Headache Campaign with Hikma Company Amman

    Out of believe that everyone should receive care and have enough knowledge about Headache and what causes it and how to lower it down, up to OTC "over the counter" medications used to stop it, Hikma Pharmaceutical had initiated a campaign about headache and what causes it under the name "You Have Headache You Have Revanin Extra" a number of selected pharmacy student have taken intensive training to answer all the questions related about it. Being available in huge number of pharmacies all over Amman to reach the highest number possible of patients. 

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They also had been available at the Pharmacy faculty at the University of Jordan where they donated to build a lecture room along with other companies, under the believe Serve them Now you get Better Pharmacist.

Diabetes vs. supplements, when to say yes to them

Coming back to nature campaign has became widely accepted, and somehow supplements serves better than taking a medication, to most patients with chronic disease supplements can hold hope to them much than going to admit they have this specific disease. No matter what is the supplement you think to take or wish to take, remember to always ask your pharmacist or physician.

Recent studies report that 35% to 48% of patients with diabetes use some form of complementary and alternative medical therapy. Moreover, >800 plants have been traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes. Despite this widespread use, only few were supported by rigorous clinical evidence.

While Googling the answer to such questions, to actually see the percentage of people agreeing to use them or those who had them worked for them, only small number people actually had either given a slight improve or they thought they did, most herbals I found to be used are:

Cinnamon:

Well to most shocking, cinnamon can lower blood glucose level, but not always and CANNOT be used as medication, it has no effect on HA1C, which is the primary thing to be lowered.

It is not approved to be used for type one diabetes mellitus. It shouldn’t be used regularly in all cases for lowering diabetis, but for sure you can take it for H. Pvlori one powdered spoon per cup of juice.

Gymnemre sylvestre

it has been used as a natural treatment for diabetes for nearly two millennia. While it is still being studied, and the effects of the herb are not entirely known, the herb has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels when used for an extended period of time. Additionally, Gymnema reduces the taste of sugar when it is placed in the mouth, thus some use it to fight sugar cravings this effect lasts up to about 2 hours. Gymnema cannot be used in place of any medication taking.

Gymnema sylvestre, is a plant considered to be with potent antidiabetic effects and, hence, widely used in folk, ayurvedic and homeopathic systems in medicine. The authors were unable to find previous reports associating G sylvestre to liver injury. Herein, the authors report a case of DILI in a patient who was treated with G sylvestre for diabetes mellitus and review the literature to suggest possible mechanisms that led to this acute condition. [Pubmed] [Department of Internal Medicine E, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel. arthur.shiyovich@gmail.com]

Aloe vera

Most studies are done regarding its effect on injuries and diabetic foot, as per its hypoglycemic effect it had shown to lower it but not in controlled manner nor in an obvious way, no studies has showed its effect on daily bases nor on HA1C effect, should be taken with cushion when the patient is receiving other diabetic medications.

Aloe latex should not be taken internally if you are taking the following drugs: digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics, steroids, drugs for irregular heartbeat, and drugs that cause potassium loss.

Banaba

Lagerstroemia speciosa

“Is there a Banaba cure for diabetes?” is the highlighted sign for it, which in fact has not gone any clinical trial nor any study! in 1999 a study was done in Japan which had showed a weight gain, and also a lowered BG levels in mices, these researchers found that the Banaba herbs extract suppressed hemoglobin A1C, this plant is supposed to have an insulin like effect by increasing glucose uptake.

Ginseng

Did you know that there is original ginseng and like ginseng?

It is contraindicated for high blood pressure people, and some Dr’s believe Ginseng shouldn’t be taken by diabetics since it has a bad effect on sugar levels. Ginseng significantly decreased insulin resistance and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in T2DM patients, However, Ginseng had no effect on indices of glucose regulation following acute or chronic ingestion in healthy volunteers. Its active compounds with antihyperglycemic effects included ginsenosides, polypeptide, and polysaccharides. Ginseng might exert a antihyperglycemic effect by promoting insulin secretion, protecting pancreatic islets, stimulating glucose uptake, and enhancing insulin sensitivity. Future studies require identifying the component(s) of Ginseng. Ginseng had no significant side effects. However, chronic overdosed administration of Ginseng may suffer from gastrointestinal, mental, cardiovascular, and hormone disorders. Children and pregnant women should be cautious of using this herb. [Pubmed] [Traditional Chinese Medicines in Treatment of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Weidong Xie,¹ Yunan Zhao,² and Yaou Zhang]

