Drug Week articles from December 2008

Drug Week archives from December 2008

Gingko biloba does not appear to prevent dementia, Alzheimer's disease.
December 5, 2008... Use of the herb Ginkgo biloba, claimed to have beneficial effects on memory and cognition, was not effective in reducing the rate of dementia or Alzheimer's disease among more than 1,500 elderly study participants after several years of use,...

ADHD medications do not cause genetic damage in children.
December 5, 2008... In contrast to recent findings, two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed, according to a new study by...

Researchers uncover clue in spread of 'superbugs'.
December 5, 2008... A discovery from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation has put scientists are one step closer to finding a defense against dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, sometimes called "superbugs." In a study that will be published in the...

Gut check reveals vast multicultural community of bugs in bowels.
December 5, 2008... Mention the phrase "diverse ecosystem," and it conjures images of tropical rainforests and endangered coral reefs. It also describes the human colon (see also Stanford University Medical Center). A new study from the Stanford University...

UCLA study reveals smoking's effect on nurses' health, death rates.
December 5, 2008... A new UCLA School of Nursing study is the first to reveal the devastating consequences of smoking on the nursing profession. Published in the NovemberuDecember edition of the journal Nursing Research, the findings describe smoking trends and...

New findings from E. Esrailian and co-authors describe advances in alimentary pharmacology.
December 5, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, " When faced with the same facts, physicians often make different decisions. To perform a survey to measure the process of care and variations in decision-making in nonvariceal upper...

Reports outline clinical pharmacology study results from Aristotle University.(Clinical report)
December 5, 2008... According to a study from Thessaloniki, Greece, "The present study, aimed to clarify whether the gastrointestinal adverse effects following administration of the bronchodilator theophylline are owing to the action of the drug itself or its...

Reports summarize clinical pharmacology study results from Annamalai University.(Clinical report)
December 5, 2008... "In the present study, ferulic acid (FA), a naturally occurring nutritional compound, was investigated for its protective effect against nicotine-induced toxicity in a dose dependent manner. The toxicity was induced by subcutaneous injection of...

Research from University of Rochester yields new findings on osteolysis.(Report)
December 5, 2008... "Aseptic loosening of total joint replacements is caused by wear debris-induced osteoclastic bone resorption, for which bisphosphonates (Bps) and RANK antagonists have been developed. Although BPs are effective in preventing metabolic bone...

Researchers from Annamalai University provide details of new studies and findings in the area of clinical pharmacology.(Clinical report)
December 5, 2008... According to a study from India, "Ethanol is one of the most widely used and abused drugs that increases lipid levels in human and experimental animals. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of caffeic acid (CA) on...

Studies from L.G. Azevedo and colleagues yield new information about clinical pharmacology.
December 5, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, "A variety of biologically active compounds with pharmacological applications has been reported to occur in marine sponges. The present study was...

Research from S.A. Chua et al has provided new information about complementary therapy.(Report)
December 5, 2008... "This study examined Eastern (Singapore) and Western (United Kingdom) attitudes and beliefs towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and towards orthodox medicine (OM). In at[ 60 individuals from Singapore and 50 from the United...

Research results from E. Anna and co-authors update knowledge of complementary therapy.
December 5, 2008... "A control treatment in acupuncture research must be credible, regardless if the needting is performed by one or by several therapists. To investigate if individuals could identify whether neediing had been given with an acupuncture needle or a...

Research results from University of Wurzburg update understanding of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.
December 5, 2008... According to recent research from Wurzburg, Germany, "Due to problems, especially anaphylactoid reactions, raised by impure unfractionated heparin the quality assessment of heparin has to be reconsidered. Neither the USP nor the European...

Researchers from Rhodes University detail new studies and findings in the area of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.(Report)
December 5, 2008... According to recent research from Grahamstown, South Africa, "The Sceletium plant has been reported to contain psychoactive alkaloids, specifically mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol and other related alkaloids. Sceletium is marketed through...

Studies from Osaka University provide new data on pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.
December 5, 2008... "The prices of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa (yamato-toki) and A. acutiloba Kitagawa var. sukiyamae Hikino (hokkai-toki) are now mainly determined according to the sensory quality determined by experts in addition to the physical properties. This...

Recent studies from Ocean University of China add new data to pharmaceuticals.
December 5, 2008... According to recent research from Qingdao, People's Republic of China, "An endophytic Streptomyces sp. (AC-2) was isolated from the root of Cistanches deserticola Y. C. Ma.." "Chemical investigations of the culture broth of AC-2 afforded...

