Archives of Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Commentary Open Access

The Use of Hydroxychloroquine and Interferons for the Prophylaxis of COVID-19

Catherine Teng, Moses Shrestha, Bing Yang

At the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, we proposed to use hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and intranasal interferon (IFN) a-2b spray to prevent SARS-CoV-2. Since then, clinical trials testing these two drugs separately for the treatment and prophylaxis have been reported. A consensus is forming that HCQ and IFNs are not effective in treating severe Covid-19. However, the pathogenesis of Covid-19 suggests that early intervention could reduce the infection and prevent the progression from mild to severe Covid-19.

Commentary Open Access

Off Label Use as an Indicator of Therapeutic Need in Pediatrics

Silvia Miriam Cammarata

Unapproved use of an approved drug is called “off-label” use. In line with European Medicine Agency’s pharmacovigilance directive, off-label use “relates to situations where a medicinal product is intentionally used for a medical purpose not in accordance with the authorised product information (SmPC).

Mini Review Open Access

Dexamethasone: The First Drug to be Shown to Decrease Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

Nasser Mikhail, Soma Wali

Background: The precise role of corticosteroids for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear due to lack of randomized trials. Objective: To review the therapeutic value of corticosteroids for treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 with more emphasis on randomized trials. Methods: English literature search of electronic databases supplemented by manual search up to June 29, 2020. Search terms included corticosteroids, COVID-19, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone, mortality, safety. Randomized trials were the main focus of research, but observational studies were also reviewed.

Review Article Open Access

Why Do Patients Not Meet the Pharmacological Treatment?

Jose Luis Turabian

Therapeutic compliance has been defined as the degree to which the behaviour of a person corresponds with the recommendations of the health professional [1].

Review Article Open Access

Why Can Modulation of α6-Containing GABA_A Receptors Reduce the Symptoms of Multiple Neuropsychiatric Disorders?

Werner Sieghart

α6-containing GABA_A receptors (α6GABA_ARs) are strongly expressed in cerebellar granule cells, where they mediate a correctly timed and precise coordination of all muscle groups that execute behavior and protect the brain from information overflow. Recently, it was demonstrated that positive modulators with a high selectivity for α6GABA_ARs (α6-modulators) can reduce the symptoms of multiple neuropsychiatric disorders in respective animal models to an extent comparable with established clinical therapeutics.

Review Article Open Access

Recurrent MPNST in Mosaic Localized Neurofibromatosis: A Rare Scenario – Review

Betty Abraham, YM Fazil Marickar

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm accounting for approximately 3-5% of soft tissue sarcomas. It often arises from a peripheral nerve, from a pre-existing benign nerve sheath tumor, or in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1). In the absence of these settings, particularly in sporadic or radiation associated tumors, the diagnosis can be more challenging and is based on the histological and immunohistochemical features suggesting Schwannian differentiation.

Review Article Open Access

Integrating Mathematical Models in Clinical Oncology: Enhancing Therapeutic Strategies

Gobinda Debnath, B. Vasu, Rama Subba Reddy Gorla, O. Anwar Bég, Tasveer A. Bég

Cancer remains a formidable challenge in the field of medical research, necessitating novel approaches to better comprehend its complex dynamics and develop effective treatment strategies. This article presents a comprehensive review of the latest mathematical models employed in the study of tumor growth dynamics and its treatment. The heterogeneous nature of cancer poses unique complexities, requiring interdisciplinary efforts involving mathematics and other relevant domains.

Commentary Open Access

The Role of the General Practitioner in Vaccination against COVID-19

Jose Luis Turabian

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for covid-19, had an animal origin and jumped to humans in 2019. In 2020 alone, COVID-19 infected almost 100 million people around the planet and ended with the lives of 2 million people. The development in a very short space of time, of vaccines against COVID-19, in response to the urgency of the pandemic, is a transcendental milestone in the history of medicine.

