Kufa Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in various physiological functions, including the regulation
of calcium and phosphate balance, bone metabolism, and immune function. Recent research has linked vitamin D
deficiency to numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus. In particular, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
has been associated with low serum vitamin D levels, potentially due to its role in insulin secretion and sensitivity.
This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in diabetic patients and compare it with nondiabetic
individuals in the Iraqi population and analyze its association with demographic, lifestyle, and clinical
characteristics .This study is a cross-sectional study, it involved 72 subjects (45 with diabetes and 27 without
diabetes) and conducted at Al-Seder teaching Hospital- Diabetic center. They aged between 18-70 years old and
collected during time between the start of September to the end of December 2024 from Najaf Governorate, Iraq.
Demographic and clinical data (Blood pressure, BMI, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, physical activity and
antidiabetic therapy) were abstracted from patient medical records using a structured data‑collection sheet. Blood
sample was collected for each subject to test vitamin D by MINI VIDAS method which is a compact automated
immunoassay system based on Enzyme linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA) principles. Statistical analysis was
performed by using SPSS version 18, Using Frequency, Percentage, chisquare test and Independent T-test. The
results showed that Vitamin D deficiency was more frequent in DM than non‑DM patients (80% vs 33.3%,
p=0.005). DM patients showed higher inactivity (81.8% vs 19.2% active), more hypertension (55.6% vs 11.1%) and
dyslipidemia (51.1% vs 33.3%) and in conclusion Vitamin D deficiency is common among DM patients and clusters
with adverse demographic and clinical characteristics (physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia).

Hypoxia in many kinds of solid tumours represent the main factor to induce Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) and
thus supports tumour pH homeostasis under low-oxygen condition. In mouse models, pharmacological CAIX
inhibition has been shown to delay tumour growth, reduce metastatic spread, and restrain cancer stem cell expansion.
Accordingly, targeting carbonic anhydrase overexpression—especially CAIX—represents a promising anticancer
approach.
Based on this premise, a new series of naphthyridinedione derivatives (5a to 5c) was designed, synthesised, and
evaluated in cell lines (HCT116 and MCF-7), with acetazolamide (ACZ) used as a control compound. To prioritise
the most promising candidates, molecular docking (Schrödinger Maestro 2021-1 and PyMOL) was performed prior
to synthesis to select compounds with the highest predicted binding. Antiproliferative effects were then measured
using an MTT assay in both cell models. Relative to acetazolamide, compound 5c demonstrated substantially greater
antiproliferative potency in HCT116 (IC₅₀ = 1.08 μM) and MCF-7 cells (IC₅₀ = 1.49 μM) compared with
acetazolamide (IC₅₀ = 1.79 μM and 2.55 μM, respectively). In contrast, compounds 5a and 5b exhibited cytotoxicity
broadly comparable to acetazolamide. Collectively, these findings suggest that naphthyridinedione derivatives (5a–c)
provide a useful starting scaffold for further anticancer drug development.
Docking analyses further indicated that 5c achieved more favourable S-scores than acetazolamide, consistent with
stronger predicted binding to the CAIX active site. The methoxy substituent and the naphthyridinedione core may
contribute to increased conformational flexibility and improved receptor interactions. Overall, these
naphthyridinedione derivatives (5a–c) show notable CAIX-related inhibitory potential alongside measurable
cytotoxicity, supporting continued evaluation as anticancer lead compounds.

Drug related problems (DRPs) are common in emergency departments (EDs), where the fast-paced environment increases the risk of medication errors and adverse drug events. Limited data are available from Iraq. Accordingly, the current study aimed to assess the prevalence, causes and severity of DRPs in Iraqi EDs and to evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacist interventions. A cross-sectional multi-center study was conducted in March 2024 at four major hospitals in Al-Najaf, Iraq. Adult patients (n=500) presenting to ED for non-surgical conditions were included. DRPs were identified and classified using PNCE version 9.0 system. Pharmacist interventions and their acceptance were documented. Data were analysed using SPSS version 28. DRPs were identified among 80.2% of patients. Drug-drug interactions (39.4%), ineffective medications (39.8%) and cost effectiveness problems (36.2%) were the most common causes. Regarding severity, 55.9% of the total DRPs were mild, 25.1% moderate and 19.1% sever. A total of 685 pharmacist intervention were recorded, most commonly were changing in drug instructions (30.4%). Overall, 59.4% of interventions were fully accepted by the physicians resulting in solving of 36.4% of the total DRPs. DRPs are highly prevalent in Iraqi EDs, with nearly one in five classifieds as sever. Clinical pharmacist interventions were effective and frequently accepted, underscoring the importance of integrating pharmacists into ED team to improve patient safety.