mixing revealed a comparatively crystalline surface. The exothermic peaks in DSC diffractograms showed diminished peaks previously observed in the diffractogram of pure drug and LA. Lyophilized ternary complexes displayed significantly enhanced thermal stability, as observed from the thermograms of TGA. In conclusion, it was observed that the preparation method and a specific drug-to-polymer and amino acid ratio are critical for achieving high drug solubility and stability. These complexes seem to be promising candidates for novel drug delivery systems development.

Background: Medication non-adherence is a prevalent and complicated problem among patients receiving hemodialysis. Strictly following the prescribed medication regimen is crucial for achieving successful dialysis in end-stage renal disease. Objective: This study aimed to investigate how health literacy and illness perception influence medication adherence in hemodialysis patients. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to February 2024 at dialysis units of multisite hospitals across Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. A pre-validated, reliable, and interview-based questionnaire was utilized, and a convenience sampling technique was employed to collect data from 390 patients. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0 was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: More than half of the dialysis patients were female, 52.8%, 31% were between the ages of 46–60, and 66.6% had minimal or no education. Of the patients studied, 45.1% exhibited inadequate health literacy, 46.7% held negative perceptions of their illness, and 41.8% demonstrated low levels of medication adherence. The study found a weak correlation: a negative correlation between health literacy and illness perception (r = – 0.080), a positive correlation between health literacy and medication adherence (r = 0.024), and a negative correlation between illness perception and medication adherence (r = –0.061), none of which were statistically significant. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of the patients demonstrate low medication adherence, inadequate health literacy, and negative perceptions of their illness, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions. Structured educational programs, motivational interviewing, individual or group support, and in-person or remote (web- or telephone-based) counseling can help address these issues. Additionally, healthcare professionals-led interventions by doctors, pharmacists, and nurses play a crucial role in raising awareness, enhancing medication adherence, and optimizing treatment outcomes.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) harbors significant genetic heterogeneity, high infiltrative capacity, and patterns of relapse following many therapies. The expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB p65 (RelA)) and signaling pathways is constitutively activated in GBM through inflammatory stimulation such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), cell invasion, motility, abnormal physiological stimuli, and inducible chemoresistance. However, the underlying anti-tumor and anti-proliferative mechanisms of NF-κB p65 (RelA) and TNFα are still poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the expression profiling of NF-κB p65 (RelA) and TNFα as well as the effectiveness of celecoxib along with temozolomide (TMZ) in reducing the growth of the human GBM cell line SF-767. Methods: genome-wide expression profiling, enrichment analysis, immune infiltration, quantitative expression, and the Microculture Tetrazolium Test (MTT) proliferation assay were performed to appraise the effects of celecoxib and TMZ. Results: demonstrated the upregulation of NF-κB p65 (RelA) and TNFα and celecoxib reduced the viability of the human glioblastoma cell line SF-767, cell proliferation, and NF-κB p65 (RelA) and TNFα expression in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these findings demonstrate for the first time how celecoxib therapy could mitigate the invasive characteristics of the human GBM cell line SF-767 by inhibiting the NF-κB mediated stimulation of the inflammatory cascade. Conclusion: based on current findings, we propose that celecoxib as a drug candidate in combination with temozolomide might dampen the transcriptional and enzymatic activities associated with the aggressiveness of GBM and reduce the expression of GBM-associated NF-κB p65 (RelA) and TNFα inflammatory genes expression.

Ethnopharmacological relevance of Saussurea species for anti-cancer compounds instigated us to develop chemotherapeutic herbal tablets. This study was an ongoing part of our previous research based on the scientific evaluation of Saussurea heteromalla (S. heteromalla) for anti-cancer lead compounds. In the current study, S. heteromalla herbal tablets (500 /800 mg) were designed and evaluated for anti-cancer activity. Arctigenin was found as a bioactive lead molecule with anti-cancer potential for cervical cancer. The in vitro results on the HeLa cell line supported the ethnopharmacological relevance and traditional utilization of S. heteromalla and provided the scientific basis for the management of cervical cancer as proclaimed by traditional practitioners in China. LD50 of the crude extract was established trough oral acute toxicity profiling in mice, wherein the minimum lethal dose was noticed as higher than 1000 mg/kg body weight orally. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis ensured the identity and consistency of S. heteromalla in herbal tablets in terms of standardization of the herbal drug. About 99.15% of the drug (S. heteromalla crude extract) was recovered in herbal tablets (RSD: 0.45%). In vitro drug release profile was found to be more than 87% within 1 h, which was also correlated with different mathematical kinetic models of drug release (r(2) = 0.992), indicating that drug release from matrix tablets into the blood is constant throughout the delivery. The dosage form was found stable after an accelerated stability parameters study which may be used for anti-cervical cancer therapy in the future, if it qualifies successful preclinical investigation parameters.