Evaluation of drug promotional literature directed to consumers and physicians

Background: The present study aims at analysing promotional brochures and direct-to-consumer advertisements using the criteria for ethical medicinal drug promotion compiled by World Health Organization.Methods: Using World Health Organization criteria for ethical medicinal drug promotion, thirty brochures were evaluated for their fulfilment of the criteria and claims they are making. Also eight Direct to Consumer (DTC) TV advertisements were coded for their claimed indications and the factors used to attract consumers. An overview of what impact does drug promotion has provided through reviewing the published literature.Results: Brochures and advertisements directed to physicians were found to lack information with regard to generic (17.2%), brand (0%), indication (13.8%), dosage regimen (27.5%), safety information (62%), references (10.3%), manufacture (3.4%), safety (24.1%), efficacy (34.5%), suitability (20.6%), pharmacokinetics (3.4%) pharmaceutical property (3.4%) and extravagant emotional claims (3.4%). Information lacking in DTC TV advertisements include, risk factors (62.5%), alternative treatment (62.5%), indications (37.5%), side effects (75%), contraindications\precautions (50%), and sources for more information about the promoted drug (25%).Conclusions: Drug advertisements presented to physicians or directed to consumers did not fully satisfy the WHO criteria and their lack of essential information may lead to medication misuse

Cytomegalovirus infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract following liver transplantation—incidence, location, and severity in cyclosporine- and FK506-treated patients

One hundred and forty randomly selected liver transplant recipients were studied before and after primary orthotopic liver transplantation for the presence or absence of CMV enteritis. Following OLTx, 65 patients were treated with cyclosporine A and 75 were treated with FK506. The two groups were similar with regard to the incidence, location, and outcome of their upper gastrointestinal CMV infection. Prior to OLTx, only one patient had evidence of enteric CMV infection. The incidence of CMV enteritis post-OLTx was 27.7% in the CsA-treated group and 20% in the FK-treated group. During the first posttransplant month, no patient in the FK-treated group developed CMV enteritis, compared with 11.5% of the patients who were treated with CsA (P<0.05). Gastric CMV was found in over 80% of those positive for any organ in either group. In addition to CMV infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract, clinically evident CMV disease involved more nonenteric organs in the CsA-treated group than in the FK-treated group. In the CsA-treated group, CMV-negative patients had a statistically higher 1-year survival rate (100%) than CMV-positive patients (77.8%) (P<0.05). In the FK-treated group, no difference in survival was observed between CMV-positive or CMV-negative cases at 1 year. Of the patients on CsA, 20% received OKT3 for persistent rejection, as compared with 13% in the FK-treated group. The patients receiving both CsA and OKT3 had a higher rate of upper gastrointestinal CMV infection than did FK-treated patients who also received OKT3 therapy (38.5% versus 20%, respectively). Based upon these data, it can be concluded that (1) patients receiving FK have a lower incidence of enteric CMV infection; (2) following OLTx, upper gastrointestinal CMV infection presents later in FK-treated patients; (3) the stomach is the most frequently involved organ in the UGIT; (4) FK-treated liver recipients have less severe enteric CMV infection than do CsA-treated patients; (5) enteric CMV is not a major cause of mortality in liver trans lant recipients; and (6) in patients receiving FK, those who require OKT3 therapy do not appear to be at a greater risk for the development of CMV enteritis than those who do not. © 1992 by Williams & Wilkins

Prevalence of Listeria species in some foods and their rapid identification

Purpose: To investigate the occurrence of Listeria spp., (particularly L. monocytogenes), in different foods and to compare diagnostic tools for their identification at species level.Methods: Samples of high protein foods such as raw meats and meat products and including beef products, chicken, fish and camel milk were analysed for the presence of Listeria spp. The isolates were characterised by morphological and cultural analyses, and confirmed isolates were identified by protein profiling and verified using API Listeria system. Protein profiling by SDS-PAGE was also used to identify Listeria spp.Results: Out of 40 meat samples, 14 (35 %) samples were contaminated with Listeria spp., with the highest incidence (50 %) occurring in raw beef products and raw chicken. Protein profiling by SDSPAGE was used to identify Listeria spp. The results were verified with API Listeria system. Approximately 25 % of the identified isolates were Listeria seeligeri, Listeria welshimeri, and Listeria grayi (three positive samples), while 16.66 % of the isolates were Listeria monocytogenes (two positive samples); 16.6 % of the isolates were Listeria innocua (two positive samples), while 8.3 % of the isolates were Listeria ivanovii (one positive sample).Conclusion: High protein foods contain different types of Listeria species; whole-cell protein profiles and API Listeria system can help in the identification of Listeria at the species level.Keywords: Listeria spp, High protein food, Api Listeria, Protein profil

Temporal resolution of cell death signaling events induced by cold atmospheric plasma and electroporation in human cancer cells

Cancer treatment resistance and their invasive and expensive nature is propelling research towards developing alternate approaches to eradicate cancer in patients. Non-thermal, i.e., cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and electroporation (EP) applied to the surface of cancerous tissue are new methods that are minimally invasive, safe, and selective. These approaches, both independently and synergistically, have been shown to deplete cancer cell populations, but the signaling mechanisms of death and their timelines of action are still widely unknown. To better understand the timeframe of signaling events occurring upon treatment, human cancer cell lines were treated with CAP, EP, and combined CAP with EP. The stages and incidence of apoptosis were tracked through time via flow cytometry while the activation/inactivation of the penultimate apoptotic signaling complex was examined through real-time fluorescent imaging. These treatments represent a promising new therapy in the global fight against cancer