Researchers from Heilongjiang University describe findings in pharmaceuticals.
December 5, 2008... According to a study from Harbin, People's Republic of China, "Phytochemical investigation of the 50% ethanol eluate fraction of macroporous resin for the flower of Datura metel L. led to the isolation of a new compound named yangjinhualine A...

Combination therapies may be almost as effective as treated bednets in preventing malaria.
December 12, 2008... Artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) could be almost as effective in reducing transmission of malaria as insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) in areas of low transmission, a study based on data from Tanzania has found. In high transmission...

Scripps Florida scientists find blocking a neuropeptide receptor decreases nicotine addiction.
December 12, 2008... The study was published in an online Early Edition issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the week of November 24. Scripps Florida is a division of The Scripps Research Institute (see also Scripps Research Institute). ...

Escherichia coli bacteria transferring between humans and mountain gorillas.
December 12, 2008... A new study finds that mountain gorillas are at increased risk of acquiring gastrointestinal microbes, such as Escherichia Coli, from humans. The study, published in Conservation Biology, examines the exchange of digestive system bacteria...

Pregnancy study finds strong association between two antidepressants and heart anomalies.
December 12, 2008... Women who took the antidepressant fluoxetine during the first three months of pregnancy gave birth to four times as many babies with heart problems as women who did not and the levels were three times higher in women taking paroxetine (see also...

An ideal therapy for peptic ulcer disease.
December 12, 2008... Since the discovery of the etiological role of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) in peptic ulcer disease, its eradication became the main objective of therapy, and several treatment regimens were developed. Currently, triple therapy with...

Recent findings in life sciences described by researchers from Bar-Ilan University.
December 12, 2008... A new study, 'NMR-based molecular ruler for determining the depth of intercalants within the lipid bilayer Part I. Discovering the guidelines,' is now available. "The development of 'molecular rulers' would allow one to quantitatively locate...

Reports outline biological therapy study results from Columbia University.
December 12, 2008... "Acute tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency resulting in several metabolic derangements. Hyperuricemia and its associated complications are the most frequent manifestations of TLS," scientists in the United States report (see...

New clinical medicine data have been reported by G. Johnson and co-authors.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from London, the United Kingdom, "A pilot of core medical training (CMT) was conducted in 2006-7 with 160 trainees and 130 supervisors in the 10 hospitals within the Mersey Deanery. Questionnaires and focus groups...

Research from J. Saunders and co-researchers yields new findings on clinical medicine.
December 12, 2008... According to a study from Wales, "Key influences may be hard to identify. In this personal paper I reflect on the role of the Chair of the Committee for Ethical Issues in Medicine (CEIM) and on ethical issues that have involved the Royal...

Research on clinical medicine reported by P. Berry et al.
December 12, 2008... "Postgraduate medical training presents many instances in which a junior doctor must decide whether it is appropriate to proceed without the advice, supervision or practical assistance of a senior. These decisions, vital to the development of...

Studies in the area of clinical medicine reported from University of Wales.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from Wales, "Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) asks trainees to commit to their specialty sooner than ever before. There has been a great deal of good-quality research on the career intentions of doctors in...

New clinical pharmacology study findings have been published by scientists at University of Pennsylvania.(Clinical report)
December 12, 2008... "The aim of this study was to determine whether a potential pharmacokinetic interaction between warfarin and orally administered anti-infectives increases the risk of hospitalization for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in warfarin users,"...

Research from Catholic University has provided new data on clinical pharmacology.(Report)
December 12, 2008... " Talniflumate was designed as a prodrug of niflumic acid, a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug, which is widely prescribed for treating rheumatoid diseases. The prandial effect on talniflumate absorption remains unclear; therefore,...

Research from J.W.J. Hinrichs and co-researchers yields new findings on clinical pharmacology.(Report)
December 12, 2008... " Genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme CYP2D6 have a substantial effect on the success of pharmacotherapy. Different models, including a predicted-phenotype model and a semi-quantitative gene dose (SGD) model, have been...

Research from Mayo Clinic yields new findings on clinical pharmacology.
December 12, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Degenerative diseases are a growing epidemic. Pharmacotherapy aimed at treating the root cause of these diseases, namely, progressive cell destruction and irreversible loss of tissue function, is...

