RESUMO
Cobalamin (vitamin B12), an essential vitamin with low oral bioavailability, plays a vital role in cellular functions. This research aimed to enhance the absorption of vitamin B12 using sublingual mucoadhesive tablets by increasing the residence time of the drug at the administration site. This research involved the preparation of different 50 mg placebo formulas using different methods. Formulas with disintegration times less than one minute and appropriate physical characteristics were incorporated into 1 mg of cyanocobalamin (S1-S20) using the direct compression method. The tablets obtained were evaluated ex vivo for residence time, and only those remaining for >15 min were included. The final formulas (S5, S8, S11, and S20) were evaluated in several ways, including pre- and post-compression, drug content, mucoadhesive strength, dissolution, and Permeapad® permeation test employed in the Franz diffusion cell. After conducting the evaluation, formula S11 (Eudragit L100-55) emerged as the most favorable formulation. It exhibited a mucoadhesive residence time of 118.2 ± 2.89 min, required a detachment force of 26 ± 1 g, maintained a drug content of 99.124 ± 0.001699%, and achieved a 76.85% drug release over 22 h, fitting well with the Peppas-Sahlin kinetic model (R2: 0.9949). This suggests that the drug release process encompasses the Fickian and non-Fickian kinetic mechanisms. Furthermore, Eudragit L100-55 demonstrated the highest permeability, boasting a flux value of 6.387 ± 1.860 µg/h/cm2; over 6 h. These findings indicate that including this polymer in the formulation leads to an improved residence time, which positively impacts bioavailability.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Contraceptives have documented efficiency, but outcomes are highly dependent on women's understanding of how they should be used. We assessed the knowledge and attitudes of married Palestinian women about contraceptives and understanding of use of the available methods and side-effects. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved married Palestinian women of childbearing age (18-50 years), and was done between Jan 20, 2017, and Jan, 1, 2018. A stratified random sample of 900 women was selected from each Palestinian governorate in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with the number selected based on population size. An interviewer-assisted questionnaire was completed by each participant. FINDINGS: 833 women were selected to participate and 771 (93%) completed the questionnaire. 123 (16%) of women reported not using any method of contraception. Among those who used contraception, intrauterine devices were most commonly used (312 [41%] of 771), followed by oral contraceptives (162 [21%]). Progestagen-only pills were the most frequently used type of oral contraceptive (45 [28%] of 162). Female sterilisation was used as a birth control method by 19 (3%) of 771 women. Investigation of the reasons behind contraception use showed that organisation of pregnancies was most common (511 [79%] of 648), followed by having too many children (131 [20%]) and economic reasons (73 [11%]). Regarding attitudes and beliefs towards contraceptive use, of the 771 participants, 49 (6%) believed that religion forbids their use and 112 (14·5%) considered them socially unacceptable. The study revealed poor scores for knowledge about use and possible side effects of contraceptives (mean 8·2 [SD 2·9] correct answers to 14 questions). INTERPRETATION: Most Palestinian women have used contraceptives, but poor knowledge of how to use them and side-effects is apparent. The attitudes of Palestinian women and their partners towards contraceptives indicates general acceptance of their use. A strength of our study is that it included representative sample of Palestinian women and our results and conclusions reflect the knowledge and attitudes towards contraceptives in Palestinian society. FUNDING: None.