Drug Week articles from February 2001

Drug Week archives from February 2001

Pravastatin Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke.
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- For the first time, a statin drug has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the January 23, 2001, issue of Circulation. In a second study, the same drug, pravastatin...

Antibacterial Agent in Some Medications Linked to Airway Constriction.(benzalkonium chloride)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- A study from the University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, provides fresh evidence that an antibacterial agent added to some asthma medications can cause airway constriction, potentially blunting the effectiveness of...

New Research Expands Understanding of Treatment.(for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 -- (NewsRx.com) -- Although methyiphenidate (Ritalin) is the most frequently prescribed drug for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its mechanism of action and its effects on the human brain have been poorly...

Physicians Present Comprehensive Clinical Review of St. John's Wort.(for major depressive disorder)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Post-holiday blues and a bitter winter season for much of the U.S. could send many people to the bottle in 2001 - the bottle of St. John's wort, that is. Although this herbal supplement appears promising in...

Reports Highlight Integration of CAM with Conventional Therapies.(complementary and alternative medicine)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 -- (NewsRx.com) -- To coincide with a conference held in London, U.K., in the third week of January 2001, which was organized jointly by the U.K.'s Royal College of Physicians and the U.S. National Center for Complementary and...

No Resistant Enterococci Found for One Antibiotic.(nitrofurnatoin)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 -- (NewsRx.com) -- In a study conducted at the University of Manitoba in Canada, researchers found that of 300 strains of enterococcal bacteria only one antibiotic, nitrofurnatoin, was effective against them all. Enterococci are...

Ribozyme Targets Hepatitis B RNA Transcripts.(Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s HepBzyne to be studied in clinical trials)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RPI) (RZYM), Boulder, Colorado, announced the selection of its product candidate, HepBzyme, targeting the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This ribozyme targets several HBV RNA...

Enalapril the Cause of Acute Liver Failure in Hypertension Patient.
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Enalapril has been linked to at Least one case of acute liver failure after long-term treatment, according to researchers in Germany. The middle-aged male patient was taking enalapril, an angiotensin converting...

Investigational New Drug Application for NM-3 Filed.(angiogenesis inhibitor)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Ilex Products Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of flex Oncology Inc. (ILXO), announced that an Investigational New Drug (IND) application has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the product...

FDA Approves Femara as First-Line Therapy for Advanced Cancer.(metastatic breast cancer)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an indication for Femara (letrozole) as a first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive or hormone receptor unknown, advanced or...

Novel Enzyme/Prodrug Combination for Suicide Protocols Developed.
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- A novel enzyme/prodrug combination for gene therapy of cancer incorporates horseradish peroxidase/mdole-3-acetic acid. "This paper demonstrates the potential for utilizing the plant enzyme, horseradish...

Researchers Question Drug to Treat CFS.(fludrocortisone has little or no effect on chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Fludrocortisone, a drug prescribed to treat low blood pressure, has little or no effect on symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome in adults when it is used as the only form of treatment, according to a joint study by...

Canine Study Reveals Positive Effects of Carprofen.(for osteoarthritis therapy)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Carprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has a protective effect on structure and metabolism of cartilage and subchondral bone in experimental osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs. These positive effects were...

Protein Structural Flexibility May Be Key to HIV Binding.
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- The search for an effective way to prevent or treat infections with HIV has been a frustrating one for many scientists, but the search is now focused down to the molecular level. And a University of Cincinnati...

Bicyclic Lactam-Based Thrombin Inhibitors Show Promise for Treatment.(of both venous and arterial thrombosis)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- - by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- A new class of thrombin inhibitors based on bicyclic lactams has great potential for the treatment of both venous and arterial thrombosis, researchers reported in the...

Anti-Factor Xa Compound Can Be Effective Alternative to Heparin.(for treatment of deep vein thromboembolisms)
February 2, 2001... 2001 FEB 2 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers writing in the journal Circulation report that a new synthetic compound, which blocks the coagulatory action of factor Xa, appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from deep...

Actinomycin D Selects for DNA Hairpin Loop.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- Researchers in the United States have shown that the selective binding ability of the antibiotic actinomycin D, which underlies its potential as an anti-HIV therapy among...

Study Finds Researchers Under-Report Problems.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 -- (NewsRx.com) -- Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) - the gold standard for evaluating medications -- appear to largely under-report or even neglect to report problems involving drug safety, according to researchers supported by...

Methotrexate Beefs Up Treatment.(giant cell arteritis)
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 -- (NewsRx.com) -- by Maryclaire Lindgren, staff medical writer -- Methotrexate, used with the corticosteroids commonly used for treatment of giant-cell arthritis, reduces the incidence of adverse events. Relapses and...

