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Eyerusalem Shello Adelo,1 Asrat Elias Ergena,2 Yohannes Kelifa Emiru,3 Sileshi Ayele,4 Haymanot Alem Muche1 1Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Asrat Elias Ergena, Tel +251 926 301599, Email asreelias@gmail.comIntroduction: Pregnant women are expected to take one or more dietary supplements (DS) like iron, folic acid, zinc, calcium, magnesium, prenatal vitamins, etc. for maternal and child health during pregnancy. Despite its growing use in Ethiopia, data concerning currently marketed maternal DS products have not been intensively investigated so far. Taking into consideration the existing problem, this study was set out to assess the prevalence and commonly used DS during pregnancy in a referral hospital in Ethiopia.Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study was employed to conduct this study from November 2020 to January 2021. The sample size was obtained by using the single population proportion formula and participants were selected and approached by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected through a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to describe continuous and categorical variables and multivariate logistic regression was used to observe the association of the independent variables to the dependent variable.Results: The overall prevalence of DS use was 84.2% and the most used product was Fefol (iron and folate supplement) (62.4%). A majority (87.8%) of DS products were obtained by prescription. In multivariate regression analysis, DS use during pregnancy was significant among nulliparous women and women who went to college and above [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 8.142, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.298– 51.070)] and [AOR: 9.259, 95% CI (1.998– 42.906)], respectively.Conclusion: Even though the prevalence of DS practice showed improvement among the study participants, the duration of the DS intake is less than that recommended by the WHO. Pregnant women who did not have birth before and who went to college or above showed significant association with the use of DS.Keywords: dietary supplements, prenatal nutrition, prenatal vitamins, Fefol, pregnant women

Tesfaye Yimer,1 Eshetie Melese Birru,2 Meaza Adugna,2 Mestayet Geta,2 Yohannes Kelifa Emiru3 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Debre-Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tesfaye Yimer Tel +251 921313476Email yimertesfaye00@gmail.comBackground: Pain and inflammation are the major devastating health problems commonly treated with traditional medicinal plants in Ethiopia. Echinops kebericho M. (Asteraceae) is the one which is frequently used to treat pain and inflammation by traditional healers in Ethiopian folk medicine. However, the plant has not been scientifically evaluated for its traditionally claimed use. The present study aimed at the investigation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of 80% methanol root extract of Echinops kebericho M. in mice model.Methods: Successive maceration was used as a method of extraction using solvents of increasing polarity: methanol and water. After extraction of the roots with 80% hydro methanol, the crude extract was evaluated for its peripheral and central analgesic activities using acetic acid-induced writhing test and hot plate method, respectively, while its anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan- and formalin-induced paw edema. The extract was evaluated at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses. The positive control groups were treated with ASA 150 mg/kg for writhing test, morphine 10 mg/kg for hot plat method, indomethacin 25 mg/kg and diclofenac 10 mg/kg for paw edema tests and vehicle, distilled water (10 mL/kg) treated mice were assigned as negative controls. All treatment administrations were performed orally.Results: E. kebericho extract at all test doses showed statistically significant antinociceptive activity in both chemicals-induced peripheral and thermal-induced central pain in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). The greater analgesic activity was observed by the maximum dose of the extract (400 mg/kg) in both acetic acids-induced writhing test (57.84%) and hot plate method (69.40%). The effect of the extract was also statistically significant (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) in both carrageenan and formalin-induced paw edema in dose dependent manner. Greater edema inhibition was observed by the highest dose (400 mg/kg) in both observations with the respective percentage values of 70.00% and 79.87%, respectively.Conclusion: In general, the data obtained from the present study elucidated that the extract possessed a significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities and recommended for further studies.Keywords: analgesic activity, anti-inflammatory activity, Echinops kebericho M., carrageenan, hot plate

