Honey is becoming accepted as a reputable and effective therapeutic agent by practitioners of conventional medicine and by the general public. It has many biological activities and has been effectively used in the treatment of many diseases, e.g. gastrointestinal diseases, skin diseases, cancer, heart diseases, and neurological degeneration. Honey is an excellent source of energy containing mainly carbohydrates and water, as well as, small amounts of organic acids, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and enzymes. As a natural product with a relatively high price, honey has been for a long time a target for adulteration. The authenticity of honey is of great importance from commercial and health aspects. The study of the physical and chemical properties of honey has been increasingly applied as a certification process for the purpose of qualification of honey samples. The current work focusses on studying the authenticity of various types of honey sold in Riyadh market (24 samples). For this purpose, physical properties (pH, hydroxylmethylfurfural HMF, and pollen test) were measured. Besides, sugar composition was evaluated using Fehling test and an HPLC method. Elemental analysis was carried out using inductively coupled plasma (ICP). In addition, the presence of drug additives was assessed by means of GC-MS. The obtained results were compared with the Saudi Arabian standards, Codex Alimentarius Commission (2001), and harmonized methods of the international honey commission.

Increasing numbers of patients who recover from COVID-19 report lasting symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle weakness, dementia, and insomnia, known collectively as post-acute COVID syndrome or long COVID. These lasting symptoms have been examined in different studies and found to influence multiple organs, sometimes resulting in life-threating conditions. In this review, these symptoms are discussed in connection to the COVID-19 and long-COVID-19 immune changes, highlighting oral and psychiatric health, as this work focuses on the gut microbiota’s link to long-COVID-19 manifestations in the liver, heart, kidney, brain, and spleen. A model of this is presented to show the biological and clinical implications of gut microbiota in SARS-CoV-2 infection and how they could possibly affect the therapeutic aspects of the disease. Probiotics can support the body’s systems in fighting viral infections. This review focuses on current knowledge about the use of probiotics as adjuvant therapies for COVID-19 patients that might help to prevent long-COVID-19 complications.

Fenebrutinib (GDC-0853; FNB) is an oral small molecule that was developed by Roche Pharmaceuticals to slow multiple sclerosis progression. FNB is a reversible bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which showed the maximum potency of BTK inhibitors in phase III clinical trials for multiple sclerosis. In the current study, a fast, specific, and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for FNB quantification in human liver microsomes (HLMs) was established with application to the evaluation of metabolic stability. The UPLC-MS/MS methodology was verified using the stated USFDA validation guidelines for bioanalytical methodologies that involve selectivity, linearity, accuracy and precision, carryover and extraction recovery, stability, and matrix effect. The FNB calibration curve displayed a linearity in the range from 1 ng/mL to 3000 ng/mL (y = 1.731x + 2.013; R²: 0.9954; RSD < 4.37%) in the HLMs matrix. The limit of quantification was 0.88 ng/mL, which verified the UPLC-MS/MS analytical method sensitivity. The intraday and interday precision and accuracy results of the developed UPLC-MS/MS method were −3.99–14.0% and 0.52–3.83%, respectively. FNB and savolitinib (SVB) (internal standard) were chromatographically separated utilizing an isocratic mobile phase system with a ZORBAX Eclipse plus-C18 (50 mm, 2.1 mm, and 1.8 μm) column. The metabolic stability parameters for FNB, involving high intrinsic clearance (58.21 mL/min/kg) and a short in vitro half-life (13.93 min), revealed the high extraction ratio of FNB. Reviewing the literature revealed that the current UPLC-MS/MS method is the first analytical method for FNB quantification in the HLMs matrix with application to the assessment of FNB metabolic stability.

Background/Objectives: Dietary supplement (DS) use has become increasingly prevalent among adult athletes worldwide and carries both potential benefits and risks. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and perspectives of DS use among adult athletes attending fitness centers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between November and December 2024 using self-administered online questionnaires distributed through a convenience sampling method utilizing social media platforms. All adult athletes aged 18 and above currently residing in Saudi Arabia were included. Results: Results indicate that 73.9% of athletes use DS, primarily to address self-reported perceived vitamin/mineral deficiencies (62.0%) and to enhance energy availability (45.8%). The most frequently reported DS used by the responded were vitamins and minerals (77.3%), followed by fish oils (57.3%) and proteins (42.7%). The predominant adverse effects reported were changes in urine color (27.4%) and frequent urination (18.0%). Most supplements were consumed orally (78.4%), once daily (40.7%), or according to individual needs (26.7%), with dosage most often determined by a physician or pharmacist (35.1%). The mean perception score of DS effects on health outcomes was 3.69 ± 0.98, with a significant association with age (p = 0.041). Conclusions: This study highlights the increasing reliance on DS among athletes in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the need for public health interventions that promote safe and informed use of DS. While our study’s use of convenience sampling may limit their generalizability, the findings still provide important insights into current practices and perceptions. Future research should focus on regulatory measures and educational campaigns to mitigate risks and optimize benefits. Our results have significant implications for public health policy and practice.

The molecular charge transfer reactions of quinine (Q) with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as a π-acceptor to form charge transfer (CT) complexes have been studied. The CT complexes were characterized by infrared spectra, NMR, mass spectrometry, conductometry and spectrometry. The Q-DDQ and Q-TCNQ charge transfer complexes were monitored at 480 and 843 nm, respectively. The results confirm the formation of CT complexes. The molar ratio of Q:DDQ and Q: TCNQ assessed using Job’s method was 1:1, which agrees with the results obtained by the Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The stability of the formed CT complexes was assessed by measuring different spectroscopic parameters such as oscillator strength, transition dipole moment, ionization potential, the energy of CT complex, resonance energy, dissociation energy and standard free energy change. The DFT geometry optimization of quinine, DDQ and TCNQ, its charge transfer complex, and UV theoretical vs. experimental comparative study were carried out. The theoretical and experimental results agreed. DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory was used for the investigation of charge transfer between quinine as electron donor and (DDQ and TNCQ) as electron acceptors. The geometric structures, orbital energies, HOMO, LUMO and energy gaps were determined. The transition energies of the charge transfer complexes were computed using the TD-DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The computed parameters were comparable to the experimental parameters, and the computational results aided in the analysis of the data.

Background: Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) are the second most popular illegal drugs used worldwide, after cannabis. The production of ATS has increased across the world, including the Middle East. Fenethylline (Captagon™), amphetamine derivative, sold as a street drug usually contains several adulterants and diluents. In Saudi Arabia, like other countries, samples of illicit ATS are submitted to laboratories to test for the adulterated compounds. Objective: The objective of the proposed study was to apply gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for fenethylline profiling of seized samples collected from the Saudi market (n = 55). Methodology: The GC/MS analysis was performed on a general purpose column (30 m × 0.25 mm i.d) coated with 0.25 µm cross bond, 5% diphenyl dimethyl polysiloxane (Rtx-5MS). The mass was operated in the electron impact mode. Results and discussion: Analyzed samples gave positive results for amphetamine in the concentration range between 1.35% and 37.32% of the powder, caffeine in the range between 22.74 and 44.92%, in addition to different concentrations of levoglucosenone, theophylline, D-allose, lidocaine, methamphetamine, dextromethorphan, and other adulterants. Finally, the presence of other substances in fenethylline street samples could result in intoxication. This significantly contributes to the potential risk of drug addiction among public.