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Medicines Used (medicine + used)
Selected AbstractsNovel Bibenzyl Derivatives from the Tubers of Bletilla striataHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 3 2008Jia-Quan Feng Abstract Three novel bibenzyl derivatives, blestritins A,C (1,3), along with 18 known constituents, were isolated from the tubers of Bletilla striata (Orchidaceae), a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of tuberculosis and haemorrhage of the stomach and lungs. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. [source] The pharmacological potential of Sorbus commixta cortex on blood alcohol concentration and hepatic lipid peroxidation in acute alcohol-treated ratsJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2006Syng-Ook Lee The effect of Sorbus commixta cortex, a traditional herbal medicine used for the treatment of bronchitis, gastritis and dropsy, on blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and hepatic lipid peroxidation was examined in acute alcohol-treated rats. A 30-min pretreatment with a methanol extract of S. commixta cortex (SC) at concentrations higher than 200 mg kg,1 resulted in a significant decrease in BAC and the ethyl acetate fraction (SE) of the extract showed the highest potency, with a maximum of a 46% decrease at 150 mg kg,1 2h after alcohol administration (3.0 g kg,1) compared with the control group (P < 0.005). The rapid reduction in BAC did not appear to be due to the protection or activation of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity by SE. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly increased by acute alcohol administration within 6h, although pretreatment with the SE caused a significant decrease in MDA levels compared with alcohol treatment alone. Hepatic glutathione (GSH) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity remained unchanged by alcohol, SE alone or by the combined treatment of alcohol and SE. However, catalase activity was significantly reduced by acute alcohol administration and pretreatment with the SE led to significant protection of its activity. These results suggest that pretreatment with SE reduces hepatic lipid peroxidation by decreasing the bioavailability of alcohol and its oxidative metabolites, such as H2O2, at least partly, through the protection of hepatic catalase in acute alcohol-treated rats. [source] Antioxidant and antiglycation properties of total saponins extracted from traditional Chinese medicine used to treat diabetes mellitusPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008Miaomiao Xi Abstract Eleven antidiabetic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts rich in saponins were examined for their antioxidant and antiglycation activities. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were evaluated by studying the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by ascorbate/Fe2+, cumine hydroperoxide (CHP) or CCl4/reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The antioxidant capacities were also evaluated by studying the scavenging of 2,2,-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The antiglycation activities of these extracts were evaluated by hemoglobin- , -gluconolactone (, -Glu) assay, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-glucose assay and N-acetyl-glycyl-lysine methyl ester (GK peptide)-ribose assay. Aralia taibaiensis outperformed other extracts in most of the assays except inhibition of early glycation products formation, where Acanthopanax senticosus showed higher activity. Aralia taibaiensis was particularly potent in inhibiting the late glycation and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on proteins. The antioxidant and antiglycation activities of most extracts were correlated with the saponin content. The results demonstrate that the antidiabetic activities of most extracts could be explained, at least in part, by their combined antioxidant and antiglycation properties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of Sairei-to on the pharmacokinetics of nifedipine in ratsPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008Mika Ikehata Abstract Sairei-to is a traditional herbal medicine used to complement, and as an alternative to, Western drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic interactions between Sairei-to and nifedipine (NFP), a substrate for CYP3A, in rats. NFP-oxidizing activity and the pharmacokinetics of NFP were examined after a single or 1-week of administration of Sairei-to (EK-114). NFP-oxidizing activity was enhanced transiently around 24 h after a single administration of EK-114 (1400 mg/kg). In vivo, the first-pass metabolism of NFP increased in the small intestine at 24 h after the administration of EK-114, and this effect disappeared at 72 h. Co-administration of EK-114 tended to inhibit the metabolism of NFP. On the other hand, when EK-114 was given at a high dose (1400 mg/kg) for 1 week, the oxidation of NFP in the small intestine was inhibited, and Cmax and AUC after the oral administration of NFP increased. In addition, a clinical dose of EK-114 (140 mg/kg) did not alter the pharmacokinetics of NFP, regardless of the administration schedule. EK-114 was suggested to affect the metabolism of NFP. However, the CYP3A-mediated pharmacokinetic interaction on the concomitant use of EK-114 may not be clinically significant. