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Journal of Pharmacological and... 2024An adverse effect of drug candidates, seizure is a serious issue in drug development. Improving evaluation systems for seizure liability is crucial for selecting good...
Improved seizure liability detection by combining rat hippocampal brain slice electrophysiology with in vivo behavior observation following intracerebroventricular drug administration.
An adverse effect of drug candidates, seizure is a serious issue in drug development. Improving evaluation systems for seizure liability is crucial for selecting good candidates. Firstly, in vitro electrophysiological measurement by a multielectrode array system in rat hippocampal brain slices was employed to confirm an increase in electrically evoked population spike (PS) area, the occurrence of multiple population spikes (MPSs), and thereby the seizure liability of five positive control chemicals: picrotoxin, 4-aminopyridine, pentylenetetrazole, penicillin G, and chlorpromazine. Aspirin, a negative control, did not affect PS area or generate MPSs. Furthermore, baclofen, an anticonvulsant drug, decreased PS area and inhibited the increase in PS area or occurrence of MPSs induced by picrotoxin. A comparative study of seizure liability among carbapenem antibiotics revealed that tienam > carbenin > omegacin and finibax. Despite leading to a strong decrease in PS area, physostigmine, cisplatin, and paroxetine still produced MPSs. Therefore, the increase in PS area or the occurrence of the MPS are considered significant evaluation parameters for seizure liability. In contrast, the in vitro electrophysiological measurement could not detect the seizure liability of diphenhydramine or fluvoxamine. A follow-up study of in vivo mouse behavioral change induced by intracerebroventricular administration of these drugs clearly detected convulsions. The in vitro electrophysiological study using hippocampal brain slices combined with in vivo behavior observation study of drug candidates administered by intracerebroventricular injection can implement to assess the seizure liability of even small amounts, especially in the early stages of drug development.
Topics: Rats; Mice; Animals; Picrotoxin; Behavior Observation Techniques; Follow-Up Studies; Seizures; Electrophysiology; Hippocampus; Brain
PubMed: 38432527
DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2024.107496 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Apr 2024Microneedles (MNs) prepared from polymeric materials are painless and minimally invasive, safe and efficient, but they hindered by low mechanical strength and single...
Microneedles (MNs) prepared from polymeric materials are painless and minimally invasive, safe and efficient, but they hindered by low mechanical strength and single diverse drug release pattern. Due to the distinctive mechanical strength and dimensions of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs), the integration of nano-technology with microneedles can effectively improve penetration and delivery efficiency through the stratum corneum. We herein designed a simple paroxetine (PAX)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles-integrated dissolving microneedles system (PAX-NPs-DMNs), aiming to improve the bioavailability of PAX through the synergistic permeation-enhancing effect of dissolving microneedles (DMNs) and NPs. PAX-NPs-DMNs had a complete tips molding rate (N) of (94.06 ± 2.16) %, a 15×15 quadrangular-conical microneedle array and an overall fracture force of 301.10 N, which were improved nearly 0.50 times compared with the blank microneedles (HA-DMNs) and PAX microneedles (PAX-DMNs). PAX-NPs-DMNs could extend the release duration of PAX from 1 h to 24 h and the cumulative permeability per unit area (Q) was 47.66 times and 7.37 times higher than the PAX and the PAX-DMNs groups. PAX-NPs-DMNs could be rapidly dissolved within 10 min without hindering skin healing or causing adverse reactions. This study confirmed that PAX-NPs-DMNs can effectively improve the bioavailability of PAX and the mechanical strength of DMNs, which can easily penetrate the skin to provide sustained and painless delivery without causing adverse effects, thus offering a more convenient and effective method for central nervous diseases.
Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Skin; Drug Delivery Systems; Nanoparticles; Needles
PubMed: 38428314
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116339 -
The Medical Letter on Drugs and... Mar 2024
Topics: Humans; Hot Flashes; Menopause
PubMed: 38412276
DOI: 10.58347/tml.2024.1697a -
Annals of Internal Medicine Mar 2024The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) worked together to revise the 2017 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of...
The Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: Synopsis of the 2023 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline.
DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) worked together to revise the 2017 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder. This article summarizes the 2023 clinical practice guideline (CPG) and its development process, focusing on assessments and treatments for which evidence was sufficient to support a recommendation for or against.
