Basma R. Damiri

An-Najah National University · Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences- Drugs and Toxicology Division

We investigated the association between energy drinks, depression, insomnia and stress among Palestinians and whether cigarette smoking, electronic cigarettes, and waterpipe mediate the association between these variables. Our study sample consisted of 506 Palestinian adults: 120 men and 386 women recruited from online advertisements, e-mail campai...

Background Objectives: To determine the prevalence of different psychostimulants and cognitive enhancers among Palestinian university students and their association with of metabolic syndrome (MetS) Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among university students aged 18-25 years at An-Najah National University in the West Bank. MetS...

A post-mortem examination is a reliable method to reveal possible hidden causes of death. However, due to the stigma associated with drug use, mortality data related to drug use is a neglected topic in local health in Palestine. Therefore, we aimed to describe post-mortem examination cases' mortality data and investigate the occurrence of death-rel...

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the principal causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. The maternal morbidity and mortality burden for Palestinian women is relatively high, suggesting a substandard quality of care. Therefore, an early diagnosis of GDM and gestational hypertensio...

Background Obesity is one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature death. The prevalence of obesity and being overweight in young adulthood is increasing exponentially globally, including Palestine. Consumption of energy drinks (EDs) and tobacco smoking are highly prevalent among Palestinian young adults. Although different studies have dem...

Background Obesity is one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature death. The prevalence of obesity and being overweight in young adulthood is increasing exponentially globally, including Palestine. Consumption of energy drinks (EDs) and tobacco smoking are highly prevalent among Palestinian young adults. Although different studies have dem...

Background University students are at a higher risk of using cognitive enhancers and psychoactive substances. Depression is associated with a noticeable decline in academic performance and can increase the risk of substance use. Due to sociopolitical issues, the use of cognitive enhancers and psychoactive substances among Palestinians has spread in...

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the principal causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. The maternal morbidity and mortality burden for Palestinian women is relatively high, suggesting a substandard quality of care. Therefore, an early diagnosis of GDM and gestational hypertensio...

Introduction: Due to their stressful lives, Palestinian refugees are prone to use cognitive enhancers (CE) and psychostimulant substances (PS). Recognising health problems associated with CE/PS use can indicate how preventive programs should be directed towards adolescents. Unfortunately, research has not thoroughly investigated the health problem...

Background: University students, who are at risk of eating disorders (ED), are more liable to use cognitive enhancers and psychostimulants to improve their cognitive functions and lose weight. ED in Palestinian male students is a neglected health issue. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and the association between ED and cognitive enhancers,...

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine energy drink (ED) consumption and the associated risk factors among Palestinian university students, particularly concerning gender differences. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 across five public universities in the West Bank, Palestine. A self-administrated questionnaire was...

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 in the West Bank, Palestine to examine the prevalence and the risk factors associated with tobacco smoking and energy drink (ED) intake among 10 th grade female students. 382 participants were randomly selected; 16.2% were current tobacco smokers (18.1% cigarette smokers, 36.1% waterpipe smokers), 41.4%...

Non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes have become the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among Palestinians. A low level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) is a major modifiable risk factor for CVD. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with low HDL among adult Pales...

During a conflict, there is a significant disability related to common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. A self-administered questionnaire was used in a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2016 to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors associated with psychoactive substance (PS) use among 9...

Introduction: Mortality data is essential to improve the health system and develop effective policies in any country. This study aimed to address the manner and cause of death in children in the West Bank from 2009 to 2018 based on gender, age, and sociodemographic distribution. Methods: All death notifications (9133 records) for children aged be...

Abstract During a conflict, there is a significant disability related to common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. A self-administered questionnaire was used in a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2016 to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors associated with psychoactive substance (PS) us...

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors that includes central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of MetS and its associated risk factors among adult Palestinians using the International Diabetes Federation definition. Methods...

University students are at higher risk of using psychoactive substances (PS). The aim of this study was to provide insight into the extent and the pattern of PS use among students in four main universities in the West Bank, Palestine. The most frequent lifetime substance uses were smoking tobacco (41.6% for cigarettes and 50% for hookah), drinking...

Background The use of illicit drugs has seen an upswing during the last years in the West Bank. Political, social, economic, and demographic factors may play roles in the increasing use of illicit drugs in the West Bank. This study aimed to describe drug possession among Palestinians in order to provide insight into the extent of illicit substances...

