Journal of Pharmacy

Current Industry Perspective on Process Analytical Technique Tools and their Recent Development in Pharmaceutical Oral Solid Dosage Formulations

Chinna Reddy Palem — 2026-01-31

Current review offers extensive understanding and implementation of process analytical technology (PAT) tools in manufacturing of pharmaceutical oral solid dosage (OSD) forms to streamline product’s time to reach to market and increase profitability. PAT tools provide OSD formulators with an in-depth process understanding that supports accurate and responsive in-line control across all the unit operation, starting from input of raw materials to the delivery of end products. Data collected by PAT tools can be used for improving process understanding and better process control. Recent developments and application of PAT tools in OSD with current industry perspective is an emerging topic over a past decade attracting both academic and industrial researchers. In this review, we covered application of PAT tools in pharmaceutical OSD unit operations (such as blending, granulation, tableting and coating), PAT concepts, PAT tools for OSD, regulatory view, recent developments and application in pharmaceutical industry. By examining current challenges and recent advancements, this review makes a substantial contribution to the evolving field of pharmaceutical manufacturing, bridging key gaps in the existing literature and offering well-founded insights to guide future research and practical applications in the industry.

Forest of Ilm: A Tawhidic Reflection on Nature and Pharmaceutical Knowledge and Research

Che Anuar Che Mohamad — 2026-01-31

Nature has long served as one of the most fundamental sources of knowledge and guidance for human civilisation, particularly in the field of medicine and pharmacy. Modern pharmacology continues to benefit from natural sources in the discovery and development of therapy. However, contemporary scientific practice often approaches nature through a predominantly utilitarian and reductionist lens, viewing it largely as a reservoir of extractable compounds for new therapy discovery. This article revisits a more holistic framework rooted in Islamic Worldview where nature is understood not only as a material resource, but also as a trust (Amanah) and a source of spiritual and metaphysical knowledge. The article also highlights how principle of Tawhid and moral accountability has shaped earlier scientific inquiry by earlier generation of muslim scientists, particularly in pharmacology and natural product research. Using Forest of Ilm at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Kuantan as a contemporary case example, the article argues for an integrated approach to scientific research that harmonises empirical investigation with ethical responsibility and spiritual reflection.

A Phenomenological Study of Barriers to Smoking Cessation among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Malaysia

Lukman Nul Hakim Md Khairi — 2026-01-31

Introduction: Smoking cessation is an essential intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who still smoke. However, many patients struggle to quit successfully. Understanding the barriers they face is crucial to improving cessation strategies. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the real, often overlooked challenges COPD patients face when trying to quit smoking. Methods: A phenomenological study was conducted with a purposive sample of 11 male participants (GOLD 2, FEV₁ 46–75%) recruited from the Respiratory Clinic of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. Patients who were unable to stop smoking despite receiving treatment for COPD were included. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed using the Atlas.ti 23 software. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, reflexivity, and audit trails. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) Engagement with assisted smoking cessation, hindered by systemic referral gaps and misconceptions; (2) Requiring support while maintaining autonomy, where fear of mockery led to social isolation; and (3) Motivational factors, characterised by unstable motivation and a complacency window where low symptom burden diluted the urgency to quit despite objective lung function decline. Conclusion: COPD patients face unique barriers where clinical severity and subjective discomfort intersect. Factors like disconnect from formal healthcare services, fatalistic resignation (redha), and social policing by families force patients into a solitary, unsustainable struggle. Cessation strategies must bridge these clinical and cultural gaps by aligning with the patient's specific disease stage and sociocultural context.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance among Students and Staff of Kabul University: A Cross-Sectional Study

Mirwais Zazai — 2026-01-31

Introduction: The overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major global health concern. A primary driver of AMR is excessive and inappropriate antibiotic use, often stemming from insufficient public knowledge. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to antibiotic use and AMR among students and staff at Kabul University. Methods: A validated questionnaire was administered to a sample of students, faculty, and administrative staff at Kabul University. Descriptive statistics were performed, and simple regression analysis identified factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic use. Result: A total of 689 participants were surveyed. More than half (84.8%) reported using antibiotics in the past year. Participants demonstrated moderate knowledge; 65.7% were aware of antibiotic resistance, yet 79.1% reported using antibiotics for colds and sore throats. Furthermore, 83.5% discontinued antibiotics after symptom resolution, 61.5% used antibiotics without a prescription, and 63.1% retained leftover antibiotics for future use. Conclusion: The findings indicate a moderate level of knowledge but widespread inappropriate practices regarding antibiotic use among Kabul University students and staff. These results underscore the urgent need for targeted educational interventions to promote responsible antibiotic use and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Role of Artificial Intelligence and Real-Time Clinical Decision Support System in Enhancing Antimicrobial Stewardship for Pneumonia Management: A Scoping Review

