Introduction: Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. Objectives: The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relationship between the motivational factors and the abuse of OCSs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between the use of OCSs for non-illness and six TRA factors: Normative belief, behavioral belief, evaluation of the behavior, motivation to comply, subjective norms and attitude toward behavior. Results: The study enrolled 141 participants (98 women and 43 men) taking asking for OCSs without prescription. Dexamethasone was the most commonly used OCSs (59.6%). Friends were the primary recommenders for corticosteroids abuse (28.4%). The main reasons for using OCSs were to increase appetite and gain weight (53.9 %). Approximately one-third (36.2 %) of the participants gained weight after using OCSs. The regression analysis of the TRA variables showed two factors were significantly related to the abuse of OCSs. Age had a significant inverse relationship with the abuse of OCSs and the "good appearance" belief had a significant positive association with OCS abuse. Conclusion: Some Iraqi community pharmacy customers use non-prescribed oral corticosteroids to increase appetite and gain weight. Improve body appearance represents the dominant incentive that urges people to use OCSs without prescription. Health officials and healthcare practitioners need to promote people's awareness about the risks of misusing OCSs through education programs and advertisements in public health settings, media, and social media. Article Type: Original Research
This research concentrate on cultivated Iraqi Agave attenuata dried leaves and roots, because of little studies on this plant especially on the root that lead to the eager of study and comparison of phytochemical constituents between leaves and root. Extraction of bioactive constituents was carried out using several solvents with increasing polarity (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) by soxhlet apparatus. Steroidal saponins in Agave genus is well documented in many species, lightening the minds in this research on extraction method which is specific for steroidal saponins. Phytochemical screening was done by GC/MS for n-hexane fraction, qualitative and quantitative estimation of several bioactive constituents (caffe
... Show MoreA novel series of mixed-ligand complexes of the type, [ML1(L2)3]Clx [M= Cr(III), Fe(III), Co(II),Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II), n = 2, 3], was synthesized using Schiff base (HL1) as main ligand, nicotinamide (L2) as secondary ligand, and the corresponding metal ions in 1:3:1 molar ratio. The main ligand, HL1 was prepared by the interaction of ampicillin drug and 4-chlorobenzophenone. The synthesized mixed ligand complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV-Vis, FT-IR,1H-NMR,13C-NMR and TG/DTG studies. In the mixed-ligand complexes, the Schiff base ligand, HL1 showed coordination to the central metal ion in tridentate manner via azomethine nitrogen, β-lactam ring oxygen and deprotonated carboxylic oxygen atoms, whereas the sec
... Show MoreNH3 gas sensor was fabricated based on deposited of Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) suspension on filter paper substrates using suspension filtration method. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the MWCNTs film were characterized by XRD, AFM and FTIR techniques. XRD measurement confirmed that the structure of MWCNTs is not affected by the preparation method. The AFM images reflected highly ordered network in the form of a mat. The functional groups and types of bonding have appeared in the FTIR spectra. The fingerprint (C-C stretch) of MWCNTs appears in 1365 cm-1, and the backbone of CNTs observed at 1645 cm-1. A homemade sensi
... Show MoreThe search involve the synthesis of some new 1,3-oxazepine and 1,3-diazepine derivatives were synthesized from Schiff base. The Schiff base (VIII) prepared from reaction of aldehyde (IV) derived from L-ascorbic acid with aromatic amine ([2-(4- nitrophenyl)-5-(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole] (VII). Oxazepine compounds (IX-XI) were synthesized from the cyclic condensation of Schiff base (VIII) with (maleic, phthalic and 3-nitrophthalic) anhydride, compounds (IX-XI) that were reacted with p-methoxyaniline to give diazepine derivatives (XII-XIV). The structures of the new synthesized compounds have been confirmed by physical properties and spectroscopy measurements such as FTIR, and some of them by 1 H-NMR, 13 CNMR, Mass, and evaluated
... Show MorePlantation of humic acid nanoparticles on the inert sand through simple impregnation to obtain the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for treating of groundwater contaminated with copper and cadmium ions. The humic acid was extracted from sewage sludge which is byproduct of the wastewater treatment plant; so, this considers an application of sustainable development. Batch tests signified that the coated sand by humic acid (CSHA) had removal efficiencies exceeded 98 % at contact time, sorbent dosage, and initial pH of 1 h, 0.25 g/50 mL and 7, respectively for 10 mg/L initial concentration and 200 rpm agitation speed. Results proved that physicosorption was the predominant mechanism for metals-CSHA interaction because the sorption data followed
... Show MoreA new Schiff base [1-((2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylimino)methyl)naphthalene-2-ol] (HL) has been synthesized by condensing (2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde) with (2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylamine). In turn, its transition metal complexes were prepared having the general formula; [Pt(IV)Cl2(L)2], [Re(V)Cl2(L)2]Cl and [Pd(L)2], 2K[M(II)Cl2(L)2] where M(II) = Co, Ni, Cu] are reported. Ligand as well as metal complexes are characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, UV-visible, 13C & 1H NMR, mass, elemental analysis. The results suggested that the ligand behaves like a bidentate ligand for all the synthesized complexes. On the other hand, theoretical studies of the ligand as well its metal complexes were conducted at gas phase using Hyp
... Show MoreBiosorption of lead, chromium, and cadmium ions from aqueous solution by dead anaerobic biomass (DAB) was studied in single, binary, and ternary systems with initial concentration of 50 mg/l. The metal-DAB affinity was the same for all systems. The main biosorption mechanisms were complexation and physical adsorption of metallic cations onto natural active functional groups on the cell wall matrix of the DAB. It was found that biosorption of the metallic cations onto DAB cell wall component was a surface process. The main functional groups involved in the metallic cation biosorption were apparently carboxyl, amino, hydroxyle, sulfhydryl, and sulfonate. These groups were part of the DAB cell wall structural polymers. Hydroxyle groups (–O
... Show MoreIn study of effective bioactive compounds, we have synthesized the Co((ІІ), Mn(ІІ), Fe(ІІ), Cu(ІІ), Ni(ІІ), and Zn(ІІ) complexes of the Schiff base derived from trimethoprim and2'-amino-4-chlorobenzophenone and characterized by spectroscopic (NMR, IR, Mass, UV–vis,), analytical, TGA studies and magnetic data .The solution electronic spectral study suggests the stoichiometry of the synthesized complexes and Elemental analysis detected the square planer and octahedral geometry of the compounds. The prepared metal complexes presented promoted efficiency versus the screened bacterial (Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus aureus) antibacterial efficacy against (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., E. coli, Vibrio spp., Pseud
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