Scientia Pharmaceutica

As a metabolism-controlling peptide, insulin affects activity of almost all tissues in human organisms, including the ones located in the central nervous system. By modifying glucose uptake and processing, as well as inducing anabolic effects, insulin alters functions of various nerve centers. Data from numerous clinical trials prove that such actions can have positive influence on cognitive processes or might be utilized as measures to control appetite, mood, and blood flow, or to prevent unfavorable mental states associated with diminished ability to maintain homeostasis. The intranasal route of administration provides an efficient and targeted delivery method, allowing insulin to be applied directly to different brain regions via the nasal mucosa. Such an approach can also reduce the risk of potential adverse effects associated with this medication, including drops in plasma glucose levels. This review gathers clinical studies’ findings on intranasal insulin’s neuromodulatory properties and its efficacy as additional treatment measure in several neuropsychiatric disease entities.

Pharmaceutical care in European countries is at various stages of development. Although the problem of occupational burnout affects many professions, it is particularly relevant among healthcare workers, such as pharmacists. Studies assessing pharmacists’ life satisfaction and factors influencing the level of occupational burnout play an important role in social pharmacy. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of providing pharmaceutical care on the professional life satisfaction of pharmacists in Poland. This study was conducted as an anonymous online survey. It included pharmacists who are members of the professional self-government in Poland. A custom-designed questionnaire was used for data collection, and 91 completed questionnaires were obtained. The respondents were divided into four groups according to their professional experience: up to 5 years, 6–10 years, 11–20 years, and over 20 years. In response to questions regarding job satisfaction and the willingness to provide pharmaceutical care, the respondents gave affirmative answers. Pharmacists in Poland have a positive perception of the impact of pharmaceutical care on the prestige of their profession. Currently, the pharmaceutical care services most commonly provided are those financed by the State; however, pharmacists are willing to engage in such activities and expect an expansion of the scope of reimbursed services. Consequently, pharmacists express dissatisfaction with the current stage of pharmaceutical care implementation in Poland. Those who provide pharmaceutical care feel more appreciated in their profession, do not experience psychological strain, do not feel uncomfortable when communicating with patients, and are not afraid of the responsibility associated with providing such services. Nevertheless, they consider it an additional workload in their professional duties.

Changes in membrane lipid composition constitute a key bacterial resistance mechanism. In Staphylococcus aureus, phosphatidylglycerol undergoes lysine modification to form lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol, a cationic lipid that reduces the net negative surface charge and thereby enhances resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides. In this study, we examined the influence of lysyl-PG on the membrane activity of three antimicrobial peptides with distinct physicochemical characteristics: LL-37, F5W Magainin II, and NA-CATH:ATRA-1-ATRA-1. Model membranes composed of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin were supplemented with increasing molar fractions of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol, and peptide–membrane interactions were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Membrane fluidity was evaluated through shifts in the symmetric methylene stretching bands, while changes in interfacial polarity were assessed via the carbonyl and phosphate asymmetric stretching bands. LL-37 induced pronounced disruption of anionic bilayers, an effect progressively attenuated by lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol, particularly within the hydrophobic core. F5W Magainin perturbed both hydrophobic and interfacial regions across a broader range of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol concentrations, whereas NA-CATH:ATRA-1-ATRA-1 primarily targeted interfacial domains, with minimal disruption of acyl chain order. Increasing lysyl-PG content modulated the extent of bilayer disorder and dehydration at the hydrophobic–hydrophilic interface, with each peptide exhibiting a distinct interaction profile. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insights into lysyl-PG-mediated modulation of peptide activity and highlight the role of lipid remodeling as a bacterial defense strategy.