Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Knowledge, Prevalence and Factors Influencing Emergency Contraceptive Use among Female Undergraduate Students in a Private University in Southwest Nigeria

Godwin Eneji Egrinya — 2026-01-15

Background: Early sexual debut among adolescents and consequent teenage pregnancy are a recurring and seemingly insurmountable social and public health challenge world-wide because of early initiation into sexual activities, which are often non-consensual.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, prevalence and determinants of emergency contraception usage among female undergraduate students in Afe Babalola University, Nigeria.

Methodology: This study was carried out in Afe Babalola University, a Private University licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2009 and located in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Study determined the level of awareness of the use of emergency contraceptives among female undergraduate students using standard questionnaires supported with a robust scoring system that allowed for quantifiable assessment of their knowledge of the subject matter. The questionnaire was pretested at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti using 10% of the total sample size. Corrections were made as appropriate to cumbersome and unclear questions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results and provide a clear presentation of the prevalence and distribution of variables within the dataset. Cross-table and chi-square analysis was performed to explore relationships and associations among variables of interest. Binary logistic regression was performed to explore the determinants and predictors of emergency contraceptives utilization.

Results: Four hundred questionnaires were administered of which 395 were completely filled, giving a response rate of about 97.8%. The mean age of the respondents was relatively young (20.9±2.5), within a range of 14-28 years. About 74% of the respondents were Christians, while 21.5% were Muslims and 4.1% belonged to other religions, reflecting that the study centre was in a Christian-dominated region of the state. Nearly 96% of respondents have heard about contraception, which is similar to the 100% reported among public and private universities in Ekiti state, but much higher than the 18% reported recently. Furthermore, about 89.6% of the respondents could correctly define emergency contraception, possibly because of the knowledge gained from peers, social media, and the academic space. The level of emergency contraceptive use among them was generally low and was dependent on their age, level of study, state of relationship with parents and knowledge of emergency contraceptives. Thus, efforts pertaining to reproductive health and family planning services, as well as general education, and promotion should focus on emergency contraceptives use and its associated advantages for the user, society, and the country as a whole.

Conclusion: To improve the awareness of emergency contraceptives and their use among sexually active youth, extensive engagements should be encouraged, and all stakeholders should be involved in health promotion activities. Also, those in the age range under study, who are not enrolled in post-secondary education should be accommodated by these health promotion efforts. Subsequent investigations should focus on pinpointing efficacious techniques for information dissemination to enhance women's knowledge.

Plasma Glutamic Acid Levels and Their Association with Cancer Progression

Adline Erinma Ben-Chioma — 2026-02-10

Introduction: Cancer remains a major global challenge characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and metabolic reprogramming. Cancer cells reconfigure their metabolic pathways to sustain rapid proliferation and meet elevated energy demands, with amino acid metabolism being a crucial component of cancer metabolism. Beyond the traditional somatic theory, emerging evidence supports the mitochondrial metabolic theory of cancer, which attributes disease progression to impaired oxidative phosphorylation and increased reliance on glutaminolysis.

Aim: The study aims to evaluate the levels of glutamic acid in cancer patients and healthy control subjects.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study design of cancer patients attending oncology clinic in the hospitals.

Methodology: A total of 100 participants (50 cancer patients and 50 control healthy subjects) were recruited for the study from Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The plasma concentration of glutamic acid was analyzed using glutamic acid colorimetric kits.

Results: The mean plasma glutamic acid concentration in cancer (134.83 ± 14.66) subjects was higher compared to the healthy control subjects (101.82 ± 10.99), confirming increased glutaminolysis and alteration in metabolic pathways in cancer. The result obtained also shows a statistically significant difference in glutamic acid level across the various stages of cancer progression, with Stage IV having the highest (150.93 ± 12.54), followed by Stage III (134.25 ± 12.12) and then Stage I-II (124.52 ± 5.29). From the results, glutamic acid, a byproduct of glutamine metabolism, can be used as a biomarker for early cancer detection.

Conclusion: There was a significant increase in glutamic acid in cancer patients compared to the control healthy subjects. Thus, indicating metabolic reprogramming in cancer leads to its progression.

Ameliorative Effects of the Ethanolic Extract of Brassica oleracea on Naphthalene-Induced Cerebellar Toxicity in Adult Male Wistar Rats

Mmanesochi Chieze Mbonu — 2026-02-10

Aim: To investigate the ameliorative effects of Brassica oleracea against naphthalene-induced oxidative stress in the cerebellum of adult male Wistar rats.

Methodology: Twenty five (25) adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (A–E, n = 5). Group A served as control and received only feed and distilled water ad libitum. Group B received 15mg/kg of naphthalene. Group C received 15mg/kg of Naphthalene and 200mg/kgbw Brassica oleracea, Group D received 15mg/kg of Naphthalene and 400mg/kgbw Brassica oleracea while Group E received 400mg/kgbw Brassica oleracea only. The treatment lasted for 28 days and all administration was via oral gavage. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for oxidative stress markers analysis, and cerebellum were excised for histopathological evaluation.

