Different Kinds Of Drugs Research Articles

Development of Vegetable Oil Emulsions with Lamellar Liquid-Crystalline Structures

Emulsions containing vegetable oils and anisotropic phases have especially attractive properties in pharmaceutical technology. They are use as vehicle for different kind of drugs, especially those of topical application. Apart from that, many vegetable oil have pharmacological activity, increasing the necessity for the development of new delivery systems for them. We developed emulsions with vegetable oils at a fixed surfactant ratio and observed the formation of liquid crystalline phases. Nine vegetable oils: Andiroba, Apricot, Avocado, Brazil Nut, Buriti, Cupuassu, Marigold, Passion Fruit and Pequi and mineral oil were tested. Surfactant system was consisted by Steareth-2 and Ceteareth-5. Emulsions were prepared by the emulsion phase inversion (EPI) method, presenting high stability independent on the HLB value. Results indicate that this method could be employed to attain stable emulsions, even if the required HLB value is not known.

Bipolaire stoornissen en mondgezondheid

A bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by recurrent occurrences of manic, depressive or mixed episodes, separated by shorter or longer relatively symptom-free periods. In the Netherlands, the incidence of bipolar disorders is 1.9%. Bipolar disorders are usually treated with a combination of psycho-education, self-management and pharmacotherapy. Both the bipolar disorder and the drugs for treating this disorder have negative effects on oral health. Patients have, among other things, an increased risk of caries, xerostomia, taste abnormalities and bruxism. Extensive instruction in oral hygiene, supported frequently by professional oral health care, is therefore essential. Considering the possible interaction among different kinds of drugs, NSAIDs should only be prescribed after consulting the patient's psychiatrist.

Abstract 207: Distinct TRAIL resistance mechanisms can be overcome by proteosome inhibition

Abstract A major impediment to the use of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Like Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) Receptor targeted drugs is that many tumors evolve resistance to these agents. On the other hand however, multiple different kinds of drugs are reported to be able to synergize with TRAIL. This raises the question of whether it is possible to overcome resistance using the same drugs that cause synergy. We tested this idea by creating a series of isogenic tumor cells with acquired TRAIL resistance or defined mechanisms of resistance that are known to occur in human tumors then compared these cells to the TRAIL-sensitive parental cell line. Although diverse classes of anti-cancer drug were all able to synergize with TRAIL most of these agents were unable to overcome resistance and there was no correlation between the amount of synergy that is seen with a particular agent and its ability to overcome acquired resistance. Proteosome inhibitors were however able to overcome diverse resistance mechanisms suggesting that one should select drugs for TRAIL R agonist combination therapy based not just on their ability to synergize but rather on their ability to both overcome resistance and synergy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 207.

Thin-layer Chromatography Methods for the Determination of Non- Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Cephalosporin Antibiotics: A Review

An extensive survey of the literature published in analytical and pharmaceutical chemistry journals has been conducted and the TLC methods which were developed and used for determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cephalosporin antibiotics in bulk drugs, formulations and biological fluids have been reviewed. This review covers the time period from 1990 to 2008 during which over 120 TLC methods were reported. Presented review highlighted some recent patent developments and new TLC techniques that have been used in the analysis and detection of two different kinds of drugs. Keywords: TLC, NSAIDs, cephalosporins, analytical methods, review

Skin Permeation and Transdermal Delivery Systems of Drugs: History to Overcome Barrier Function in the Stratum Corneum

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems (TDDS), where active drugs must be absorbed into the systemic circulation after penetrating the skin barrier, were first launched in 1979, and about 10 TDDS containing different kinds of drugs were developed during the initial decade. Interestingly, a developmental rush has come again in the present century. Various penetration-enhancing approaches to improve drug permeation of the skin (stratum corneum) have been attempted. These approaches are of two types: chemical and physical. Examples of the chemical approach are enhancers such as alcohol, monoterpenes and fatty acid esters, as well as chemical modification of prodrugs. In contrast, physical approaches include the use of electrical-, thermal- and mechanical-energy, as well as microneedles, needle-free injectors or electroporation to completely or partially evade the barrier function in the stratum corneum. The chemical approaches are mainly effective in increasing the skin permeation of low-molecular chemicals, whereas physical means are effective for these chemicals but also high-molecules like peptides, proteins and nucleotides (DNA or RNA). Marked development has been observed in these physical means in the past decade. In addition, recent developments in tissue engineering technologies enables the use of cultured skin containing keratinocytes and fibroblasts as a TDDS. An effective "cell delivery system" may be a reality in the near future. This paper will look back on the 30-year history of TDDS and evaluate the feasibility of a new generation of these systems.

