MedWorm: Drugs & Pharmacology Top 20

FDA approves first test for risk of PML in patients taking natalizumab (Tysabri®)

NeLM - News — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Source: FDA Area: News The US FDA has approved the marketing of the first test to help determine the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in people using natalizumab (Tysabri®) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn's disease (CD). Testing positive for anti-JC virus (JCV) antibodies has been identified as a risk factor for PML. The Stratify JCV Antibody ELISA test helps to determine a patient's anti-JCV antibody status and can help healthcare providers determine the risk for developing PML, when used with other clinical data from the patient. The test has been analytically and clinically validated, and was cleared by FDA on January 20, 2012. The following risk factors have been found to increase the risk of developing P...

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Review: Clinically isolated syndromes

NeLM - News — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Source: Lancet Neurology Area: News Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) describes a first clinical episode with features suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS). Although patients usually recover from their presenting episode, CIS is often the first manifestation of MS. This review on CIS covers the following: . CIS and its relation to MS . Risk factors for MS . Risk factors for long-term disability . Non-conventional MRI abnormalities in CIS . Radiologically isolated syndromes . Differential diagnosis . Treatment . Future challenges The authors note that disease-modifying treatments delay the development from CIS to MS; however their use in CIS is limited by uncertain long-term clinical prognosis and tre...

Social-Cognitive Bias and Depressive Symptoms in Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:36:31 +0100

This study compares the attribution of intentions (social-cognitive bias) in a group of 37 outpatients with bipolar disorder with 32 matched control subjects. Bipolar patients scored significantly higher in the Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire, showing an angry and intentionality bias (P=.001, P=.02). Differences in blame scale and hostility bias did not reach statistical significance, but a trend was found (P=.06). Bipolar patients with depressive symptoms presented a higher score in the angry bias scale (P=.03) and aggressivity bias scale (P=.004). The global functioning (GAF) correlates significantly with intentionality (P=.005), angry (P=.027), and aggressivity (P=.020) biases. Bipolar patients show a social-cognitive bias that may play a role in their functional outcome. (...

Pseudoaneurysm of Lumbar Artery following a Vertebral Biopsy: A Case Report

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:56:20 +0100

A 74-year-old man developed a severe low back pain and a fever. In the initial examinations, a collapse of the L5 anterosuperior vertebral body and narrowing of the L4/5 disc space were identified on radiographs, and the laboratory data showed inflammatory results. A computed tomography (CT) and a magnetic resonance imaging showed collapse of L5. A needle biopsy was performed to make a diagnosis; however, an abdominal pain and a hypotension appeared after the biopsy. An abdominal CT showed a hematoma in the retroperitoneal space, and an angiography revealed a left fourth lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm was treated with transcatheter placement of microcoils. Although haemorrhagic complications following needle biopsy are very rare, patients with large amounts of vertebral d...

Deflazacort: Morbid obesity in a child: case report

Reactions — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:29:54 +0100

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Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone associated with moxifloxacin.

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy : AJHP — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:49:21 +0100

Conclusion A 66-year-old woman developed severe hyponatremia after receiving moxifloxacin for five days for treatment of COPD exacerbation. PMID: 22261943 [PubMed - in process] (Source: American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy : AJHP)

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An Unusual Presentation of Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Pathological Fracture

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:56:20 +0100

We present a case of a 54-year-old female patient who was admitted with fracture of her right femur. She underwent closed intramedullary reconstruction nailing with bipolar locking. The pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism with brown tumor. Further tests showed increased both calcium level and PTH level. A parathyroidectomy was performed. She made an uneventful recovery and was discharged to home. (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)

Progression of Motor and Non‐Motor Features of Parkinson's Disease and Their Response to Treatment

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:20:41 +0100

Conclusions: This analysis indicates tremor progresses more slowly than other cardinal features and that PIGD is less treatment responsive in early PD patients. There was no evidence of baseline PD subtypes as a clinically useful predictor of disease progression rate. Anti‐parkinsonian treatments have symptomatic and disease‐modifying effects on all major features of PD.© 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society (Source: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)

Mushrooms as therapeutic agents

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:30:49 +0100

Mushrooms have been known for their nutritional and culinary values and used as medicines and tonics by humans for ages. In modern terms, they can be considered as functional foods which can provide health benefits beyond the traditional nutrients. There are monographs that cover the medicinal and healing properties of some individual traditional mushrooms. There has been a recent upsurge of interest in mushrooms not only as a health food which is rich in protein but also as a source of biologically active compounds of medicinal value which include complementary medicine/dietary supplements for anticancer, antiviral, hepatoprotective, immunopotentiating and hypocholesterolemic agents. However the mechanisms of the various health benefits of mushrooms to humans still require intensive inves...