Interferon Reduces Fibrosis in Animal Model.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) --by Sonia Nichols, staff medical writer -- Interferon-alpha 2a, a common treatment for individuals with viral hepatitis infections, reduces the fibrosis associated with cholestasis, an obstruction of the bile ducts....

Midazolam Increases the Work of Nasal Breathing.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Maryclaire Lindgren, staff medical writer -- Midazolam sedation makes work out of nasal breathing; flumazenil makes it easier. T. Oshima, of Gifu University in Japan, and associates evaluated the work of...

Venom from Chilean Tarantula Might Prevent Arhythmias.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- A specific protein isolated from the venom of a Chilean tarantula by University at Buffalo (UB) biophysicists shows promise as the basis for new drugs for preventing atrial fibrillation. Frederick Sachs, PhD,...

Protein is Both Ion Channel and Enzyme.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- Researchers have discovered a protein component of cellsignaling pathways that does double duty-acting as both an ion channel that controls calcium entry into cells and as an enzyme that activates itself and perhaps...

Treatments Undergoing Quiet Revolution.(diabetes )
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 -- (NewsRx.com) -- Between the 1950s and 1994, treatments for diabetes patients changed little, but now patients can control their blood sugar levels more precisely than in the past and dodge complications of the illness until late...

Agonist Ligand May Have Potential as HIV/AIDS Therapy.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- Pharmacologists in the United States have presented research showing that the unique characteristics of the ligand stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) may one day make it...

Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors May Have Potential for Treatment of Blood Disorders.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are necessary for the production of platelets by megakaryocytes, hematologists in the United States report. Their finding that may lead to...

Drug Can Reduce Pain Afterwards.
February 9, 2001... 2001 FEB 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- The drug Lamotrigine can reduce the pain that affects some stroke patients. Central post-stroke pain occurs in 8% of stroke patients and is difficult to treat. The only current treatment, amitriptyline, doesn't...

Blood Pressure Drug May Have Unexpected Benefit of Preventing Clogged Arteries.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16- (NewsRx.com) -- The narrowing of the arteries known as atherosclerosis starts with a vicious cycle: as cholesterol works its way into the arterial wall, the blood vessel becomes inflamed. Scar tissue begins to form. And these scars...

Technique Uses Imaging Technology to Identify Candidate Compounds.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 -- (NewsRx.com) -- Scientists working to develop pharmaceuticals will soon have a tool for sorting quickly through millions of compounds to identify the best drug candidates. Researchers from Purdue University, West Lafayette,...

Study Compares Formoterol and Terbutaline for Treating Severe Disease.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- The drug formoterol might be more effective than terbutaline in controlling moderate to severe asthma in patients when used as a rescue therapy in addition to inhaled corticosteroids. Asthma guidelines...

Alitretinoin Gel Effective for Treating Lesions.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- A topical gel containing alitretinoin can safely and effectively treat lesions caused by AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, according to dermatologists in the United States....

Long-Term Glucosamine Sulphate May Slow Joint Damage.(osteoarthritis )
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- The symptoms and changes to joint structure associated with osteoarthritis might be moderated by the long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate. Osteoarthritis is a major cause of disability and is among the...

Tucaresol Can Stimulate Beneficial Immune Function.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michael Greer, staff medical writer -- Immunologists in Italy have shown that the compound tucaresol can effectively mobilize the body's immune system, making it a potential weapon in the fight against HITV...

Asthma Drug Zafirlukast Related to Three Cases of Severe Hepatitis.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- Sonia Nichols, staff medical writer -- The asthma drug zafirlukast has caused three cases of severe hepatitis, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Medical investigators at Albert Einstein...

Patients See Survival Increase with Pentoxifylline.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- Sonia Nichols, staff medical writer -- The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor pentoxifylline (PTX) improves short-term survival prospects in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Hepatorenal syndrome is...

Granulysin Kills Bacteria by Altering Membrane Permeability.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michelle Marble, staff medical writer -- Researchers in the United States reported the discovery of a novel antimicrobial protein with efficacy against Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ...

FDA Approves Treatment for Invasive Fungal Infection.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cancidas (caspofungin acetate) Intravenous Infusion, an anti-fungal medication for patients who are unresponsive to or cannot tolerate standard therapies for...

Adrenal Cortex Extract Not Being Recalled.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 -- (NewsRx.com) -- Phyne Pharmaceuticals Inc. has informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it is not recalling vials of injectable Adrenal Cortex Extract (ACE) manufactured by Amram Inc. The FDA had included...

FDA Issues Urgent Notice of Recalled Injectable Drugs.(by Phyne Pharmaceuticals, Scottsdale, Arizona)
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 -- (NewsRx.com) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging individuals, health care organizations, and medical product distributors to stop dispensing and/or distributing certain injectable medications marketed by...

Nearly Half of All Women 65 and Older Use Herbal Products.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- Nearly half of all women over 65 now use herbal therapies to prevent or treat health problems, but they rarely inform their health care providers, according to a University of Florida (UF) study. Because many...