Influence of drug polarity upon the solid-state structure and release properties of self-emulsifying drug delivery systems in relation with water affinity

To overcome low oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) have been noted as a promising strategy. However, incorporation of drugs into SEDDS composed of Gelucire ®44/14 could induce interactions not yet well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of drug polarity upon the solid-state structure of SEDDS formulation, particularly in terms of wettability, thermal behaviour and microscopic aspects and their effect upon the release properties of the SEDDS. Model drugs were naproxen and sodium naproxen (10% w/w), two drugs with similar chemical structure but different water solubilities. Both drugs had an effect on the structure and behaviour of SEDDS: sodium naproxen mainly increased surface wettability while naproxen modified its thermal behaviour. Moreover, influence of Gelucire ®44/14 as self-emulsifying matrix was very marked for naproxen with a huge increase of naproxen release, the less water-soluble drug in condition where the solubility was the limiting parameter (at pH 1.2). Study of SEDDS structure and its physico-chemical properties using different techniques brought novel findings about the behaviour of SEDDS with different kinds of drugs (various water solubilities) and could be linked to their performances during in vitro dissolution.

Levamisole Monotherapy for Oral Lichen Planus

Several different kinds of drugs have been used to treat chronic oral lichen planus (OLP). During the last decade, there have been several reports demonstrating success with levamisole and low dose prednisolone therapy for treating OLP. However, some OLP patients who have underlying diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and malignancy are unable to take steroids. The aim of this study was to evaluate levamisole monotherapy for treating OLP. Eleven patients who had OLP were treated with levamisole between 2005 and 2007. The levamisole was administered at a dose 50 mg thrice daily for three consecutive days, but then it was not administered on the following four days. After 2 weeks of treatment, 8 patients reported a partial response, 3 patients reported no response and no patients reported clearance of lesion. After 4 weeks of treatment, 6 patients reported a partial response, 3 patients reported no response and 2 patients reported clearance of lesion. Furthermore, after 3 months of treatment, 3 patients reported a partial response, 3 patients reported no response and 5 patients reported complete clearance of lesion. Clinical improvement was shown in 2 weeks, whilst the mean duration to achieve clearance of lesion was 6.2 weeks. Although 1 patient had mild itching, there were no significant adverse effects. Levamisole monotherapy could be a successful and safe treatment option for patients with chronic OLP and who cannot take steroids.

Effect of paclitaxel labeled cationic liposomes (EndoTAG1) and succinyl‐paclitaxel labeled cationic liposomes (EndoTAG SPA) in laser‐induced choroidal neovascularisation (L‐CNV) of mice

Abstract Purpose Cationic liposomes bind specifically to activated endothelial cells. In this study we used paclitaxel (Taxol) and succinyl‐paclitaxel labeled cationic liposomes to reduce CNV in laser‐induced choroidal neovascularization (L‐CNV) of C57BL/6J mice. Methods Mice underwent ARGON‐Laser coagulations on day 0. Injection of different liposome formulations tagged with paclitaxel or succinyl‐paclitaxel via tail vein was performed on day 1,3,5,7 and 9. As control paclitaxel, succinyl‐paclitaxel, cationic liposomes or trehalosebuffer alone were injected at the same time points. Animals were perfused with fluorescein dextrane and enucleated at day10. Choroido‐sclera flat mounts were prepared for quantification of the CNV. Quantification of CNV was carried out by measuring the area of fluorescein dextrane positive vessels. Results There is a significant reduction of CNV area by EndoTAG1 and EndoTAG SPA compared to trehalose control group. The reduction of CNV area caused by paclitaxel, succinyl‐paclitaxel and cationic liposomes is not significantly different either to EndoTAG1, EndoTAG SPA or trehalose buffer group. However, there was a trend of EndoTAG1 and EndoTAG SPA being superior either to paclitaxel, succinyl‐paclitaxel or cationic liposome alone. Conclusion Cationic liposomes can be used to carry paclitaxel or succinyl‐paclitaxel to activated endothelial cells and reduce the groth of CNV membranes. In general, cationic liposomes could be used as a universal vector to transport different kinds of drugs specifically to activated endothelial cells.

