Development of solid dispersions of ß-lapachone in PEG and PVP by solvent evaporation method.

ß-lapachone (ßlap) has shown potential use in various medical applications. However, its poor solubility has limited its systemic administration and clinical applications. The aim of this work is to develop solid dispersions of ßlap using poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG 6000) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K30) as hydrophilic polymers and evaluate the dissolution rate in aqueous medium. Solid dispersions were prepared by solvent evaporation method using different weight ratios of ßlap and hydrophilic polymer (1:1, 1:2, and 1:3). Characterization performed by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy showed that ßlap was molecularly dispersed within the polymer matrix. The in vitro dissolution tests showed an enhancement in the dissolution profile of ßlap as solid dispersions prepared in both PVP and PEG, although the former showed better results. The drug:polymer ratio influenced ßlap dissolution rate, as higher amounts of hydrophilic polymer led to enhanced drug dissolution. Thus, this study demonstrated that solid dispersions of ßlap in PVP offers an effective way to overcome the poor dissolution of ßlap.

Clay and Polymer-Based Composites Applied to Drug Release: A Scientific and Technological Prospection.

There has been a growing trend in recent years for the development of hybrid materials, called composites, based on clay and polymers, whose innovative properties render them attractive for drug release. The objective of this manuscript was to conduct a review of original articles on this topic published over the last decade and of the body of patents related to these carriers. A scientific prospection was carried out spanning the period from 2005 to 2015 on the Web of Science database. The technological prospection encompassed the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office, the World International Patent Office and the National Institute of Industrial Property databases, filtering patents with the code A61K. The survey revealed a rise in the number of publications over the past decade, confirming the potential of these hybrids for use in pharmaceutical technology. Through interaction between polymer and clay, the mechanical and thermal properties of composites are enhanced, promoting stable, controlled drugs release in biological media. The most cited clays analyzed in the articles was montmorillonite, owing to its high surface area and capacity for ion exchange. The polymeric part is commonly obtained by copolymerization, particularly using acrylate derivatives. The hybrid materials are obtained mainly in particulate form on a nanometric scale, attaining a modified release profile often sensitive to stimuli in the media. A low number of patents related to the topic were found. The World International Patent Office had the highest number of lodged patents, while Japan was the country which published the most patents. A need to broaden the application of this technology to include more therapeutic classes was identified. Moreover, the absence of regulation of nanomaterials might explain the disparity between scientific and technological output. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.

Assessment of Phenolic Compounds and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ethyl Acetate Phase of Anacardium occidentale L. Bark.

The bark of A. occidentale L. is rich in tannins. Studies have described various biological activities of the plant, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiulcerogenic and antiinflammatory actions. The objective of this study was to assess the activity of the ethyl acetate phase (EtOAc) of A. occidentale on acute inflammation and to identify and quantify its phenolic compounds by HPLC. The method was validated and shown to be linear, precise and accurate for catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin and gallic acid. Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus) were treated with saline, Carrageenan (2.5%), Indomethacin (10 mg/kg), Bradykinin (6 nmol) and Prostaglandine E2 (5 µg) at different concentrations of EtOAc - A. occidentale (12.5; 25; 50; and 100 mg/kg/weight p.o.) for the paw edema test. Challenge was performed with carrageenan (500 µg/mL i.p.) for the doses 50 and 100 mg/kg of EtOAc. Levels of cytokines IL-1, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 were also measured. All EtOAc - A. occidentale concentrations reduced the edema. At 50 and 100 mg/kg, an anti-inflammatory response of the EtOAc was observed. Carrageenan stimulus produced a neutrophil count of 28.6% while 50 and 100 mg/kg of the phase reduced this to 14.5% and 9.1%, respectively. The EtOAc extract reduced levels of IL-1 and TNF-α. These results suggest that the EtOAc plays a modulatory role in the inflammatory response. The chromatographic method can be used for the analysis of the phenolic compounds of the EtOAc phase.

Traditional uses, chemical constituents, and biological activities of Bixa orellana L.: a review.

Bixa orellana L., popularly known as "urucum," has been used by indigenous communities in Brazil and other tropical countries for several biological applications, which indicates its potential use as an active ingredient in pharmaceutical products. The aim of this work was to report the main evidence found in the literature, concerning the ethnopharmacology, the biological activity, and the phytochemistry studies related to Bixa orellana L. Therefore, this work comprises a systematic review about the use of Bixa orellana in the American continent and analysis of the data collected. This study shows the well-characterized pharmacological actions that may be considered relevant for the future development of an innovative therapeutic agent.