Bitter melon

Bitter melon lowered fasting and postprandial serum glucose levels in T2DM patients. Although bitter melon might have antihyperglycemic effects, data were not sufficient to recommend its use in the absence of careful supervision and monitoring. Major active compounds in this plant contained cucurbitane triterpenoids polypeptide-p, charantin, and vicine. Bitter melon exerted a antihyperglycemic effect by inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), activation of AMPK, increase of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) expression, promotion of the recovery of beta cells, and insulin-mimicking action. However, adverse effects of bitter melon included hypoglycemic coma and convulsions in children and headaches. Bitter melon might have additive effects when taken with other glucose-lowering agents. Despite this, no serious adverse effects were reported in all the clinical trials. There were no documentations of death from any cause, morbidity, (health-related) quality of life, and costs.

[Pubmed] [Traditional Chinese Medicines in Treatment of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Weidong Xie,¹ Yunan Zhao,² and Yaou Zhang]

Fenugreek

Fenugreek improved blood glucose control and insulin resistance in diabetic patients. The findings of 18 cases of patients showed that FBG, triglycerides, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) decreased significantly after taking fenugreek seed soaked in hot water. Combined therapy of total saponins of Fenugreek with sulfonylureas hypoglycemic drug lowered the blood glucose level and ameliorated clinical symptoms in 46 cases of T2DM compared with 23 cases of controls. Active components of Fenugreek included trigonelline, nicotinic acid, GII, diosgenin, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, total saponins, Fenugreek oil, and soluble dietary fibre fraction. Its antihyperglycemic mechanisms were associated with potentiating insulin secretion, increasing insulin sensitivity, and inhibiting intestinal carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Fenugreek was relatively safe and also had no genotoxicity. However, we should be cautious of its use combined with aspirin in case of the risk of bleeding.

Milk thistle

Silymarin Marianum

This plant is called “liver helper plant” it protects the liver and widely used for alcoholic people, it has effect on CYP450  and so it has many drug interactions.

The researchers gave the patients tablets to take three times a day with meals.Half of the patients got tablets containing an extract made from milk thistle seeds. The others got placebo tablets containing no milk thistle or other medicine.Patients didn't know which tablets contained the milk thistle seed extract.

At the study's start, the patients had similar blood sugar levels and blood sugar control.

But after taking the tablets for four months, the milk thistle group showed better blood sugar control and cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The key might be compounds in milk thistle that are collectively called silymarin, the researchers say."We don't know the exact mechanism of action for this effect, but this work shows that silymarin could play an important role in treating type 2 diabetes," Huseini says in the news release.

[pubmed]  [Milk Thistle May Help Treat Diabetes Iranian Study Shows Improved Blood Sugar Control; Researchers Call for More Studies]

Supplements:

Alpha Lipoic Acid

What is ALA?

Alpha lipoic acid is a fatty acid found naturally inside every cell in the body. It's needed by the body to produce the energy for our body's normal functions. Alpha lipoic acid converts glucose (blood sugar) into energy. Alpha lipoic acid is also an antioxidant, a substance that neutralizes potentially harmful chemicals called free radicals. What makes alpha lipoic acid unique is that it functions in water and fat, unlike the more common antioxidants vitamins C and E, and it appears to be able to recycle antioxidants such as vitamin C and glutathione after they have been used up. 

Alpha lipoic acid is made by the body and can be found in very small amounts in foods such as spinach, broccoli, peas, Brewer's yeast, brussel sprouts, rice bran, and organ meats. Alpha lipoic acid supplements are available in capsule form at health food stores, some drugstores, and online. For maximum absorption, the supplements should be taken on an empty stomach.

In a Japanese controlled study on rats regarding the effect of ALA, they have found no effect of it neither on blood glucose levels nor on weight. [Yakgaku Zasshi] [pubmed],

Interaction:

  Animal studies indicate that alpha lipoic acid may alter thyroid hormone levels, so it could theoretically have the same effect in humans. People taking thyroid medications such as levothyroxine should be monitored by their healthcare provider.

Omega-3

Fish oil

Dietary advice, including modification of dietary fat quality, is the basis of treatment of diabetes, but there is some uncertainty about the optimal amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 (omega-6) and n-3 (omega-3) series.