Editorial Open Access

COVID-19 Disease and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with Cancer

Daniel A. King, Jeffrey Chi, Shreya Prasad Goyal, Muhammad Wasif Saif

Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, there have been more than 100 million reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide and more than 2.1 million deaths. The purpose of this editorial is to review recent updates regarding COVID-19 disease and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in cancer patients.

Brief Report Open Access

Pharmacogenetic Variants in the DPYD and TYMS Genes are Clinically Significant Predictors of Fluoropyrimidine Toxicity: Are We Ready for Use in our Clinical Practice

Muhammad Wasif Saif, Hilal Hachem, Sneha Purvey, Ruchi Hamal, Lulu Zhang, Nauman Saleem Siddiqui, Amandeep Godara, Robert B. Diasio

Fluoropyrimidines have been extensively used for almost 6 decades to treat a variety of solid cancers, especially colon, gastric, anal, rectal, head & neck and breast. However, 31–34% of patients encountered grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) with 0.5% mortality oftennecessitating dose reduction or discontinuation. A significant proportion of these AEs are likely to be the result of inter-individual genetic variation, in particularly such as dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD). DPYD gene encodes DPD, the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for catabolism of 5-FU and is responsible for >85% of 5-FU elimination.

Editorial Open Access

POSTCOVID-19WAR Era, Interaction between Cancer-Hematologic Disorders- Diabetes Significantly Increased by COVID-19 Variants, Aggressively

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

Understanding the mechanism of bidirectional interaction between different angles of the death triangle is a lifesaving novel idea that I invented in 2018. Platelet hyperactivity and dysfunction in diabetes and cancer patients were already known facts [1] but whether different COVID-19 variants could activate and/or accelerate death triangle machinery?

Mini Review Open Access

Aldosterone Synthase Inhibitors for Treatment of Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease

Nasser Mikhail

Aldosterone excess is known to worsen hypertension and kidney function. Three selective aldosterone synthase inhibitors (ASIs) were evaluated in 3 phase 2 trials. In the first study, the ASI baxdrostat 2 mg orally once daily decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 11.0 mmHg compared with placebo after 12 weeks in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension. In the second study including patients with uncontrolled hypertension, placebo-corrected reduction in SBP with lorundrostat 50 mg once daily was 9.6 mmHg after 8 weeks.

Review Article Open Access

Domination of Nephrotic Problems among Diabetic Patients of Bangladesh

Mohiuddin AK

Nearly 80% of people with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries. It increases healthcare use and expenditure and imposes a huge economic burden on the healthcare systems. The International Diabetes Federation estimated 7.1 million people with diabetes in Bangladesh and almost an equal number with undetected diabetes. This number is estimated to double by 2025. 

Editorial Open Access

Classical Drug and its New Role in COVID-19 Management

Viroj Wiwanitkit

COVID-19 is the new emerging viral infection that already cause global public health problem. More than 220 countries/territories are already attacked and there are more than 17 million patients around the world. This disease was firstly reported in China then in Indochina and extended worldwide. The patient can have febrile respiratory illness and there are many asymptomatic and mild symptomatic cases. The new viral respiratory infection causes several medical and non-medical problems and it is a big challenge to be managed.

Brief Report Open Access

COVID-19 and the Health of Illicit Substance Users: Preliminary Analysis from Illicit Drug Transaction Data

Andréanne Bergeron, David Décary-Hétu

While much attention has been given to how COVID-19 patients are treated (or fail to be treated), the impact of the pandemic on illicit drug users remains largely undiscussed. The consequences of COVID-19 on substance users and on the health care system are exposed.

Commentary Open Access

Keeping Ready against Omicron and Future Variants: Can Ivermectin Prophylactic Effects Improve the Vaccination Effects against COVID-19?

Hamidreza Zalpoor, Mohsen Nabi-Afjadi, Fatemeh Aziziyan, Chanour Tavakol

The standard treatment options for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain challenging despite community vaccinations and reduced mortality. As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus continues to evolve and new strains emerge, diversity in the use of existing antiviral drugs has become a crucial therapeutic tool in combating the COVID-19 epidemic.