Biocomposite for Prolonged Release of Water-Soluble Drugs.

This study aimed to develop a prolonged-release system based on palygorskite and chitosan, which are natural ingredients widely available, affordable, and accessible. The chosen model drug was ethambutol (ETB), a tuberculostatic drug with high aqueous solubility and hygroscopicity, which is incompatible with other drugs used in tuberculosis therapy. The composites loaded with ETB were obtained using different proportions of palygorskite and chitosan through the spray drying technique. The main physicochemical properties of the microparticles were determined using XRD, FTIR, thermal analysis, and SEM. Additionally, the release profile and biocompatibility of the microparticles were evaluated. As a result, the chitosan-palygorskite composites loaded with the model drug appeared as spherical microparticles. The drug underwent amorphization within the microparticles, with an encapsulation efficiency greater than 84%. Furthermore, the microparticles exhibited prolonged release, particularly after the addition of palygorskite. They demonstrated biocompatibility in an in vitro model, and their release profile was influenced by the proportion of inputs in the formulation. Therefore, incorporating ETB into this system offers improved stability for the administered product in the initial tuberculosis pharmacotherapy dose, minimizing its contact with other tuberculostatic agents in the treatment, as well as reducing its hygroscopicity.

Improving Riparin-A Dissolution through a Laponite Based Nanohybrid.

(1) Background: Riparin-A presents several pharmacological activities already elucidated, such as antimicrobial modulator, antileishmania, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antioxidant. Even with important bioactive effects, the applicability of Riparin-A is limited due to its low solubility in water, impairing its dissolution in biological fluids. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a nanohybrid based on Riparin-A and Laponite to obtain a better dissolution profile and evaluate its cytotoxic potential. (2) Methods: The formation of a hybrid system was highlighted by X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. Solubility, dissolution, and cytotoxicity studies were performed; (3) Results: An increase in the solubility and aqueous dissolution rate of Riparin-A was observed in the presence of clay. Diffractometric analysis of the hybrid system suggests the amorphization of Riparin-A, and thermal analyses indicated attenuation of decomposition and melting of the Riparin-A after interaction with clay. Furthermore, the nanosystem did not exhibit cytotoxic activity on normal and tumorigenic lines. (4) Conclusions: These results are promising for the development of the Riparin-A/Laponite nanosystem for therapeutic purposes, suggesting an increase in the range of possible routes of administration and bioavailability of this bioactive compound.

Investigation into Brazilian Palygorskite for Its Potential Use as Pharmaceutical Excipient: Perspectives and Applications.

Palygorskite is an aluminum and magnesium silicate characterized by its fibrous morphology, providing it with great versatility in industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals. Although most of the reserves are in the United States, in recent years occurrences of commercially exploited deposits in Brazil have been recorded, mainly in the country's northeast region. This has motivated this study, which analyzes raw Brazilian palygorskite compared to a commercial sample (Pharmasorb® colloidal) to demonstrate its pharmaceutical potential. The chemical and mineral composition of the samples were evaluated for surface properties, granulometry, morphology, crystallography, thermal analysis, and spectroscopy. Raw palygorskite presented 67% purity, against 74% for Pharmasorb® colloidal. The percentage purity relates to the presence of contaminants, mainly carbonates and quartz (harmless under conventional conditions of pharmaceutical use). Furthermore, it was possible to confirm the chemical composition of these phyllosilicates, formed primarily of silicon, aluminum, and magnesium oxides. The crystallographic and spectroscopic profiles were consistent in both samples, showing characteristic peaks for palygorskite (2θ = 8.3°) and bands attributed to fibrous phyllosilicates below 1200 cm-1, respectively. The thermal analysis allowed the identification of the main events of palygorskite, with slight differences between the evaluated samples: loss of water adsorbed onto the surface (~85 °C), removal of water contained in the channels (~200 °C), coordinated water loss (~475 °C), and, finally, the dehydroxylation (>620 °C). The physicochemical characteristics of raw palygorskite align with pharmacopeial specifications, exhibiting a high specific surface area (122 m2/g), moderately negative charge (-13.1 mV), and compliance with the required limits for heavy metals and arsenic. These favorable technical attributes indicate promising prospects for its use as a pharmaceutical ingredient in the production of medicines and cosmetics.

