Lifelong learning for community pharmacists is shifting from continuing education (CE) towards continuing professional development (CPD) in some countries. The objectives of this report were to compare lifelong learning frameworks for community pharmacists in different countries, and determine to what extent the concept of CPD has been implemented. A literature search was conducted as well as an Internet search on the web sites of professional pharmacy associations and authorities in 8 countries. The results of this review show that the concept of CPD has been implemented primarily in countries that have a long tradition in lifelong learning, such as Great Britain. However, most countries have opted for the CE approach, eg, France, or for a combination of CE and CPD, eg, New Zealand. This approach combines the controllability by regulatory organizations that CE requires with the advantage of sustained behavior change seen in successful CPD programs.

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Eugenol and isoeugenol are responsible for several pharmacological activities exhibited by nutmeg preparations. We studied their antimicrobial and antiaggregation activity in &fro and their influence on platelet tunction ex vivo. At the same time biogenetically or metabolically related derivatives were tested. Eugenol and isoeugenol (1 mg/mL) showed pronounced antibacterial properties: growth inhibition of 6 out of 10 Gram + and Gram -microorganisms was comparable with neomycin (500 pg/mL). Growth inhibition was even more pronounced for Candida species in comparison with nystatin (SOOOU/mL). Eugenol and some of its analogues inhibited growth of Aspergillus and Trichophyfon species at concentrations of 100&mL. However, cytotoxicity of the compounds will h i t their systemical use. The ICso of eugenol (3.0 X hi) on platelet aggregation. Their free hydroxy group was necessary for pharmacological activity . Ex vivo results revealed a dose-dependent blocking effect on the thromboxane biosynthesis by rat blood platelets: 66% inhibition by SOmg/kg to 96% inhibition by 400mgIkg. Eugenol and acetyleugenol given orally to rabbits had mean biological half-lives of 95 and 60 min respectively. Eugenol might be an interesting basic structure for drug design.Keywords: eugenol; platelets; chemotherapy.M) and isoeugenol (7.2 X lop7 M), were comparable with indomethacin (2.2 X

Ajuga remota is the most frequently used medicinal herb for malaria treatment in Kenya. Its two known isolates ajugarin-1 (1) and ergosterol-5,8-endoperoxide (3) and a new isolate 8-O-acetylharpagide (2) were evaluated for their in vitro antiplasmodial activity. Ajugarin-1 was moderately active, with an IC(50) of 23.0 +/- 3.0 microM, as compared to chloroquine (IC(50) = 0.041 +/- 0.003 microM) against the chloroquine-sensitive (FCA 20/GHA) strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Ergosterol-5,8-endoperoxide was about 3x as potent (IC(50) = 8.2 +/- 1.1 microM), while 8-O-acetylharpagide, whose structure was established by spectroscopic evidence, was inactive. Both ajugarin-1 and ergosterol-5,8-endoperoxide did not exhibit cytotoxicity against A431 (skin carcinoma) cell line, but 8-O-acetylharpagide was significantly cytotoxic. This iridoid glucoside, which has been formerly isolated from Ajuga decumbens, was identified in A. remota for the first time.

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