Drug review

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is characterized by complex and dynamic changes, often involving experimentation, including the use of psychotropic substances. Although it is well-established that recreational psychotropic drugs are associated with suicide ideation in adults, evidence of this association in adolescents remains limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between suicide ideation and psychotropic recreational drug use among adolescents. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic review with meta-analysis developed at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) and Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil...

Gout, or hyperuricemia is a multifactorial and multi-faceted metabolic disease that is quite difficult to manage and/or treat. Conventional therapies such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as allopurinol, corticosteroids and colchicine amongst others, have helped in its management and treatment to some extent. This study aimed to compile and analyze the different herbal remedies used in the management of hyperuricemia and gout. A literature search was conducted from key databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar) using relevant keywords via the PRISMA model...

OBJECTIVE: Shenkang injection (SKI) has been widely used in China for many years for the treatment of kidney disease. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of Shenkang injection for the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: A search was conducted across seven databases, encompassing data from the inception of each database through October 8th , 2023. Randomized controlled trials comparing SKI-treated AKI patients with control subjects were extracted...

Background: Intravenous (IV) contrast improves the sensitivity and specificity of injury detection in computerized tomography (CT). Its use is recommended in the workup of trauma patients by the American College of Surgeons and American College of Radiology. On May 9, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration declared a shortage of iodinated contrast due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the shortage has ended, the temporary lack of IV contrast forced physicians to be prudent in ordering CT scans with IV contrast...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We highlight novel and emerging therapies in the treatment of childhood-onset movement disorders. We structured this review by therapeutic entity (small molecule drugs, RNA-targeted therapeutics, gene replacement therapy, and neuromodulation), recognizing that there are two main approaches to treatment: symptomatic (based on phenomenology) and molecular mechanism-based therapy or 'precision medicine' (which is disease-modifying). RECENT FINDINGS: We highlight reports of new small molecule drugs for Tourette syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia and Rett syndrome...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We highlight novel and emerging therapies in the treatment of childhood-onset movement disorders. We structured this review by therapeutic entity (small molecule drugs, RNA-targeted therapeutics, gene replacement therapy, and neuromodulation), recognizing that there are two main approaches to treatment: symptomatic (based on phenomenology) and molecular mechanism-based therapy or 'precision medicine' (which is disease-modifying). RECENT FINDINGS: We highlight reports of new small molecule drugs for Tourette syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia and Rett syndrome...

Due to legal, political, and cultural changes, the use of cannabis has rapidly increased in recent years. Research has demonstrated that the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) inhibit and induce cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes. The objective of this review is to evaluate the effect of CBD and THC on the activity of CYP450 enzymes and the implications for drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with psychotropic agents that are CYP substrates. A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and PsychINFO...

Baccharoides anthelmintica (L.) Moench is a popular medicinal plant with a long history of use in several traditional remedies to cure a variety of diseases including; its effect on the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, metabolism, kidneys, gynecology, skin diseases, and general health. The present review aims to provide the latest, organized information on toxicological, pharmacological, phytochemical, and ethnomedicinal applications of Baccharoides anthelmintica. Several well-known searchable websites like; Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus-Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and DOAJ, were used to empirically investigate the knowledge of this useful medicinal plant...

INTRODUCTION: Although the landscape of migraine symptomatic treatment has been enriched by novel effective drugs, it is mandatory to critically reappraise older molecules to ascertain whether they could still represent reliable alternatives in specific endophenotypes of patients or migraine attacks. Among these, dihydroergotamine (DHE) nasal spray has been shown to be effective and is characterized by greater tolerability and manageability than the parenteral DHE formulation. AREAS COVERED: In this narrative review, the authors describe the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of DHE nasal spray and explore the results of the trials which explored its efficacy, safety and tolerability as migraine symptomatic treatment...

Over the years, the administration of antibiotics for the purpose of addressing bacterial infections has become increasingly challenging due to the increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance exhibited by various strains of bacteria. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial species are rising due to the unavailability of novel antibiotics, leading to higher mortality rates. With these conditions, there is a need for alternatives in which phage therapy has made promising results. Phage-derived endolysins, phage cocktails, and bioengineered phages are effective and have antimicrobial properties against MDR and extensively drug-resistant strains...

