CLINICAL PHARMACY

Tamarindus indica, or the Tamarind tree, known for its numerous health benefits, is a large evergreen tree native to tropical Africa and now found in Asia. Its alcoholic extract has been found to possess hypotensive effects, and this study seeks to evaluate the ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Tamarindus indica for vascular smooth muscle relaxation effects, as a possible mechanism of blood pressure reduction. Isolated rat thoracic aortic rings were suspended in an isolated organ bath with a pair of tungsten wires. A 50 mg/mL stock solution of the extract was prepared, from which serial dilutions were done to obtain the concentrations used (25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.125, 1.56 and 0.78 mg/mL), and volumes of 25, 62.5, 125, 250 and 500 uL were administered cumulatively. The experiment was done using rat thoracic aorta with intact and denuded endothelium, and rat thoracic aorta with intact endothelium, pre-contracted with 80 mM potassium chloride (KCl). The extract caused concentration-dependent relaxation of the rat thoracic aorta with intact and denuded endothelium, though this effect was slightly reduced with denuded endothelium. The extract also caused concentration-dependent relaxation of rat thoracic aorta pre-contracted with 80 mM KCl. From the results obtained from the study, it can be concluded that the extract possesses vascular smooth muscle relaxation effects, which might be both endothelium-dependent and independent, and is possibly mediated through blockade of the L-type Ca 2+ channels. This could be responsible for its blood pressure reduction effects.

Background: Malaria Prevention refers to all the measures and Strategies aimed at reducing or stopping the transmission of malaria- a life threatening disease caused by plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria prevention is typically low and challenging to implement when the danger is deemed low, despite the fact that it is
better and less expensive to prevent than to treat. Additionally, people’s educational background and religious preferences are linked to malaria prevention. Objectives General: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to malaria prevention among students of the University of Benin and to identify the factors influencing their adoption of effective preventive measures. Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was completed by 330 Students (100% response rate). Data were coded and analysed in SPSS v21 using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests; significance set at p < 0.05. Results: 330 respondents participated. Most respondents (56.1%) were between 21–25 years, indicating that the study population was dominated by young adults typical of university students. Respondents demonstrated good knowledge overall, with mean scores ranging from 2.00–2.37 (on a 5-point scale). Most students agreed that using ITNs is effective (G; mean = 1.98) and that malaria prevention is important for health. The respondents’ attitudes towards malaria prevention
were found to be moderately positive. Environmental control measures such as clearing bushes or eliminating stagnant water were practiced by some respondents, but again, only a minority engaged in these practices consistently. The ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences between faculties with regard to knowledge, perception, and attitude. This suggests
that academic discipline influences students’ understanding and mindset towards malaria prevention. For example, pharmacy students—due to their scientific background—may have
exhibited higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes.

: The effective integration of Pharmaceutical Care (PC) is essential for optimizing therapeutic outcomes and improving patient safety, particularly in resource- constrained Primary Healthcare (PHC) Centres. However, the successful implementation of PC
is critically dependent on the level of knowledge, attitude, and interprofessional dynamics among the entire healthcare team. Understanding these perceptions in the PHC setting is crucial for identifying enablers and systemic barriers to collaborative patient care. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and knowledge of PC among PHC pharmacists and other healthcare providers; assess their attitudes toward the pharmacist's role in PC provision; identify perceived barriers to PC implementation in PHC centres; and evaluate the level of interprofessional collaboration in PC delivery. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Primary Healthcare facilities within Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 150 healthcare professionals (including Pharmacists, Physicians, Nurses, and Community Health Workers) were recruited using a convenient
sampling technique. Data were collected via a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data, with the significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: The study found a generally good overall knowledge of PC (Mean = 3.71) and a highly positive attitude (Mean = 3.85) toward its implementation. Pharmacists recorded the highest mean scores for both knowledge (4.50) and attitude (4.52), with these differences being statistically significant across professions (p = 0.000). A strong positive correlation was observed
between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.736, p < 0.05), confirming that higher understanding promotes positive disposition. The most critical barriers identified were role conflict (Mean = 3.94), lack of clinical training (Mean = 3.71), and limited staffing/high workload (Mean = 3.65). However, inter-professional collaboration was rated as generally strong (Mean score range: 3.87
– 4.03).