Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Proposing An Educational Framework For Healthcare Professionals On The Topic Of Substandard Or Falsified Medications And Illegal Online Pharmacies, Margo Elaine Whitehead

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Background: Substandard or falsified medication prevalence in countries like the United States is documented with much more consistency than developing nations. On the contrary, although online pharmacies have been around for several decades, there is very limited data published establishing the prevalence of online pharmacy use by the general population (Fitler). Currently, there is no standardized curriculum regarding substandard or falsified medications and illegal online pharmacies offered to healthcare providers to combat the problems raised by counterfeits. Therefore, it is necessary to assess institutions’ current stance on implementing concepts in the curriculum and to create an educational framework based on …

Integration Of Medicinal Fungi Into The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden, Anthony Makashov

Senior Honors Projects

The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden is a one-of-a-kind resource that houses close to 300 medicinal plants and is filled to the brim with educational opportunities. For the College of Pharmacy, this garden has been the centerpiece of many classes taught here at the University of Rhode Island and has roots as a physical teaching space. While the garden contains a plethora of plant species, medicinal fungi have yet to have been included in the garden, despite their relevance as both sources of pharmaceutical drug discovery and as natural products with inherent physiological benefits themselves. The purpose of my …

Multimodal Approach To Chronic Pain Management And Prevention Of Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah Elston

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background. Chronic pain (CP) is a major public health problem that affects one-third of the population and can interfere with the activities of daily life and cause decreased quality of life. Patients with CP have been increasingly prescribed opioids, contributing to the rise in the opioid epidemic. Due to the long-term nature of CP, the use of opioids as the sole treatment for CP can cause tolerance and increased dosages overtime which can lead to addiction and potentially overdose. Therefore, CP treatment should include multimodal approaches to treatment to prevent opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and overdose. Multimodal treatments …

Identification Of Translesion Synthesis Inhibitors That Target Rev7/Rev3 Protein-Protein Interactions, Seema Patel

Honors Scholar Theses

Translesion synthesis (TLS) is a cellular mechanism utilized by cancer cells to tolerate DNA damage caused by chemotherapeutics, like cisplatin, by replicating past unrepaired lesions. This increases the rate of mutations, which leads to the emergence of drug-resistant cancer cells. Preliminary studies have shown that disrupting the protein-protein interactions (PPI) in the TLS heteroprotein complex increases cells’ sensitivity to first-line genotoxic chemotherapy, illustrating how inhibiting TLS assembly and function can significantly increase cancer cell death. These results underscore the therapeutic potential of targeting TLS PPI. Our current work in this area is focusing on inhibitors capable of disrupting the Rev7/Rev3 …

Financial Hardship From Purchasing Prescription Drugs Among Older Adults In The United States Before, During, And After The Medicare Part D “Donut Hole”: Findings From 1998, 2001, 2015, And 2021, Anthony W. Olson, Jon C. Schommer, David A. Mott, Olajide Adekunle, Lawrence M. Brown

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND: Cost-related nonadherence compromises successful and effective management of chronic disease. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) aimed to increase the affordability of outpatient prescription drugs for older adults (older than age 64 years). The Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage gap (“donut hole”) created by the MMA was fully closed in 2020 by the ACA.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe prescription drug coverage and financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs among older American adults for 2021, (2) compare these results with findings from data collected before the MMA …

Unveiling The Opioid Crisis: The Impact Of Opioids On Body Systems And Alternative Treatment Options To Reduce The Nationwide Opioid Epidemic, Krishna S. Patel, Elizabeth A. Manheim Ph.D.

Kean Quest

No abstract provided.

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Post-Discharge Clinical Patient Follow-Up Service In A Health System Outpatient Pharmacy Setting, Erin Wu, Adam Saulles, Amber Franck, Ryan Bradley

Providence Pharmacy PGY1 Program at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent Medical Centers 2022

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Infusion Reactions Associated With Intravenous Immune Globulin (Ivig) In Neonatal And Pediatric Patients, Katie Couch, Samantha Tatz

Providence Pharmacy PGY1 Program at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent Medical Centers 2022

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of An Outpatient Pharmacy Collaboration With A Hospital Quality Initiative To Increase Access To Naloxone At Hospital Discharge, Melissa Yokoyama, Theresa Morikawa, Amber Franck, Adam Saulles

Providence Pharmacy PGY1 Program at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent Medical Centers 2022

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Spectral Imaging To Reveal Inorganics And Organics Identity In The Biological Samples, Qamar Alshammari