Hybrid Lipid/Clay Carrier Systems Containing Annatto Oil for Topical Formulations.

Nanocomposites formed by clay and lipid carriers (NLCs) show a high potential for providing controlled release and specific delivery of bioactive molecules and have recently gained attention in the pharmaceutical sector due to their ability to transport hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Recent studies have recognized the biological activity of the oil of Bixa orellana L. (AO) with regards to its healing, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-leishmanial properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the preparation and characterization of hybrid systems based on lipid nanocarriers and laponite for the delivery of AO. NLCs were prepared by the fusion-emulsification method, using cetyl palmitate (CP) or myristyl myristate (MM), AO, and Poloxamer 188. The morphology, hydrodynamic diameters, zeta potential (ZP), polydispersity index (PDI), thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), viscosity behavior, and cytotoxicity testing of the hybrid systems were performed. The thermal study and X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD) revealed polymorphic structural changes compatible with the amorphization of the material. Rheological assays highlighted a typical pseudoplastic behavior in all systems (MM and CP with LAP). The hybrid systems' morphology, size diameters, and PDIs were similar, preset spherical and monodisperse structures (≈200 nm; <0.3), without significant change up to sixty days. The ZP values differed from each other, becoming higher with increasing AO concentration. XEDS spectra and elemental X-ray maps show peaks of lipids (organic components, C and O) and inorganic components O, Mg, and Si. All samples showed cell viability above 60%. The results indicated a stable, biocompatible hybrid system that can be an alternative for topical application.

Annatto Oil Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers: A Potential New Treatment for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is extensively used as food pigment worldwide. Recently, several studies have found it to have healing and antioxidant properties, as well as effective action against leishmaniasis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to incorporate the oil obtained from annatto seeds into a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) and evaluate its physicochemical properties and biological activity against Leishmania major. Nanoparticles were prepared by the fusion-emulsification and ultrasonication method, with the components Synperonic™ PE (PL) as the surfactant, cetyl palmitate (CP) or myristyl myristate (MM) as solid lipids, annatto oil (AO) (2% and 4%, w/w) as liquid lipid and active ingredient, and ultra-pure water. Physicochemical and biological characterizations were carried out to describe the NLCs, including particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP) by dynamic light scattering (DLS), encapsulation efficiency (EE%), thermal behavior, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), cytotoxicity on BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts and immortalized human keratinocyte cells, and anti-leishmaniasis activity in vitro. Nanoparticles presented an average diameter of ~200 nm (confirmed by TEM results), a PDI of less than 0.30, ZP between -12.6 and -31.2 mV, and more than 50% of AO encapsulated in NLCs. Thermal analyses demonstrated that the systems were stable at high temperatures with a decrease in crystalline structure due to the presence of AOs (confirmed by XRD). In vitro, the anti-leishmania test displayed good activity in encapsulating AO against L. major. The results indicate that the oily fraction of Bixa orellana L. in NLC systems should be evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent against leishmaniasis.

Nanocomposite gels of poloxamine and Laponite for ß-Lapachone release in anticancer therapy.

Nano-hybrid systems have been shown to be an attractive platform for drug delivery. Laponite® RD (LAP), a biocompatible synthetic clay, has been exploited for its ability to establish of strong secondary interactions with guest compounds and hybridization with polymers or small molecules that improves, for instance, cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation or facilitates drug attachment to their surfaces through charge interaction. In this work, LAP was combined with Tetronics, X-shaped amphiphilic PPO-PEO (poly (propylene oxide)-poly (ethylene oxide) block copolymers. ß-Lapachone (BLPC) was selected for its anticancer activity and its limited bioavailability due to very low aqueous solubility, with the aim to improve this by using LAP/Tetronic nano-hybrid systems. The nanocarriers were prepared over a range of Tetronic 1304 concentrations (1 to 20% w/w) and LAP (0 to 3% w/w). A combination of physicochemical methods was employed to characterize the hybrid systems, including rheology, particle size and shape (DLS, TEM), thermal analysis (TG and DSC), FTIR, solubility studies and drug release experiments. In vitro cytotoxicity assays were performed with BALB/3T3 and MCF-7 cell lines. In hybrid systems, a sol-gel transition can occur below physiological temperature. BLPC exhibits the most significant increase in solubility in formulations with a high concentration of T1304 (over 10% w/w) and 1.5% w/w LAP, or systems with only LAP (1.5%), with a 50 and 100-fold increase in solubilisation, respectively. TEM images showed spherical micelles of T1304, which elongated into wormlike micelles with concentration (20%) and in the presence of LAP, a finding that has not been reported before. A sustained release of BLPC over 140 hours was achieved in one of the formulations (10% T1304 with 1.5% laponite), which also showed the best selectivity index towards cancer cells (MCF-7) over BALB/3T3 cell lines. In conclusion, BLPC-loaded T1304/LAP nano-hybrid systems proved safe and highly effective and are thus a promising formulation for anticancer therapy.