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A qualitative exploration of multiple medicines beliefs in co-morbid diabetes and cardiovascular diseaseDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 10 2008R. J. Stack Abstract Aim,, Multiple medicines are typically prescribed for patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Non-adherence to medicines can arise for those who self-manage the complex regimens typical of T2D and CVD. Perceptions about treatment and illness are probable drivers of adherence and self-management behaviours. However, few studies have explored perceptions about multiple medicines and none has examined the complexities of managing medicines used in T2D and CVD. We explored perceptions towards multiple medicines expressed by people managing co-morbid T2D and CVD. Method,, Nineteen adults managing multiple medicines for T2D and CVD participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using a modified grounded theory framework. Results,, Participants were sceptical about the prescription of additional medicines, particularly CVD medicines. Often medicines for T2D management were thought to be more important than medicines prescribed for CVD management. Lifestyle change was thought to be a way of reducing CVD risk and this was related to the lower status given to CVD medication. Lipid-lowering medicines were often thought to be the least important CVD medication prescribed, with some participants considering cessation of medicines to test their necessity. Conclusions,, Despite evidence on the severity of macrovascular complications in T2D being available, participants in this study undervalued their CVD medications. Survey research is needed to assess how widely held these beliefs are and whether these beliefs influence non-adherence. Future research should explore how healthcare professionals can best address such beliefs. [source] Medicine use in older people's inpatient mental health servicesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2010J. A. BAKER phd mphil msc bnurs (hons) rmn Accessible summary ,,Aging increases the risks associated with medicines. ,,Complex regimes of medicines are used with older people in mental health services. ,,Mental Health Nurses need to consider their skills and knowledge in dealing with these complex regimes. Abstract The aims of this audit were to establish the range and volumes of medicines used in older people's mental health settings and to explore the safety of the prescribing habits through the application of the revised Beers criteria. An audit of all patients on all selected wards (both functional and organic) for current prescriptions of all drugs routinely prescribed on the census day was undertaken on 11 wards in three Mental Health NHS Trusts in the North West of England. Data were collected on 154 patients in 11 different inpatient settings in three Mental Health Trusts. A total of 153 patients had 882 prescriptions of 196 drugs (mean 5.8 drugs). Most frequently prescribed drugs were aspirin (n= 57, 6.5%), paracetamol (n= 36, 4.1%) and quetiapine (n= 35, 4.0%). Nine of the 48 potentially inappropriate medicines in the revised Beers criteria had been prescribed, although at within appropriate limits. The audit highlights the complexity of poly-pharmacotherapy in older adults admitted to mental health services. Further works needs to establish whether nurses have the clinical knowledge and skills to ensure safe practice. There appears to be continued variation in prescribing practice. [source] Adverse drug reactions in patients in an Iranian department of internal medicine,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 2 2009Sara Pourseyed MD Abstract Purpose Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a major cause of hospital admission and inpatient morbidity. The department of internal medicine is not an exception to this issue. This study was performed to determine the nature and frequency of ADRs in an internal medicine ward in Iran. Methods This survey was a prospective observational study based on admissions of 400 patients to the internal medicine ward over a 15-week period. Patients were intensively followed in order to assess any ADR as a cause of admission or occurring during hospitalization. Any suspicious ADR was confirmed by a pharmacist/pharmacologist. Results There were 47 patients of 400 patients (11.75%) that experienced at least one ADR. ADR leading to the admission was seen in seven cases (1.75%) and in 40 (10%) it occurred during hospitalization. ADRs were identified as preventable reactions in 50% of cases and as predictable in 94.3%. The severity of 18.6% of the ADRs was identified as mild, 62.9% as moderate, 14.3% as severe and 4.3% as lethal. Gastrointestinal system disorders (44.3%) represented the most frequent ADRs. The therapeutic groups that most commonly associated with suspected ADRs were antineoplastic, immunosuppressive and medicines used in palliative care (54.8%). Conclusions ADRs are common among hospitalized patients in department of internal medicine and can be severe and even lethal. Since most ADRs occurred during hospitalization in studied patients and half of them were preventable, prevention strategies should be considered in hospitals. Also, our findings confirmed the role of hospital pharmacists in the reducing ADRs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Perceived adverse drug reactions among non-institutionalized children and adolescents in GermanyBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Hildtraud Knopf WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT Drug safety in paediatric medication is a public health concern. According to previous studies, the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) varies greatly from 0.7% to 2.7% among paediatric outpatients and from 2.6% to 18.1% among paediatric inpatients. Little has been reported on the risks of drug use in the general child population. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS Our study showed that the prevalence of perceived ADRs in Germany was 0.9% among non-institutionalized children in general and 1.7% among children who had used at least one medicine within the 7 days before the medical interview. Perceived ADRs in the general child population were clustered with gastrointestinal disorders and subcutaneous tissue disorders. They appeared to be mild and at the lower limits of the range reported in other studies. Health surveys covering the use of a diverse range of drugs might be suitable for computing ADR prevalence and for identifying risk factors among non-institutionalized children. They should be taken into account together with other pharmacovigilance systems. AIMS Little has been reported on the risks of drug use in the general child population. This study investigated perceived adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among non-institutionalized children in Germany. METHODS All medicines used in the last 7 days before the medical interview were recorded among the 17 450 children aged 0,17 years who participated in the 2003,06 German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Perceived ADRs were reported by the children's parents and confirmed by trained medical professionals during the medical interview. RESULTS One hundred and fifty-seven medicines were involved in the occurrence of 198 perceived ADRs in 153 patients. This corresponded to 1.1% of total used drugs, 0.9% (95% confidence intervals 0.7, 1.1%) of all children, and 1.7% (1.4, 2.1%) of children treated with medications. About 40% of all perceived ADRs involved gastrointestinal disorders and 16% involved skin tissue disorders. Perceived ADRs were most frequently reported in relation to drugs acting on the nervous system (25.8%), followed by systemic anti-infectives (18.7%) and drugs acting on the respiratory system (16.2%). Risk factors for perceived ADRs included older age groups, polypharmacy (,2) and a poor health status. CONCLUSION Perceived ADRs in the general child population were clustered with gastrointestinal disorders and subcutaneous tissue disorders. They appeared to be mild and at the lower limits of the range reported in other studies. Health surveys covering the use of a diverse range of drugs might be suitable for computing ADR prevalence and identifying risk factors among non-institutionalized children. They should be taken into account together with other pharmacovigilance systems. [source] Adverse drug reactions in adult medical inpatients in a South African hospital serving a community with a high HIV/AIDS prevalence: prospective observational studyBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Ushma Mehta What is already known about this subject ,,Studies conducted primarily in developed countries have shown that adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a significant cause of hospital admission, prolong hospital stay and consequently increase the cost of disease management in patients. ,,Cardiovascular medicines, hypoglycaemic agents, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are the most frequently implicated medicines in these studies. ,,A large proportion of these ADRs have been shown to be preventable through improved drug prescribing, administration and monitoring for adverse effects. What this paper adds ,,This is the first Sub-Saharan African study in the HIV/AIDS era that describes the contribution of ADRs to patient morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality. ,,Cardiovascular medicines and antiretroviral therapy contributed the most to community-acquired ADRs at the time of hospital admission while medicines used for opportunistic infections (such as antifungals, antibiotics and antituberculosis medicines were most frequently implicated in hospital acquired ADRs. ,,ADRs in HIV-infected patients were less likely to be preventable. Aims To describe the frequency, nature and preventability of community-acquired and hospital-acquired adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in a South African hospital serving a community with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Methods A 3-month prospective observational study of 665 adults admitted to two medical wards. Results Forty-one (6.3%) patients were admitted as a result of an ADR and 41 (6.3%) developed an ADR in hospital. Many of the ADRs (46.2%) were considered preventable, although less likely to be preventable in HIV-infected patients than in those with negative or unknown HIV status (community-acquired ADRs 2/24 vs. 35/42; P < 0.0001; hospital-acquired ADRs 3/25 vs. 14/26; P = 0.003). Patients admitted with ADRs were older than patients not admitted with an ADR (median 53 vs. 42 years, P = 0.003), but 60% of community-acquired ADRs at hospital admission were in patients <60 years old. Among patients <60 years old, those HIV infected were more likely to be admitted with an ADR [odds ratio (OR) 2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17, 4.61; P = 0.017]. Among HIV-infected patients, those receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) were more likely to be admitted with an ADR than those not receiving ART (OR 10.34, 95% CI 4.50, 23.77; P < 0.0001). No ART-related ADRs were fatal. Antibiotics and drugs used for opportunistic infections were implicated in two-thirds of hospital-acquired ADRs. Conclusions ADRs are an important, often preventable cause of hospitalizations and inpatient morbidity in South Africa, particularly among the elderly and HIV-infected. Although ART-related injury contributed to hospital admissions, many HIV-related admissions were among patients not receiving ART, and many ADRs were associated with medicines used for managing opportunistic infections. [source] | ||||||||||