Betelhem Anteneh Adamu,1,2 Yohannes Kelifa Emiru,1 Biruk Sintayehu,3 Ephrem Mebrhatu Araya,4 Gomathi Periasamy,2 Mebrahtom Gebrelibanos Hiben2 1Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 4Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Ephrem Mebrhatu ArayaDepartment of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, P.O. Box 50, Adigrat, EthiopiaTel +251 914425760Email ephremcfc@gmail.comBackground: Liver diseases contribute a prominent global burden of mortality and morbidity. The current therapies of liver diseases have numerous limitations including severe adverse effects. This denotes that new more effective, safer, and cheaper drugs are required and medicinal plants used in traditional medicines often offer ideal opportunities. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the in vivo hepatoprotective and in vitro radical scavenging activities of dried rhizome extracts of Rumex abyssinicus (R. abyssinicus), which is traditionally claimed to provide hepatoprotection.Materials and Methods: Hepatoprotective activity of extracts was evaluated using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in mice. Pre- and post-treatment models were employed to test the effect of the extracts and silymarin (standard drug). Serum biochemical markers and liver histopathology were used as parameters to evaluate hepatoprotective activities whereas in vitro radical scavenging activity was tested by 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) assay.Results and Conclusion: Oral administration of CCl4 (1 ml/kg) significantly (P< 0.001) raised the serum levels of liver enzyme markers compared to the normal control group. Pre-treatment with 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of R. abyssinicus extract reduced the serum level of CCl4-induced rise in liver enzyme markers with the highest reduction observed at a dose of 500 mg/kg. Likewise, in the post-treatment model, the crude extract and butanol fraction at dose 500 mg/kg reduced levels of liver enzymes. Histopathological examinations revealed lesser liver damage of extract-treated mice compared to the toxic (CCl4-treated) controls. The in vitro radical scavenging activity of the different extracts showed concentration-dependent radical scavenging activity. Thus, the results of this study may justify the traditional use of the plant as a hepatoprotective agent.Conclusion: Results of serum biochemical markers and histopathological examinations of CCl4-induced mice models, in the present study, show the hepatoprotective potential of extracts from the rhizome of R. abyssinicus.Keywords: carbon tetrachloride, hepatoprotective, liver disease, Rumex abyssinicus

Dawit Kumilachew Yimenu,1 Eyerusalem Shello Adelo,2 Ebrahim Abdela Siraj,3 Tadael Assaye Kassie,4 Workineh Woldeselassie Hammeso,5 Chilot Abiyu Demeke,1 Yohannes Kelifa Emiru6 1Department of Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Addis Alem Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; 5Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mizan-Tepi University, Mizan Teferi, Ethiopia; 6Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Dawit Kumilachew YimenuDepartment of Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, EthiopiaTel +251 920 760 099Email dawitkumilachew@yahoo.comObjective: Dental disease is one of the major prevalent preventable public health challenges that resulted in a significant burden on children and adults. The aim of the current study was to identify oral health-related knowledge and practice among Bahir Dar community health care providers and the perceived barriers to oral health care services.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. A chi-square test was used to determine the association between study variables, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance.Results: A total of 281 interviews were conducted. Doctors had the highest mean knowledge score value of 4.67 followed by dentists with a mean score of 4.5. The majority of the study participants (59.4%) reported that they use a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for brushing their teeth, and a statistically significant difference was observed between different types of health professionals. The majority of the study participants (80.1 and 70.8%) reported limited finances and lack of adequate health/dental insurance as a barrier to oral health care services, respectively.Conclusion: Oral health-related knowledge of health professionals in Bahir Dar city is low. Oral health topics must be incorporated into the health care professionals training programs and continuing medical education. Health professionals should master basic oral health-related knowledge, and they should practice basic oral health care practices to become role models for their patients.Keywords: oral health, dental care, health professionals, tooth brushing, health practice

Yohannes Kelifa Emiru,1 Yared Belete Belay,2 Gizachew Kassahun Bizuneh,1 Henok Getachew Tegegn1 1School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Yohannes Kelifa EmiruSchool of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box: 196, Gondar, EthiopiaEmail johnkelifa@gmail.comBackground: The utilization of dietary supplement (DS) is dramatically increasing across the globe, but knowledge of the community pharmacists regarding these products has not been well studied. As to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no previous study explored community pharmacists knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards DS in Ethiopia context. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess KAP of the community pharmacist about DS.Methods: A cross-sectional multi-center survey of community pharmacists in different cities of Ethiopia was conducted over a period of five months from January to May 2019. The survey evaluated demographic information and KAP of participants related to DS. A stratified random sample of registered pharmacy practitioners all over the country was chosen to respond to the survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. The result was considered significant if P < 0.05.Results: Of the 672 surveys distributed, 608 pharmacists accepted to participate in the study with a response rate of 90.47% and only 600 met the inclusion criteria for further evaluation. Of pharmacists surveyed, 66.7% had adequate knowledge while 53.7% of the pharmacists were within a positive attitude range and lower proportion (41.2%) of pharmacists were found within the good practice range about DS. Age, education level, experience, and position in community pharmacies were significantly associated with KAP. Significant positive linear correlations between knowledge-attitude (r =0.471, p < 0.001), knowledge-practice (r = 0.546, p < 0.001), and attitude-practice (r = 0.741, p < 0.001) were also found.Conclusion: The finding of this survey suggested that the majority of pharmacists had poor professional practice towards DS in spite of having adequate knowledge and a positive attitude regarding DS. Emphasis should be given to teaching/training community pharmacists how to critically evaluate the use, efficacy, and safety of common DS.Keywords: beliefs, community pharmacists, dietary supplements, knowledge, practice, Ethiopia