Research on clinical pharmacology detailed by scientists at Karolinska University.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from Huddinge, Sweden, "The Karolinska cocktail, comprising caffeine, losartan, omeprazole, and quinine, was given before and after administration of rifampicin (20, 100, or 500 mg daily) to measure induction of...

Scientists at National Institutes of Health discuss research in clinical pharmacology.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, "For the first time, relationships among maternal buprenorphine dose, meconium buprenorphine and metabolite concentrations, and neonatal outcomes are...

Studies from P. Dorado and co-researchers in the area of clinical pharmacology published.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from Badajoz, Spain, " CYP2C8 seems to be involved in diclofenac 5-hydroxylation, while, in vitro, the 4'-hydroxylation and 3'-hydroxylation seem to be mediated mainly by CYP2C9. We have demonstrated the relevance...

Research from A. Pfutzner and co-researchers yields new findings on drug delivery.
December 12, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The introduction of insulin pens has helped improve adherence in Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and reduce inaccurate dosing, fear of injection, and social embarrassment associated with vial and syringe....

New findings from S. Kasai and co-authors describe advances in pharmacological sciences.
December 12, 2008... According to a study from Tokyo, Japan, "We investigated the antidiabetic effects of E3030, which is a potent dual activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) alpha and PPAR gamma, in an animal model of diabetes,...

Scientists at GlaxoSmithKline publish new data on pharmacology.
December 12, 2008... "The recent development of the UT ligand palosuran (1-[2-(4-benzyl-4-hydroxy-piperidin-1-yl)ethyl]-3-(2-methyl-quinolin-4-yl)-urea sulphate salt) has led to the proposition that urotensin-II (U-II) plays a significant pathological role in acute...

Data from G.S. Takata and colleagues advance knowledge in pharmacy research.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "The characteristics of medication errors and adverse drug events (ADEs) in hospitals participating in the California Pediatric Patient Safety Initiative (CaPPSI) were studied to identify...

Research reports on pharmacy research from R.J. Weber and colleagues provide new insights.(Report)
December 12, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Practical approaches to successful implementation of practice-based research are examined. In order to successfully complete a research project, its scope must be clearly defined." "The...

Study findings from S.B. Wortman et al provide new insights into pharmacy research.
December 12, 2008... According to recent research published in the American Journal of Health - System Pharmacy, "A medication reconciliation program involving physicians, pharmacists, nursing staff, and other personnel at a community hospital is examined. The...

Pseudoephedrine use common among young children.
December 19, 2008... Researchers from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center have found that exposure to pseudoephedrine, a decongestant found in many cough-and-cold and allergy medications, has been common among U.S. children, especially those under the age...

It takes guts to build bone, Columbia scientists discover.
December 19, 2008... Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, the same naturally present chemical used by the brain to influence mood, appetite and sleep, according to a new discovery from researchers at Columbia University Medical Center. Until now,...

Towards improved immunotherapy.
December 19, 2008... A study (doi:10.1016/j.clim.2008.07.027) published by Elsevier this month in Clinical Immunology, the official journal of the Clinical Immunology Society (CIS), describes a new method that facilitates the induction of a specific type of immune...

Pregnant women with asthma can be more confident about some medicines.
December 19, 2008... Budesonide sprays can be regarded as safe for pregnancy - other asthma drugs have not been as well studied though Women can usually keep using the same asthma drugs they were using before they got pregnant. Budesonide sprays are the best...

Up to 2 drinks per day not linked with higher risk of irregular heart beat for women.
December 19, 2008... Women who have up to two alcoholic drinks per day do not appear to be at increased risk of atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat), but drinking more than that amount is associated with a higher risk, according to a study in the December 3...

New research on clinical pharmacology from University of New South Wales summarized.(Report)
December 19, 2008... According to a study from Australia, "We examined potential risk of serotonin toxicity in Australian veterans by quantifying the concomitant use of serotonergic medicine combinations from claims data collected by the Department of Veterans'...

Reports summarize clinical pharmacology study results from R.W.M. Zoethout and co-researchers.(Clinical report)
December 19, 2008... According to a study from Netherlands, "Alcohol effects or drug-alcohol interactions are preferably studied at constant blood levels. To achieve pseudo-steady state levels, various methods are used, which usually produce adequate averages but...

Studies from Federal University provide new data on clinical pharmacology.(Report)
December 19, 2008... According to recent research published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, "Objectives To investigate the use of drugs, the extent and pattern of unlicensed and off-label use, and the potential relationship between off-label drug...