Evaluación de cáscaras de maní como alternativa a arcillas decolorantes

Peanut hulls (PNH) were carbonized at different temperatures, times, and evaluated at different concentrations as an alternative to bleaching clays. Evaluation of bleached crude soybean oil with PNH was based on their delta free fatty acids, reduction in peroxide value (PV), reduction in phospholipids (PL) and bleachability. The performance of several commercially used bleaching clays was evaluated, for comparison. Mixtures were formulated including: PNH and Tonsil -N (TN), PNH and Fuller’s earth (FE) and PNH and O-passive (OP) and examined. The oxidative stability of oils was determined. Results for the investigated commercial bleaching clays revealed: TN > FE > F > TF > OP. Highest reduction in PV and PL, and highest bleachability were achieved for soybean oil bleached with 2% PNH carbonized at 500°C for 30 min (PNH”). Mixtures of PNH” with the three chosen bleaching clays indicated that 1PNH”: 2TN gave the highest bleachability. CSO was miscella bleached in hexane using PNH” and resulted in an appreciable improvement in all oil characteristics, especially in bleachability. Oxidative stability of oils was in the following order: TN > control > FE > PNH” with Induction period values of 23,1 > 6,43 > 5,73 > 2,85 h, respectively.Las cáscaras de maní (PNH) fueron carbonizadas a diferentes temperaturas y tiempos, y utilizadas a diferentes concentraciones como una alternativa a las tierras decolorantes. La evaluación de un aceite de soja decolorado con PNH se ha basado en sus ácidos grasos libres, reducción del índice de peróxidos (PV), reducción de los fosfolípidos (PL), y en la blanqueabilidad. El rendimiento de varias tierras decolorantes de uso comercial fue evaluado y comparado con el de PNH carbonizada. Las mezclas formuladas incluían: PNH y Tonsil-N (TN), PNH y tierras de Fuller (FE) y PNH y O-pasivo (OP). La estabilidad oxidativa de los aceites resultantes fue determinada. Los resultados revelaron que la efectividad de la decoloración con las tierras decolorantes investigadas fue el siguiente: TN > FE > F > TF > OP. La mayor reducción en PV y PL, y la mayor decoloración se logró para el aceite de soja blanqueado con un 2% de PHN carbonizada a 500°C durante 30 min (PNH”). Las mezclas de PHN” con las tres tierras de blanqueo elegidas indicaron que 1PHN”: 2TN dio el mayor porcentaje de decoloración. La miscela de aceite de soja crudo en hexano decolorada usando PNH” resultó mejorar apreciablemente todas las características del aceite, sobre todo la blanqueabilidad. La estabilidad oxidativa fue en el siguiente orden: TN > control > FE > PNH” con valores de periodo de inducción de 23,1 > 6,43 > 5,73 > 2,85 h, respectivamente

Estudios detallados de algunos lípidos en aceite de semilla de Silybum marianum L.

Eight lipid patterns of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn seed oil, not hitherto reported, (20%) have been elucidated in this laboratory using capillary GLC and HPLC as main tools of analysis. The oil is rich in linoleic acid (53.3%) and oleic acid (21.3%). Five major triacylglycerols containing linoleic acyls namely LLL, LLO, LLP, LOO and LOP were detected by HPLC using FID detector, these triacylglycerols are also predominating in both cottonseed and sunflower oils but in different proportions. The total tocopherols content (260 ppm) was determined directly in the oil by HPLC. It was found that the oil contains alpha -tocopherol as a major constituent (84.5%) resembling sunflower oil. The whole sterols pattern, as determined as their trimethylsilyl derivatives by GLC, includes campesterol, 5-stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, 7-stigmasterol, avenasterol and spinasterol. The four sterols lipid clases of free and acylated sterols and sterylglycosides have been determined as their 9- and 1- anthroylnitrile derivatives by fluorescence and UV- HPLC respectively.La composición de ocho tipos de lípidos en aceite de semillas de Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn, hasta ahora no reportados, han sido identificados en este laboratorio, usando GLC capilar y HPLC como herramientas principales de análisis. El aceite es rico en ácidos linoleico (53,3%) y oleico (21,3%). El ácido linoleico está contenido principalmente en cinco formas de triacilgliceroles: LLL, LLO, LLP, LOO y LOP, detectadas por HPLC, usando un detector FID, estos triacilgliceroles son también predominantes en los aceites de semillas de algodón o girasol, pero con diferentes proporciones. El contenido total de tocoferoles (260 ppm) fue determinado directamente en el aceite por HPLC. Se encontró que el aceite contenía alfa-tocoferol como principal constituyente (84,5%), recordando al aceite de girasol. El patrón completo de esteroles determinado por GLC como derivados de trimetilsilil incluyó campesterol, 5-estigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, 7-estigmasterol, avenasterol y spinasterol. Las cuatro clases de esteroles lipídicos, de libres y acilados esteroles y esterilglicósidos han sido determinados como sus derivados de 9- y 1- antroilnitrilo respectivamente por fluorescencia y UV- HPLC