Wawang Anwarudin , Salwa Diana Hanum, Liska Marlindasari, Anna Khalida Sya'bany, Nur Azizah

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health concern, particularly in high-burden countries such as Indonesia. Although TB is curable, prolonged therapy, potential adverse effects, and social stigma may affect medication adherence and patients’ quality of life (QoL). Evaluating the association between adherence and QoL is important to support patient-centered TB management. This study aimed to examine the association between medication adherence and quality of life among tuberculosis patients at Permata Kuningan Hospital. A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted involving 62 TB patients selected through purposive sampling. Medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), and quality of life was measured using the EQ-5D-5L instrument. Data were analyzed using Spearman rank correlation. Most patients demonstrated high adherence (95.2%) and reported good quality of life (96.8%). Statistical analysis showed a significant positive correlation between medication adherence and quality of life (r = 0.384; p = 0.002), indicating that higher adherence was associated with better quality of life. These findings suggest a significant association between medication adherence and quality of life among TB patients. Strategies to support adherence, including education, counseling, and monitoring, may be considered as part of comprehensive TB care to optimize patient-centered outcomes.

Sciences of Pharmacy

Nsikakabasi Enefiok Sunday, Chinyelu Clementina Osigwe, Godwin Ndarake Enin, Ugonma Florence Uwaeme, Grace Emmanuel Essien, Jude Efiom Okokon

Telfairia occidentalis Hooke. F. (Cucurbitaceae family), a vegetable whose parts are used for both nutritional and medicinal purposes was investigated for anti-malarial activity in mice. The dried seed powder was separately cold extracted in 50% ethanol and gradient solvents (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) along polarity gradient to obtained crude ethanol extract and solvents fractions of T. occidentalis seed. Based on previously established median lethal dose, the seed extract (138-553 mg/kg) and solvents fractions (276 mg/kg) were investigated for in vivo activity against Plasmodium berghei infection in mice using suppressive, prophylactic and curative standard models. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis of the active fraction was also done to identify its chemical constituents. The seed extract and fractions (138-553 mg/kg, p.o.) exerted significant (p < 0.05–0.001) chemosuppressive activity against P. berghei infection in suppressive (65.67%; 18.33 ± 3.71 days), prophylactic (55.39%; 17.66 ± 2.18 days) and curative (77.48%; 18.00 ± 1.15 days) tests with methanol fraction having the highest activity. GC-MS analysis of the active methanol fraction revealed the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids and monoterpenes which have been implicated previously in antimalarial activity of plants. These results revealed the strong antimalarial potentials of the methanol seed fraction and its phytochemical constituents which can be exploited in the development of antimalarial remedies.

Sciences of Pharmacy

Sahat Saragi, Embriana Dinar P., Aditya Jamaludin

The rapid development of digital health technology has encouraged startups to continuously adapt their business models in response to regulatory, technological, and market challenges. This study aims to explore how a digital health startup in Indonesia adapts and transforms its business model within the evolving digital healthcare ecosystem. This research employed a qualitative exploratory case study design focusing on HonestDocs as a single case. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with three key informants representing strategic managerial roles and were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework. To enhance credibility, interview findings were compared with selected internal documents and operational information. The findings indicate that business model adaptation in this case is characterized by three main patterns: the use of lightweight digital infrastructure, the integration of personalized customer service, and flexible operational strategies in responding to regulatory and logistical constraints. The study also shows that organizational culture and collaborative work practices appear to play an important role in supporting operational adaptability. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution, as this study is based on a single case and relies primarily on internal managerial perspectives, which may limit generalizability. Despite these limitations, the study provides exploratory insights into how digital health startups in emerging markets may respond to structural constraints and evolving user needs.