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

The wavelength is used to identify the exact location and quantify the number of molecules in the spectral imaging system. It aids in identifying materials and studying their quantities by examining how they interact with light. A traditional spectrometer provides spectrum information of chemical compounds, while standard imaging provides the intensity at each pixel of the image. Spectral imaging (SI) combines these two aspects by equipping intensity and spectral data for each pixel. In biomedical research, it is important to assess the inorganics/organics molecules to understand drug activity, cellular toxicity, and distribution. Using the microscopy technique, we found for the …

Computational Design Of Β-Fluorinated Morphine Derivatives For Ph-Specific Binding, Nayiri Alexander, Makena Augenstein, Matthew Gartner

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The opioid epidemic impacted over 12 million Americans in 2019. Although they are effective pain-relieving medications, they carry addictive and dangerous side effects. Opioids, like morphine, bind non-selectively in both central and peripheral tissues; however, dangerous side effects result from central activation. Inflamed conditions of injured tissues have a lower pH (pH=6-6.5) environment than healthy central tissue (pH=7.4). We aim to design a morphine derivative that binds selectively within inflamed tissue using computationally-based molecular extension and dissection techniques. Binding to the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) is dependent on protonation of the biochemically active amine group of morphine. Fluorination of a carbon …

Assessing Nutritional Health Knowledge In Sharing Clinic Patients With Diabetes, Minden Huntrods

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Effective diabetes prevention and management relies on nutritional behaviors, thus a basic level of health knowledge is important for patients with diabetes and their caregivers in their quest to acquire acute glycemic control and minimize negative health outcomes (Ley et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrition-related health knowledge of patients living with diabetes who are seen at the UNMC Sharing Clinic by use of a verbal questionnaire. This nutritional health knowledge assessment was a quantitative, prospective, survey-based study utilizing descriptive statistics. Approximately 86% of patients were proficient in food group and nutritious foods knowledge …

The Potential Of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins As Drug Targets, Matt Staid

Honors Scholar Theses

Tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3-interacting protein 1 (TNIP1) is a negative regulator of inflammatory signaling in several diseases. TNIP1 is also an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), which makes it difficult for current drugs to affect it. More research on IDPs could lead to novel drugs targeting TNIP1, leading to improved therapies for patients with acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The main difference between IDPs and the more common ordered proteins is that IDPs are flexible, a characteristic of TNIP1 which was demonstrated in this study via protease sensitivity. Ordered proteins are rigid, which means that they only have one …

An Evaluation Of Oral Anticoagulation Initiation After Ischemic Stroke In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation/Atrial Flutter At Hospital Discharge, Jessica Zhao, Meri Slavica, Vanessa Jenkins, Natalie Swearingen

Providence Pharmacy PGY1 Program at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent Medical Centers 2022

No abstract provided.

Tenecteplase Implementation For Ischemic Stroke At A Large Tertiary Medical Center, Laura Kays, Bryce Winn, Aimee Doyle

Providence Pharmacy PGY1 Program at Providence Portland and Providence St. Vincent Medical Centers 2022

No abstract provided.

Nanoparticles For Biomedical Applications, Joseph Kim

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

This thesis presents development and evaluation of the potential of three new nanoparticles for biomedical applications. With the rapid growth of the field of nanoscience, researchers have explored developing nanoparticles for various biomedical applications, including imaging, therapy, and drug delivery. This thesis demonstrates the development of two C­₆₀ fullerene based nanoparticles and one boron based nanoparticle to answer key questions related to their biological potential.

In the first part of the thesis, we describe synthesis and characterization of a pure boron nanoparticle containing asolectin phospholipid-based liposome construct prepared using a water-in-oil emulsion method, as a novel alternative agent for …

Effect Of Chemical And Physical Enhancers On The Skin Permeation Of Cromolyn Sodium, Miranda Holman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cromolyn sodium (CS) has clinically shown to be an effective topical remedy for atopic dermatitis, however its physiochemical properties prevent efficient passive drug delivery beyond the outermost skin layer. This project aimed to optimize CS gel formulations and applications to improve drug delivery to the dermis of skin by examining various topical enhancement strategies. Oleic acid, salcaprozate sodium, and microneedles were investigated as enhancers for their effect on skin permeation of CS. In vitro permeation studies across dermatomed porcine ear skin tested CS gels to determine 24-hour drug permeation profiles and skin layer distribution of drug. Further, extraction method efficiency, …

Covid Synergy: A Machine Learning Approach Uncovering Potential Treatment Combinations For Sars-Cov-2, Jason Eden Sanchez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For more than two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of billions of individualsworldwide leading to disruptions in healthcare, the economy and society at large. As the pandemic enters its third year, the human impact cannot be overstated and the need to develop effective pharmaceuticals remains. Though there currently exits FDA-approved medications for COVID-19, the emergence of novel variants, such as Omicron, highlights the importance of discovering new therapies which will continue to be effective regardless of the pandemicâ??s progression. Because discovering new medications is a costly and timeintensive endeavor, my approach entails drug repurposing to test medications …