Anticancer Properties of Pomolic Acid-Induced AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation in MCF7 Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:48:02 +0100

In this study, we investigated PA activated AMPK, and this activity was related to proliferation and apoptosis in MCF7 breast cancer cells. PA inhibited cell proliferation and induced sub-G(1) arrest, elevating the mRNA levels of the apoptotic genes p53 and p21. PA activated caspase-3, -9, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, and this effect was inhibited by z-VAD-fmk. AMPK activation was increased by treating cells with PA, inactivated by treating cells with a compound C, and co-treatment consisting of PA and aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) synergistically activated AMPK. These anti-cancer potentials of PA were accompanied by effects on de novo fatty acid synthesis as shown by the decreased expression of fatty acid synthase, and decreased acetyl-CoA carboxylase activation an...

Gender Differences in Modifying Lumbopelvic Motion during Hip Medial Rotation in People with Low Back Pain

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:36:31 +0100

Reducing increased or early lumbopelvic motion during trunk or limb movements may be an important component of low back pain treatment. The ability to reduce lumbopelvic motion may be influenced by gender. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of gender on the ability of people with low back pain to reduce lumbopelvic motion during hip medial rotation following physical therapy treatment. Lumbopelvic rotation and hip rotation before the start of lumbopelvic rotation were assessed pre- and posttreatment for 16 females and 15 males. Both men and women decreased lumbopelvic rotation and completed more hip rotation before the start of lumbopelvic rotation post-treatment compared to pre-treatment. Men demonstrated greater lumbopelvic rotation and completed less hip rotation...

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Geranyl Derivative of Phloroacetophenone Induces Cancer Cell-Specific Apoptosis through Bax-Mediated Mitochondrial Pathway in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:48:02 +0100

Authors: Cho MY, Park SY, Park S, Lee YR, Han GD, Kim JA Abstract Plant-derived polyhenols inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Recently, prenylflavonoids and alkyl-phloroacetophenones have been reported for their in vitro antitumor activity. In the present study, we examined the cytotoxic activity of prenyl (3-PAP) and geranyl (3-GAP) derivatives of phloroacetophenone, and xanthohumol (XN), a prenyl-chalcone, in human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human sarcoma (HT1080) cell lines in vitro. 3-GAP showed the strongest cytotoxicity in these cell lines with IC(50) values of less than 10 µM. In addition, we report that 3-GAP is a more potent anti-cancer agent for breast cancer than XN which is a well-known anticancer flavonoid. Moreover, 3-GAP did not induce cytotoxi...

Statins increase diabetes risk

Reactions — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:35:21 +0100

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Flupentixol/tetrabenazine: Unmasking and aggravation of Parkinson's disease in an elderly patient: case report

Reactions — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:29:54 +0100

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Review: Fingolimod for multiple sclerosis

NeLM - News — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Source: N Engl J Med Area: News This review on fingolimod for multiple sclerosis begins with a case vignette followed by a discussion of the clinical problem, the mechanism of benefit of this form of therapy, major clinical studies, the clinical use of this therapy, and potential adverse effects. The article ends with the authors' clinical recommendations on the management of the case in hand. (Source: NeLM - News)

Prednisone: Panic attack: case report

Reactions — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:35:21 +0100

(Source: Reactions)

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New breast cancer treatment available in Italy

Pharmacy Europe — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:19:00 +0100

Halaven® (eribulin) improves survival for women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (Source: Pharmacy Europe)

Anticholinesterase activity evaluation of alkaloids and coumarin from stems of Conchocarpus fontanesianus

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:30:49 +0100

Conchocarpus fontanesianus (A. St.-Hill.) Kallunki & Pirani, Rutaceae, popularly known as pitaguará, is a native and endemic tree from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro States, Brazil. Based in the information that anticholinesterasic derivatives could act as new prototypes to treatment of Alzheimer disease, this work describes the fractionation guided by evaluation of the anticholinesterase activity of the ethanolic stems extract from C. fontanesianus. This procedure afforded the alkaloids dictamnine (1), γ-fagarine (2), skimianine (3), and 2-phenyl-1-methyl-4-quinolone (4), as well as the coumarin marmesin (5). (Source: Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia)

Determinants affecting quality of life: implications for pharmacist counseling for patients with breast cancer in Japan.

Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:48:02 +0100

This study aimed to identify the determinants and causal relationships that affect quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients before adjuvant systemic therapy for improving pharmacist counseling and guidance. This study analyzed 93 postoperative patients with breast cancer before pharmacist counseling for adjuvant systemic therapy. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires to assess QOL (the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 [EORTC QLQ-C30] and its breast cancer module [EORTC QLQ-BR23]) before pharmacist counseling. We analyzed factors affecting QOL by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis and evaluated causal association using path analysis. In the multiple linear regression model using variables selected by stepw...

Saxagliptin: A Review of its Use as Combination Therapy in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the EU

Drugs — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:40:57 +0100

(Source: Drugs)