Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with hepatic dysfunction caused by persistent oxidative stress and hyperglycemia. The establishment of safe plant-based therapies to manage diabetes-related hepatic injury has been an important research area. This experimental study determined the hepatoprotective effect of Cichorium intybus (Kasni) seed extract on alloxan-induced diabetes in mice via histopathological evaluation. Thirty male albino mice were selected and randomly divided into three groups (n = 10 each): the nondiabetic control group, the diabetic untreated group, and the diabetic Kasni-treated group. Type 2 diabetes was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg). Aqueous extracts of Kasni seeds (400 mg/kg) were orally administered once a day for 28 days to the mice in the treatment group, and gross liver morphology and histological features were studied for changes via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The results of the present study revealed that untreated diabetic mice presented elevated blood glucose levels, enlarged pale livers, and histological features indicating hepatic injury, including hepatocellular vacuolation, sinusoidal congestion, and early pericentral fibrosis. Diabetic mice treated with Kasni presented near-normal hepatic histological features; furthermore, the structure of the central vein was restored, orderly hepatocyte plates formed, and no inflammation, steatosis or fibrosis was observed. The gross morphological features revealed that the liver color and texture were similar to those of the control group. The study concluded that Cichorium intybus has a hepatoprotective effect against diabetes-related liver damage because of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the active ingredients in the plant.

Excess fructose intake is a main contributor to metabolic syndrome, which causes dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance. The present study examined the protective effects of quercetin, quinoa seed extract (QSE), and kaempferol against high-fructose diet (HFrD)-induced pancreatic and hepatic alterations in Wistar albino rats. Thirty rats were divided into six groups (n = 5, each group consisted of 5 rats): the control group, HFrD + metformin group, HFrD + kaempferol group, HFrD + quercetin group, and HFrD + QSE group. Treatments were administered orally for 21 days following induction with 61% fructose. Biochemical function tests were performed for hemoglobin (Hb) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and histopathological analyses of hepatic and pancreatic architecture were performed. The results showed that HFrD intake significantly increased ALT levels and body weight, accompanied by hepatocellular degeneration and inflammatory changes in pancreatic β-cells. Kaempferol, quercetin, and QSE administration significantly increased the Hb concentration, decreased ALT activity, and reduced vacuolar degeneration and hepatic necrosis. Kaempferol and quercetin resulted in nearly normal hepatocyte morphology among the test compounds, while QSE resulted in the greatest decrease in net weight gain. In the treated groups, pancreatic sections revealed the integrity of the islets of Langerhans and decreased inflammation of the islets. This study demonstrated that flavonoids from plants and the QSE have hepatoprotective and pancreatic protective effects through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms; hence, these compounds are potentially useful as therapeutic agents in the management of fructose-induced metabolic dysfunctions.

Malaria is a significant public health problem in developing countries, including Pakistan, with an annual mortality rate of 50,000 2.6 million cases in 2018. Pakistan continues to be among the top four countries with the highest number of anticipated malaria cases in the region. This descriptive cross-sectional study determined the unit cost of antimalarial prescriptions, compared average treatment costs, and assessed any differences in cost across prescriber types and medication categories. Using purposive sampling, 300 prescriptions of uncomplicated malaria were collected from physicians and consultants practicing at two public tertiary care hospitals in Lahore. The cost of drugs was calculated on the basis of the standard retail price set by the pharmaceutical company. The data were analyzed via SPSS version 25, frequencies were calculated, and two-way ANOVA was performed. The results highlighted that the unit cost of antimalarials prescribed by physicians ranged from Pakistani rupees (PKR) 21-30, whereas the majority of combination therapies for physicians cost up to PKR 50. In comparison, antimalarials prescribed by consultants had unit costs between PKR 31 and 40, with combination therapies falling into either a low-cost band (PKR 1–50) or a higher-cost band (PKR 201–300). Two-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant interaction between prescriber type and medication category in relation to treatment cost (p = 0.002). The study concluded that physicians prescribe lower-cost unit doses and combinations of antimalarial medications than consultants do, and there are significant differences in treatment costs on the basis of prescriber type and the category of medication prescribed. Future research should explore qualitative determinants of prescriber behavior to guide national malaria control and health policy.