Discovery Of Ojt008 As A Novel Inhibitor Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Collins Chidi Onyenaka

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Despite recent progress in the diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB), the chemotherapeutic management of TB is still challenging. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the etiological agent of TB, and TB is classified as the 13th leading cause of death globally [WHO 2021]. 558,000 people were reported to develop multi-drug resistant TB globally [WHO 2020]. Our research focuses on targeting Methionine Aminopeptidase (MetAP), an essential protein for the viability of Mtb. MetAP is a metalloprotease that catalyzes the removal of N-terminal methionine (NME) during translation of protein [Giglione et al., 2003]. This essential role of MetAPs makes this enzyme an auspicious target for …

Preclinical Development Of A Novel Antileishmanial Agent Ojt007: Bioanalytical Assay, In Vitro Studies And Pharmacokinetics, Maria Eugenia Rincon-Nigro

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Current treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis suffer from toxic side effects, high cost, parenteral administration, and drug resistance. Thus, there is a critical need to develop oral drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis. OJT007 is a novel class of drug with potent antiproliferative effects against Leishmania Major. The purpose of this project is to conduct preclinical drug development studies for OJT007 including bioanalytical assay development, pre-formulation studies, in vitro hepatic drug metabolism and in vivo pharmacokinetics. A sensitive, specific, and reproducible ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated. The separation was achieved on a UPLC BEH …

Challenge And Development Strategy For Colon-Targeted Drug Delivery System, Raditya Iswandana, Kurnia Sari Setio Putri, Fathia Amalia Putri, Maxius Gunawan, Sekar Arum Larasati

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Colon-Targeted Drug Delivery System (CTDDS) is able to improve local therapeutic effects in the treatment of colon-specific diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A colon can also be a suitable site for systemic delivery of drugs susceptible to extreme gastric pH, such as peptides and protein therapeutics. The physiological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and the physicochemical properties of drugs are being considered to develop strategies and approaches to overcome emerging challenges. This review will discuss factors, challenges, strategies, and approaches to developing a colon-targeted drug delivery system.

Antihypertensive And Antioxidant Activity Of Herbal Medicine (Jamu) B On Rats Induced By 10% Fructose, Aprilita Rina Yanti Eff, Reza Ayu Pertiwi, Hermanus Ehe Hurit, Sri Teguh Rahayu, Yonatan Eden

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Prolonged fructose intake can activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and enhance oxidative stress conditions, causing hypertension and hyperuricemia. This study aimed to determine the antihypertensive and antioxidant activity of Jamu B on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the kidneys of Sprague Dawley rats induced by 10% fructose. Thirty rats were divided into six groups. Groups B1-B3 were Jamu groups at a dose of 0.12 g/kg BW (B1), 0.24 g/kg BW (B2), and 0.36 g/kg BW (B3); group C (positive control) was given captopril 0.1 g/kg BW, group D (negative control) was given only 10% …

Association Of Environmental Pollutants Exposure With Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Mini Review Of Molecular Mechanism Mediated, Soni Siswanto, Bantari W.K. Wardhani

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Pulmonary fibrosis is a specific form of chronic progressive interstitial lung disease. Deposition of extracellular matrix, mainly collagen, is the pathogenic characteristic of pulmonary fibrosis. Many reports show that environmental pollutants, particularly asbestos, silica, mercury, cadmium, and benzo(a)pyrene, are contributed in the etiology of lung injury and a risk factor in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in humans. Based on its physicochemical properties, environmental pollutant-induced pulmonary fibrosis can be developed after a particular type or dose of exposure. To date, some studies have focused on variant pollutants that are induced. However, the molecular mechanism of various pollutants to …

In Vitro Antibacterial And Antifungal Activities Of Sorindeia Madagascariensis And Albizia Harveyi Stem Barks, Paul Malaba Makoye, Sunday Mrutu, Innocent John Daniel, Mourice Nyangabo Mbunde, Joseph Sempombe, Veronica Mugoyela

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The emerging multi-drug-resistant pathogens urge continuous searches for new antimicrobial agents. This study investigated the in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of the stem barks of two plants, Sorindeia madagascariensis and Albizia harveyi. Broth microdilution assay was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of hydroethanolic extracts of the stem barks against selected bacteria and fungi. Both plant extracts exhibited activity against all tested microorganisms and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against bacteria and fungi were from 1.67 to 5.00 mg/mL and from 1.67 to 10.00 mg/mL, respectively. This study reports the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the …

