Search

Describes the educational quality assurance program implemented in South Africa in 1995 and its effects on pharmacy education, including development of outcomes-based competency standards for entry-level pharmacists. Describes an integrated, problem-based pharmacy program established jointly between formerly non-white and white institutions and designed to meet these competencies and the needs of historically disadvantaged sections of the community. (EV)

Context:Xysmalobium undulatum(L.) Aitonfvar. (Asclepiadaceae), commonly known as uzara, is an ethnomedicinally important plant from southern Africa used to treat a variety of ailments. In addition to local use in African Traditional Medicine (ATM), formulations containing uzara have been successfully marketed by a number of pharmaceutical companies. Despite its commercialization, published adequate quality control (QC) protocols are lacking. Objective: The study was conducted to develop QC protocols for uzara based on chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Materials and methods: High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to develop phytochemical fingerprints of ethanolic root extracts of 47 uzara samples collected from eight distinct localities in South Africa. Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy was also explored as a suitable alternative technique for rapid and economic quantification of uzarin. Results: Adequate chromatographic profiles were obtained using both HPTLC and LC-MS analyses. The chromatographic patterns showed qualitative similarities among plants collected from different locations. The levels of uzarin, the major constituent of uzara, were highly variable between locations, ranging from 17.8 to 139.9 mg/g (dry weight). A good coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.939) and low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP = 7.9 mg/g) confirmed the accuracy of using MIR-PLS calibration models for the quantification of uzarin. Discussion and conclusion: Both HPTLC and LC-MS can be used as tools in developing quality control procedures for uzara. MIR in combination with chemometrics provides a fast alternative method for the quantification of uzarin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix-type drug delivery systems were prepared by moulding and drying cross-linked chitosan gels in 24-well plates and they were evaluated in terms of their physical properties, drug content, surface morphology and swelling. Furthermore, the in vitro drug release profiles were subjected to kinetic modelling at two different pH values. In general, the moulded matrix systems showed statistically significantly slower drug release compared to immediate release tablets as measured by the mean dissolution time. Drug release from the moulded matrix systems prepared from chitosan cross-linked with tripolyphosphate was pH-dependent as can be seen from the release exponent value ( n) of 0.75 at pH 5.8 (anomalous transport, erosion), while the n value was only 0.40 at pH 7.4 (Fickian diffusion). The matrix systems obtained from chitosan cross-linked with sodium lauryl sulphate showed higher swelling but mostly Fickian diffusional release ( n == 0.25 at pH 7.4, n == 0.41 at pH 5.8). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]