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Objectives The article aimed to examine the impact of poor purchasing power, perceptions on the physical structure, and medicine demand to community-managed drug outlets or Botika ng Barangay (BnB) in the Philippines. The study investigated what contributes to program resiliency or failure in so far as the consumers in geographically isolated and disadvantaged area (GIDA) are concerned. Methods Findings were drawn from five sets of focus-group discussion (FGD) among residents, four in-depth interviews (IDIs) with former operators of BnB and three IDI with former members of the village council specifically assigned in health sector. Key findings The study found out that all our study variables namely; poor purchasing power, perceptions on BnBs' physical image, and limited medicines that do not match the consumers' medicine demand did not contribute to the failure of the program in their communities. However, the study found out that informal arrangements in the community which allowed people to just loan medicines without actually paying in return was intimately connected to BnBs' closure in the communities. Conclusion The study suggests that, in the context of GIDAs, the failure of community-managed drug outlets rests as well on financially unsustainable practices in the community. This, we believe, can be negated through provisions for medicine subsidy.

Objective: This study aimed to optimize and evaluate the controlled release rate, ocular irritancy, and in vitro antimicrobial properties of levofloxacinentrapped in the epichlorohydrin-crosslinked hydrogel of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) and gelatin.Materials and Methods: Various parameters such as polymer ratio, amount of crosslinker, temperature, reaction time, swelling capacity, and percentdrug loading were considered in Optimized levofloxacin hydrogel. Hydrogel preparations with higher amount of drug loaded were further analyzedto determine its in vitro drug release rate, ocular irritancy on New Zealand rabbits, and antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosaand Staphylococcus aureus. Optimized levofloxacin hydrogel (OLH) was then subjected to 3-month stability testing at 40 ± 2°C and 75 ± 5% relativehumidity in which samples were withdrawn at the end of each month for analysis.Results: Polymer groups with higher concentrations of NaCMC have higher swelling and drug loading capacities than those with higher gelatinconcentrations. Meanwhile, qualitative analysis using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanningelectron microscopy verified the presence of levofloxacin in the epichlorohydrin-cross-linked hydrogel. Among the four polymer ratio, F3 was theoptimized hydrogel with drug-loaded concentration of 99.50%, which was within the acceptable assay limit of 0.5% levofloxacin solution based onUnited States Pharmacopeia monograph. It followed the Higuchi kinetic model with a drug release mechanism of super case 2 transport indicatinghydrogel swelling as a key factor for its controlled drug release. In vitro, antibacterial test against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus was sensitive to optimizedlevofloxacin hydrogel (OLH) with inhibitory diameter zones of 31.68 and 37.05 mm, respectively. Ocular irritancy test also showed that the OLH isnon-irritating on installation in the cul-de-sac of New Zealand rabbits.Conclusion: Optimized levofloxacin hydrogel was effective, non-irritating, and stable, which can be used as an alternative to conventional 0.5%levofloxacin ophthalmic solution.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and wound healing property of the preformulated hydrogel containing the methanolic leaf extract of Ixora coccinea, as well as its acute dermal irritation using New Zealand rabbits. Methods. Mature dried leaves of I. coccinea was subjected to extraction using maceration and was concentrated in vacuo. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose and gelatin were used to create hydrogel in which the crude extract was incorporated. Physicochemical properties of the extract and preformulated hydrogel were characterized, while its antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis were determined using the agar well method and compared to the standard drug 2% w/v mupirocin ointment. A wound excision model in rats was used to determine the wound healing property of the preformulated hydrogel against povidone-iodine ointment. Lastly, animal testing was performed following the OECD Guidelines and upon approval of the IACUC Committee. Result. The preformulated hydrogel was effective against S. aureus (p-value ≤ 0.001) but resistant to P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis. Furthermore, the wound contraction rate in groups treated with preformulated hydrogel (p-value = 0.006) is significantly higher than in groups treated with hydrogel base and povidone-iodine. Moreover, no dermal erythema and edema were observed with albino rabbits. Conclusion. The preformulated hydrogel with I. coccinea methanolic leaf extract is non-irritating, effective against staphylococcal infections commonly found in wounds. Hence, it is a good substitute for povidone-iodine in wound treatment.