Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 25, Issue 30, 2019

Background: Opioids are the cornerstone of the management of cancer pain. However, the development of adverse effects may compromise the opioid response. They include nausea and vomiting, constipation, drowsiness, sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction, myoclonus, pruritus, dysuria, dependence and the development of aberrant behaviors, respiratory depression, and some endocrine responses. Methods: The goal of t Read More

Pain at the end of life is common in both malignant and non-malignant disease. It is feared by patients, their families and careers, and professionals. Effective pain control can be achieved for the majority of patients at the end of life using a multimodal approach. Pharmacological management relies predominantly on strong opioids. In spite of this, evidence suggests that under treatment of pain is common resultin Read More

Background: Endogenous opioids are neuropeptides involved in pain-relieving processes. In the periphery, they are synthesised and stored in cells of the immune system. Objective: In the current study, we describe the influence of perioperative, intravenous (i.v.) lidocaine infusion in children on postoperative, serum endogenous opioid concentrations in children. Methods: Forty-four children undergoing major spinal surgery were Read More

Aim: To compare the effects of oral morphine and oxycodone and transdermal fentanyl and buprenorphine on quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients with severe pain. Patients and Methods: Cancer patients with severe pain (NRS 6-10) treated at home and in outpatient clinics who failed to respond to non-opioids and/or “weak” opioids were randomized to morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, or buprenorphine treatment for 28 d Read More

Macrophages are one of the crucial mediators of the immune response in different physiological and pathological conditions. These cells have critical functions in the inflammation mechanisms that are involved in the inhibition or progression of a wide range of diseases including cancer, autoimmune diseases, etc. It has been shown that macrophages are generally divided into two subtypes, M1 and M2, which are distingui Read More

Background and Objectives: The 3’ repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) gene is the major DNA-specific 3’–5 ’exonuclease of mammalian cells which reduces single- and double-stranded DNA (ssDNA and dsDNA) to prevent undue immune activation mediated by the nucleic acid. TREX1 is also a crucial suppressor of selfrecognition that protects the host from inappropriate autoimmune activations. It has been revealed that TREX1 Read More

Repurposing already approved drugs as new anticancer agents is a promising strategy considering the advantages such as low costs, low risks and less time-consumption. Disulfiram (DSF), as the first drug for antialcoholism, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 60 years ago. Increasing evidence indicates that DSF has great potential for the treatment of various human cancers. Several mechanisms Read More

Background: Many diseases can be treated with metformin. People with serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels higher than 10 mIU/L are at a risk of cardiovascular events. Some studies have suggested that metformin can lower serum TSH levels to a subnormal level in patients with hyperthyrotropinaemia or hypothyroidism. Objective: The objective of this analysis is to evaluate the effect of metformin treatment on s Read More

Background: The findings of trials investigating the effects of L-carnitine administration on serum lipids are inconsistent. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to summarize the effects of L-carnitine intake on serum lipids in patients and healthy individuals. Methods: Two authors independently searched electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Pub Read More

Background: Adenocarcinoma of colon and rectum are one of the most common cancers worldwide, responsible for over 1,300,000 people diagnosed. Also, they are responsible for metastasis, which leads to death in less than 5 years. Methods: In this study, we developed, characterized, and pre-clinically tested a new nano-radiopharmaceutical for early and differential detection of adenocarcinoma of colon and rectum. R Read More