Commentary Open Access

Beta-Sitosterol: As Immunostimulant, Antioxidant and Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein

Sharuk L. Khan, Falak A. Siddiqui

This article is an extension to our recently published article in Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, entitled “Β-Sitosterol: Isolation from Muntingia Calabura Linn. Bark Extract, Structural Elucidation, and Molecular Docking Studies as Potential Inhibitor of SARSCoV-2 Mpro (COVID-19)”[1].

Research Article Open Access

Comprehensive Network and Structural Analysis of Bovine Papillomavirus, Squamous Cell Carcinoma Markers, and Elucidation of Efficacy Mechanisms of Phytochemicals from Thuja Occidentalis

Shafiqur Rahman, Arun HS Kumar

Papillomaviruses infect cutaneous tissue in various species including bovines and from benign warts to malignant squamous cell carcinoma causing severe economic losses to the farmers. The mechanisms by which bovine papillomaviruses interact with host tissue are unclear. Hence in this study using classical network analysis tools, we evaluated interactions of Bovine papilloma (BPV) variants, with markers and receptors implicated in squamous cell carcinoma.

Review Article Open Access

Pharmacologic Therapies for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Current and Future Treatments

Ilana P. Goldberg, Benjamin Lichtbroun, Eric A. Singer, Saum Ghodoussipour

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common malignancy in the United States and 70% of cases are non-muscle invasive at the time of diagnosis. Effective treatment is crucial to prevent progression, which occurs in about 30% of patients. The American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines recommend treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with intravesical Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and chemotherapy.

Editorial Open Access

Diverse Therapeutic Applications of Onion

Preetismita Borah, Bimal Krishna Banik

Onion has been a very useful vegetable for human. The organic molecules present in onion are extremely diverse and exert numerous pharmacological pathways to prevent diseases. Although, mechanism of action of the compounds present in onion has been investigated, clearly there remains enough scope to study this subject further. In general, many scientists believe that the medicinal values of onion are because of a series of oxidation processes of the molecules present in it. 

Research Article Open Access

COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Test Results and their Associations with Certain Factors Among the Residents of Balochistan

Ehsan Larik, Muhammad Arif, Abid Saeed, Zirza Amir Baig, Zakir Hussain, Ambreen Chaudhary, Mirza Zeeshan Iqbal Baig, Zubair Bugti, Jan Inayat, Khair Muhammad, Muhammad Abdullah, Zubair Ahmed Khoso, Qurat-ul- ain, Aftab Kakar, Nasir Sheikh

Background: This paper analyses any possible association of various factors like gender, last COVID-19 PCR test results, BCG Vaccination, Seasonal Flu vaccination, occupation and confirmed case contact history with COVID-19 RDT results of the participants. COVID-19 will soon become endemic in Pakistan, the government should adopt COVID-19 RDT kits for trace, test and quarantine activities.

Commentary Open Access

Current Issues of Novel Drug Versus Thrombosis as Main Cause of Death

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

Appropriate medicinal drugs can save life of any patientat risk with high mortality and morbidity. All ongoingcosts and benefits are covered mainly by the health insurance, the pharmaceutical, and alternative medicine industry.

Review Article Open Access

Drugs and Family Medicine: Form and Content

Jose Luis Turabian

Choosing an individual medication for a particular patient is one of the most important clinical decisions in family medicine (FM). Prescription of drugs is currently the main tool of FM and that’s the main source of prescription of drugs. The drugs are used by general practitioners (GPs) to manage a wide range of health problems that are addressed at this level of medical care have tangible results. But should the drug be the GP’s main therapeutic resource? Drugs arrive to serve the purposes of the GP, but finally, the GP redefines its own goals according to the drugs.

Editorial Open Access

Proto-oncogenes Crosstalk, Feedback and Expression, and Anticancer Drugs Resistance

Mahmoud M. Elalfy, Mona G. Elhadidy, Eman Mohamed El Nashar

Proto-oncogenes like C-MYC, EGFR and others have physiological function in regeneration, wound and any stressfully injury to maintain tissue echotexture and healing. Notably, these growth factors work together and had life span to retain to basal level after tissue remodeling and retain its function like what happen in partial hepatectomy.