Quality of Sexual Activity Varies with Blood Pressure Medication.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com) -- Male sexual activity decided which recently introduced antihypertension medication was superior in a head-to-head study published in the January 2001 issue of the American Journal of Hypertension. University...

Feverfew Powder an Effective Treatment.
February 16, 2001... 2001 FEB 16 -- (NewsRx.com) -- by Maryclaire Lindgren, staff medical writer -- Feverfew powder has potent anti-migraine activity. A. Singh, of the Chinese Academy of Science, and colleagues investigated the anti-migraine qualities of the...

Anti-Bacterial Inhibits Parasites that Cause Malaria and Toxoplasmosis.(triclosan)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- Triclosan, a common antiseptic used in household products such as toothpaste, skin creams, and deodorants, kills the parasites responsible for malaria and toxoplasmosis, even at very low concentrations. ...

Studies Compare Antibiotics for Treatment of Strep Throat, Otitis Media.(study of cefdinir and amoxicillin/clavulanate)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- Two comparison studies indicate cefdinir is the preferred antibiotic for treating both otitis media and strep throat. The reports were published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. A study of...

Drugs Have Different Early Bactericidal Activity.(antituberculin agent evaluation)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michelle Marble, staff medical writer -- Researchers in South Africa discussed ethical considerations in evaluating antituberculosis drugs. "The early bactericidal activity (EBA) of antituberculosis drugs...

Once-Daily Protease Inhibitor Shows Fewer Side Effects.(BMS-232632)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- A protease inhibitor has been shown to be safe, tolerable, and effective in HIV positive patients with only one dose a day. The drug, known as BMS-232632, differs from previous protease inhibitors in part...

Oral Bovine Lactoferrin May Be Growth-Factor Inhibitor.
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Sonia Nichols, staff medical writer -- Medical researchers in Sweden predict that oral bovine lactoferrin could some day be used in treating a number of diseases that rely on angiogenesis as a mechanism for...

Molecular Link Found Between Marijuana and Anti-Vomiting Effect.(CB1 receptor in marijuana may have potential as an antiemetic)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- A researcher has found connections between a cannabinoid (marijuana) receptor and emesis (vomiting). Nissar A. Darmani, PhD, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) in Kirksville, Missouri, used the...

Blood Thinner Helps Treat Clots in Legs and Lungs.(enoxaparin sodium)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- Giving patients a daily injection of the blood thinner enoxaparin sodium, a low-molecular weight heparin, appears to be just as safe and effective in treating blood clots as twice daily. What's more,...

Inhaled Insulin May Be New Treatment Option.(for type 1 diabetes)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- People with type 1 diabetes may be able to regulate blood glucose successfully using inhaled insulin. This approach represents a less-invasive treatment option compared with conventional treatment involving the...

ACE Inhibitors Can Be Used Safely at Higher, More Effective Doses.(for treatment in patients with heart failure)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- Commonly prescribed heart failure drugs Known as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are often given at lower doses than recommended by leading cardiology associations. A study of the ACE inhibitor...

Phase I Data on Troxacitabine Indicate Therapeutic Activity.(Troxatyl for leukemia treatment)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- BioChem Pharma Inc. (BCHE; BCH), Laval, Quebec, Canada, announced the publication of a paper regarding Phase I leukemia data on Troxatyl (troxacitabine). Troxatyl is BioChem's investigational compound currently...

Single and Multiple Drug Combinations are Effective Treatment.(for Mycobacterium avium)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michelle Marble, staff medical writer -- Moxifloxacin drug therapy for Mycobacterium avium is effective singly and when combined with ethambutol, researchers in the United States reported. "Moxifloxacin...

Low-Dose Aspirin Might Help Prevent Pre-Eclampsia.
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- A study shows that antiplatelet drugs, largely low-dose aspirin, have small to moderate benefits when used for prevention of pre-eclampsia and its complications during pregnancy. Duley and colleagues reviewed...

Caelyx Cancer Treatment Receives Approval in Canada.(ovarian cancer treatment)
February 23, 2001... 2001. FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- A drug treatment developed at the University of Alberta (U of A) to improve the quality of life for women with ovarian cancer has been approved for use in Canada. "This approval means these women now have a...

Prostaglandin Signaling Contributes to inflammation.
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling contributes to each of the manifestations that classically define inflammation - redness, heat, and pain, according to an article in the Journal of Clinical investigation. ...

Inhaled Aminoglycosides Evaluated as Adjunctive Salvage Therapy.(for tuberculosis)
February 23, 2001... 2001 FEB 23 - (NewsRx.com) -- by Michelle Marble, staff medical writer -- Persistent pulmonary tuberculosis infection succumbs to adjunctive salvage therapy, researchers in the United States reported. "A proportion of patients with...