Blood glucose concentrations at fasting and during the day were lower with the n-6 than with the n-3 diet (P = 0.009 and P = 0.029, respectively), and the area under the insulin curve during the day was significantly higher (P = 0.03) with the n-6 diet. Both diets showed similar effects on insulin sensitivity and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 concentrations. The reductions in VLDLs and serum apolipoprotein B concentrations were more pronounced after the n-3 diet.

The risk related to the moderately higher blood glucose concentrations with the n-3-enriched diet may be counteracted by positive effects with regard to lipoprotein concentrations. An increase in long-chain n-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, and of n-6 fatty acids from linoleic acid, may be recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes.

[pubmed] [Fatty fish in the diet of patients with type 2 diabetes: comparison of the metabolic effects of foods rich in n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. Karlström BE, Järvi AE, Byberg L, Berglund LG, Vessby BO.]

The role of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) in the development of type 2 diabetes is uncertain, especially with regard to any differential influence of α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Increased intakes of total omega-3 FAs were inversely associated with diabetes incidence [hazard ratio (HR) for the fifth compared with the first quintile: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.94; P for trend = 0.02]. Omega-3 FAs from marine sources were not associated with diabetes risk, whereas nonmarine omega-3 FA intake was strongly associated (HR for the fifth compared with the first quintile: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.93; P for trend = 0.004). Omega-6 and omega-6:omega-3 ratio were not associated with incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Consumption of nonmarine sources (ALA) of omega-3 FAs is associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in Chinese Singaporeans.

[pubmed] [Omega-3 fatty acids and incident type 2 diabetes: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Brostow DP, Odegaard AO, Koh WP, Duval S, Gross MD, Yuan JM, Pereira MA.]

Majd Olimat

Does University teach ethics or books?

Does University teach ethics or books?

Later last week, I went volunteering with autistic kids to play in Jungle Bungle, the most organizers and frequent coming people are either pharmacy or medicine students, and I heard the most shocking things, and worstly I saw the most discussing acts I never thought my generation would do it.

They youth of Jordan, the up to come generation, the future Dr.’s pharmacists, were unable to death with kids, coz simply they are discussed to deal with special needy kids, it’s the most shocking to hear, if they are autistic kids, clean, wearing neat clothes and they all come from good families, that God gave them this problem for a reason, and most of them sat on chairs saying it’s the most boring thing, and hating this volunteering. I am not saying that it is as easy as when its orphanage volunteering, but if you wanted to have fun you would, I took of my boots and entered the play area running after them, it was nice and a remembering to childish times. Those who actually ran with the kids and played with them were the happiest and enjoyed their times.

Many of these medicine students, spend their time discussing how they study for the exams, many had actually confessed they didn’t attend any lectures of some subjects, and was mad about getting C+ or a B, due to no taking attendance in the lectures, and also, they didn’t use BOOKS, but only studied students notes, as what seems the Dr.’s are well aware of this issue and they avoid getting things out of these papers, so everyone can pass. Where is the seek and find method? How can they make their mind to think? If it’s all from papers? And all to be with a name and have money!

I am not saying anything, but at least for my faculty we do have some marks for research to be done, so there is Dr’s to push us to go and look for answers, most my exams are think what’s the answer, and mostly to choose the best from all the right! It’s lacked among medicine students. Somehow I think all medical field students should take a course named Communication Skills; since most are discussed to deal with people, or have this thing called “I’m a Dr/Pharmacist” forgetting they are health care providers, forgetting they cannot live or have work without.

 

I don’t know if it’s a right or wrong way to have a parallel application to university fields, if we gave a chair to those with money study, and haven’t treated their Ego problem during university times, would they be able to work properly? Build properly? I’m not being against it nor pointing only to them, but also wondering if the university/community can accept those after their graduation? Or they just wish to get married and stay at home? “to raise the brides standards” or just to go work with his dad? Or their dad opens a project for himself under his son/daughter sertificat?

If most students finished school, and entered with their aim to look for love, place to hang out in, or to have the name Dr, or to wear the white lab-coat, and among the money spent over Shisha, Nescafe or cigarettes, cannot they provide us with a course to change our behavioral? If they answered community work! I’d say 10 hours are not enough, back in school we did 120hour per year, and it mad most of us leaders, but the shock was when at university rare chances to appear in, rare events, and if there is one believe me there would be an exam on the day after!

