Efficacy of gut lavage,hemodialysis, and hemoperfusion in the therapy of paraquat or diquat intoxication

Clinical and in vitro investigations were carried out to test the efficacy of gut lavage, hemodialysis, and hemoperfusion in the treatment of poisoning with paraquat or diquat. In a patient suffering from diquat intoxication 130 times more diquat was removed by gut lavage 30 h after ingestion than was removed by complete aspiration of the gastric contents.Determination of in vitro clearances for paraquat and diquat by hemodialysis showed that, at serum concentrations of 1–2 ppm, such as are frequently encountered in poisoning in man, toxicologically relevant quantities of herbicide cannot be removed from the body. At a concentration of 20 ppm, on the other hand, hemodialysis proved to be effective, the clearance being 70 ml/min at a blood flow rate of 100 ml/min. The efficacy of hemoperfusion with coated activated charcoal was on the whole better. Especially at concentrations around 1–2 ppm, the clearance values for hemoperfusion were some 5–7 times higher than those for hemodialysis.In a patient suffering from paraquat poisoning, both hemodialysis as well as hemoperfusion were carried out. The in vitro results could be confirmed: At serum concentrations of paraquat less than 1 ppm no clearance could be obtained by hemodialysis while by hemoperfusion with activated charcoal quite high clearance values were measured and the serum level dropped down to zero.

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Zusammenfassung Klinische Untersuchungen und Laboratoriumsversuche wurden durchgeführt, um die Wirksamkeit von Darmspülung, Hämodialyse und Hämoperfusion bei Paraquat- und Deiquat-Vergiftungen zu prüfen.Bei einem Patienten wurde 30 Std nach Deiquat-Aufnahme durch Darmspülung 130mal mehr Deiquat entfernt als durch vollständige Aspiration des Mageninhaltes. In vitro-Versuche ergaben, daß bei Blutserumkonzentrationen von 1–2 ppm, die bei Vergiftungen oft gemessen werden, durch Hämodialyse keine toxikologisch relevanten Paraquat- oder Deiquat-Mengen entfernt werden können. Dagegen erwies sich die Hämodialyse bei 20 ppm und einer Blutumlaufgeschwindigkeit von 100 ml/min mit einer Clearance von 70 ml/min als wirksam. Die Hämoperfusion mit beschicheter Aktivkohle war in diesen Versuchen aber eindeutig überlegen, denn insbesondere bei Konzentrationen um 1–2 ppm waren die Clearance-Werte 5–7mal höher als bei der Hämodialyse.Die in vitro-Ergebnisse wurden bei einem Patienten mit einer Paraquat-Vergiftung bestätigt: Bei Konzentrationen unter 1 ppm war die Hämodialyse wirkungslos, während durch Hämoperfusion relativ hohe Clearance-Werte erreicht wurden, so daß der Serumspiegel rasch unter die Nachweisgrenze abfiel.

     

In vitro studies on sterically stabilized liposomes (SL) as enzyme carriers in organophosphorus (OP) antagonism

This study describes a new approach for organophosphorous (OP) antidotal treatment by encapsulating an OP hydrolyzing enzyme, OPA anhydrolase (OPAA), within sterically stabilized liposomes. The recombinant OPAA enzyme was derived from Alteromonas strain JD6. It has broad substrate specificity to a wide range of OP compounds: DFP and the nerve agents, soman and sarin. Liposomes encapsulating OPAA (SL)* were made by mechanical dispersion method. Hydrolysis of DFP by (SL)* was measured by following an increase of fluoride ion concentration using a fluoride ion selective electrode. OPAA entrapped in the carrier liposomes rapidly hydrolyze DFP, with the rate of DFP hydrolysis directly proportional to the amount of (SL)* added to the solution. Liposomal carriers containing no enzyme did not hydrolyze DFP. The reaction was linear and the rate of hydrolysis was first order in the substrate. This enzyme carrier system serves as a biodegradable protective environment for the recombinant OP-metabolizing enzyme, OPAA, resulting in prolongation of enzymatic concentration in the body. These studies suggest that the protection of OP intoxication can be strikingly enhanced by adding OPAA encapsulated within (SL)* to pralidoxime and atropine.     