[Social representations of generic drugs by consumers from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil]. / Representações sociais do medicamento genérico por consumidores residentes em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil.

This paper aimed to determine the central and peripheral roles of consumers' social representations concerning generic drugs, establishing mechanisms that could be used to improve policies for this type of medication in Brazil. The research was done from April 2002 to February 2003 in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, with 400 consumers. The study employed the word association test with the words "generic drug" as the inductive stimulus. Evocation of three words was requested, according to the access strategy to Vergès' Central Nucleus. Data analysis used the EVOC 2000 software and the content analysis proposed by Bardin. The results demonstrated that the central nucleus consisted of the categories price, quality, and pharmaceutical equivalence, while the peripheral system was represented by the categories option, effectiveness, government, social benefit, and accessibility.

Manejo e Prevenção de Reações Adversas da Quimioterapia Antineoplásica com Platinas em Pacientes com Cânceres Esofágico e Gástrico: Revisão Sistemática da Literatura / Management and Prevention of Adverse Reactions to Platinum Antineoplastic Chemotherapy in Patients with Esophageal and Gastric Cancer: Systematic Literature Review / Manejo y Prevención de Reacciones Adversas a la Quimioterapia Antineoplásica con Platino en Pacientes con Cánceres de Esófago y Gástrico: Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura

Introdução: O câncer gástrico é a quinta doença maligna mais comum em todo o mundo. Trata-se do tumor maligno mais incidente na Ásia, especialmente na China. O carcinoma esofágico é um dos tipos mais agressivos de tumor maligno. Os tratamentos multimodais, incluindo quimioterapia neoadjuvante e quimiorradioterapia, são utilizados e podem causar fadiga, vômito, diarreia, alterações cutâneas, caquexia e neuropatia periférica, que podem ser efeitos colaterais importantes para muitos pacientes que realizam seus tratamentos. Objetivo: Realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre o manejo e a prevenção de reações adversas da quimioterapia antineoplásica com platinas em pacientes com câncer esofágico e tumor gástrico. Método: Para seleção dos artigos, foi realizada a busca em três bases de dados: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane e Embase, com a estratégia PICO, variando os descritores MeSH/DeCs e operadores booleanos. Resultados: Foram encontrados 455 títulos, dos quais, após utilizar a diretriz PRISMA, restaram 15 artigos para a revisão sistemática, que abordavam o manejo e a prevenção de náusea e vômitos, neuropatia periférica, caquexia, suplementação de magnésio, tratamento de depressão e toxicidade geral. Conclusão: Verificou-se que náuseas, vômitos, neuropatia e hipomagnesemia tiveram maior número de estudos relacionados ao manejo e à prevenção desses sintomas, nos quais identificaram-se algumas sugestões de condutas com maior evidência para essas reações. As demais reações encontradas ainda carecem de mais estudos, principalmente nos casos de cânceres gástrico e esofágico

Introduction: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. It is the most frequent malignant tumor in Asia, especially in China. Esophageal carcinoma is one of the more aggressive types of malignant tumor. Multimodal treatments, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are utilized and can cause fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, skin changes, cachexia, and peripheral neuropathy, which can be important side effects for many patients undergoing their treatments. Objective: Carry out a systematic review on the management and prevention of adverse reactions of antineoplastic chemotherapy with platinum in patients with esophageal cancer and gastric tumor. Method: To select the articles, a search was conducted in three databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane and Embase, with the PICO strategy, alternating between MeSH/DeCs descriptors and Boolean operators. Results: 455 titles were found, of which, after using the PRISMA guideline, 15 articles remained for systematic review, addressing the management and prevention of nausea and vomiting, peripheral neuropathy, cachexia, magnesium supplementation, treatment of depression and general toxicity. Conclusion: The greatest number of studies addressing the management and prevention of the symptoms of nausea, vomits, neuropathy and hypomagnesemia were found, and it was possible to identify some suggestions of conducts to treat these reactions. More studies are necessary for the other reactions encountered, mainly in the cases of gastric and esophageal cancer

