Current Clinical Pharmacology - Volume 9, Issue 4, 2014

Ezogabine (EZG)/retigabine (RTG) and its metabolites are mainly eliminated renally. This Phase 1 study assessed the effect of hemodialysis on the pharmacokinetics of EZG/RTG and its N-acetyl metabolite (NAMR) in patients with end-stage renal disease; tolerability of EZG/RTG was a secondary endpoint. Patients (N=8) received EZG/RTG 100 mg orally 4 hours before (Period 1) or following (Period 2) dialysis. Blood (both periods) a Read More

Melatonin is an endogenous neurohormone produced predominantly in the pineal gland. Recent studies have implicated abnormalities in melatonin physiology and the circadian rhythm in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These physiological abnormalities include lower nighttime melatonin or melatonin metabolite concentrations in ASD compared to controls. These abnormalities in melatonin concentrations may b Read More

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a group of life-long neurodevelopmental disorders, with onset before 3 years of age. They are characterized by qualitative impairmentin social interactions, absent or impaired language and communication skills, and present with a wide range of stereotyped, repetitive behaviors. Function and outcome are affected not only by core deficits but by associated behaviors such as hyperactivity, agg Read More

Infants are therapeutic orphans. Many drugs used in infants are used “off-label”, increasing the risk of drug toxicity and suboptimal efficacy in this vulnerable population. This knowledge gap in clinical pharmacology is partly attributed to challenges associated with conducting clinical trials in infants. Consequently, there is a need for novel and efficient study designs more suited to this population. Available literature describing Read More

The objective of this phase II study was to determine the effectiveness of a mucoadhesive propolis gel in the prevention of radiation-induced oral mucositis. Twenty-four patients who were selected to undergo radiation therapy for oral cancer were included in this open-label trial. They were advised to use a mucoadhesive gel containing propolis 5,0% w/v three times a day starting one day before the course of radiation thera Read More

The core symptoms of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are impairment in reciprocal social interaction, communication, narrow interests, and stereotyped behaviour. These are frequently severe and persistent, although their severity may change over the course of life. Furthermore, the frequently associated symptoms of self-injury, aggressive behaviour, impulsivity, poor attention, anxiety, depression, and sleep disruptio Read More

Diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), and above all diagnosis of the different PDD subtypes, is an ongoing challenge in psychopathology. Application of categorical criteria is complex and problematic in the clinical field where the boundaries dividing some of the PDD entities are blurred, creating particular problems for the clinician. A dimensional clinical approach, considering autistic symptom severity Read More

Purpose: In this review, potential benefits of oral ginger for prevention or management of drug- induced nausea and vomiting were evaluated based on the available evidences. Method: By searching medical resources including Scopus, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane central register of controlled trials and Cochrane database systematic reviews, available evidences were collected. Ginger, zingiber, nausea and vomiting Read More

Background: Due to the lack of properly tested medicines for children, there is little available information with regards to indications and dosing of medications in children. Aim: To collect data on sources where hospital based pediatricians obtain prescribing information when treating children and the extent of collaboration with the hospital pharmacist. METHOD: Two hundred and fifty pediatricians in different hospitals within dif Read More

Substitution of a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) with another drug of the same class combined with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is a therapeutic strategy that can improve the tolerability of antiretroviral treatment. According to the pharmacokinetic properties of NNRTIs, this substitution generates pharmacokinetic drug interactions between NNRTIs, which could decrease NNRTI expos Read More