Findings from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University broaden understanding of drug delivery science and technology.
December 19, 2008... "In order to obtain a hepatotropic-targeting conjugate of the anti-tumor drug, 5-fluorouracil-1-acetic acid (5-FUA) was coupled with poly(asparthydrazide-co-2-hydroxyethyl aspartamide) (PAHy-HEA), and the obtained poly...

New drug delivery science and technology study findings have been reported by scientists at Shenyang Pharmaceutical University.(Report)
December 19, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, "The aim of this study was to prepare a novel insulin-sodium oleate (Ins/SO) complex and to evaluate the characteristics of the resultant complex....

Reports outline drug delivery science and technology study results from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University.
December 19, 2008... According to recent research from Shenyang, People's Republic of China, "Cyclosporine A as a model drug, drug loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared with glyceryl monostearate and Compritol ATO 888 using the ultrasonication...

Research from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University in the area of drug delivery science and technology published.
December 19, 2008... According to recent research from Shenyang, People's Republic of China, "The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of ion-pairing on the permeation of glibenclamide through rat skin. Diethylamine, triethylamine,...

Studies from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University update current data on drug delivery science and technology.
December 19, 2008... "The purpose of this work was to study the physicochemical characteristics of a series of melittin-loaded poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres (MS) intended for intra-articular injection and the mechanism of melittin release....

Data on managed care pharmacy detailed by S. Khan and co-authors.(Survey)
December 19, 2008... "Multi-tier copayment designs in pharmacy benefit plans are intended to steer patients and prescribers to preferred drug therapies that have lower out-of-pocket costs for patients. To describe and assess physicians' prescribing experiences and...

Study strengthens link between tobacco smoke and behavioral problems in boys with asthma.
December 26, 2008... Boys with asthma who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke have higher degrees of hyperactivity, aggression, depression and other behavioral problems, according to researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (see also...

A special type of collagen may help protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease.(Report)
December 26, 2008... Scientists from the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND), UCSF, and Stanford have discovered that a certain type of collagen, collagen VI, protects brain cells against amyloid-beta (Aalpha ) proteins, which are widely thought to...

Cholinesterase inhibitors reduce aggression, wandering and paranoia in Alzheimer's disease.(Clinical report)
December 26, 2008... Cholinesterase inhibitors, used to treat cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, are also a safe and effective alternative therapy for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, according to a study that appears in the December...

Medication used to reduce nausea following tonsillectomies linked with increased risk of bleeding.
December 26, 2008... Use of the steroid medication dexamethasone is effective in reducing nausea and vomiting after tonsillectomies for children, but also is associated with an increased risk of postoperative bleeding, according to a study in the December 10 issue...

Supplementation with vitamin E or selenium does not reduce risk of prostate cancer.(Report)
December 26, 2008... In perhaps the largest cancer chemoprevention trial ever conducted, researchers have found that supplementation with vitamin E or selenium, alone or in combination, was not associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer or other cancers. This...

Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital zero in on alternative and complementary medicine.
December 26, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "On November 8-9, 2007, the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) hosted an international conference to mark the tenth anniversary of the landmark NIH [National Institutes of Health] Consensus...

Investigators at University of York target alternative and complementary medicine.
December 26, 2008... According to a study from York, the United Kingdom, "On November 8-9, 2007, the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) hosted an international conference to mark the tenth anniversary of the landmark NIH [National Institutes of Health]...

Recent studies by A. Wade and co-authors add new data to investigational drugs findings.
December 26, 2008... "Clinical data show that poor quality, rather than quantity, of sleep corresponds negatively to measures of health, well-being and satisfaction with life. However, until now treatment of insomnia has primarily targeted quantity of sleep,"...

Findings from Vanderbilt University broaden understanding of molecular pharmacology.
December 26, 2008... "Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by the death of dopamine neurons in the basal ganglia and results in motor symptoms such as tremor and bradykinesia. Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4) has been shown to modulate...

New data from J.G. Baker et al illuminate research in molecular pharmacology.
December 26, 2008... According to a study from Nottingham, the United Kingdom, "Studies with 4-[3-[(1,1-dimethylethyl)amino]2-hydroxypropoxy]1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-one hydrochloride (CGP 12177) at the human beta 1-adrenoceptor have provided evidence for two...

New findings from University of Sydney in the area of molecular pharmacology published.(Report)
December 26, 2008... According to a study from Australia, "The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in organizing behavioral responses to threat, stress, and pain. These PAG functions are modulated by cholinergic agents." "In the present study, we...