Research Article Open Access

Molecular Detection of Plasmid - Mediated Quinolone Resistant Genes in Uropathogenic E. coli from Tertiary Referral Hospital in Tehran , Iran

Ali Badamchi, Shima Javadinia, Reza Farahani, Hamid Solgi, Azardokht Tabatabaei

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are usually used for the treatment of urinary tract infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance (PMQR) genes among ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates obtained from tertiary referral hospital in Tehran, Iran.

Commentary Open Access

Biological Activity of Miscanthus capensis Root Extract

Idowu Jonas Sagbo, Wilfred Otang-Mbeng

Miscanthus capensis is a hardy, evergreen, medium-high, clump-forming grass that belongs to the Poaceae family. It is used in South Africa for the treatment of pimples, wounds, eczema, and acne. The present study was investigated to examine the biological activity of Miscanthus capensis roots extract. The effect of the plant extract on protein glycation and collagen production was investigated using in vitro assays.

Editorial Open Access

The Domino Effect of Polypharmacy. A Dangerous Catalyst That Starts Numerous Bio-Psycho-Social Chain Reactions

Jose Luis Turabian

Increasing medicalization causes some disconcerting trends in medical decision making. Polypharmacy is one of its most important consequences. The tendency to equate the concepts of risk factor and disease, the changes in the biomedical assessment of the severity of many health problems, and the increase in the number of pharmacological treatments create a growing set of multimorbidity and polypharmacy, and this produces a dramatic domino effect

Research Article Open Access

Clerodendrum Chinensis Extracts; AeC and EeC Exerts Rapid Antihypertensive Effects in L-NAME Hypertensive Experimental Models

Joy I. Odimegwu, Tolulope F. Okanlawon, Noel Obumneme, Ismail Ishola

The rise in the occurrence of hypertension, a non-communicable disease and a major factor for chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, which most times lead to sudden death is worrisome. Resistant hypertension is more common and may have no symptoms at all for months or years, but then can cause heart attack, stroke, and vision and kidney damage. Prevention and quick management of hypertension is therefore essential in reducing the risk of these debilitating ailments. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Clerodendrum chinensis (AeC and EeC) are used by local communities of West Africa as medicine for rapid anti-hypertensive actions. We aim to discover the scientific basis for the use of the herb as medicine.

Editorial Open Access

Reflections on COVID-19 Pharmacological Treatment and Beyond: Beware of “Salads” with Many Ingredients but Low Scientific Content

Jose Luis Turabian

The pandemic triggered by SARS-CoV-2 has changed since that first case in Wuhan in 2019. We currently have efficient vaccines that have allowed us to return to our daily activities. But, SARS-CoV-2 remains a public health emergency of international concern.

Research Article Open Access

Relative COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Effectiveness and ClinicalEpidemiological Characteristics Before and After 29 Days of Shot

Jose Luis Turabian

Background: When the highest vaccine COVID-19 booster effectiveness (VBE) is obtained is not clearly known. Objective: To compare the cases of COVID-19 in booster vaccinated people with a time of <29 days vs. ≥ 29 days from booster to infection diagnosis and assess their relative VBE. Methodology: An observational, longitudinal and prospective case series study of adult patients with COVID-19 breakthrough infections in booster vaccinated people, in general medicine and for the period December 2021 to February 2022, during the omicron variant contagion wave.

Editorial Open Access

POSTCOVID-19 WAR Era, Abnormally Some Patients being Affected by Exceptional Disease Progression, and Accelerated Excessive Mortality Rate

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

From 2019, POSTCOVID-19 pandemic attacks, human beings were under pandemic-attacked condition that caused by different industrial modern diseases, and being confronted with unusual disease progression, which increased abnormal excess mortality and morbidity rates. The exact mechanism of action is not completely elucidated yet. What is (un)known?