Results: Exposure to naphthalene caused significant (p < 0.05) increase in MDA and SOD levels (3.95±0.06 vs. 2.32±0.39 in controls and 25.83±0.53 vs. 17.33±0.59 in control, respectively) while the administration of Brassica oleracea significantly (p < 0.05) reduced their levels. Histopathological analysis of the cerebellum showed pyknotic pyramidal cells and severe degeneration and vacoulation in the different layers while the Brassica oleracea treated groups showed moderate regeneration in the different layers and active cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Brassica oleracea exhibits ameliorative effects against naphthalene-induced oxidative stress and histopathological changes in the cerebellum of adult male Wistar rats. These findings suggest its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for neurotoxicities caused by naphthalene and other toxic agents.

Perceptions and Barriers toward Breaking Bad News among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Almuhannad Saad Alarbash — 2026-02-10

Delivering patients or their families the terrible news regarding significant diseases or findings is known as "breaking bad news (BBN)." (1). So we need to determine the perception of Breaking bad new among Primary Care Physicians in Al-Ahsa.

Objective: The current study aimed to assess the applying process of Breaking Bad News among Primary healthcare physicians, Ministry of Health in Al-Ahsa.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted through a self-administered questionnaire targeting all physicians of Primary health care, (PHC) in Ministry of health, (MOH) in Al-Ahsa. The study questionnaire divided into three sections that will include personal data without the name in the first section: Demographic data. The second section will be related to breaking bad news. Lasts section covered barriers against applying breaking bad news and perceived diseases which need BBN. The final questionnaire was sent to the available physicians to be filled and assured lack of missing data after conforming accuracy and data validity.

Results: A total of 265 eligible PHC physicians were included. Participants ages ranged from 20 to 55 years with a mean age of 28.9 ± 11.7 years old. As for job title, 104 (39.2%) were GPs, 81 (30.6%) were residents, 25 (9.4%) were specialists and 55 (20.8%) were consultants. A total of 213 (80.4%) of the study physicians were trained for Breaking Bad News and 152 (57.4%) of the study physicians feel confident in discussing with patients and their relatives about prognosis and life expectancy. A total of 58.1% agreed that they have to tell the patient everything about the disease, but 47.9% think telling patients everything will take their hope. Also, 38.5% feel depressed after breaking bad news to patients or relatives, 33.2% feel anxious when delivering bad news.

Conclusion: The study found that while most physicians were trained about BBN, they lacked knowledge and support to apply due to various factors, despite high psychological burdens, and rated their abilities as good.

A Quality by Design Approach to Development and Validation of a Laser-based Analytical Method for Particle Size Distribution of Dapagliflozin Propanediol

Jitendra Dubey — 2026-02-04

Particle size, shape and distribution of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) can significantly influence the physicochemical and biopharmaceutical performance of dosage forms. However, development of particle size analytical methods for APIs/formulation with diverse particle characteristics remains challenging. Only a limited number of studies have reported a Quality by Design (QbD) based framework for developing laser diffraction particle size methods beyond conventional trial-and-error approaches. This study aimed to establish a structured, science-driven and risk-based QbD approach for the development and validation of a laser diffraction analytical method for determining the particle size distribution (PSD) of Dapagliflozin Propanediol. The work highlights the application of Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) principles including predefined objectives, systematic process understanding and effective control of analytical variability to ensure method robustness, reliability and regulatory compliance. Prior knowledge of the API and drug product was used to construct an Ishikawa (cause-and-effect) diagram and to support Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for analytical risk assessment. An Analytical Target Profile (ATP) was defined to ensure accurate and precise determination of Dv10, Dv50, and Dv90 values within predefined acceptance criteria (Dv10 ≤ 15%, Dv50 ≤ 10%, and Dv90 ≤ 15%). Dispersant type, sonication time, stirrer speed and percentage obscuration were identified as critical method parameters. A Design of Experiments (DoE) strategy was employed to optimize these parameters within defined operational ranges using Fusion QbD software (version 9.9.2 SR3) and a face-centered central composite design (FCCCD). Method development followed ICH Q8–Q10 and ICH Q14 guidelines, while validation was conducted in accordance with ICH Q2 and EP 2.9.31/USP <429>. The optimized method demonstrated excellent precision and reproducibility with repeatability values of 9.96% (Dv10), 5.01% (Dv50), and 11.56% (Dv90). Overall, the QbD-based approach provided enhanced method understanding and control, resulting in a robust and reliable analytical procedure for particle size characterization of Dapagliflozin Propanediol.