We do need a change, and actually I don’t think I’ll take my future children to some Dr who was at university a smoker, play boy, or even passed all years by C+ avg! nor I would go to a Dr who would wear gloves to see a pimple on someone’s face! Why don’t the current Dr’s make sure to pass the good ethics of their job? To pass the good skills we should have, if they graduated stubborn and with praid they will remain so! And we can say no longer good Dr’s at this area…

Pharmacy Education : Perspective Of Career Market

April 28th, was a day for us, pharmacy student to remember, it was a great event managed and created by US students, and mostly managed by first PharmD's student to be graduated from our faculty this semester.. Student wrok, Pharmaceutic companies, and over 300 student attended too many speakers and lectures all to help us chose and know what Market needs and a great well spoken word from Minister Dr.Taher Sharkhsher, if you attended it you gained so much, and its too bad you missed it.

Scientific day

Two speakers had my attention mostly, Dr. Amjad Aryan CEO pharmacy one, and Dr.Khalid AwadatADATCO manager.

for Dr. Amjad he spoke about pharmacy one and its success here in Jordan and a view to open a chain in USA, the thing that attached us more as students is the talk out side the lecture room, during the break he started to tell us about our work, career, and how we can as Youth change it, insisting to tell us we are the Future to come. He also liked an idea by one of our PharmD's about their work as PharmD in the major pharmacy and to increase the counselling they need, specially for co-morbid diseases.

Pharmacy One

Dr. Khalid Awadat was a man in deed i was glad to hear him talking, he spoke about Pharmacy in History and the Road to Success in pharmaceutic business, he had pointed somethings only Professionals know and the aim we need in life, he had pointed as well that the work to gain money should never be the case but the work to be the manager to the company you work for is our aim to be, he kept saying and it gave me a push and a motivation to what to do in the work i might be seeking!

To our work as students, we had 14 tables, 6 were counselling ones, herbal supplementation, model pharmacy, and many others. we also had a posters section, to display good and bad pharmacy practice, Immunology, and case controlled study, despite the rain that got us all wet and blessed our work we had really succeeded.

JPSA had also a great presence

JPSA had also a great presence along the companies that came, JPSA was responsible for PallaiativeCare Clinic. as for companies it was a great way to see their products and job applications were filled by most of us. The most booth that got my attention was PharmaQuestJo "drug evaluation and research" they showed us the clinical trails that goes here in Jordan and bio-equivalence studies, did you know you can train there??

PharmaQuestJo

Mostly again i have to thank all the people who had made it successful, and a blessed day to pass,Musa Abaddi, Khalid Bawab and mostly Hussain Al-Qaisi.

Majd Olimat: When can the pharmacist be a supermarket seller!

Majd Olimat: When can the pharmacist be a supermarket seller!: "Ever been in a pharmacy where you entered only to buy gum, makeup, cotton pads…. Many did and honestly no pharmacy is empty of these stuff..."

When can the pharmacist be a supermarket seller!

Ever been in a pharmacy where you entered only to buy gum, makeup, cotton pads…. Many did and honestly no pharmacy is empty of these stuff… Who do you trust more, your mum when telling you about medication or the person in lab coat “if he/she was” ?? for me I think Grany may know about medications more than a pharmacist who smells as a smoker and try to convince me with Chapmix, Necotril, or even Nikotin gum..

Here raises the Question, WHY?? Each person in pharmacy or current collages come from decentfamilies, all are graduated from good school, and believe me no one reach is 5th year in JU and considered a weak pharmacist. Yet you come to cross some people and you wonder how they are pharmacist! Sorry ever came across a graduate student from Petra or Amman Ahlieh! No comparison..

Yet stupid mistakes are done, is this common scenario:

Patient: I need baby aspirin® and something for my tooth its killing me too much.

Pharmacist: sure, Dolora®z is the fastest one, see it has a Rabbit on it.

Patient:  sure it is safe I don’t need any pain I have ulcer already.

Pharmacist: yes this is Ranidin® , and here is 10% discount for coming.

I am not trying to provide an OTC lecture, but WHAT ARE YOU DOING, Aspirin and Ibobrofin, sorry but stupidity is what you have. Here comes the most important thing that makes you a Health Care Provider not someone looking to sell all the amount of this medication coz it has high bonus or near expiry date! Have anyone actually been to a pharmacy that didn’t have a whole shelf of Near Expiry? I don’t think so.