Sciences of Pharmacy

Indiana Gita Anggraeni, Airina Maharyani, Faiqotut Tahta Aunila, Ainaya Wahyu Cahyaning Avivah, Della Wahyu Pradana, Ahmad Mizan Nafiha, Hilda Amie Shafira Istiqhfarin

Irrational use of medicines poses significant health risks, particularly in communities with limited access to pharmaceutical information. This study aimed to evaluate short-term changes in knowledge following education on DAGUSIBU (Get, Use, Store, and Dispose of Medicines Properly) and Beyond Use Date (BUD) among mothers attending Posyandu Jeruk, Semarang. The activity employed a pre–post evaluative design without a control group and involved 20 participants. Knowledge levels were assessed using a structured questionnaire administered before and immediately after the educational session. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The mean knowledge score increased from 5.75 to 7.40 (p = 0.001), indicating a statistically significant short-term improvement in knowledge. These findings suggest that DAGUSIBU and BUD education was associated with an immediate increase in participant knowledge; however, causal relationships and long-term impacts cannot be inferred from this study.

Kolaborasi Masyarakat

Mohamed Said Rajab

Muguka, a high-cathinone cultivar of Catha edulis consumed widely in East Africa, presents a growing health risk when co-administered with diazepam. This theoretical study represents one of the first integrated computational investigations focusing on the interaction between Muguka derived cathinone and diazepam, combining molecular docking, ADMET profiling, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling. The in silico analysis identified overlapping CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 pathways, supporting potential mutual metabolic inhibition. The predictive PBPK models suggest moderate CYP2D6/CYP2C19-mediated drug-drug interactions based on a simulated oral dose of 100 mg cathinone and 30 mg diazepam in a human adult population. Co-administration is predicted to increase cathinone systemic exposure by 1.5-fold (AUC ↑50%) and reduce clearance by 33%, while diazepam exposure is projected to rise by 1.3-fold (AUC ↑30%) with 24% clearance reduction. Molecular docking revealed high-affinity binding of cathinone (-6.4 kcal/mol) at the dopamine transporter (DAT) and diazepam (-6.8 kcal/mol) at the γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptor, indicating distinct yet potentially complementary CNS targets. Collectively, these computational predictions suggest that co-use may prolong CNS exposure and theoretically enhance neurotoxicity, and dependence risk. This integrated computational framework provides a hypothetical mechanistic evidence for stimulant-benzodiazepine interactions and underscores the need for clinical monitoring and validation.

Sciences of Phytochemistry

Muh. Ismail, Muhammad Jufri

Sea turtles are endangered marine species facing increasing anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas, highlighting the need for local community involvement, particularly among young people, in conservation efforts. This study aims to analyze the forms of youth participation as well as the supporting and inhibiting factors influencing their involvement in sea turtle conservation at Lowita Beach, Wiring Tasi Village, Pinrang Regency. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, with data collected through field observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis involving six key informants directly engaged in conservation activities. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that youth participation is manifested through contributions of ideas, labor, skills, provision of supporting facilities, and self-funded financial support. Such participation is supported by community environmental awareness, the presence of youth communities as collective platforms, and moral support from the village government. However, youth participation continues to face constraints, including limited resources, low motivation among some youth, coastal environmental pollution, and illegal sea turtle hunting practices. Theoretically, these findings underscore the role of youth as agents of change in community-based conservation. Practically, the study recommends strengthening institutional and policy support for youth communities to ensure the sustainability of sea turtle conservation in coastal areas.

Kolaborasi Masyarakat

Poro David Clark, Gloria Ihuoma Ndukwe, Kehinde Jonathan Awatefe

This study investigated the phytochemical composition and in-vitro antioxidant potential of leaves extracts from Sorghum bicolor, which were obtained through sequential maceration with solvents of different polarities (n-hexane and methanol). The extraction yields revealed a predominance of polar compounds, with methanol extract (12.5% w/w) significantly higher than the n-hexane extract (1.7% w/w). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) profiling, using NIST library matching (similarity scores >80%) without reference standards, showed distinct patterns based on solvent use: the n-hexane extract contained nine primarily lipophilic compounds, mainly consisting of Z-2-octadecen-1-ol and octadecenoic acid derivatives, whereas the methanol extract yielded fifteen characterized by polar fatty acids and oxygenated derivatives. Identifications were tentative; those with lower match scores or inconsistent retention times required confirmation through alternative methods. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical inhibitory activity (HRIA), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The methanol extract demonstrated concentration-dependent DPPH scavenging (IC₅₀ = 0.1402 mg/L), comparable to vitamin C (0.1369 mg/L) in this assay, while the n-hexane extract showed weaker activity (IC₅₀ 3.22 mg/L). In HRIA and FRAP assays, vitamin C consistently showed greater activity than either extract, with n-hexane IC50 estimates constrained by poor curve fits (R2<0.9). Overall, the methanol extract surpassed the n-hexane extract across all assays but did not match the effectiveness of vitamin C. These in-vitro results suggest that S. bicolor leaves contain polar phytochemicals that merit further fractionation, compound-level characterization, and evaluation in biologically relevant models to elucidate their potential as sources of natural antioxidants.