Commentary Open Access

Artificial Intelligence in Pharma: Positive Trends but More Investment Needed to Drive a Transformation

Peter Henstock

Pharmaceutical companies have been actively adopting artificial intelligence (AI) approaches for drug discovery and are starting to focus this technology on clinical trials. The shift from large-scale collaborations to smaller strategic partnerships and recently to internal teams has led to increased headcounts that are being organized to deliver AI across the enterprise. Although the urgency of the COVID-19 could have been a perfect test case for leveraging AI, it drew awareness to the obstacles of data access.

Editorial Open Access

Platelet Hyperactivity and Dysfunction in Diabetes and Cancer

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

However, the entire coagulation cascade is dysfunctional, in progressed chronic diabetes and cancer patients. Platelets (PLTs) in type 2 diabetic (DT2) involved in Thrombosis and Haemostasis (T&H) of individuals adhere to vascular endothelium and aggregate more voluntarily than those in healthy individuals, as are abnormalities in the microvascular and macrovascular circulations. However it is already known that the circulating PLTs are essential for T&H, inflammation growth factors delivery, regeneration; and knowledge of their function is fundamental to understanding the pathophysiology of vascular disease in diabetes and cancer-related diseases.

Research Article Open Access

Application of Halides Complexes of Ruthenium (II) in Metallopharmaceuticals and in Material Science: Part-I

Vishnu Kumar Sahu, Anil Kumar Soni, Kavindra Kumar Mishra, Rajesh Kumar Singh

Ruthenium readily forms coordinate-complexes and these complexes have their applications in diverse fields. A survey of literature shows that designing of new ligands that can be complexed with Ruthenium (Ru) in various oxidation states can lead to development of new materials with diverse applications.

Review Article Open Access

Schisandra chinensis in Liver Disease: Exploring the Mechanisms and Therapeutic Promise of an Ancient Chinese Botanical

Tamer A. Addissouky, Ibrahim El Tantawy El Sayed, Majeed M. A. Ali, Mahmood Hasen Shuhata Alubiady, Yuliang Wang

Background: Schisandra chinensis is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used for centuries for liver health. The active lignans in Schisandra, including schisandrin and gomisins, have exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties in preliminary studies. With rising rates of chronic liver diseases globally, there is interest in the potential therapeutic role of Schisandra. 

Research Article Open Access

Psychosocial Aspects of Drug Prescription: Recognizing These Phenomena to Improve the Quality of Clinical Practice

Jose Luis Turabian

The psychosocial aspects of pharmacological prescription are the factors that intervene in ways of reacting of the doctor and the patient to the prescription of a drug, as well as the role of social structures that determine it. The role of psychosocial factors in pharmacologic treatment of patients remains unclear and is notably absent in the literature of the discipline of general medicine. Biological (specific) and psychosocial (nonspecific) effects of drugs are not simply additive, but interact with each other.

Commentary Open Access

Effective Cognitive Responses to Treatment Failure

H. Paul Putman III

Half of current treatment plans in psychiatry disappoint, and 3/4 of our medical errors are cognitive in nature. We can positively influence clinical outcomes by reconceptualizing our suboptimal results as single treatment failures (TF) and temporary impasses, rather than misapplying the term “treatment resistance.” Reflective consideration of TF as feedback on our diagnostic and therapeutic hypotheses triggers alterations in our conceptual structure apparatus that can lead to new, creative insights and result in more effective clinical solutions.

Letter to the Editor Open Access

Remdesivir in COVID-19 Patients with End Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis

Vijairam Selvaraj, Karl Herman, Arkadiy Finn, Atin Jindal, Kwame Dapaah-Afriyie

To date, only glucocorticoids have been shown to reduce mortality in COVID-19. Use of remdesivir was associated with reduced length of stay in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. A deadly second wave in Asian countries has caused increased demand and usage of remdesivir in these countries. However, there is limited data about its efficacy in patients with severe renal dysfunction or end-stage renal disease on dialysis.

