Alteration of Human Placental Vascular Tone by Antiarrhythmic Medications In Vitro

Antiarrhythmic and Placental Vessels. Introduction : Antiarrhythmic medications are commonly used during pregnancy for treatment of maternal or fetal arrhythmias, but little is known about their effect on human placental vascular tone and, consequently, placental blood flow. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tone responses caused by antiarrhythmic medications in human placental vessels from normal term pregnancies in vitro.
Methods and Results : Isolated human placental arteries and veins from uncomplicated term pregnancies incubated in Krebs'-bicarbonate under 5% oxygen/5% carbon dioxide/balance nitrogen (PO₂ 35 to 38 torr) were exposed to cumulative doses of quinidine, procainamide, lidocaine, flecainide, propranolol, amiodarone, verapamil, digoxin, and adenosine after submaximal contraction with 5-hydroxytryptamine. The study was conducted both in the presence and absence of endothelium. The addition of the tested medications caused a significant, dose-dependent relaxation of human placental arteries and veins except for adenosine, which induced a sustained, dose-dependent contraction of human placental vessels regardless of the presence or absence of tone. Removal of the endothelium did not alter these responses.
Conclusions : Based on these results, the medications tested should have no decremental effect on placental blood flow, with the possible exception of adenosine, which causes significant. dosedependent contraction of human placental vessels in vitro. Should similar contraction be present in vivo, it may have an adverse effect on the fetus when administering adenosine to pregnant women at term or during labor.     

Piracetam and fipexide prevent PTZ-kindling-provoked amnesia in rats

Deficit in active and inhibitory avoidance behaviour has been found in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled rats. This supports the view that memory deficit is an integral part of epilepsy. In the present study we examined the effect of the nootropic drugs piracetam and fipexide on memory deficit induced by PTZ-kindling in shuttle-box- and step-down-trained rats. The retention in piracetam- and fipexide-treated animals was significantly improved compared to the kindled controls. The mechanisms of action of the two drugs are considered. The favourable effects of nootropic drugs in cases of amnesia provoked by PTZ-kindling might be of interest in clinical practice.     

Effect of buffering on pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen enantiomers in man

Aims Concomitant administration of magnesium hydroxide may affect the rate or extent of absorption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In order to find out whether or not buffering modifies the pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen, plasma concentration-time courses resulting from oral administration of unbuffered formulations were compared with those of buffered formulations.
Methods Two groups of 12 healthy and young male subjects were included in two randomized cross-over studies and received single oral doses of ketoprofen 12.5 or 25  mg, respectively, given as tablets which were either unbuffered or buffered with magnesium hydroxide/citrate. Ketoprofen enantiomers in plasma were determined by h.p.l.c. up to 24  h post-dose.
Results Maximum plasma concentrations ( C _max ) of both the (R)- and (S)-enantiomer, observed after administration of the buffered formulations (12.5 and 25  mg), were higher compared with the unbuffered tablets by about 50–80%. The area under concentration-time data (AUC) was unaffected, and, hence, C _max/AUC was increased by buffering. Time to C _max ( t _max ) and mean residence time (MRT) tended to be or was shortened by buffering.
Conclusions It is concluded that buffering of two ketoprofen formulations with magnesium hydroxide/citrate enhanced the concentration maximum by increasing the rate of absorption and leaving AUC unaffected.     

赛赓啶对 KBV200细胞多药抗性的逆转作用

研究赛赓啶对KB_V200细胞多药抗性的逆转作用及逆转机制。在KB_V200细胞,采用MTT法,测出赛赓啶对长春新碱、阿霉素和鬼臼乙叉甙耐药的逆转系数分别为5.5,2.0和1.9,而对5-氟尿嘧啶、美法仑的细胞毒性作用无明显影响,表明赛赓啶为多药抗性逆转剂。荧光分光光度法测定表明,赛赓啶可使KB_V200细胞内阿霉素蓄积量增加。流式细胞荧光测定显示赛赓啶可增加罗丹明123的蓄积并减慢其外排。免疫细胞化学及狭缝杂交表明赛赓啶不影响KB_V200细胞的P-糖蛋白染色深度和 mdr1 RNA 表达水平。以上结果提示赛赓啶的多药抗性逆转机制是抑制P-糖蛋白泵的功能。     

MAO-A inhibition in brain after dosing with esuprone, moclobemide and placebo in healthy volunteers: in vivo studies with positron emission tomography

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether or not esuprone binds substantially to MAO-A in the human brain. Methods: In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study 16 male healthy volunteers were examined␣with positron emission tomography (PET) with [¹¹C]harmine. Eight of the volunteers were given daily doses of 800 mg esuprone, four were given bi-daily doses of 300 mg moclobemide, and four volunteers were given placebo tablets. PET was performed before initiation of a 7-day treatment period. On day 7, one investigation was made immediately before administration of the drug, representing 23 h after the previous day's treatment for esuprone and 11 h after the last tablets of moclobemide. Further investigations were made 4 h and 8 h after the morning dose on day 7. Results: PET showed a high degree of binding of [¹¹C]harmine, a high-affinity ligand for MAO-A, before the start of treatment, and a marked and similar reduction after treatment with esuprone and moclobemide. A slight tendency for normalisation of enzyme binding was observed at the last time point. In the placebo group no change was observed. Plasma kinetics of esuprone showed a rapid elimination with a half-life of about 4 h. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that esuprone was comparable to moclobemide in its effect on MAO-A inhibition in the brain at the doses given. This is an illustration of the potential of PET to monitor drug effects directly on target biochemical systems in the brain in human volunteers, and the possibility of using these data, rather than pharmacokinetic data, for the determination of dosing intervals. Received: 21 August 1996 / Accepted in revised form: 22 November 1996     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Azole-Substituted Tetrahydronaphthalenes as Inhibitors of P450 arom,P450 17, and P450 TxA2