Sciences of Phytochemistry

Theodorus Rexa Handoyo, Juniar Kalpika Resmi, Rahmi Hutabarat, Yovi Guanse

Red apple (Malus domestica) extract, rich in hydrophobic quercetin, was formulated into oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion using a 22 factorial design to evaluate Tween 80 (8-10 g) and Span 80 (2-4 g) concentrations, targeting pH (4.5-6.0), transmittance (90-100%), and viscosity (10-2000 cPs). Design-Expert® 13 analysis identified formulations F1, FA, and FAB within acceptable physical property ranges, with all red apple emulsions exhibiting O/W type, skin-compatible pH (5.20-5.48), high transmittance, and suitable viscosity. Freeze-thaw cycling (3 cycles, -15/25°C) and centrifugation showed physical stability with non-significant changes for F1 (p > 0.05). The agar well diffusion assay was performed on F1 (n = 3), which exhibited optimal physical parameters and met stability criteria, revealing Cutibacterium acnes inhibition zones up to 22.7 ± 0.577 mm. Thus, F1 emerges as a promising nanoemulsion candidate demonstrating antibacterial activity against acne-causing bacteria.

Sciences of Pharmacy

Rissa Maharani Dewi, Abdur Rosyid, Willi Wahyu Timur, Nindita Sari Nastiti, Dwi Monika Ningrum, Dimas Widiyanto

Inappropriate prescribing of parenteral analgesics in patients with mild pain or uncomplicated fever remains a relevant concern in emergency care. This study reports findings from a retrospective internal audit conducted in the emergency department of a private hospital in Banjarbaru, Indonesia, to evaluate the appropriateness of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use. Medical records of 384 emergency department visits were reviewed, including data on pain intensity using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), clinical indications, route of administration, and immediate adverse reactions. Inappropriate use was defined as administration of parenteral NSAIDs in patients with mild pain (NRS 1–3) or uncomplicated fever when oral therapy was feasible, based on Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) guidelines. The audit identified inappropriate parenteral NSAID use in 7 patients (3.6%). These cases were associated with mild, immediate adverse effects such as nausea and dizziness. Although the proportion was small, the findings indicate potentially avoidable use of injectable analgesics and highlight the need for improved adherence to guideline-based analgesic selection. Reinforcement of routine pain assessment, clinician re-education, and periodic prescribing audits are recommended to support rational and patient-centered analgesic use in emergency settings.

Sciences of Pharmacy

Yuliawati Yuliawati, Fathnur Sani Kasmadi, Elisma Elisma, Hasna Dewi, Amelya Afryandes, Vanya Gita Puteri

In addition to its widespread use as a culinary spice, white turmeric rhizome (Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe) exhibits important pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant effects. The rhizome contains secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, phenols, tannins, and terpenoids, which are believed to contribute to its potential efficacy in treating burns. This study used a fully randomized post-test-only control group design consisting of five treatment groups: P1 (5% ethanol extract of white turmeric rhizome), P2 (10%), P3 (15%), K⁺ (positive control: Bioplacenton), and K⁻ (negative control: Vaseline flavum). Parameters observed included reduction in burn wound diameter and collagen density, which were assessed through histological analysis. The results showed significant differences between treatment groups (p < 0.05). The 10% concentration showed the highest wound healing activity, reaching a healing rate of 54.72% and producing denser collagen compared to the other treatments. However, its effect did not exceed the positive control (Bioplacenton). The 5% concentration showed moderate healing activity (43.84%) with intermediate collagen density, while the 15% concentration produced the lowest effect. Overall, the findings indicate that the ethanol extract of white turmeric rhizome, particularly at a concentration of 10%, enhances burn wound healing and increases collagen formation, supporting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of burns.

Sciences of Pharmacy