Saturated bioisosteres of substituted benzenes offer opportunities to fine-tune the properties of drug candidates in development. Bioisosteres of para -benzenes, such as those based on bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane, are now very common and can be used to increase aqueous solubility and improve metabolic stability, among other benefits. Bioisosteres of ortho - and meta -benzenes were for a long time severely underdeveloped by comparison. This has begun to change in recent years, with a number of potential systems being reported that can act as bioisosteres for these important fragments...

Microglia, resident immune cells of the brain that originate from the yolk sac, play a critical role in maintaining brain homeostasis by monitoring and phagocytosing pathogens and cellular debris in the central nervous system (CNS). While they share characteristics with myeloid cells, they are distinct from macrophages. In response to injury, microglia release pro-inflammatory factors and contribute to brain homeostasis through activities such as synapse pruning and neurogenesis. To better understand their role in neurological disorders, the generation of in vitro models of human microglia has become essential...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a global public health emergency which has seen an uptick in low- to middle-income countries in recent times due to a plethora of aggravating factors and has led to a whole host of setting-specific pathogens registering high rates of resistance, causing outbreaks with graver mortality and morbidity. This review analyzes available literature to determine the causes and effects of ABR and recommend solutions to the problem in a Pakistani setting...

Extensive research on zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) and its derivatives has highlighted their unique properties in nanomedicine. ZIF-8 exhibits advantages such as pH-responsive dissolution, easy surface functionalization, and efficient drug loading, making it an ideal nanosystem for intelligent drug delivery and phototherapy. These characteristics have sparked significant interest in its potential applications in tissue regeneration, particularly in bone, skin, and nerve regeneration. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of ZIF-8's feasibility in tissue engineering, encompassing material synthesis, performance testing, and the development of multifunctional nanosystems...

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine is an illegal drug that poses serious public health concerns worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated a strong association between methamphetamine abuse and non-lethal haemorrhagic stroke. Ischaemic stroke after methamphetamine intake is less common than haemorrhagic stroke. The present study investigated the clinical features and potential pathogenesis in a young methylamphetamine addict that presented with acute ischaemic stroke and reversible middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion...

The global emergence of antimicrobial resistance to multiple antibiotics has recently become a significant concern. Gram-negative bacteria, known for their ability to acquire mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, represent one of the most hazardous microorganisms. This phenomenon poses a serious threat to public health. Notably, the significance of tigecycline, a member of the antibiotic group glycylcyclines and derivative of tetracyclines has increased. Tigecycline is one of the last-resort antimicrobial drugs used to treat complicated infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria or even pan-drug-resistant (PDR) bacteria...

Antiretroviral therapies (ART) have reduced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection-associated morbidity and mortality improving the life of people with HIV (PWH). However, ART lead to residual HIV production, which in conjunction with microbial translocation and immune dysfunction contributes to chronic inflammation and immune activation. PWH on ART remain at an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including myocardial infarction and stroke; which in part is explained by chronic inflammation and immune activation...

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of East Asian herbal medicine (HM) for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children and adolescents. METHODS: Twelve electronic databases were searched in 28 May 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of HM in children with IDA. The primary outcome measures for treatment included blood hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels, whereas the secondary outcomes included the total effective rate (TER), incidence of adverse events (AEs), average healing time, and hematologic indicators related to IDA...

Aims: The formation of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) during anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy is reported to lead to reducing serum drug levels, which may bring about a loss of response to treatment. Previous research has suggested an association between specific antibiotic classes and ADA formation during anti-TNF therapy. However, there are few studies specifically examining this association in Chinese inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the possible effect of antibiotic use on ADA formation to anti-TNF therapy in Chinese patients with IBD...

Cynoglossum amabile, a member of the Boraginaceae family, is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine known as Daotihu. Despite several studies confirming the presence of bioactive pyrrolizidine alkaloids such as amabiline, ambelline, echinatine, europine, and others in C. amabile , there has been no comprehensive review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology thus far. This review was conducted by thoroughly examining the literature and analyzing network databases. It covers various aspects of C...