April 6th, 2008
Cyclosporin A (CSA) is a uniquely potent immunosuppressant used world-wide to sustain organ transplantation. It has also been proven effective in a variety of autoimmune and related disorders. However, dose-dependent side-effects, particularly at the level of the kidney, may ultimately define the limits of clinical utility of the drug because they frequently mandate modification of [...]
Filed under: Pharmacokinetics | No Comments »
April 5th, 2008
Spinal muscular atrophies (SMA) are characterized by degeneration of motoneurons of the anterior horn of the spinal cord, leading to progressive symmetrical limb and trunk paralysis associated with muscular atrophy. It is a rather frequent inherited disease (1 in 6000 newborns). SMA have been divided into three clinical forms depending on the clinical severity: type [...]
Filed under: Neuropharmacology | No Comments »
April 4th, 2008
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as enalapril, captopril and lisinopril, are drugs of choice for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart disease in humans and dogs. Their use results notably in a lowering of blood pressure, without the adverse effects (decreased cardiac function and lipid metabolism) observed with some other vasodilators acting on the [...]
Filed under: Pulmonary | No Comments »
April 3rd, 2008
Regardless of the cause, intestinal ischemia is a serious and growing clinical problem with an unacceptable mortality rate over 60%. When blood flow to the intestine is decreased, mucosal lesions develop in the upper part of the villi and during reperfusion, development of these lesions is rapid.
Formation of toxic oxygen metabolites has been suggested to [...]
Filed under: Gastrointestinal | No Comments »
April 2nd, 2008
Thiazide diuretics have long since been used for the treatment of severe hypertension. They are effective in inhibiting sodium transport at the distal tubule in the mammalian nephron and hence decrease water retention. One of the most widely used thiazide diuretics is hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ; 6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadazine-7-sulfonamide 1,1-dioxide). With a 65–75% oral absorption and an elimination half-time [...]
Filed under: Cardiavascular | No Comments »