firas aziz rahi
@nuc.edu.iq
Pharmacy department
AL-Nisour university college
RESEARCH INTERESTS
pharmaceutics-pharmaceutical technology
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Rafal Al-Saigh, Suad Aldorkee, Firas Rahi, Ahmed Al-Humadi, Samah Kadhum, and Hussam Al-Humadi
Wroclaw Medical University
BACKGROUND
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) with azole resistance is associated with a high death rate. Posaconazole is used for IPA as preventive and salvage therapy, and exhibits considerable efficacy against the majority of Aspergillus strains.
OBJECTIVES
An in vitro pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model was used to examine the potential use of posaconazole in a primary therapy against azole-resistant IPA.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In an in vitro PK-PD model simulating human pharmacokinetics (PKs), 4 clinical isolates of A. fumigatus with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.030 mg/L to 16 mg/L were examined. A bioassay was used to determine drug levels, and galactomannan production was used to evaluate fungal growth. The CLSI/European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) 48-hour values, gradient concentration strip methodologies (MTS) 24-hour values, in vitro PK-PD relationships, and the Monte Carlo method were used to estimate the simulation of the human dosing regimens of oral 400 mg twice-daily and intravenous (i.v.) 300 mg onceand twice-daily using susceptibility breakpoints.
RESULTS
With 1 or 2 daily dosage regimes, the area under the curve (AUC)/MIC associated with 50% of the maximum antifungal activity was 160 and 22.3, respectively. For CLSI/EUCAST, the susceptibility/intermediate/resistant breakpoints were 0.125/0.25-0.5/1 mg/L. For therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), a trough/MIC ratio of 2.6 was calculated. Therapeutic drug monitoring is not necessary for isolates with MICs of 0.06 mg/L with oral 400 mg twice-daily regimens. However, it is important to obtain MICs of 0.125 mg/L and unavoidable when MICs of 0.25-0.5 mg/L are needed. For non-wild type isolates with MICs of 1-2 mg/L, only i.v. 300 mg twice-daily regimen was effective.
CONCLUSIONS
Oral therapy with posaconazole can be considered in A. fumigatus isolates with low MIC values without TDM, whereas i.v. therapy should be considered with higher MIC values and may be important in the primary treatment of azole-resistant IPA.
Firas Aziz Rahi and Krar Kadhim Mj
ALUNA
The aim: In this work we developed a method of continuous recrystallization to meet industrial requirements. Materials and methods: Continuous recrystallization method was investigated using porous ceramic filter for water purification with pour size less than 1 μm, that ensures high mixing rate of ethanol and water. Results and conclusions: The results of experiments using crystallization through ceramic filter, gives superior products in particle size, and produced needle shaped ceftriaxone crystals form, that showed significant improvement in dissolution time and obtained ceftriaxone sodium powder to be reconstituted in injectable formula that give clear solution without insoluble microparticles.
Firas Aziz Rahi, Muath Sheet Mohammed Ameen, and Mohammed Shamil Fayyadh
ALUNA
The aim: This work aimed to formulate gliclazide and linagliptin extended-release nanoparticles. Materials and methods: A HPLC method was developed and validated to determine gliclazide and linagliptin at the same time without interference. The nanoparticles were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation using two polymers, namely hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) 4000 cps and xanthan gum. Results: Nanoparticles prepared were characterized for drug contents, production yield and entrapment efficiency, zeta potential, particle size, morphology by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and in-vitro release rate. The formulae GLH1, GLX1 and GHX1 showed release of linagliptin more than 75% after 8 hrs. While the only formula among the three (GHX1) showed release of gliclazide more than 80% after 8 h. So, the formula GHX1 showed acceptable release of more than 80% of both gliclazide and linagliptin after 8 h. Conclusions: The formula GHX1 which containing (0.5:1 xanthan gum: drugs) was the best nanoparticles formula which released more than 80% of both drugs after 8 h and could achieve good extended release over 24 h.
Ola Albaghdadi, Salam , Mohammad Hassan Morteza, Firas A Ahjel, Mohammad Hassan Morteza, and Firas Aziz Rahi
Dr. Yashwant Research Labs Pvt. Ltd.
Aims: Elderly in Iraq kept suffering multiple burdens, as they are a truly fragile and vulnerable segment. A major public health issue among elderly is adverse drug reactions. This study is aimed at contributing in overcoming this treatment gap by determining the prevalence of inappropriate medications used by a group of Iraqi elderly outpatients. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted in a sample of 85 Iraqi elderly aged ≥65 years of either gender. Participants had face-to-face interviews to answer a comprehensive questionnaire. Each drug taken by the patient was evaluated according to Beers criteria. Results: Females constituted 45.9% of the total. The average age was 69.9 years (± 4.6). Nearly 30% of the patients had 3 different diseases, and 17.8% had ≥4 different ones, with cardiovascular diseases were the most prevalent. Polypharmacy was notably identified in 47.1% of the total studied population. Twenty-eight out of 85 patients did not know the actual reason of taking at least one of their medications, and 42% were not taking their drugs as directed. Remarkably, 43.5% of patients were recognized as taking at least one medication to be avoided in elderly people according to the Beers criteria. The most common inappropriate drugs were glyburide, and proton-pump inhibitors. Conclusion: There was an obvious absence of any role of pharmacists in the health care system for our studied population. Health care professionals are encouraged to review the medications prescribed for geriatric patients using updated safety guidelines to prevent the risks associated with potentially inappropriate medications.
Mohammed Sabar Al-lami, Malath H. Oudah, and Firas A. Rahi
College of Pharmacy University of Baghdad
This study was carried out to prepare and characterize domperidone nanoparticles to enhance solubility and the release rate. Domperidone is practically insoluble in water and has low and an erratic bioavailability range from 13%-17%. The domperidone nanoparticles were prepared by solvent/antisolvent precipitation method at different polymer:drug ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 using different polymers and grades of poly vinyl pyrolidone, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as stabilizers. The effect of polymer type, ratio of polymer:drug, solvent:antisolvent ratio, stirring rate and stirring time on the particle size, were investigated and found to have a significant (p? 0.05) effect on particle size. The best formula was obtained with lowest average particle size of 84.05. This formula was studied for compatibility by FTIR and DSC, surface morphology by FESEM and crystalline state by XRPD. Then domperidone nanoparticles were formulated into a simple capsule dosage form in order to study of the in vitro release of drug from nanoparticles in comparison raw drug and mixture of polymer:drug ratios of 2:1. The release of domperidone from best formula was highly improved with a significant (p? 0.05) increase.