METHODS
Subject experts from both departments developed 12 key questions and reviewed the published literature after a systematic search using the PICOTS (population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, timing of outcomes measurement, and setting) method. The evidence was then evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) method. Recommendations were made after consensus was reached; they were based on quality and strength of evidence and informed by other factors, including feasibility and patient perspectives. Once the draft was peer reviewed by an external group of experts and their inputs were incorporated, the final document was completed.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The revised CPG includes 34 recommendations in the following 5 topic areas: assessment and diagnosis, prevention, treatment, treatment of nightmares, and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with co-occurring conditions. Six recommendations on PTSD treatment were rated as strong. The CPG recommends use of specific manualized psychotherapies over pharmacotherapy; prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing psychotherapy; paroxetine, sertraline, or venlafaxine; and secure video teleconferencing to deliver recommended psychotherapy when that therapy has been validated for use with video teleconferencing or when other options are unavailable. The CPG also recommends against use of benzodiazepines, cannabis, or cannabis-derived products. Providers are encouraged to use this guideline to support evidence-based, patient-centered care and shared decision making to optimize individuals' health outcomes and quality of life.
Topics: Humans; United States; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute; Veterans; Quality of Life; Psychotherapy; United States Department of Veterans Affairs
PubMed: 38408360
DOI: 10.7326/M23-2757 -
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy Feb 2024Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most frequently prescribed agents to treat depression. Considering the growth in antidepressant prescription...
BACKGROUND
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most frequently prescribed agents to treat depression. Considering the growth in antidepressant prescription rates, SSRI-induced adverse events (AEs) need to be comprehensively clarified.
OBJECTIVE
This study was to investigate safety profiles and potential AEs associated with SSRIs using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
METHODS
A retrospective pharmacovigilance analysis was conducted using the FAERS database, with Open Vigil 2.1 used for data extraction. The study included cases from the marketing date of each SSRI (ie, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, and sertraline) to April 30, 2023. We employed the reporting odds ratio and Bayesian confidence propagation neural network as analytical tools to assess the association between SSRIs and AEs. The Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities was used to standardize the definition of AEs. AE classification was achieved using system organ classes (SOCs).
RESULTS
Overall, 427 655 AE reports were identified for the 6 SSRIs, primarily associated with 25 SOCs, including psychiatric, nervous system, congenital, familial, genetic, cardiac, and reproductive disorders. Notably, sertraline ( = 967) and fluvoxamine ( = 169) exhibited the highest and lowest signal frequencies, respectively. All SSRIs had relatively strong signals related to congenital, psychiatric, and nervous disorders.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Most of our findings are consistent with those reported previously, but some AEs were not previously identified. However, AEs attributed to SSRIs remain ambiguous, warranting further validation. Applying data-mining methods to the FAERS database can provide additional insights that can assist in appropriately utilizing SSRIs.
PubMed: 38407147
DOI: 10.1177/10600280241231116 -
Pharmaceutics Jan 2024The potential benefits of drug repurposing have gained attention as an alternative to developing de novo drugs. The potential of using central nervous system (CNS) drugs...
The potential benefits of drug repurposing have gained attention as an alternative to developing de novo drugs. The potential of using central nervous system (CNS) drugs as anticancer drugs has been explored in several types of human cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, among others. Here, we examine the effect of the CNS drugs sertraline, paroxetine, and chlorpromazine on human squamous carcinoma cells of the bladder (UM-UC-5). After exposing UM-UC-5 cells to increased concentrations of each drug for 48 h, we assessed their metabolic activity using an MTT assay. Based on those results, we calculated cell viability and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) values. The results suggest that the CNS drugs were effective against UM-UC-5 in the order of potency of sertraline > chlorpromazine > paroxetine. Interestingly, sertraline was more potent than 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a widely used anticancer drug. This study demonstrated, for the first time, the promising anticancer activity of CNS drugs on human bladder cancer cells in vitro and supports the repurposing of CNS drugs to improve cancer treatment. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to understand their mechanism of action and in vivo activity.
PubMed: 38399266
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020212 -
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica May 2024Long-term studies comparing nonresponse to antidepressants for major depressive disorder (MDD) are lacking. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Comparative responses to 17 different antidepressants in major depressive disorder: Results from a 2-year long-term nation-wide population-based study emulating a randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
Long-term studies comparing nonresponse to antidepressants for major depressive disorder (MDD) are lacking.
AIMS
To present systematic population-based nation-wide register data on comparative 2-year non-response within six antidepressant drug classes and 17 different antidepressants in patients with MDD.