Etiología neurógena en pacientes con disfunción erectil

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder with a high prevalence that increases with age. It is estimated that 18.9% of men's between 25 and 70 years suffer it in Spain. Most cases have a multifactorial origin and it is admitted the influence on its pathogenesis of systemic diseases, different kind of drugs, psychogenic factors, cardiovascular, endocrinological and neurological diseases. Neurologic cause erectile dysfunction may have its origin in the central or peripheral nervous system. Among possible process of neurogenic erectile dysfunction of central origin would be tumors, cerebral vascular accidents, encephalitis, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinization diseases, dementias, olivopontocerebellar degeneration and epilepsy. Myelopathies of any etiology may be, depending on their localization and extension, cause of erectile dysfunction. At the peripheral level, disorders of the sensitive tracts constituting the afferent limb of the erection spinal reflex, and the efferent vegetative or somatic tracts mediating arterial vasodilatation, cavernous smooth muscle relaxation or pelvic floor striated muscle contraction. The aim of this work is to review in detail the most relevant causes of neurogenic erectile dysfunction, their etiopathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic approaches currently considered more adequate for each particular case. The correct diagnostic approach to patients with erectile dysfunction passes through identification, if possible, of the etiopathogenic factors implied. Regarding this, detection and identification of a possible neurogenic risk factor will contribute to a better understanding of the physiopathologic mechanisms, and more adequate diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches, mainly in those patients refractory to first line therapy.

Relevance of cortical thickness in migraine sufferers

Relevance of cortical thickness in migraine sufferers

Breakdown Evaluation of Corneal Epithelial Barrier Caused by Antiallergic Eyedrops Using an Electrophysiologic Method

The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of an electrophysiologic method for predicting corneal epithelial breakdown by antiallergic eyedrops and comparing the results with those in other appraisal methods. Six kinds of antiallergic eyedrops, including benzalkonium chloride (BK) as an ophthalmic preservative and two kinds of BK-free antiallergic eyedrops, were used in this study. Eyedrops were applied to excise rabbit corneas and monitoring was performed according to an electrophysiologic method, using a commercially available chamber system to mimic human tear turnover. Changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in the corneal surface were recorded. The cytotoxicity of each kind of eyedrops in a normal rabbit corneal epithelial (NRCE) cell line and a human endothelial cell line EA.hy926 was also examined. The extent of decrease in the corneal TEER after applying antiallergic eyedrops was dependent on the concentration of the BK included as a preservative, but it was also affected by the different kinds of drugs when the BK concentration was low. Higher cytotoxicity of the eyedrops against the NRCE and EA.hy926 cell lines was observed with a reduction of TEER. Monitoring changes in the corneal TEER, according to the electrophysiologic method with the application of antiallergic eyedrops, is useful for predicting corneal epithelial breakdown caused by their instillation.

Avaliação das atitudes dos estudantes de medicina frente ao abuso de drogas por colegas do meio acadêmico

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of drug use among young college students is increasing. This gives cause for special concern to medical students who will later confront the consequences of the drug problems both in the classroom as well as in clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this paper is the evaluation of medical students ' attitudes towards drug abuse in the academic environment; comparing these with respect to different kinds of drugs - illegal, legal, and alcohol exclusively. METHODS: Three different versions of a self-completed questionnaire (approved by the Ethics Committee for Research Project Evaluation) were ministered to groups of equal numbers of medical students attending the University of Sao Paulo, School of Medicine - FMUSP (Brazil). Each questionnaire focused on illegal drugs, legal drugs, and alcohol. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant difference in the students ' attitudes regarding intervention for the different types of drug abuse. There was also indication of a difference in the students ' opinions regarding the roles that colleagues, relatives, and health professionals undertake in dealing with these issues, including the respective treatment plans for drug abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students tend to be more tolerant of alcohol consumption, considering themselves to be less vulnerable to alcohol abuse. Therefore, harmful consequences may not be apparent until an incapacitating level of dysfunction affects the individual on both a personal and professional level.