Pharmacy students face critical decisions about their career paths as they approach graduation. However, in Pakistan, data are limited on how academic performance, job preparedness, and career orientation are interrelated among pharmacy undergraduates. This study aimed to assess academic performance, job-seeking preparedness, and career orientation among fourth- and fifth-year Doctors of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) students and to evaluate the availability and utilization of institutional career counseling services. A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 183 fourth- and fifth-year Pharm.D. was conducted at the College of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha. students. Data were collected via a self-structured, expert-validated questionnaire covering academic performance, job preparedness, and career orientation. The data were analyzed via SPSS and RStudio, which employ descriptive statistics, independent samples t tests, and Pearson correlation analysis. Most participants were female (65.57%), urban residents (72.68%), and unmarried (95.08%), with 69.95% having one to three siblings with a university education. A CGPA ≥ 3.5 was reported by 60.66% of the students, whereas only 20.77% had research experience. Workshop and conference participation was high (85.25% and 83.06%, respectively), but institutional support was limited—only 19.67% received help from the student affairs department, and 29.51% received guidance from a student society or organization. Although 89.62% could make a CV and 71.58% could independently apply for jobs, only 46.45% could write a cover letter, and 42.08% felt prepared for interviews. The awareness of private-sector pharmaceutical roles (15.85%) exceeded that of public-sector roles (13.11%), and the knowledge of community (70.49%) and clinical (64.48%) pharmacies was greater than that of industrial (8.20%) or hospital (38.25%) positions. Career orientation toward nonpharmaceutical sectors was relatively stronger in the public (49.73%) and private (45.90%) domains. Gender (p = 0.030) and year of study (p = 0.047) were significantly associated with preparedness, favoring male and 5th-year students. A moderate correlation existed between academic performance and preparedness (r = 0.38), whereas correlations between academic performance and career orientation (r = –0.02) and between preparedness and career orientation (r = 0.09) were weak or negligible. Pharmacy undergraduates in their fourth and fifth professional years were academically sound but demonstrated deficiencies in job-seeking readiness and awareness of nontraditional career paths. However, exposure of students to career counseling by institutions has remained limited; findings highlight the need for career guidance services in a structured manner, intense research engagement, and vast exposure of students as well as fresh graduates to diverse professional pathways beyond traditional pharmacy roles.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an illness caused by either a relative or absolute loss of insulin; it is highly prevalent worldwide. The role of standard treatment guidelines (STGs) is fundamental to ensure positive treatment outcomes for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as they promote rationality in prescriptions. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to determine healthcare providers’ perceptions of STGs for T2DM management, perceived barriers to T2DM management, and perceptions of the effectiveness of oral antidiabetics. Furthermore, the study also examined the associations of knowledge with the dose of antidiabetic agent, sector of employment and clinical experience. This study included 150 healthcare providers working in public and private tertiary care facilities in Islamabad. A relevant expert-verified questionnaire was employed in the study, and data were gathered via a convenient sampling technique. The results of the study revealed that 38.67% of the providers were from the public sector and that 61.33% of the providers were from the private sector. A total of 87.33% of the providers agreed that current antidiabetic drugs are effective, and 77.33% supported combination therapy; 64.00% reported that STGs are cost effective, and 94.67% underlined the importance of educational program treatment outcomes; 88.67% of the providers highlighted patient-related barriers, 80.67% highlighted limited guideline availability, and 80.00% highlighted a lack of prescriber awareness as major barriers in the implementation of STGs. Glimepiride by 82.00% of providers and metformin by 73.33% of providers were rated as most effective, whereas glibenclamide was the least preferred agent by 61.33% of providers. The level of knowledge varied, with sector showing a significant association (p = 0.001), whereas experience had no significant impact (p = 0.503). The study concluded that healthcare providers support the effectiveness of oral antidiabetics and the use of combination therapy, and the role of treatment guidelines in T2DM management, patient-related barriers, limited access to STGs, and discrepancies in knowledge across sectors remain major challenges in T2DM management.