In search of potential drugs for the treatment of estrogen- and androgen-dependent cancer as well as the prophylaxis of metastases, tetralones, tetralins, and dihydronaphthalenes bearing a OCH₃ substituent at the benzene nucleus and an imidazol-4-yl, imidazol-1-yl, or 1,2,4-triazol-1-yl substituent in 2-position were synthesized with and without C₁-spacer between the rings (compounds 2 – 26 ). The compounds were tested in vitro for inhibition of the three target enzymes P450 arom (human placental microsomes), P450 17 (rat testicular microsomes), and P450 TxA₂ (citrated human whole blood). To examine selectivity, some compounds were further tested in vitro for inhibition of P450 18 (bovine adrenal mitochondria), P450 see (bovine adrenal mitochondria) and corticoid formation (aldosterone, corticosterone; ACTH stimulated rat adrenal tissue). In vivo, selected compounds were examined in Sprague Dawley rats regarding P450 TxA₂ inhibition, reduction of plasma testosterone concentration, antiuterotrophic activity (inhibition of the uterotrophic activity of androstenedione), reduction of plasma estradiol concentration (pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin-primed rats), and mammary tumor inhibiting activity (dimethylbenzanthracene-induced tumor; pre- and postmenopausal model). In the series of imidazol-4-yl compounds, which represent a novelty in the field of azole inhibitors of steroidogenic P450 enzymes, strong inhibitors of P450 arom and/or P450 17 were found: 7-OCH₃-2-(imidazol-4-ylmethylene)-1-tetralone ( 4 ) and 7-OCH₃-2-(imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-tetralin ( 12 ) are among the most potent inhibitors of P450 arom in vitro known so far. Compound 4 is a selective inhibitor, whereas 12 shows in addition strong inhibition of P450 17. In contrast to 12 , the 6-OCH₃ derivative (compound 11 ) is a selective inhibitor of P450 17, being 50 times more potent than ketoconazole. Some imidazol-1-yl compounds show a marked inhibition of P450 TxA₂: 2-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-1-tetralone ( 13 ) is a selective inhibitor of P450 TxA₂, whereas 7-OCH₃-2-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-tetralin ( 17 ) as well as 2-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-tetralin ( 16 ) and 7-OCH₃-2-imidazol-1-yl-3,4-dihydronaphthalene ( 25 ) additionally show strong inhibition of P450 arom and P450 17. Regarding the other steroidogenic P450 enzymes as well as corticosterone formation, the compounds show only little inhibitory activity. Aldosterone formation, however, is inhibited at low concentrations. Nevertheless, 4 and 12 are more selective, i.e. inhibit aldosterone synthesis less than the well known inhibitor of P450 arom fadrozole. The compounds show activity in the aforementioned in vivo tests.     

Involvement of synthesis of brain cell structural proteins in the action of antitheines on long-term memory

Academician S. V. Anichkov Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, St. Petersburg. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences A. N. Klimov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 5, pp. 506–508, May, 1992.     

中西药合用对帕金森病大鼠旋转行为的影响

目的 观察中西药合用对帕金森病(Parkinson disease，PD)大鼠旋转行为的影响。方法 采用6羟多巴胺注射于脑右侧黑质造成偏侧帕金森病模型，并用滋补肝肾、通络解毒的中药以及西药美多巴进行治疗，同时设立美多巴对照组，观察中西药合用对PD大鼠旋转行为的影响。结果 中西药合用可使模型大鼠的旋转圈数明显减少。结论 中西药合用能明显改善PD模型大鼠的旋转行为。     

RGD-based strategies for selective delivery of therapeutics and imaging agents to the tumour vasculature

During the past decade, RGD-peptides have become a popular tool for the targeting of drugs and imaging agents to alphavbeta3-integrin expressing tumour vasculature. RGD-peptides have been introduced by recombinant means into therapeutic proteins and viruses. Chemical means have been applied to couple RGD-peptides and RGD-mimetics to liposomes, polymers, peptides, small molecule drugs and radiotracers. Some of these products show impressive results in preclinical animal models and a RGD targeted radiotracer has already successfully been tested in humans for the visualization of alphavbeta3-integrin, which demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. This review will summarize the structural requirements for RGD-peptides and RGD-mimetics as ligands for alphavbeta3. We will show how they have been introduced in the various types of constructs by chemical and recombinant techniques. The importance of multivalent RGD-constructs for high affinity binding and internalization will be highlighted. Furthermore the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of RGD-targeted therapeutics and diagnostics reported in recent years will be reviewed.