Steroidal sapogenin contents in some domestic plants

In order to find out the values of the steroid resources for the future use. the compositions and contents of steroidal sapogenins from 13 domestic plants have been investigated. As a result,Dioscorea nipponica, D. quinqueloba andSmilax china were found to have large amount of diosgenin. And pennogenin inTrillium kamtschaticum andParis verticillata, yuccagenin inAllium fistulosum, hecogenin inAgave americana and neochlorogenin inSolanum nigum were appeared to be major steroidal sapogenins.     

Synthesis,Cytotoxicity and Antileishmanial Activity of Some N-(2-(indol-3-yl)ethyl)-7-chloroquinolin-4-amines

We report herein the condensation of 4,7-dichloroquinoline (1) with tryptamine (2) and D-tryptophan methyl ester (3) . Hydrolysis of the methyl ester adduct (5) yielded the free acid (6) . The compounds were evaluated in vitro for activity against four different species of Leishmania promastigote forms and for cytotoxic activity against Kb and Vero cells. Compound (5) showed good activity against the Leishmania species tested, while all three compounds displayed moderate activity in both Kb and Vero cells.     

Aquatic Insects and Trace Metals: Bioavailability,Bioaccumulation, and Toxicity

Abstract

The uptake of metals from food and water sources by insects is thought to be additive. For a given metal, the proportions taken up from water and food will depend both on the bioavailable concentration of the metal associated with each source and the mechanism and rate by which the metal enters the insect. Attempts to correlate insect trace metal concentrations with the trophic level of insects should be made with a knowledge of the feeding relationships of the individual taxa concerned. Pathways for the uptake of essential metals, such as copper and zinc, exist at the cellular level, and other nonessential metals, such as cadmium, also appear to enter via these routes. Within cells, trace metals can be bound to proteins or stored in granules. The internal distribution of metals among body tissues is very heterogeneous, and distribution patterns tend to be both metal and taxon specific. Trace metals associated with insects can be both bound on the surface of their chitinous exoskeleton and incorporated into body tissues. The quantities of trace meals accumulated by an individual reflect the net balance between the rate of metal influx from both dissolved and particulate sources and the rate of metal efflux from the organism. The toxicity of metals has been demonstrated at all levels of biological organization: cell, tissue, individual, population, and community. Much of the literature pertaining to the toxic effects of metals on aquatic insects is based on laboratory observations and, as such, it is difficult to extrapolate the data to insects in nature. The few experimental studies in nature suggest that trace metal contaminants can affect both the distribution and the abundance of aquatic insects. Insects have a largely unexploited potential as biomonitors of metal contamination in nature. A better understanding of the physico-chemical and biological mechanisms mediating trace metal bioavailability and exchange will facilitate the development of general predictive models relating trace metal concentrations in insects to those in their environment. Such models will facilitate the use of insects as contaminant biomonitors.     

Alzheimer’s disease – current trends in basic and clinical research. Highlights from the 16th ECNP

Advances in the molecular biological knowledge of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have led to a growing interest by the pharmaceutical industry in the development of novel compounds that selectively modulate nAChR function. The ability of (-)-nicotine, an activator of nAChRs, to enhance attentional aspects of cognition in animals and humans, to exert neuroprotective and anxiolytic-like effects, and presumably to mediate the negative correlation between smoking and Alzheimer's (and Parkinson's) Disease, has focused interest on the potential therapeutic utility of modulators of nAChR function for treatment of some of the deficits associated with these progressive, neurodegenerative conditions. Numerous compounds are known which activate nAChRs and which might serve as lead compounds toward the development of such agents. The pharmacologic diversity of neuronal nAChR subtypes suggests the possibility of developing selective compounds which would have more favourable side-effect profiles than existing agents. This broader class of agents, collectively called cholinergic channel modulators (ChCMs), is anticipated to encompass compounds which would have more favourable side-effect profiles than existing agents, which generally exhibit low selectivity. This selectivity may be achieved by preferentially activating some subtypes of nAChRs (i.e., Cholinergic Channel Activators, ChCAs) or inhibiting the function of other subtypes (Cholinergic Channel Inhibitors, ChCIs). An overview of the biology of nAChRs and the rationale for the use of ChCMs for the treatment of dementia related to neurodegenerative diseases are presented, followed by a discussion of lead compounds and compounds under consideration for clinical evaluation.     