Commentary Open Access

Is There a Simple and Easy Way to Detect Singlet Oxygen? Comparison of Methods for Detecting Singlet Oxygen and Application to Measure Scavenging Activity of Various Compounds

Tokuko Takajo, Kazunori Anzai

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to exert both beneficial and harmful effects in the human body. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂), is highly reactive and considered as one of the ROS, although it is not a radical molecule. ¹O₂ reacts with many kinds of biological components such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. ¹O₂ is short lived because it reacts with biomolecules and collisions with water molecules rapidly causing the return of ¹O₂ to the ground state, and is therefore not easy to quantify. Antioxidants, such as β-carotene, lycopene and astaxanthin, are quenchers of ¹O₂.

Commentary Open Access

Statins and the Diabetic Kidney

Emad A. El-Bassiouni, Eman Elabd

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases that affect people of all ages and races worldwide.

Review Article Open Access

How Traditional Healers Diagnose and Treat Diabetes Mellitus in the Pretoria Mamelodi Area and How Do These Purported Medications Comply with Complementary and Alternative Medicine Regulations

Ondo Z.G

In South Africa, new amended regulations required a review of complementary and alternative medicine (CAMs) call-up for registration from November 2013. This impacted traditional healers (THs)’ compliance with the regulatory authorities’ on the good manufacturing practice which in return affected the public’s access to CAMs. This investigation embraces methods, THs use to diagnose and treat diabetes (DM) in Mamelodi. Furthermore, it assesses what their purported medications comprise of.

Commentary Open Access

Validating the Use of Rational Modification of Compounds to Reduce P-gp Efflux

Jay Conrad, Roy J Vaz

In both the Central nervous system (CNS) as well as Oncology small molecule drug discovery programs, efflux due to P-glycoprotein (P-gp) could be a deterrent during the discovery phase to obtain in vitro or in vivo pharmacological readouts. Several different strategies have been utilized in the past in order to overcome efflux by P-gp, many of which have been described in a recent article [5] from our labs.

Research Article Open Access

Co-intervention of an Immune Modulator - SIVA Herbal Drops versus Treatment Outcome

Gayathri Rajagopal, Amruthavalli GV

S.I.V.A herbal drops are a poly herbal preparation in drops formulation. It is indicated in the immune modulating benefit. The in vitro studies have established its activity of boosting phagocyted based immunity. In the present study the immune boosting efficacy of S.I.V.A herbal
drops in infectious disease conditions was evaluated in the human subjects in Apollo Wellness Plus Centre and Apollo Children’s Hospital between 2009-2010.

Original Research Open Access

Dual-Rheological Model and Finite Element Simulation of Hemodynamics Through a Multiple Stenotic Artery with Nanodrug-Eluting Stent

B. Vasu, Ankita Dubey, Rama Subba Reddy Gorla, Mustaque H. Borbora, Shabih-ul-Hasan

A two-dimensional rheological study of hemodynamics through a diseased artery with multiple stenosis and drug-eluting stent is simulated computationally. The homogeneous suspension of metallic gold nanoparticles in the blood is considered motivated by pharmacology applications. The Casson (viscoplastic) and Sisko (viscoelastic) fluid models are employed, to mimic non-Newtonian characteristics of the blood flow in the core and in the peripheral arterial region respectively.

Mini Review Open Access

From Data to Knowledge: A Mini-Review on Molecular Network Modeling and Analysis for Therapeutic Target Discovery

Mustafa Ozen, Effat S. Emamian, Ali Abdi

Successful drug development is a risky and lengthy process that can take over ten years and consume billions of dollars. Target discovery is a critical stage of drug development for the identification of key molecules and pathways that can be targeted by novel therapeutics to find more effective treatments. Due to the rapid development in artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques over the past decade

Commentary Open Access

Study of the Tableting Properties of MCR, a Newly Coprocessed Cellulose-based Direct Compression Excipient

SAS Aly

The current need for strategies to accelerate and optimize the efforts to develop new in-expensive multifunctional direct compression tableting excipients with minimum risk to the products has urged the workers in pharmaceutical industry field to search for a simple and low cost-effective technique to tailor and engineer multi-functional excipients.