Introducción: El cáncer gástrico es la quinta neoplasia maligna más común en todo el mundo. Es el tumor maligno más común en Asia, especialmente en China. El carcinoma de esófago es uno de los tipos de tumores malignos más agresivos. Se utilizan tratamientos multimodales, que incluyen quimioterapia neoadyuvante y quimiorradioterapia que pueden provocar: fatiga, vómitos, diarrea, alteraciones cutáneas, caquexia y neuropatía periférica, que pueden ser efectos secundarios importantes para muchos pacientes sometidos a sus tratamientos. Objetivo: Realizar una revisión sistemática sobre el manejo y prevención de reacciones adversas de la quimioterapia antineoplásica con platino en pacientes con cáncer de esófago y tumor gástrico. Método: Para la selección de los artículos se realizó una búsqueda en tres bases de datos: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane y Embase, con la estrategia PICO, variando los descriptores MeSH/DeCs y operadores booleanos. Resultados: Se encontraron 455 títulos, de los cuales, luego de utilizar la guía PRISMA, quedaron 15 artículos para revisión sistemática, que abordaron el manejo y prevención de náuseas y vómitos, neuropatía periférica, caquexia, suplementación con magnesio, tratamiento de la depresión y toxicidad general. Conclusión: Se verifico que náuseas, vómitos, neuropatía e hipomagnesemia tuvieron un mayor número de estudios relacionados con el manejo y prevención de los síntomas, en los cuales fue posible identificar algunas sugerencias de conducta con mayor evidencia de estas reacciones. Las otras reacciones encontradas aún necesitan más estudios, especialmente en casos de cánceres gástrico y de esófago

[Social representations of generic drugs by pharmacists: determination of the central and peripheral representational systems]. / Representações sociais do medicamento genérico por farmacêuticos: determinação dos sistemas central e periférico.

This article aimed to identify the central and peripheral systems in social representations of generic drugs by pharmacists, as well as their social and economic profile, thereby establishing potential mechanisms for improving policies for generic drugs in Brazil. The data collection instruments were a questionnaire and a word association test, the inductive cue of which was the term "generic drug". Data collected through the questionnaire produced a profile of pharmacists in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, and key information related to the theme. Data analysis for the word association test used Evoc 99 software while content analysis used Bardin, thereby identifying the central system in social representations of generic drugs, consisting of the categories price, quality, and credibility, while the peripheral system consisted of the categories pharmaceutical care, social impact, novelty, accessibility, options, and interchangeability.

Strategies used for to improve aqueous solubility of simvastatin: a systematic review / Estratégias utilizadas para melhoria da solubilidade da sinvastatina – revisão sistemática

A great variety of molecules with potential pharmacological activity have been discovered. However, the great majority of these molecules have poor bioavailability, mainly associated with their low solubility in water. Lately, a great deal of attention has been paid to existing drugs that are used chronically in the treatment of high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Among these drugs, simvastatin is the most frequently used, despite its poor solubility in water. This review discusses some of the strategies that have been used to enhance the aqueous solubility of simvastatin over the last 12 years (January 2000 - April 2012). Techniques employing solid dispersions, microencapsulation, supercritical fluid and the cyclodextrin inclusion system are described and systematically compared.

Uma grande variedade de moléculas com potencial atividade farmacológica tem sido descoberta, mas em sua grande maioria com problemas de baixa biodisponibilidade, algumas vezes por apresentarem baixa solubilidade em água. Desse modo os olhares têm se voltado às moléculas já existentes e, nesse contexto, inclui-se a sinvastatina, com baixa biodisponibilidade e solubilidade aquosa, de uso crônico em pacientes com taxas aumentadas de colesterol e triglicerídeos. Esse trabalho tem por objetivo relacionar a literatura científica em que foi feita alguma modificação de solubilidade da sinvastatina num período de 12 anos (janeiro de 2000 - abril 2012), utilizando para isso técnicas como formação de dispersões sólidas, microemulsões, nanopartículas, fluido supercrítico e complexos de inclusão com ciclodextrinas. Além de relacionar, este artigo compara e avalia os resultados como gráficos, destacando ainda aspectos como técnicas de caracterização e estudos de estabilidade. Portanto, este trabalho tem características de uma revisão sistemática com coleta e análise de dados, de modo simples, ajudando na busca das informações.