Biocompatible Microemulsions and Their Prospective Uses in Drug Delivery

Efficacy of lipophilic drugs is often hindered due to their poor aqueous solubility leading to low absorption after in vivo administration. A part of the administered dose is absorbed and reaches the pharmacological site of action and the remainder causes toxicity and undesirable side effects due to unwanted biodistribution. Enhancement in drug efficacy and lowering of drug toxicity could be achieved through encapsulation and delivery of the lipophilic drugs in aqueous based delivery systems. Microemulsions are macroscopically homogeneous pseudoternary and ternary colloidal assemblies having polar and nonpolar micro domains. Their dispersed phases in nanodimension have good shelf-life (due to thermodynamic stability), large surface area, low viscosity (in some compositions), and ultraslow surface tension. These properties qualify them to be prospective drug delivery systems provided they are composed of biocompatible excipients. Due to the existence of polar, nonpolar, and interfacial microdomains, encapsulation of different kinds of drugs is possible. The review entails reports on development and characterization of biocompatible microemulsion systems and their evaluation as probable vehicles for encapsulation, stabilization, and delivery of bioactive natural products and prescription drugs.

Can Large-Scale Trials or Meta-Analyses Demonstrate Blood Pressure–Independent Effect of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers?

To the Editor: In the recent quantitative overview, Wang et al1 showed that amlodipine provided more protection against stroke and myocardial infarction than other antihypertensive drugs, including angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), although they concluded that blood pressure (BP) differences largely accounted for cardiovascular outcome among different kinds of drugs. They also concluded that more studies are needed to demonstrate whether certain drugs or classes of drugs might possess BP-independent influence on certain outcome measures. However, it is somewhat questionable whether the accumulation of large-scale clinical trials or their meta-analyzes could provide more conclusive information. It is plausible that the BP-lowering effect of the renin-angiotensin …

Intravitreal triamcinolone for macular oedema: efficacy in relation to aetiology

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal triamcinolone in patients with macular oedema of varying aetiology. Two milligrams of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide was injected into 34 eyes with persistent macular oedema (17 eyes with macula oedema secondary to posterior uveitis, 13 eyes with diabetic retinopathy, and four with pseudophakic macular oedema). Best corrected visual acuity was determined and transfoveal optical coherence tomography performed after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Treatment improved visual acuity and subjective visual quality, and reduced foveal thickness in eyes with posterior uveitis and eyes with macular oedema secondary to diabetic retinopathy. Eyes treated for pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema demonstrated no improvement. A total of 32% of patients experienced a significant post-injection increase in intraocular pressure. Endophthalmitis, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and cataract were absent. Intravitreal triamcinolone appears to induce marked a improvement in macular oedema secondary to non-infectious uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.

History of Symptomatic Therapy in Vascular Dementia

The therapy for vascular dementia has known several changes and updates since the use of niacin in the first years of the 20th century. These modifications were due to the parallel evolution of the concept of vascular dementia. Initially, treatments in this area were proposed because they were considered vasoactive and able to increase the blood flow of the brain. After these, other drugs were introduced because they were also able to ameliorate the oxygen usage by the suffering neurons. The more recent therapeutic proposals were made for drugs active on the metabolic activities of the brain, or with hemorrheological or antioxidant properties. As a consequence, a large array of different pharmacological properties were considered in proposing the several different kinds of drugs as useful in vascular dementia patients. The most recent attempt in this field consists of evaluating the usefulness of traditional antidementia drugs (those with anticholinesterase action) in patients with a prevalence of cerebrovascular disorders.