Mitragyna Speciosa As A Potential Substitute Therapy In Opioid Dependence: A Case Report, Karniza Khalid, Jason S.K. Wong, Ruzita Jamaluddin

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Preclinical data have consistently suggested the pharmaceutical potential of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), including as a substitute therapy in opioid dependence. In this case report, we present a case of a man with a long history of kratom use to help him cope with his opiate withdrawals while abstaining from illicit drug use. This is the first published detailed case report highlighting the potential use of kratom to aid opioid dependence encountered in the clinical setting. Our article is also supported by literature review with regards to kratom’s safety profile and pharmacological potential.

Crispr/Cas9 Genome Editing: Future Treatment Of Duane Retraction Syndrome, Muhammad Raihan Zulfikar, Editha Renesteen, Bantari W.K. Wardhani

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Duane Retraction Syndrome (DRS) is characterized by limited eye movement. One of its causes is a mutation in the CHN1, MAFB, or SALL4 gene. Nowadays, the treatment for DRS is limited to glasses, occlusion, and surgery. However, this treatment has not been able to cure the disease’s hereditary issue. Another strategy to be considered for the treatment is CRISPR/Cas9, a tool for performing gene editing with a wide range of applications, including treating genetic diseases. We made sgRNA as a first step in using CRISPR/Cas9 as a treatment for DRS in silico using the CCTop website. By computing sgRNA, conducting …

Identification Of Community Knowledge On Lead Contamination And Analysis Of Lead Level In Fish, Sita Nurwulan, Sophi Damayanti, Lia Amalia

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Poisoning is an event of human exposure to poisonous substances that are harmful to the body at certain doses. Lead is a heavy metal that can cause toxicity, including neurotoxic effects, hypertension, digestive system disorders, bone and tooth growth disorders, immune system disorders, infertility, and fetal disorders. Fish is a source of nutrients that are often consumed by people, however can also accumulate lead. This study aimed to analyze the lead level in fish and identify the community knowledge level regarding lead contamination in fish. Identification of community knowledge levels regarding lead. Identification of community knowledge levels regarding lead contamination …

Interactions Among Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase, Cardiovascular System, And Nociception During Physiological And Pathophysiological States, Niribili Sarmah, Andromeda M. Nauli, Ahmmed Ally, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) plays important roles within the cardiovascular system in physiological states as well as in pathophysiologic and specific cardiovascular (CV) disease states, such as hypertension (HTN), arteriosclerosis, and cerebrovascular accidents. This review discusses the roles of the endothelial NOS (eNOS) and its effect on cardiovascular responses that are induced by nociceptive stimuli. The roles of eNOS enzyme in modulating CV functions while experiencing pain will be discussed. Nociception, otherwise known as the subjective experience of pain through sensory receptors, termed “nociceptors”, can be stimulated by various external or internal stimuli. In turn, events of various cascade pathways …

A Therapeutic Sheep In Metastatic Wolf's Clothing: Trojan Horse Approach For Cancer Brain Metastases Treatment, Hai-Jun Liu, Mingming Wang, Shanshan Shi, Xiangxiang Hu, Peisheng Xu

Faculty Publications

Early-stage brain metastasis of breast cancer (BMBC), due to the existence of an intact blood–brain barrier (BBB), is one of the deadliest neurologic complications. To improve the efficacy of chemotherapy for BMBC, a Trojan horse strategy-based nanocarrier has been developed by integrating the cell membrane of a brain-homing cancer cell and a polymeric drug depot. With the camouflage of a MDA-MB-231/Br cell membrane, doxorubicin-loaded poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle (DOX-PLGA@CM) shows enhanced cellular uptake and boosted killing potency for MDA-MB-231/Br cells. Furthermore, DOX-PLGA@CM is equipped with naturally selected molecules for BBB penetration, as evidenced by its boosted capacity in entering …

Ameliorative Effects Of Minor Cannabinoids Over Hiv-1 Tat-Mediated Visceral Pain, Charlie Worth

Honors Theses

As the total number of people living with HIV continues to rise across the world, an effective HIV treatment is still sought after. While modern-day advanced therapies exist for mitigating much of the negative effects of HIV, the virus remains evasive and problematic in the central nervous system. Thus, even with treatment, many people living with HIV continue to suffer from a plethora of symptoms. However, a large proportion of HIV-positive patients claim to feel a reduction in those persevering symptoms after cannabis usage. This anecdotal evidence has sparked interest in the efficacy of cannabis constituents for HIV therapy. This …