Khawla Dhamen Al Hamaideh

Background: Improper storage and disposal of unused medications in households raise global concerns due to environmental, health, and animal welfare impacts. Objectives: This study aims to investigate medication storage and disposal practices in southern Jordan while identifying socio-demographic factors contributing to household medicines' storage and evaluating the level of knowledge regarding medicines disposal. Methods: Between January and July 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted in southern Jordan. In the current study, an online questionnaire was designed based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The Chi-Square test and logistic regression were employed to assess the relationships between socio-demographic factors and the storage of medications. Results: All participants stored unused medications at home, with 43.4% expired. The primary reason for storage, cited by 49.8% of respondents, was the anticipation of future use. Analgesics were the most commonly stored type and kept in kitchens and bathrooms. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant links between storage practices and socio-demographic factors such as age group more than 61 (p-value <0.001 ), Illiterate (p-value = 0.006), large family size (p-value = 0.012), no health insurance (p-value <0.001), and high income (p-value = 0.027), with gender having no significant effect. Half of the participants throwing medications in the garbage The Pharmacists played a pivotal role as the primary source of information on medication disposal, yet there was a lack of knowledge concerning the consequences of improper disposal. Conclusion: The prevalence of storage of unused medications and improper disposal was high in southern Jordan. This study underscores the necessity for government policies regulating medicine dispensing to ensure appropriate quantities and reduce excess household storage. Furthermore, public awareness campaigns should educate individuals on safe disposal methods for unused medications at home and assist in mitigating associated risks.

Date pomace (DP), the primary source of the solid wastes generated from date processing industry, characterized by high sugar concentration and elevated moisture content, it constitutes about 30% of the weight of the processed dates. In addition to the safe disposal, incorporating DP in the...

Objective: Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. is an invasive summer-growing wild perennial herb but is traditionally used to treat some health conditions, including toothache and constipation. This study aimed to identify the chemical composition of various parts of this herb (flowers, roots, and aerial parts) and explore its biological properties. Methods: Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used for the first time for the root to analyze the hydro-alcoholic extract besides flowers and aerial parts of S. elaeagnifolium. Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was used to assess the antiproliferative effects of the same extracts on the colorectal cancer cell lines (CACO2, SW620, HT29, and HCT116). The aqueous extracts of the plant’s three parts were evaluated in vitro for their anti-diabesity properties. Results: For the first time, other compounds in three plant parts were identified using UPLC-MS: hyperoside and apigenin (flavonoids), in flowers and roots, naringin (flavonoid) in the roots, and apigenin (flavonoid) in aerial parts, diosgenin (steroids sapogenin) solamargine, and solasodine (alkaloids) in the three parts. In addition to the previously identified compounds; chlorogenic acid and kaempferol were in the aerial part, and flowers; and luteolin (flavonoids) were in the aerial parts. Pharmacologically, the aqueous extracts of flowers and roots proved anti-diabesity activity, and no anti-proliferative effect was detected for their hydro-alcoholic extracts. Neither anti-obesity nor anti-proliferative activities were detected in the aerial part extracts. Conclusion: Further in vivo and in vitro investigations are required for the different parts of S. elaeagnifolium to explore more biological activities and evaluate the plant’s toxicity.

Background and Aim: Diagnosis of fascioliasis depends on clinical symptoms and routine laboratory tests. Recently, antibodies and circulating antigens of Fasciola were used for detecting active infections. Therefore, this study aimed to identify Fasciola gigantica antigens in the sera of infected cattle using Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for an accurate diagnosis of cattle infected with F. gigantica. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 108, 23, and 19 cattle infected with Fasciola gigantica, Paramphistomum cervi, and Strongylids, respectively, including 57 non-infected cattle that were used as healthy cattle for the study. Western blotting and ELISA were then used to detect circulating Fasciola antigens at 27 kDa. Results: The target epitope was detected in an F. gigantica adult-worm antigen preparation, excretory/secretory products, and serum from cattle infected with F. gigantica. However, it was absent in sera from P. cervi, Strongylids, and healthy cattle. The purified 27 kDa F. gigantica (FPA-27) antigen was also detected in cattle serum using ELISA with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity (94% and 82%, respectively), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.89 with a highly significant correlation of p<0.0001. Conclusion: The FPA-27 is proposed to be a promising candidate for the serodiagnosis of fascioliasis in cattle.