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Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) and other properties of antacid drugs marketed in Morocco. Methods. Samples of 12 antacids were collected from pharmacies and were subjected to the test described in the US Pharmacopoeia in order to measure their ANC. Other properties such as price and sodium content were also studied.   Results. All the tested brands met the minimal requirement of 5 mEq. However, Aluminum hydroxide/Magnesium hydroxide combinations showed a superior acid-neutralizing capacity over other products and oral suspensions showed better results compared to other pharmaceutical forms. Regarding the cost of antacids, Aluminum hydroxide/Magnesium hydroxide combinations and calcium carbonate/magnesium carbonate combinations showed the most favorable ANC/price ratio. Some of the antacids studied contain a high amount of sodium. Conclusion. All the antacids marketed in Morocco meet the USP requirement regarding their ANC. However, the ANC value should be included in the antacids’ labels so that both patients and physicians can choose the most appropriate product. The ANC value should be evaluated according to the dose of the active substance instead of the minimum labeled dosage in order to allow a better result interpretation.

Despite the fact that the tablets are the most widely used dosage form, they are not suitable for young children and patients with swallowing difficulties, especially the elderly. Orodispersible films (ODFs) dissolve rapidly in the mouth and deliver an accurate amount of the active ingredient, which makes them an easy-to-use dosage form that can improve drug acceptability and, therefore, treatment adherence. The findings of the 4 studies that we discussed in this review prove that ODFs have experimentally-proven good acceptability in all age groups and that they are clinically superior to tablets and syrups in terms of acceptability. Therefore, despite some limitations, ODFs are still an innovative and patient-centered dosage form that can contribute to improving drug acceptability and treatment adherence particularly in children and elderly patients. Pharmaceutical companies should focus on developing more ODF-based drugs and also other innovative dosage forms that can make the drug-taking experience even-easier.

In this study, the adulteration of Moroccan Picholine extra virgin olive oil with Arbequina virgin olive oil was monitored using the Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy technique and chemometrics methodologies. To discriminate between olive oil that has been adulterated and unadulterated, principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized for qualitative analysis. We created the best calibration models for quantitative analysis using principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares regression (PLS). The first three principal components account for 95% of the overall variability, according to PCA analysis. PCA allows for the classification of the dataset into two groups: adulterated and unadulterated Moroccan Picholine olive oil. The application of the PLS and PCR calibration models for the quantification of adulteration demonstrates high-performance capabilities, as indicated by high values of correlation coefficients R2 greater than 0.999 and 0.995 and lower values of root mean square error (RMSE) less than 0.767 and 2.16 using PLS and PCR, respectively. According to our results, FT-MIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics approaches can be used successfully as a simple, quick, and non-destructive method for the quantification and discrimination of adulterated olive oil.

The new SARS-CoV-2 belonging to the coronaviruses family has caused a pandemic affecting millions of people around the world. This pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization as an international public health emergency. Although several clinical trials involving a large number of drugs are currently underway, no treatment protocol for COVID-19 has been officially approved so far. Here we demonstrate through a search in the scientific literature that the traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia, which includes more than 500 medicinal plants, is a fascinating and promising source for the research of natural molecules active against SARS-CoV-2. Multiple in-silico and in-vitro studies showed that some of the medicinal plants used by Moroccans for centuries possess inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. These inhibitory activities are achieved through the different molecular mechanisms of virus penetration and replication, or indirectly through stimulation of immunity. Thus, the potential of plants, plant extracts and molecules derived from plants that are traditionally used in Morocco and have activity against SARS-CoV-2, could be explored in the search for a preventive or curative treatment against COVID-19. Furthermore, safe plants or plant extracts that are proven to stimulate immunity could be officially recommended by governments as nutritional supplements.