New molecular pharmacology data have been reported by researchers at University of Marburg.
December 26, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, "Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that modulate target gene expression in response to...

New molecular pharmacology findings from A. Wheeler and co-authors described.
December 26, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "K-ATP channels are metabolic sensors and targets of potassium channel openers (KCO; e.g., diazoxide and pinacidil). They comprise four sulfonylurea receptors (SUR) and four potassium channel...

New molecular pharmacology research has been reported by scientists at Georgetown University.
December 26, 2008... "General anesthetics (GAs) are central nervous system depressants that render patients unresponsive to external stimuli. In contrast, many of these agents are also known to stimulate peripheral sensory nerves, raising the possibility that they...

Recent findings from University of Alberta highlight research in molecular pharmacology.(Report)
December 26, 2008... According to a study from Edmonton, Canada, "3'-Deoxy-3'-fluorothymidine (FLT) is a positron emission tomography ( PET) tracer used to identify proliferating tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to characterize FLT transport by human...

Reports by B.C. Lin and co-researchers describe recent advances in molecular pharmacology.
December 26, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The aryl hydrocarbon receptor-associated protein-9 (ARA9) is a chaperone of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). The AHR has been shown to play a late developmental role in the normal closure of a...

Research on molecular pharmacology detailed by D. Bertrand and co-authors.
December 26, 2008... "The alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a homopentameric, rapidly activating and desensitizing ligand-gated ion channel with relatively high degree of calcium permeability, is expressed in the mammalian central nervous system,...

Researchers from Merck & Company, Inc. detail findings in molecular pharmacology.
December 26, 2008... "Voltage-gated sodium (Na(V)1) channels play a critical role in modulating the excitability of sensory neurons, and human genetic evidence points to Na(v)1.7 as an essential contributor to pain signaling. Human loss-of-function mutations in...

Findings from Jinan University advance knowledge in ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
December 26, 2008... "The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mutant of acidic fibroblast growth factor (MaFGF) on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced retinal degeneration in Sprague-Dawley rats. Fifty (50)-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were...

Investigators at Shanghai Jiao Tong University target ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
December 26, 2008... "The aim of this study was to clarify whether erythropoietin (EPO) with a retrobulbar administration could protect retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from acute elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). The anterior chamber of the right eye was...

New findings from G.A. Baklayan and co-researchers in the area of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics described.(Report)
December 26, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic absorption profiles of two commercially available ophthalmic solutions following a single instillation into each eye of New Zealand white...

Research from Army in the area of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics published.
December 26, 2008... "The present study investigated the effect of the organophosphate, dichlorvos (DDVP), on ocular function and cholinesterase activity in guinea pigs, using a single-animal-head-only vapor exposure system. All animals exhibited signs of mild...

Research from University of Maryland, Medical Department provides new data on ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.
December 26, 2008... "Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is one of the significant risk factors in the genesis of cataracts. Pathogenetically, the process can be triggered by the intraocular generation of various reactive species of oxygen that are well known to be...

Research on ocular pharmacology and therapeutics described by J.J. Zhang and colleagues.(Report)
December 26, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, "The aim of this study was to develop an aqueous ketoconazole (KET) eye drop in order to increase the corneal permeability and improve ocular...

Research reports from N. Izumi and co-authors provide new insights into ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
December 26, 2008... "The aim of this study was to determine the short-term effects of topical tafluprost, a novel prostaglandin F-2 alpha, derivative, on feline retinal circulation. Seventeen (17) adult cats were anesthetized with enflurane and mechanically...

Research from National Institutes of Health has provided new data on vaccinia virus.
December 26, 2008... "The vaccinia virus entry/fusion complex (EEC) is comprised of at least eight transmembrane proteins that are conserved in all poxviruses. However, neither the physical structure of the EEC nor the immunogenicity of the individual components...

Studies from Y. Xie and co-researchers yield new data on pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.
December 26, 2008... "Supercritical CO2 fluid extraction (SFE-CO2) was used to extract volatiles from Patrinia Villosa Juss. An orthogonal test L-9 (3)(4) including pressure, temperature, dynamic extraction time and modifier was performed to get the optimal...

New findings in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics described from University of Georgia.
December 26, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, "Activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors suppresses neuropathic pain induced by traumatic nerve injury. The present studies were conducted to...