Pain and U-Shaped Dose Responses: Occurrence,Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications

This article assesses pain within the context of the dose response. A substantial number of studies indicate that the dose response for pain-related endpoints is commonly biphasic, being independent of the type of biological model employed, endpoint measured, or agent tested. The quantitative features of the dose response are also remarkably consistent regardless of the receptor pathway that mediates the nociceptive response, indicating a likely downstream message convergence. These findings have important implications for drug discovery, development, and clinical evaluation.     

Lung disease and PKCs

The lung offers a rich opportunity for development of therapeutic strategies focused on isozymes of protein kinase C (PKCs). PKCs are important in many cellular responses in the lung, and existing therapies for pulmonary disorders are inadequate. The lung poses unique challenges as it interfaces with air and blood, contains a pulmonary and systemic circulation, and consists of many cell types. Key structures are bronchial and pulmonary vessels, branching airways, and distal air sacs defined by alveolar walls containing capillaries and interstitial space. The cellular composition of each vessel, airway, and alveolar wall is heterogeneous. Injurious environmental stimuli signal through PKCs and cause a variety of disorders. Edema formation and pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) result from derangements in endothelial, smooth muscle (SM), and/or adventitial fibroblast cell phenotype. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer are characterized by distinctive pathological changes in airway epithelial, SM, and mucous-generating cells. Acute and chronic pneumonitis and fibrosis occur in the alveolar space and interstitium with type 2 pneumocytes and interstitial fibroblasts/myofibroblasts playing a prominent role. At each site, inflammatory, immune, and vascular progenitor cells contribute to the injury and repair process. Many strategies have been used to investigate PKCs in lung injury. Isolated organ preparations and whole animal studies are powerful approaches especially when genetically engineered mice are used. More analysis of PKC isozymes in normal and diseased human lung tissue and cells is needed to complement this work. Since opposing or counter-regulatory effects of selected PKCs in the same cell or tissue have been found, it may be desirable to target more than one PKC isozyme and potentially in different directions. Because multiple signaling pathways contribute to the key cellular responses important in lung biology, therapeutic strategies targeting PKCs may be more effective if combined with inhibitors of other pathways for additive or synergistic effect. Mechanisms that regulate PKC activity, including phosphorylation and interaction with isozyme-specific binding proteins, are also potential therapeutic targets. Key isotypes of PKC involved in lung pathophysiology are summarized and current and evolving therapeutic approaches to target them are identified.     

Suitability of a liquid chromatography assay of neomycin sulfate to replace the microbiological assay for neomycin in USP Monographs

The current USP National Formulary contains 65 Monographs for drug formulations containing neomycin. All 65 Monographs prescribe a bioassay for neomycin assay. This bioassay, based on cell culture, is labor intensive, has poor precision, and cannot be adapted for purity or identification. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (HPAE-IPAD), a liquid chromatography technique, has been shown to be suitable for neomycin purity analysis and neomycin assay of an over-the-counter first aid cream (Hanko and Rohrer [17]). Here we propose that an HPAE-IPAD assay can replace the bioassay in the 65 neomycin-containing Monographs. We applied the HPAE-IPAD assay to four neomycin-containing drug products representing the four classes of formulations found in the 65 Monographs, liquid, solid, suspension, and cream. Each drug was analyzed with two chromatography systems, and on 3 separate days. For all products, HPAE-IPAD measurements were precise and accurate with respect to the label concentrations. There was also high accuracy for spike recovery of neomycin from the four drug products throughout 70–150% of the labeled concentration. These results suggest that an HPAE-IPAD assay would be an accurate assay for neomycin, and would be faster and more precise than the current bioassay.     