Muhammad Jawad Hassan — 2026-01-31

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health challenge globally, particularly in pneumonia where inappropriate antibiotic use is common, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Artificial intelligence (AI) and clinical decision support systems (CDSS) have emerged as key tools to enhance antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices and reduce AMR. This scoping review aims to present and map the current AI and real-time CDSS applications in AMS for pneumonia patients, focusing on their types used and associated outcomes. This scoping review was conducted according to Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Databases including PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus, were searched between April and August 2025. Original studies published in English between 2015 and 2025 were included. Out of 505 identified articles, 11 eligible studies were analysed. The findings showed that AI and CDSS tools, when integrated with machine learning (ML) algorithms and large databases, enhance diagnostic accuracy, optimise antibiotic use, improve pathogen identification, enhance AMR detection, promote guideline adherence, and support treatment-related decisions, thereby reducing mortality, healthcare costs, and the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, integrating these technologies into clinical workflows remains a challenge due to limited research in low- and middle-income countries, data quality issues, and associated ethical concerns. AI and the CDSS are promising technologies to enhance AMS, especially in pneumonia, with improved patient outcomes. Future research to validate these technologies in diverse settings, while addressing barriers to their implementation and ethical concerns, is needed to enhance AMS practices and reduce AMR globally.

The AI-Guided Clinical Trial Architect: A Genetic Algorithm and MCDM Platform for Adaptive, Multi-Objective Patient Cohort Selection and Trial Simulation

Mehdi Jalali-Varnamkhasti — 2026-01-31

Introduction: Clinical trial design faces a critical challenge in balancing multiple, often conflicting, objectives such as statistical power, patient safety, cohort diversity, recruitment speed, and cost. While Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms (MOGA) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) have been applied independently in pharmaceutical contexts, their synergistic potential for clinical trial architecture remains under-explored. This paper introduces the AI-Guided Clinical Trial Architect (AI-CTA), a novel computational platform that integrates a MOGA with a fuzzy MCDM framework for adaptive, multi-objective patient cohort selection and trial simulation. Methods: The methodology involves a multi-phase workflow: data encoding via entropy-based weighting, evolutionary exploration of cohort configurations using a fuzzy-enhanced NSGA-II, and final selection through a Fuzzy TOPSIS analysis that incorporates expert-derived linguistic weights to handle uncertainty. Results & Discussion: A comprehensive case study for an oncology trial (n=200 from 1,850 candidates) demonstrates the platform's efficacy. The MOGA successfully generated a Pareto-optimal set of cohorts, from which the FMCDM module identified an optimal cohort achieving a superior balance of objectives (Closeness Coefficient: 0.656), validating the platform's ability to derive non-intuitive, robust solutions. Conclusion: By unifying the explorative power of MOGA with the deliberative precision of FMCDM, the AI-CTA provides a transformative, transparent, and computationally robust environment for designing more efficient, equitable, and economically viable clinical trials.

Textural Optimisation Of Fish-Gelatine Stingless Bee Honey Gummies By Response Surface Methodology

Muhammad Mujahid Danial Muzafar — 2026-01-31

Due to concerns over the halal status of gelatine traditionally derived from porcine and bovine sources, the demand for halal-certified alternatives is growing that ensure authenticity and meet dietary requirements, particularly in the gummy industry. Developing this product not only embrace the cultural and religious requirements but also expands the opportunities for the pharmaceutical applications in delivering nutraceutical ingredients. The present work aimed to investigate the effect of starch, fish gelatine and stingless bee honey (SBH) and to optimise their concentration using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for a formulation that meets target criteria of balanced springiness, cohesiveness, and minimised hardness suitable for halal-certified gummy products. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to optimise. Gummies were prepared using a cold mixing technique then followed by textural analysis, pH value determination, storage stability testing, and microbiological testing. The study factors used were starch (15-25 g), fish gelatine (35-45 g) and (SBH 20-30 g) with 18 experimental runs. The runs included 4 centre points, and the targeted responses were springiness (0.9–1.2 mm, goal 1.04 mm), cohesiveness (0.9–1.14, goal 0.98), and hardness (31–107.7 g, minimised) to satisfy the market standards for gummy texture. For cohesiveness (significant model, p = 0.0021 with critical interaction factors AC and quadratic terms A and B significant), hardness (significant model, p = 0.0333; fish gelatine significant, p = 0.007), the fitted models were quadratic. In contrast, the springiness model (non-significant, p = 0.2923). The springiness was considered only as observe texture attribute rather than a primary optimisation target. The optimised formulation (15 starch, 37 fish gelatine, and 25 SBH) was validated, the predicted and actual values closely matched, with only slight variations (hardness deviation within acceptable limits, cohesiveness error ~0.25%, and springiness error ~2.2%). Preliminary storage stability testing over 14 days’ period showed the gummies maintained the textural quality. Microbiological evaluation demonstrated no growth of mould and bacterial also maintained the product safety. These findings showed that RSM with CCD can guide the formulation of fish gelatine and SBH-based gummies to achieve desirable cohesiveness and hardness while preserving the safety and texture gummies features.