Representações sociais do medicamento genérico por usuários / Social representations of the generic drug by drug users

O artigo objetivou captar as representações sociais do medicamento genérico por usuários de medicamentos no intuito de que seus resultados possam ser utilizados no aprimoramento da política desse tipo de medicamento no Brasil. Utilizou-se a Teoria das Representações Sociais como suporte teórico-metodológico. A pesquisa foi realizada no período de abril de 2002 a fevereiro de 2003, na cidade do Natal/RN, com 116 usuários de medicamentos, abordados em farmácias e/ou drogarias. O instrumento de coleta de dados foi a entrevista semi-estruturada, com uso de gravador. Os dados foram avaliados através do programa ALCESTE 4.5, além da análise de conteúdo preconizada por Laurence Bardin. O ALCESTE isolou 5 classes semânticas e a análise de conteúdo identificou 10 categorias. Para os usuários, o genérico representa um medicamento comercializado a preço mais barato, sem marca, equivalente a outro mais caro, mas que supre as necessidades imediatas de consumo, além do que a palavra genérico encerra uma representação mais ampla, absorvendo e englobado quaisquer produtos que tenham a característica dos medicamentos genéricos, porém com qualidade duvidosa.

The paper aimed to apprehend the social representations of the generic drug by drug users, establishing mechanisms that could be used to improve the policy of this type of medicines in Brazil. The Theory of Social Representations was employed as theoretic-methodological support. The research was done from April, 2002 through February, 2003 in the city of Natal/RN with 116 drug users approached at pharmacies and/or drugstores. The instrument of data collection was a semistructured interview with a tape recorder. The data analysis was performed with the aid of both the ALCESTE 4.5 program and the content analysis recommended by Laurence Bardin. The ALCESTE isolated 5 semantic classes and the content analysis identified 10 categories. For users the generic drug stands for a medicine sold at a lower price, a no-mark product equivalent to a more expensive one, but which supplies the immediate consumption demand, in addition to the fact that the word generic comprises a wider representation, absorbing and incorporating any products having the characteristics of generic drugs, but with questionable quality.

Representacões sociais do medicamento genérico por consumidores residentes em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil / Social representations of generic drugs by consumers from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

O trabalho objetivou determinar os núcleos central e periférico das representacões sociais do medicamento genérico por consumidores, estabelecendo mecanismos que poderão ser utilizados no aprimoramento da política desse tipo de medicamento no Brasil. A pesquisa foi realizada no período de abril de 2002 a fevereiro de 2003, na Cidade do Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, com quatrocentos consumidores. O teste utilizado foi o de associacão de palavras, e o estímulo indutor, as palavras medicamento genérico. Foi solicitada a evocacão de três palavras, de acordo com a estratégia de acesso ao Núcleo Central de Vergès. A análise dos dados foi realizada com o auxílio do programa EVOC 2000 e da análise de conteúdo preconizada por Bardin. Os resultados demonstraram que o núcleo central era composto pelas categorias preco, qualidade e equivalência farmacêutica, e o sistema periférico, representado pelas categorias opcão, eficácia, governo, benefício social e acessibilidade.

Representações sociais do medicamento genérico por farmacêuticos: determinação dos sistemas central e periférico / Social representations of generic drugs by pharmacists: determination of the central and peripheral representational systems

O artigo objetiva determinar os sistemas central e periférico das representações sociais do medicamento genérico por farmacêuticos, assim como o perfil sócio-econômico desse grupo, estabelecendo dessa forma mecanismos que poderão ser utilizados no aprimoramento da política desse tipo de medicamento no Brasil. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados utilizados foram um questionário e um teste de associação de palavras cujo estímulo indutor foram as palavras medicamento genérico. Os dados levantados pelo questionário permitiram que se traçasse um perfil da classe farmacêutica em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, além de também colher alguns dados pertinentes ao tema. A análise dos dados do teste de associação de palavras foi realizada com o auxílio do programa EVOC 99 e da análise de conteúdo preconizada por Bardin, o que permitiu que se estabelecesse o sistema central das representações sociais do medicamento genérico composto pelas categorias preço, qualidade e credibilidade e o sistema periférico constituído pelas categorias assistência farmacêutica, impacto social, novidade, acessibilidade, opções e intercambialidade.