METHOD
The study included all 106,920 patients in Denmark with a first main index diagnosis of MDD at a psychiatric hospital inpatient or outpatient contact and who subsequently had a purchase of an antidepressant in the period from 1995 to 2018. Non-response to first antidepressant within a 2-year study period was defined as switch to or add-on of another antidepressant, antipsychotic medication, lithium, or hospitalization. Analyses emulated a targeted trial in populations standardized according to age, sex, socioeconomic status, and comorbidity with psychiatric and physical disorders.
RESULTS
Compared with sertraline, there was no difference for citalopram (RR: 1.00 [95% CI: 0.98-1.02]) but fluoxetine (1.13 [95% CI: 1.10-1.17]), paroxetine (1.06 [95% CI: 1.01-1.10]) and escitalopram (1.22 [95% CI: 1.18-1.25]) were associated with higher risk ratio of non-responses. Within selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, sertraline outperformed reboxetine; within serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, venlafaxine outperformed duloxetine; within noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants, mirtazapine outperformed mianserin and within the class of other antidepressants, sertraline outperformed agomelatine and vortioxetine. Within tricyclic antidepressants, compared to amitriptyline, nortriptyline, dosulepin, and clomipramine had higher non-response, whereas there was no difference for imipramine.
CONCLUSIONS
These analyses emulating a randomized trial of "real world" observational register-based data show that 2-year long-term non-responses to some antidepressants within six different drug classes are increased over others.
Topics: Humans; Antidepressive Agents; Depressive Disorder, Major; Fluoxetine; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Sertraline
PubMed: 38379028
DOI: 10.1111/acps.13673 -
Cureus Jan 2024An average of 60-80% of all menopausal women experience bothersome vasomotor symptoms (VMSs), such as flushing and sweating, within the first seven years of onset.... (Review)
Review
An average of 60-80% of all menopausal women experience bothersome vasomotor symptoms (VMSs), such as flushing and sweating, within the first seven years of onset. However, despite increasing prevalence, these hot flashes remain hard to treat and have a negative effect on the quality of life. Though hormone replacement therapy is commonly utilized as a standard treatment for VMSs, this therapy is not recommended for all women. Specifically, the oral form of hormone replacement therapy is associated with several contraindications, including a history of thromboembolic disease, migraine headache with aura, liver failure, heart disease, and hormone-dependent cancers. For women with these medical conditions, current literature indicates that nonhormonal therapies such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are suitable alternatives to reduce the frequency and intensity of VMSs. Currently, the only SSRI that is FDA-approved for the treatment of VMSs is paroxetine, but studies show that fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline are also proven to provide similar benefits. Similarly, the SNRI venlafaxine has also been well tolerated and has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes. The present investigation reviews the physiology of VMSs and examines the evidence for the use of nonhormonal pharmacologic therapies as treatment for women experiencing hot flashes. These interventions should be considered whenever hormone replacement therapy is contraindicated, with therapy individualized based on the severity of symptoms.
PubMed: 38371081
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52467 -
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics Apr 2024Gambling disorder (GD) is a mental health condition characterized by persistent and problematic betting behavior. GD generates distress and impairment, and treatment... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Gambling disorder (GD) is a mental health condition characterized by persistent and problematic betting behavior. GD generates distress and impairment, and treatment options include psychological and pharmacological interventions.
AREAS COVERED
This narrative review explores existing pharmacological treatments for GD. The following classes of medications were considered: opioid-receptor antagonists (e.g. naltrexone and nalmefene), serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, and citalopram), glutamatergic agents (e.g. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), acamprosate, and memantine), mood stabilizers (e.g. topiramate, carbamazepine, lithium), and other medications (e.g. modafinil, nefazodone, olanzapine, haloperidol, tolcapone, and bupropion).
EXPERT OPINION
Due to the limitations of the studies reviewed, solid conclusions regarding the optimal choice of pharmacotherapy for individuals with GD are challenging to draw at this time. Despite some medications, such as naltrexone and nalmefene, showing promising results, efficacy has varied across studies. The review highlights current gaps/limitations, including small sample sizes, limited diversity in participant demographics, the need for exploring different gambling subtypes and treatment responses, high placebo response rates, lack of longer-term longitudinal information, limited investigation of neurobiological correlates and co-occurring disorders, and the importance of implementation research. Further research is needed to address these gaps and explore additional medications, as well as interventions like neuromodulation.
Topics: Humans; Gambling; Naltrexone; Behavior, Addictive; Narcotic Antagonists; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
PubMed: 38357896
DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2024.2316833 -
Contact Dermatitis May 2024
Topics: Humans; Citalopram; Patch Tests; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Depression
PubMed: 38354423
DOI: 10.1111/cod.14504