Qualitative Phytochemical Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Dammar and Stembark Extracts of Rubroshorea parvifolia (Dyer) P.S.Ashton & J.Heck.

Muhammad Imtiaaz Aziman Rosdi — 2026-01-31

Introduction: Rubroshorea species are known for their rich phytochemicals such as phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids in the dammar and stembark that possess antioxidant properties. The study aimed to screen the phytochemicals and evaluate the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from dammar and stembark of Rubroshorea parvifolia by means of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Methods: Methanolic extracts of R. parvifolia dammar and stembark were prepared through maceration. Phytochemical screening was conducted to detect different classes of compounds. Antioxidant activity was initially screened by using Dot Blot assay and then quantitatively determined using DPPH radical scavenging assay. TPC and TFC were measured by using Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride assay, respectively. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and triterpenoids in both extracts. Nevertheless, alkaloids and saponins were specifically detected in the dammar and stembark, respectively. The methanolic stembark extract demonstrated superior antioxidant activity with a lower half maximal inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) value (16.52 ± 1.57 µg/mL) compared to that of dammar extract (575.68 ± 33.84 µg/mL). The activity of stembark extract is associated with its higher TPC (937.55 ± 2.40 mg GAE/g) and TFC (1016.82 ± 9.64 mg CE/g) than that of dammar extract. Conclusion: The strong antioxidant activity of methanolic stembark extract of R. parvifolia suggests its potential as natural antioxidant for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. However, dammar extract, with its compelling phytochemical composition, warrants further investigation for other medicinal properties.

Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Profiling of Azadirachta indica Leaves and Their Potential Therapeutic Implications

Oluwaseye Emmanuel Olayemi — 2026-01-31

Background: Neem (Azadirachta indica) is widely recognized in traditional medicine for its diverse therapeutic properties. This study investigated the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical composition of neem leaves to provide a scientific basis for its pharmacological potential. Methods: Fresh leaves were collected from Sagamu, Nigeria, identified at the Department of Pharmacology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, and subjected to standard extraction and phytochemical screening techniques. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, polyphenols, and tannins. Quantitative assessment showed flavonoids (13.8 ± 0.17%) and terpenoids (13.13 ± 0.50%) as the predominant constituents, followed by alkaloids (10.67 ± 0.46%) and saponins (2.43 ± 0.32%). The high concentration of flavonoids and terpenoids supports neem’s potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, while alkaloids, saponins, and tannins may contribute to its antimicrobial, anticancer, and immune-modulatory properties. Conclusion: A. indica leaves are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with significant therapeutic promise, justifying their continued use in traditional medicine and their exploration in modern drug development

Diarylheptanoids of Alpinia Species (Zingiberaceae): A Review of Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Potential

Wan Mohd Nuzul Hakimi Wan Salleh — 2026-01-31

Introduction: Diarylheptanoids, a distinctive class of secondary metabolites characterized by a 1,7-diphenylheptane backbone, are widely distributed in Alpinia species (Zingiberaceae) and have attracted considerable scientific interest due to their diverse structural variations and promising bioactivities. Methods: This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on diarylheptanoids isolated from Alpinia, focusing on their phytochemical diversity, structural classifications, and biosynthetic considerations. Results: To date, numerous diarylheptanoids, including linear, cyclic, and rearranged derivatives, have been identified, reflecting the remarkable chemodiversity of this genus. Pharmacological studies reveal that these compounds exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities, notably anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties, supporting their therapeutic potential. Special emphasis is placed on structure–activity relationships, which provide insights into the molecular features governing their bioactivity. Conclusion: The review highlights research gaps, such as limited mechanistic studies and in vivo validations, and suggests future directions for drug discovery and development from Alpinia-derived diarylheptanoids. By integrating phytochemical and pharmacological perspectives, this work provides a comprehensive resource for researchers exploring natural product-based therapeutics.