Current Clinical Pharmacology - Volume 10, Issue 2, 2015

Introduction: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent and very disabling anxiety disorder. First-line medications are antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). However, a substantial number of patients do not reach remission while on antidepressants and they may develop troublesome side effects, which highlights th Read More

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with significant morbidity and dysfunction. First-line OCD treatments - serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and their combination - though widely used, are not sufficient in treating resistant cases. This eventually raises the need for finding novel strategies, whether by adding-on drugs or switching to a different psychopharma Read More

Introduction: Panic disorder (PD) is a common anxiety disorder. Despite neurophysiological advances, its pathogenesis is still not well elucidated. Although the recommended pharmacological agents have demonstrated efficacy and a rather acceptable tolerability, yet many patients do not respond fully and still suffer from residual symptoms. There is a need for new pharmacological classes with better tolerability and effica Read More

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a frequent and disabling condition that occurs after exposure to a traumatic event, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered the first-line treatment approach for this disorder. However, a large proportion of patients remain symptomatic and other pharmacological agents have been investigated, based on the understanding of the underlying Read More

Social anxiety disorder is a debilitating mental illness with eventually serious comorbidities such as major depression and alcohol or substance abuse and dependence. Those comorbidities are much more common when social phobia is left neglected and untreated. It is characterized by excessive fears to one or most social situations (circumscribed versus generalized type). Social phobia has its onset typically in childhoo Read More

Specific phobias are among the most frequently diagnosed disorders in community with a twelve-month prevalence of 8.7% and a lifetime prevalence of 12.5%. Exposure-based therapies constitute the most effective treatment for this type of anxiety disorders. However, pharmacotherapies can still be considered for patients suffering from specific phobias in case they were non-adherent or resistant to ex Read More

Tuberculosis (TB), a 19th century disease, is still present in the beginning of the Third Millennium. It has been considered pandemic, since around two billion people are infected with M. tuberculosis. Multi-drug resistant TB has been the biggest challenge for chemotherapy. In order to face this severe health problem, many institutions, private and public ones, have been investing in the search for new and better drug candidates Read More

The effects of tofisopam, a GABA-receptor agonist, following oral administration (300mg) with and without allopurinol pretreatment on the plasma concentration and renal transport of uric acid and oxypurinol were investigated in 5 healthy subjects. Fractional and urinary excretions of uric acid were both significantly increased at 2-3 hours after tofisopam administration (559% and 459%, respectively), while plasma uric acid con Read More