Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from dietary spice turmeric, possesses diverse pharmacologic effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. Phase I clinical trials have shown that curcumin is safe even at high doses (12 g/day) in humans but exhibit poor bioavailability. Major reasons contributing to the low plasma and tissue levels of curcumin appear to be due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid systemic elimination. To improve the bioavailability of curcumin, numerous approaches have been undertaken. These approaches involve, first, the use of adjuvant like piperine that interferes with glucuronidation; second, the use of liposomal curcumin; third, curcumin nanoparticles; fourth, the use of curcumin phospholipid complex; and fifth, the use of structural analogues of curcumin (e.g., EF-24). The latter has been reported to have a rapid absorption with a peak plasma half-life. Despite the lower bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy of...

Bioavailability of curcumin: problems and promises.

Reactive oxygen species, cellular redox systems and apoptosis

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol derived from the plant Curcuma longa, commonly called turmeric. Extensive research over the last 50 years has indicated this polyphenol can both prevent and treat cancer. The anticancer potential of curcumin stems from its ability to suppress proliferation of a wide variety of tumor cells, down-regulate transcription factors NF- κB, AP-1 and Egr-1; down-regulate the expression of COX2, LOX, NOS, MMP-9, uPA, TNF, chemokines, cell surface adhesion molecules and cyclin D1; down-regulate growth factor receptors (such as EGFR and HER2); and inhibit the activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, protein tyrosine kinases and protein serine/threonine kinases. In several systems, curcumin has been described as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Evidence has also been presented to suggest that curcumin can suppress tumor initiation, promotion and metastasis. Pharmacologically, curcumin has been found to be safe. Human clinical trials indicated no dose-limiting toxicity when administered at doses up to 10 g/day. All of these studies suggest that curcumin has enormous potential in the prevention and therapy of cancer. The current review describes in detail the data supporting these studies. Curcumin, derived from turmeric (vernacular name: Haldi), is a rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa. The medicinal use of this plant has been documented in Ayurveda (the Indian

Anticancer potential of curcumin: preclinical and clinical studies.

https://alzheimer.neurology.ucla.edu/pubs/YangJBCcurc2005.pdf

Curcumin Inhibits Formation of Amyloid β Oligomers and Fibrils, Binds Plaques, and Reduces Amyloid in Vivo

Curcumin as “Curecumin”: From kitchen to clinic

Comedication with interacting drugs predisposes amiodarone users in cardiac and surgical intensive care units to acute liver injury: A retrospective analysis

A powerful way to nurture and strengthen professionalism is by accruing practice-based experiences. However, few studies in Taiwan have evaluated the impacts of experiential learning programmes on pharmacy students' views on professionalism - the core of quality healthcare practices and services. This study aimed to measure changes in perceptions of and attitudes towards professionalism among third-year pharmacy students following an introductory-intermediate experiential learning course.A single-group pre- and postcourse comparative study using a self-administered survey was conducted in 2017. Pharmacy students in their third year of a six-year programme were eligible to participate in this study. We used a 28-item questionnaire with a 10-point Likert-type scale to assess students' professionalism. Among them, 10 items were employed to assess students' perceived importance of professionalism in pharmacy practice, and another 18 items adapted from the Pharmacy Professionalism Instrument were used to evaluate students' attitudes towards pharmacy professionalism. An independent t test was performed to compare the differences in students' anonymous survey responses before and after the course, with an a priori level of statistical significance of 0.05.Fifty-two pharmacy students participated in the study. They showed significant improvement in three tenets of professionalism, namely, altruism (p = 0.035), accountability (p = 0.026), and duty (p = 0.002), after completing the 5-week experiential course.Pharmacy students' attitudes towards professionalism were modifiable by purposely designed experiential learning programme in the community setting. Such experiences may help socialize students with positive attitudes towards altruism, accountability, and duty. 

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Exploration of changes in pharmacy students’ perceptions of and attitudes towards professionalism: outcome of a community pharmacy experiential learning programme in Taiwan

Clinical pharmacy service and international collaboration: Model and experience from a medical center in Taiwan

Purpose: Structured and well-rounded introductory programs should pave the way for beginners to effectively become future experts. The objectives of this study were to investigate curricular effectiveness and the impact of a community pharmacy experiential course on students through competency-based descriptors concerning polygonal learning domains. Methods: Students were surveyed prior to and after the introductory-level Community Pharmacy Practice Experience (CPPE) course using a 22-statement, five-point scale questionnaire. A paired t-test was used to compare the students' pre- and post-course self-evaluations of practice-related abilities, supplemented by radar chart and box plot to depict pedagogical outcomes of respective learning domains and overall comparisons. Results: Of the 77 students enrolled, 61 (79.2%) responded to all questions on both the pre- and post- CPPE questionnaires. The self-perceived mean scores for the 22 ability statements were all higher after CPPE completion (pre-CPPE, 3.0-3.5; post-CPPE, 3.3-4.4); 21 statements (95.5%) showed significant differences (p ＜ 0.05). The students' post-curricular progress was clearly demonstrated by the radar chart (octagonal learning domains) and the box plot (overall ratings). Of the eight learning domains, the statements that related to dispensing practices were perceived as the most effectively understood principles. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the value of the multifaceted CPPE course, especially the suitability of teaching dispensing practices at the mid-level stage of the learners' pharmacy curriculum. The rich learning opportunities that community pharmacies provide make this setting ideal for training future pharmacists to become competent and worthwhile members of healthcare teams.

Learning by Doing at Community Pharmacies: Objectives and Outcomes

The Asian Pharmacometrics Network (APN) has been established to enhance regional development in pharmacometrics by holding annual regional symposiums and to provide training opportunities across Asia by hosting educational workshops. Starting with nine member countries in 2017, APN has been expanded to include up to 16 countries as of December 2021. We are presenting this article to describe the historical background, establishment, objectives, roles, and recent activities of APN.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/psp4.12777

Yunn-Fang Ho

Papers

Comedication with interacting drugs predisposes amiodarone users in cardiac and surgical intensive care units to acute liver injury: A retrospective analysis

Exploration of changes in pharmacy students’ perceptions of and attitudes towards professionalism: outcome of a community pharmacy experiential learning programme in Taiwan

Clinical pharmacy service and international collaboration: Model and experience from a medical center in Taiwan

Learning by Doing at Community Pharmacies: Objectives and Outcomes

The Asian Pharmacometrics Network: The historical background, establishment, objectives and roles, and recent activities