Many and I believe want to graduate and work for a foreign company, end up with 800JD’s per month then settle down, many of those Ph seekers want to be tortures or be named Dr.’s and those whose husband doesn’t approve anything want to work in a pharmacy, and the knowledge stops, no more being updated no more patient counseling nor having a guidelines to fallow, antibiotics will stop working in less than a century and the black ages will hunt again, the good thing many people will die and more space will be held for others.

Sorry to ask but, to be online updated or subscribe for Pharmacy Times® isn’t bad, it will raise you for sure and won’t kill you, no need for you to stop in a lecture and say I haven’t entered a pharmacy since over a decade, or to teach OTC when you never worked in a pharmacy in the country you are teaching it, nor give Ethics when you are not a practice pharmacist. Yes sorry to say I have better knowledge to work in a pharmacy and what’s in the market more than half of Dr.’s who never worked and probably faked their 1440 hours to be a practice pharmacist.

You are a seller when you don’t get updated, when you never work up your career, when you are INEFFECTIVE, make a meaning of your life, or at least don’t kill people by stupid mistakes, be a health care provider and remember the promise you made…

Lived it till i Believed it

I know I may have something wrong with my brain, something that makes me a psycho or make that word fits me! It’s not easy to happen or most likely to be happening, but I think it’s due to these bad genes I got, but what can I say, I am a serenity weak person, never safe never home feeling and never satisfied, as if having everything you ever get to wish isn’t enough, and still I don’t get to want materials, since I get them all, nor do I seek peace, coz I run to any place where disscomfortment and  ache lye and make the sun that worms me.

Japanese Geisha

I just wonder what have my ancient soul make so I get to live in this century, does the Japanese Geisha I once was hurt someone, or broke a house where the wife wished to be me, the night wife.  Or was I a duke walker through all the nights, making my money by trying to be a better moaner than his wife. After all one soul of mine didn’t seem to have lived satisfyingly other than this life I am passing it seems there comes my Ancient Greek soul, the one that suffered from wisdom and love, maybe due to that life my other partners seemed to live in a semi Nobel life, as not for my life, this life, the one that I seem to be hit on the head and walking like a maniac on these streets, hoping I could have my fully living life without the PMS and the stupid womanish pain!

My lust seemed to have got satisfaction

My lust seemed to have got satisfaction from the old days, where now I no longer think of anything but the old lives I once lived, and hoping my reasonable me get to retain my cover well, it’s the curse of rich families I guess, for if I looked insane nth but the psycho hospital to be locked up in that, nor does living it to the fully as the true me would actually work.

And then I come to meet my street wondering schizophrenic friend and we get to share the most amazing talk together, running and laughing knowing no one would ever get the reason of us being together nor do we, but somehow of him being off pills and me being naturally bipolar I get to somehow see the other part that no one can see, I got to look for what is behind nature and what is behind us living here, maybe I am just a stupid young girl with the aim of publishing my diaries to the world and be one of those silly writers who get attention due to the way they lived!

But how did I live?  Rich and satisfied in all needs, being in top if a class always, moving to a gifted student school where I got to see how normal I was, and developing my darker side, or actually make it awake, does the fact that I care much more for passion and fancy restaurants and all these type of dating to see who is the Future Mr. Sufferer Along would be, while my actual heart doesn’t even beat, and it shows and echo sound that you get to hear to that person I once meet, that person that remained me I forgot about the life span I may have lived in France, the life where I wondered to meet my painter, but I didn’t seem to find him, did I actually live it? Or it’s just a missing one I am trying to fulfill by living in this century, where the art is how much you can show from a body in a fashion wear! No one seems to get the oil, the old piece of cloth that you draw on it, where I get to be pictured in someone’s mind and for each cell of my body focused on that painting.

Would the gods be mad at me now? Will I get to the place named hell? Does it get to be lived if I haven’t done any of the sins that seem to be changing from life span to another, from 10years to other 10years the rules change, the people change ideas, and the idea of heaven remains the same where the idea of hell gets to be changing, maybe it is due to the idea of it not being there, and we get to go back to dust, or as for me, you get to live again in each century in each life span till you have lived them all. No more of wondering where we get to wait, they just have discovered a new galaxy resembling ours, maybe there where the souls stops to wait, and fallow their path to the new destiny, the one they set, the one standing on that Olympus ruled by a bunch of gods, looking at the missed up lives these hungry souls would do.