Research Article Open Access

Use of second Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor Agent in Inflammatory Bowel Disease When First Agent Failed: A South African Retrospective Study

Ernst Fredericks, Abigail Titis, Suereta Fortuin, Shiraaz Gabriel, Mashiko Setshedi

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammation of the bowel. Tumour necrosis factor α - antagonists are safe and effective in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Indications and outcomes with consecutive anti-tumour necrosis factor agents, although often used, are not clear. Since data for this treatment choice is scarce, we set out to evaluate the use of consecutive anti-tumour necrosis factor agents in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Editorial Open Access

Ecological Impact of Drug Prescription

Jose Luis Turabian

Ecological thinking goes beyond humans and animals, this approach considers the inextricable links between ecosystems and health. Thus, ecology ranges from molecules to the ecological and sociocultural context, including the relationship between the economy and ecological and social processes. While pharmaceuticals are essential for human and animal well-being, their release into the environment is of growing concern.

Review Article Open Access

Targeted Therapy in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer-Clinical Updates

Rachel Passarelli, John Pfail, David Golombos, Thomas L. Jang, Vignesh T. Packiam, Saum Ghodoussipour

Non muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) comprises almost 75% of all bladder cancer (BC) diagnoses. Longstanding intravesical treatment options include chemotherapy or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). However, despite these treatment options, there is a high rate of relapse for NMIBC patients, reaching up to 40-50% for patients with high risk disease. Radical cystectomy is recommended by guideline committees for patients with high risk NMIBC and for patients who fail intravesical treatment options

Research Article Open Access

Dose-dependent Oxidative Damage of Molnupiravir (Antiviral Drug for Treatment of COVID-19) in Lung, Liver, Heart, and Kidney Tissues in Rats

Kevser TANBEK, Suleyman SANDAL

Molnupiravir (MOL) is an orally absorbed prodrug of the ribonucleoside analogue N-hydroxycytidine, which has in vitro activity against several coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and 2. It remains to be seen whether long term MOL has serious side effects. The side effects of MOL, which was the first to be allowed for oral use during the pandemic process, are not yet fully known. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the the mechanisms of possible dose-dependent damage on liver, lung, heart, and kidney tissues.

Brief Report Open Access

Nematocidal Effect of Japanese Traditional Intestinal Medicine ‘Seirogan’ on Larval Anisakid and Raphidascaridid Nematodes

Tatsuomi Matsuoka

‘Seirogan’ is a well-known Japanese traditional herbal medicine for stomachache or diarrhea due to digestive disorders. Recently, it was reported that the administration of Seirogan alleviated gastric anisakiasis symptoms, and that Seirogan quickly suppressed the motility of Anisakis larvae in vitro.

Short Communication Open Access

The Pathogenesis of Continuous Spike and Waves during Slow Sleep Syndrome: Short Communication

Miriam Kessi, Jing Peng, Lifen Yang, Yulin Tang, Chen Chen, Fei Yin, MD, Ph.D

Continuous spikes during slow wave sleep (CSWS) syndrome is an age-related and self-limited severe epileptic encephalopathy characterized by electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES) on electroencephalogram, seizures, and developmental regression. The mechanisms that lead to the development of CSWS syndrome are complex and not clear. Surprisingly, steroids and benzodiazepines offer a good treatment outcome compared to conventional anti-epileptic drugs. Of concern, this condition has a long-term poor prognosis due to the persistence of neuropsychological impairment. Many questions are yet to be answered in this syndrome.

Editorial Open Access

Post COVID-19 War Era, Overall Updates and Upgrades Needed to Protect Patients Against Unpredictable Disease’s Progression

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

In these post-COVID-19 periods, overall updates and upgrades are needed to protect patients against unpredictable disease progression, radically. (Re)Consideration of guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), all kinds of old-fashioned model systems, and mechanisms between different angles of the death triangle could play a pivotal role as a lifesaving novel idea, sooner or later. 

