Search Results (5)

This study describes the use of electrochemical sensors to detect and quantify several statins (rosuvastatin and simvastatin) in pharmaceutical products. Two types of commercially screen-printed sensors were used and compared: one based on carbon (SPCE) and the other modified with gold nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SPE/GNP-MWCNT). Cyclic voltammetry was employed for determination. The AuNP-MWCNTs/SPCE sensor outperformed the SPCE sensor, displaying excellent electrochemical properties. It demonstrated high sensitivity with low limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) values: 0.15 µM and 5.03 µM, respectively, for rosuvastatin and 0.30 µM and 1.01 µM, respectively, for simvastatin. The sensor had a wide linear range of 20–275 µM for rosuvastatin and 50–350 µM for simvastatin. Using the AuNP-MWCNTs/SPCE sensor, rosuvastatin and simvastatin were successfully quantified in pharmaceutical products. The results were validated towards producer-reported values (standardized drugs) and a conventional analysis method (FTIR). The sensor exhibited excellent stability, reproducibility, and analytical recovery ranging from 99.3% to 106.6% with a low relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 1%. In conclusion, the AuNP-MWCNTs/SPCE sensor proved to be a reliable and sensitive tool for detecting and quantifying statins in pharmaceutical products. Its superior electrochemical properties, low LOD and LOQ values, wide linear range, and high analytical recovery make it a promising choice for pharmaceutical quality control. Full article

The primary aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of burnout in Romanian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey for Students (MBI-GS(S)). The presence of burnout was assessed based on Exhaustion (EX), Cynicism (CY) and Professional Efficacy (PE) subscales. The secondary aim of the study was to identify the presence of intentional shift in medical specialty compared to their initial pursued choice within the population investigated. Data was collected online at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 through a licensed, customized MBI-GS(S) questionnaire from a sample of 126 Romanian medical students at the two leading medical schools in the country, Iasi (N = 56) and Cluj Napoca (N = 70). Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were also applied to describe the data set (age and gender of participants) and the relationship between variables (EX, CY, PE). Subsequently, the MBI-GS(S) group report revealed that 36.5% of the medical students in the sample (46) experienced burnout, with problematic results both in Exhaustion and Cynicism. Exhaustion and Cynicism, which contribute to burnout, showed high scores compared to the average scale (EX = 3.5/2.4; CY = 2.8/1.8), while the Professional Efficacy score was relatively high (PE = 3.8/4.4), showing a protective effect and burnout reduction. One of the main conclusions is that the consequences of burnout in medical students plays a significant role in shaping the future healthcare practitioners’ perception of the medical profession and of patients’ wellbeing. Exhaustion and Cynicism are mainly associated with depersonalization and disconnection from the patient. Another conclusion of the study is that about one third of the respondents (30% Cluj students and 37.5% Iasi students) considered changing residency options. The pandemic has also revealed the limitations of and challenges facing current medical education, and that further research is required to assess the trends in prevalence of burnout in medical students. Full article

This paper presents an accurate and fast electrochemical method for atorvastatin determination in pharmaceutical products. Two screen-printed sensors, one—carbon based (SPCE) and one based on carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles (AuNP-CNT/SPCE) were used during the electrochemical analyses. At all experimental stages, cyclic voltammetry was employed, both for the characterization of the sensors and their electrochemical behavior, and for quantitative determinations. AuNP-CNT/SPCE has showed an extended active area, higher intensity peaks, better reversibility and lower background current than the unmodified sensor. For atorvastatin quantification, a calibration curve has been developed within the 1.2–606.25 µM concentration range. A linearity relation between the current of the anodic peak and concentration has been obtained in the range 1.2–53.33 µMfor both sensors. With the AuNP-CNT/SPCE sensor, low values of limit of detection, LOD (1.92 × 10⁻⁷ M) and limit of quantification, LOQ (6.39 × 10⁻⁷ M) have been obtained, which demonstrates the feasibility of the method of determining atorvastatin from real samples. Atorvastatin amount has been successfully determined from pharmaceutical products using AuNP-CNT/SPCE. The results were similar to the manufacturer’s specifications regarding the dosage per tablet and to the concentrations obtained by applying the FTIR spectrometric method. Full article

In this paper, the electrochemical behavior of two types of sensors based on modified screen-printed electrodes (one screen-printed electrode based on carbon (SPCE) and another screen-printed electrode modified with Prussian Blue (PB/SPCE)) was studied with the aim of sensitive detection of diosmin, an active pharmaceutical compound from the class of flavonoids. The scan electron microscopy technique was used for the morphological characterization of PB/SPCE. The preliminary analysis assessed the electrochemical behavior of SPCE and PB/SPCE in KCl solution and in a double solution of potassium ferrocyanide–potassium chloride. It was shown that the active area of PB/SPCE is superior to the one of SPCE, the greater sensitivity being related with the presence of the electroactive modifier. Similarly, in the case of diosmin detection, the PB/SPCE sensor detect more sensitivity the diosmin due to the electrocatalytic effect of PB. From the study of the influence of reaction rate on the sensor’s electrochemical response, it was shown that the detection process is controlled by the adsorption process, the degree of surface coverage with electroactive molecules being higher in the case of PB/SPCE. From the PB/SPCE calibration curve, it wasdetermined that it has high sensitivity and low detection and quantification limit values (limit of detection 5.22 × 10⁻⁸ M). The applicability of the PB/SPCE sensor was confirmed by sensitive analysis of diosmin in pharmaceutical products. The voltammetric method is suitable for the detection and quantification of diosmin in pharmaceutical products. The method is simple, accurate, and quick and can be used in routine analysis in the examination of the quality of pharmaceutical products and other types of samples. Full article

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most important sources of active compounds, mainly flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Due to its importance related to pharmaceutical practice, the making of a qualitative and quantitative method for the detection and quantification of active compounds from Ginkgo biloba pharmaceutical products is desirable. In this study, the content of biological active compounds from Ginkgo biloba products was estimated using cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical determination of active compounds was carried out by using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotubes. The studies regarding parameter optimization were made using solutions containing potassium ferrocyanide and catechol, respectively. In both cases, the redox processes of studied compounds was observed, which were controlled by the diffusion phenomenon. We analyzed two pharmaceutical products containing Ginkgo biloba, a RX product (recipe medicine requires a medical prescription to be dispensed) and an OTC (Over-The-Counter, which can be obtained without a prescription) product. The cyclic voltammograms of the two products showed two redox processes due to the antioxidant properties of the products. It was found that the RX product had a greater content of active compounds compared to the OTC product. Therefore, the voltammetric method has great utility for the determination of compounds with redox properties from pharmaceutical products containing Ginkgo biloba. Full article