L-theanine: potential use as a therapeutic agent for psychiatric conditions

Psychiatric conditions including attention disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia pose some of the most debilitating effects on the patient population worldwide. Treatments currently used to combat such illnesses have been a significant area of research in the medical community. As more molecular mechanisms are elucidated and a deeper pathophysiologic basis is discovered for such ailments, newer pharmacologic modalities pave way to provide greater symptomatic relief and treatment with fewer side effects. Enter L-theanine, a non-essential amino acid found in green tea leaves which has been touted to have anxiolytic and cognitive enhancing properties on a wide variety of patient demographics. Furthermore, it has been recently studied for its neuroprotective qualities and antihypertensive effects. This study delves into the current understanding of common psychiatric conditions, as well as providing a summary into the current understanding of L-theanine in its potential to a wide variety of psychiatric and neurologic conditions. The apparent potential in utilizing L-theanine as a treatment modality is promising, and the limited studies available warrant continued research to provide a safe, non-toxic way in alleviating psychiatric and neurologic conditions

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Real-World Sustained Virologic Response Rates of Sofosbuvir-Containing Regimens in Patients Coinfected With Hepatitis C and HIV

Background. Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) achieve high sustained virological response (SVR) rates on sofosbuvir (SOF)-containing regimens in clinical trials. Real world data on patients coinfected with HCV and HIV treated with SOF-based regimens are lacking. Methods. This observational cohort study included HIV/HCV-coinfected adults with genotype 1 HCV who initiated treatment with a SOF-containing regimen between December 2013 and December 2014 (n = 89) at the Mount Sinai Hospital or the Brooklyn Hospital Center. The primary outcome was SVR at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. The secondary outcomes were risk factors for treatment failure, serious adverse events, and side effects. A post hoc per protocol analysis of SVR was performed on patients who completed treatment and follow-up. Results. In an intention-to-treat analysis, SVR rates were 76% (31/41) for simeprevir (SMV)/SOF, 94% (16/17) for SMV/SOF/ribavirin (RBV), and 52% (16/31) for SOF/RBV. The SVR rates of SMV/SOF/RBV and SMV/SOF did not differ significantly in this small study (P = .15). However the SVR rate of SMV/SOF/RBV was higher than that of SOF/RBV (P < .01). In a per protocol analysis, SMV/SOF/RBV had a higher SVR rate than SOF/RBV: 100% (16/16) vs 57% (16/28) (P < .01). The most commonly reported adverse effects were rash, pruritus, fatigue, and insomnia. One patient who had decompensated cirrhosis prior to treatment initiation died after receiving SMV/SOF. Conclusions. SMV/SOF ± RBV is an effective option with minimal adverse effects for most HIV-positive patients with genotype 1 HCV. SMV should be used with caution in patients with decompensated cirrhosis

Selumetinib in paediatric patients with BRAF-aberrant or neurofibromatosis type 1-associated recurrent, refractory, or progressive low-grade glioma: a multicentre, phase 2 trial.

BackgroundPaediatric low-grade glioma is the most common CNS tumour of childhood. Although overall survival is good, disease often recurs. No single universally accepted treatment exists for these patients; however, standard cytotoxic chemotherapies are generally used. We aimed to assess the activity of selumetinib, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, in these patients.MethodsThe Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium performed a multicentre, phase 2 study in patients with paediatric low-grade glioma in 11 hospitals in the USA. Patients aged 3-21 years with a Lansky or Karnofsky performance score greater than 60 and the presence of recurrent, refractory, or progressive paediatric low-grade glioma after at least one standard therapy were eligible for inclusion. Patients were assigned to six unique strata according to histology, tumour location, NF1 status, and BRAF aberration status; herein, we report the results of strata 1 and 3. Stratum 1 comprised patients with WHO grade I pilocytic astrocytoma harbouring either one of the two most common BRAF aberrations (KIAA1549-BRAF fusion or the BRAFV600E [Val600Glu] mutation). Stratum 3 comprised patients with any neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-associated paediatric low-grade glioma (WHO grades I and II). Selumetinib was provided as capsules given orally at the recommended phase 2 dose of 25 mg/m2 twice daily in 28-day courses for up to 26 courses. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a stratum-specific objective response (partial response or complete response), as assessed by the local site and sustained for at least 8 weeks. All responses were reviewed centrally. All eligible patients who initiated treatment were evaluable for the activity and toxicity analyses. Although the trial is ongoing in other strata, enrolment and planned follow-up is complete for strata 1 and 3. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01089101.FindingsBetween July 25, 2013, and June 12, 2015, 25 eligible and evaluable patients were accrued to stratum 1, and between Aug 28, 2013, and June 25, 2015, 25 eligible and evaluable patients were accrued to stratum 3. In stratum 1, nine (36% [95% CI 18-57]) of 25 patients achieved a sustained partial response. The median follow-up for the 11 patients who had not had a progression event by Aug 9, 2018, was 36·40 months (IQR 21·72-45·59). In stratum 3, ten (40% [21-61]) of 25 patients achieved a sustained partial response; median follow-up was 48·60 months (IQR 39·14-51·31) for the 17 patients without a progression event by Aug 9, 2018. The most frequent grade 3 or worse adverse events were elevated creatine phosphokinase (five [10%]) and maculopapular rash (five [10%]). No treatment-realted deaths were reported.InterpretationSelumetinib is active in recurrent, refractory, or progressive pilocytic astrocytoma harbouring common BRAF aberrations and NF1-associated paediatric low-grade glioma. These results show that selumetinib could be an alternative to standard chemotherapy for these subgroups of patients, and have directly led to the development of two Children's Oncology Group phase 3 studies comparing standard chemotherapy to selumetinib in patients with newly diagnosed paediatric low-grade glioma both with and without NF1.FundingNational Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, and AstraZeneca