Gender-related symptoms and correlates of alcohol dependence among men and women with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol use disorders

This study explored gender-related symptoms and correlates of alcohol dependence in a crosssectional study of 150 men and 150 women with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Participants were recruited in equal numbers from treatment settings, correctional centres and the general community. Standardized measures were used to determine participants' use of substances, history of psychiatric disorders and psychosocial stress, their sensation seeking and family history of substance use and mental health disorders. Multivariate analyses were used to detect patterns of variables associated with gender and the lifetime severity of AUD. Men had a longer history of severe AUD than women. Women had similar levels of alcohol dependence and medical and psychological sequelae as men, despite 6 fewer years of AUD. More women than men had a history of severe psychosocial stress, severe dependence on other substances and antecedent mental health problems, especially mood and anxiety disorders. There were differences in family history of alcohol-related problems approximating same-gender aggregation. The severity of a lifetime AUD was predicted by its earlier age at onset and the occurrence of other disorders, especially anxiety, among both men and women. The limitations in the generalizability of these findings due to sample idiosyncrasies are discussed.     

Nachweis einiger Heilmittel in der Kniegelenksynovialflüssigkeit

Zusammenfassung Mittels Gaschromatographie und Dünschichtchromatographie wiesen die Autoren 11 Substanzen nach, welche durch Injektion oder nach Verabreichung per os in die Kniegelenksynovialflüssigkeit eindrangen. In ihrer Aufstellung konnten sie eine direkte Beziehung zwischen Struktur sowie chemischphysikalischen Eigenschaften der Substanz und ihrer Fähigkeit, aus dem Blut in die Kniegelenksynovialflüssigkeit einzudringen, nicht nachweisen, außer der Tatsache, daß Substanzen mit starker Affinität zu Eiweißstoffen erst in höheren Dosen nachweisbar waren.     

Third-generation antiepileptic drugs: mechanisms of action,pharmacokinetics and interactions

This review briefly summarizes the information on the molecular mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic profiles and drug interactions of novel (third-generation) antiepileptic drugs, including brivaracetam, carabersat, carisbamate, DP-valproic acid, eslicarbazepine, fluorofelbamate, fosphenytoin, ganaxolone, lacosamide, losigamone, pregabalin, remacemide, retigabine, rufinamide, safinamide, seletracetam, soretolide, stiripentol, talampanel, and valrocemide. These novel antiepileptic drugs undergo intensive clinical investigations to assess their efficacy and usefulness in the treatment of patients with refractory epilepsy.     

Biochemical and molecular characterisation of cubozoan protein toxins

Class Cubozoa includes several species of box jellyfish that are harmful to humans. The venoms of box jellyfish are stored and discharged by nematocysts and contain a variety of bioactive proteins that are cytolytic, cytotoxic, inflammatory or lethal. Although cubozoan venoms generally share similar biological activities, the diverse range and severity of effects caused by different species indicate that their venoms vary in protein composition, activity and potency. To date, few individual venom proteins have been thoroughly characterised, however, accumulating evidence suggests that cubozoan jellyfish produce at least one group of homologous bioactive proteins that are labile, basic, haemolytic and similar in molecular mass (42-46 kDa). The novel box jellyfish toxins are also potentially lethal and the cause of cutaneous pain, inflammation and necrosis, similar to that observed in envenomed humans. Secondary structure analysis and remote protein homology predictions suggest that the box jellyfish toxins may act as α-pore-forming toxins. However, more research is required to elucidate their structures and investigate their mechanism(s) of action. The biological, biochemical and molecular characteristics of cubozoan venoms and their bioactive protein components are reviewed, with particular focus on cubozoan cytolysins and the newly emerging family of box jellyfish toxins.