Biodegradable hollow fibres containing drug‐loaded nanoparticles as controlled release systems

AbstractA ‘multiple’ delivery system was studied, consisting of hollow microfibres containing drug‐loaded nanoparticles. Both fibres and nanoparticles are made of biodegradable polymers, so that the system does not need any surgical operation to be removed. The main advantage of the system is that it allows the contemporaneous release of different kinds of drugs. Copolymers of poly(lactic acid) and ϵ‐caprolactone were used for the preparation of the fibres through both wet and dry–wet spinning procedures. Two types of nanoparticles, gelatin and poly(DL‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) nanoparticles, were prepared by simple water‐in‐oil and oil‐in‐water emulsions, respectively. Drugs such as dexamethasone and methotrexate were used to load the particles. The technique employed for the preparation of the nanoparticles filled fibres was described and the drug release characteristics of this system were investigated and compared with those of the free nanoparticles.© 2002 Society of Chemical Industry

Drogue et alcool durant l'incarcération: Examen de la situation des pénitenciers fédéraux québécois

The consumption of psychoactive substances by offenders constitutes a major preoccupation for clinicians, researchers and correctional managers. None the less, little is known about this phenomenon in prison. This research deals with the prevalence of use of psychoactive substances in ten federal penitentiaries in Quebec, classified according to three levels of security. The 317 participants were selected at random and interviewed in order to complete a self-reporting questionnaire. Analyses of the responses and the characteristics of the offenders and of the penitentiaries were conducted to establish if there are relationships between the offenders and the use of drugs in prison. Also, the participants were asked about certain aspects of their perceptions concerning the level of tolerance by custodial staff regarding the different kinds of drugs as well as their perception about the frequency of searches and controls. The analyses indicate that certain characteristics of the offenders, i.e., their age, their preincarceration use of drugs, the number of previous stays in penitentiary are related to use while incarcerated. On the other hand, tolerance by guards is, according to the inmates, related to the type of drugs and the level of security.

Quantitative retention- and migration-toxicity relationships of phenoxy acid herbicides in micellar liquid chromatography and micellar electrokinetic chromatography

The need to obtain a tool for estimation of toxicity parameters for chemicals supports, the postulation of predictive models as an alternative to conventional classical assays. The use of micellar solutions of Brij35 as mobile phases in reversed phase liquid chromatography has proven to be valid in predicting some biological activities of different kinds of drugs. In this paper, the correlations between retention of phenoxy acids using different concentrations of Brij35 as micellar mobile phase in micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) and migration in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with several toxicity parameters are studied. Adequate correlations retention- and migration-toxicity (LC 50 in fish, daphnia and mysid shrimp, EC 50 in green algae and daphnia, and values of chronic toxicity in fish and green algae) of phenoxy acids are obtained. The approach proposed in this paper, involving quantitative retention- and migration-toxicity relationships (QRAR and QMAR) can be very useful in the development of new phenoxy acid herbicides.

Development of predictive retention-activity models of butyrophenones by biopartitioning micellar chromatography.

The predictive and interpretative capability of quantitative chromatographic retention-biological activity models is supported by the fact that in adequate experimental conditions the solute partitioning into the chromatographic system can emulate the solute partitioning into lipid bilayers of biological membranes, which is the basis of drug and metabolite uptake, passive transport across membranes and bioaccumulation. The use of retention data obtained in biopartitioning micellar chromatography (BMC) has been demonstrated to be helpful in describing the biological behaviour of different kinds of drugs. In this chromatographic system, polioxyethylene 23 lauryl ether Brij35 micellar mobile phases and C(18) reversed stationary phase in adequate experimental conditions are used. The RP-HPLC capacity factors of butyrophenones were determined using different Brij35 concentrations as micellar mobile phases. Relationships between seven biological activities of butyrophenones reported in bibliography and retention data were established and their predictive and interpretative ability evaluated. These relationships were significant between preclinical pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy parameters and the retention factors of butyrophenones (0.89 < R(2) < 0.98). The results indicate that the retention of compounds in BMC is capable of describing and predicting in vitro the biological activities of butyrophenones. This approach can be very useful in the development of new neuroleptic drugs, avoiding the use of experimental animals.