We previously made a RNAi‐based cytochrome P450 2b (Cyp2b)‐knockdown (Cyp2b‐KD) mouse to determine the in vivo role of the Cyp2b subfamily in xenobiotic detoxification. Further studies reported here indicate a role for Cyp2b in unsaturated fatty‐acid (UFA) metabolism and in turn obesity. Mice were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 100 μL corn o...

Background: Tobacco smoking, alcohol use, and illicit drugs use are significant health, psychological, and social problems among youth in Palestine. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the extent and the pattern of psychoactive substance use among schoolchildren in the West Bank in Palestinian. A cross sectional study in 16 schools wa...

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AUTOPSY-REFERRED CASES IN THE NORTH OF PALESTINE (WEST BANK): A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY Article 3, Volume 18, Issue 3, Summer 2018, Page 43-63 XML Document Type: Original Article DOI: 10.21608/EJFSAT.2018.16163 Authors Basma Damiri 1; Rayyan Ali2; Assad Hijawi3 1Department of Drugs and Toxicology, An-Najah National University, Nablus 00...

ظهرت مشكلة تعاطي المخدرات بشكل واسع بين أوساط الفلسطينين في السنوات الخمس الاخيرة. الطابع التصاعدي لهذه المشكلة زادت أولويات جميع المهتمين بمكافحتها إلا أن عدم وجود بيانات دقيقة و مفصلة عن المشكلة ضخم من حجمها وزاد القلق بين أوساط الاهالي والمسؤولين. هذا البحث هو جزء من الأبحاث الجارية التي تهدف إلى تحقيق فهم شامل لحجم مشكلة تعاطي المخدرات بين صفوف...

Background: Warning signs of metabolic syndrome (MetS) can appear during childhood. Early detection and treatment of MetS is likely to reduce morbidity and mortality in adulthood and help to keep to minimum the global burden of cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. This study aimed to establish the prevalence and to characterize metabolic s...

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the main reasons for elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Obese and overweight individuals are at high risk of developing these chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to characterize and establish sex-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components. Methods:...

Background Substance use has been an increasing problem in the occupied Palestinian territory for decades. The aim of this study was to describe the practice, knowledge, and attitudes associated with substance use by university students in the occupied Palestinian territory. Methods This cross-sectional study was done in 2015. Male and female stud...

Background Metabolic syndrome is one of the main reasons for elevated mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise and establish sex-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome in young Palestinian adults. Methods This cross-sectional study was done at An-Najah National University in 2014 using International Diabetes Federation (ID...

Objectives: Metabolic Syndrome "MetS" is characterized by the presence of several factors that play a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to establish the prevalence of MetS and its individual components among the overweight and obese students at An-Najah National University (ANU...

One of the most important pollutants that may reach the groundwater through agricultural return flow combined with abuse and ignorance is pesticides. This study focuses on the examination of the concentration of three pesticides: Abamectin, Imidacloprid, and ß-Cyfluthrin, all of which have been used in large quantities in the Lower Jordan Valley (L...

Natural plants products are one of the famous and commonly utilized remedies used in fighting diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate antioxidant activity of plants commonly used in Palestine (Urtica urens, Rumex cyprius and Borago officinalis). Free radical scavenging activity method was evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazylhydr...

Natural plants products are one of the famous and commonly utilized remedies used in fighting diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate antioxidant activity of plants commonly used in Palestine (Urtica urens, Rumex cyprius and Borago officinalis). Free radical scavenging activity method was evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hyd...

There are few in vivo knockout models available to study the function of Cyp2 members involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous chemicals. These models may help provide insight into the cytochrome P450s (CYPs) responsible for the detoxification and activation of drugs, environmental toxicants, and endobiotics. The aim of this work is t...

The Cyp2b subfamily contains five members (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13, Cyp2b19, and Cyp2b23) of which three (Cyp2b9, Cyp2b10, Cyp2b13) are hepatic enzymes involved in xenobiotic detoxification. We made a Cyp2b-knockdown mouse using lentiviral-promoted shRNA homologous to all five Cyp2b subfamily members to characterize Cyp2b’s role in xenobiotic deto...