Review Article Open Access

Preclinical Protective Activity of Lutein on Diclofenac-induced Hepatotoxicity 

Elias Adikwu, Bonsome Bokolo, Tobechi Brendan Nnanna, Favour Yaakor

 Diclofenac (DF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, may cause hepatotoxicity. Lutein (LT), a naturally occurring compound, has potential therapeutic activities. The protective activity of LT against DF-induced hepatotoxicity in adult Wistar rats was evaluated in this study. 

Research Article Open Access

ProLung™-budesonide Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Reduces Lung Inflammation

Kameswari S. Konduri, Ram Pattisapu, Jogi Pattisapu, Girija G. Konduri, John Zwetchkenbaum, Bidhan Roy, Monalisa Barman, Adria Frazier, Brett L. Hurst, Nejat Duzgunes

 Inhaled budesonide benefits patients with COVID-19. ProLung™-budesonide enables the sustained, low dose administration of budesonide within a delivery vehicle similar to lung surfactant. ProLung™-budesonide may offer anti-inflammatory and protective effects to the lung in COVID-19, yet it’s effect on SARS-CoV-2 replication is unknown.

Mini Review Open Access

Could the Norms for International Radiation Protection Be a Model for Pharmaceuticals?

Daniel Serwer

There is no international norm-setting mechanism for pharmaceutical registration. By contrast, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has been recommending widely respected norms for X-rays and radioactive isotopes in medical and other uses for almost a century. It does so with no legal authority on the basis of collaborative deliberations by a self-selected group that includes experts concerned about both health effects and the benefits of ionizing radiation.

Review Article Open Access

Recent Advances in Diagnosing and Treating Helicobacter pylori through Botanical Extracts and Advanced Technologies

Tamer A. Addissouky, Majeed M. A. Ali, Ibrahim El Tantawy El Sayed, Yuliang Wang

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major global health concern, with an estimated 50% of the world's population infected. The bacterium colonizes the stomach and is associated with a range of gastrointestinal diseases, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. The current standard of care for H. pylori infection involves a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), but the widespread use of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori, making treatment more difficult. Recent advances in diagnostic strategies include the use of non-invasive tests and serological biomarkers.

Editorial Open Access

Admitting UnKnown Biosimilar- Drugs Affects Thrombosis and Haemostasis Processes

Bahram Alamdary Badlou

Accidental admitting and using (un-) known drugs might manipulate health and/or disease(s) of a subject in a positive (healing) and/or negative way (increased mortality and morbidity rate). Now a days, different kinds of drug development technologies are available, which might help affect global health. Though, the psychiatric comorbid disorders were important risk factors for premature drug-related deaths despite so many developed tools and technologies.

Commentary Open Access

Could Ayahuasca Communities Play a Role in the Compassionate Communities Movement?: A Commentary

Débora González, Jordi Cantillo, José Carlos Bouso

Globally, approximately 58 million deaths occur annually. Each death is estimated to directly affect about nine close relatives, underscoring that grief is not only a universal experience but also a potential recurrent process throughout life. Bereavement could trigger profound psychological and physiological reactions, including an elevated risk of cardiovascular complications. The risk of mortality is higher than in the general population, particularly among older adults following the death of a spouse.

Research Article Open Access

Pharmacology of Berberine and Its Metabolites, Is It the Natures Ozempic or Imatinib?

Naresh Kumar Singh, Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran, Arun HS Kumar

Berberine, a naturally occurring alkaloid, is widely explored for several health benefits, including weight management and metabolic disorders. The major pharmacological action of berberine is reported to be by activation of AMP-activated protein kinase, while its other clinical outcomes are devoid of clear mechanism of action/s. Hence in this study a detailed pharmacology of berberine and its two major metabolites (berberrubine, and jatrorrhizine) in humans was evaluated using well established Insilco tools.