Tamoxifen for prevention of breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To review data on the use of tamoxifen for primary prevention of breast cancer. DATA SOURCES: A literature search was performed through MEDLINE (1992-May 2002) using the key words tamoxifen, breast cancer, and prevention. DATA SYNTHESIS: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy detected in American women. Attempts to reduce morbidity and mortality include early detection programs and chemoprevention. Clinical trials of tamoxifen for reduction of breast cancer risk are reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: Tamoxifen may reduce the risk of primary breast cancer in women at increased risk. The benefit of tamoxifen in women who are not at risk is uncertain. The risks of developing thromboembolic disorders or endometrial cancer must be considered before tamoxifen is prescribed. Women should be given all of the information about the benefits and risks of tamoxifen use so that they can make an informed decision based on the best data available.     

Nigella sativa L. for prevention of acute radiation dermatitis in breast cancer: A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled,clinical trial

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Nigella sativa L. (N. sativa) extract on preventing the incidence of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) in breast cancer patients.MethodsSixty-two breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) were randomly assigned to receiveN. sativa 5% gel or placebo. Patients were instructed to apply the medications twice daily during RT period. The severity of ARD, the incidence of moist desquamation, worst experienced pain, and skin-related quality of life (SRQOL) scores were assessed weekly during RT.ResultsPatients who were treated with the N. sativa gel developed ARD significantly less frequently compared to those who used the placebo (p < 0.05 for all weeks except week 2, p = 0.36). The incidence time of grade 2 and 3 of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC) toxicity was prolonged significantly with N. sativa gel as compared to placebo (35 vs. 29 days, p = 0.00 and 42 vs. 40 days, p = 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, the occurrence of moist desquamation was delayed in the N. sativa gel group compared with the placebo group (37 vs. 33 days, p = 0.01). The mean score of the worst pain that patients experienced in the placebo group was significantly higher than that of the N. sativa gel group at week 3 (2.5 ± 0.5 vs. 1.2 ± 0.3, p < 0.05). Nonetheless, the application of N. sativa gel had no significant effect on the SRQOL of patients at any week.ConclusionN. sativa extract significantly decreases the severity of ARD and delays the onset of moist desquamation in breast cancer patients.     

Comparative evaluation of zinc sulfadiazine and silver sulfadiazine in burn wound infection

One percent silver sulfadiazine has been commonly used as a topical antimicrobial agent after a burn injury. Incidence of burn wound colonization by Staphylococcus aureus in patients treated with silver sulfadiazine has spurred research for other agents. A topical preparation that contains zinc and sulfadiazine (Zad-G) was evaluated for in vitro antibacterial spectrum and in vivo efficacy. Muscle biopsy specimens of rats treated with Zad-G appear to have fewer colonies of S. aureus than groups treated with silver sulfadiazine. Topical therapy with Zad-G for patients with burns was comfortable, reduced wound infection, and was comparable to therapy with silver sulfadiazine. A topical Zad-G preparation that contains zinc sulfadiazine appears to be an effective alternative to silver sulfadiazine in the treatment of burn wounds.     

Green electrochemical synthesis of silver sulfadiazine microcrystals

Electrochemical synthesis of silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) microcrystals was carried out galvanostatically in a special two-electrode cell equipped with a sacrificial silver rod anode and a stainless steel plate cathode. The cell used in this work consists of a small cylindrical chamber containing aqueous sulfadiazine/sodium nitrate as the anode compartment inside a larger cylindrical chamber containing nitric acid solution as the cathode compartment. The ionic connection of two chambers is carried out through a solvent surface layer. In this study, the effect of the experimental parameters such as applied current density and sodium nitrate concentration as well as nitric acid concentration on the yield and energy consumption of AgSD is discussed. The proposed method is fast and green and has unique features including synthesis in a single step, and no need for a metal salt.

Electrochemical synthesis of silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) microcrystals was carried out galvanostatically in a special two-electrode cell equipped with a sacrificial silver rod anode and a stainless steel plate cathode.     

Leukopenia in acute thermal injury: evidence against topical silver sulfadiazine as the causative agent

White blood cell data from time of admission to 4 days after burn injury was retrospectively reviewed to determine differences in the incidence of leukopenia in patients with burn injuries treated topically with either silver sulfadiazine or silver nitrate. WBC counts decreased in both groups of patients during the first 3 days after burn injury. An incidence of leukopenia (WBC count less than or equal to 5000/mm3) was observed in of 40 (47.5%) patients treated with silver sulfadiazine and in 13 of 30 (43.3%) patients treated with silver nitrate. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of leukopenia between the two treatment groups. These data suggest that silver sulfadiazine may not be the cause of the leukopenia observed early after burn injury.     

纳米银与磺胺嘧啶银治疗烧伤创面疗效比较的Meta分析

背景:国内外应用纳米银治疗烧伤创面较为广泛,但临床研究报道多为小样本随机对照研究,缺乏循证医学方面的依据和说服力。目的:对纳米银与磺胺嘧啶银治疗烧伤创面疗效进行系统评价。方法:计算机检索PubMed、Sciencedirect(SD)数据库、重庆维普中文科技期刊全文数据库(VIP,1989/2010)和清华同方数据库(CNKI,1979/2010),收集有纳米银制剂治疗烧伤与磺胺嘧啶银治疗相比较的随机对照实验。评价纳入研究的方法学质量并进行资料提取后,采用RevMan5.1软件进行Meta分析。结果与结论:共纳入8个随机对照实验,包括513例Ⅱ度烧伤患者。Meta分析结果显示:创面愈合时间纳米银治疗组少于磺胺嘧啶银组(P<0.001);第15天创面愈合率纳米治疗组与对照组差异无显著性意义,结果为(MD=7.10,95%CI=-2.29~16.50,P=0.14);纳米银治疗组和磺胺嘧啶银组相比,在减少烧伤创面疼痛方面两者差异有显著性意义(P<0.00001)。提示应用纳米银与应用磺胺嘧啶银相比能明显促进烧伤创面的愈合,对缓解创面疼痛程度优势明显,但尚需大样本高质量随机对照研究去进一步证实。     

Topical tacrolimus in the treatment of atopic dermatitis

OBJECTIVE: To review the efficacy of topical tacrolimus in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). DATA SOURCES: Searches of MEDLINE (1966-October 2000), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-October 2000), and ScienceDirect (1994-October 2000) were performed using the key search terms tacrolimus, FK506, and atopic dermatitis. DATA SYNTHESIS: Since patients with AD have defects in cell-mediated immunity, the immunosuppressant properties of the macrolides (cyclosporine and tacrolimus) may prove to be beneficial in the treatment of AD. Topical tacrolimus has been frequently studied in the treatment of AD because it was found to have better skin penetration and higher potentency than topically applied cyclosporine. Studies evaluating the use of topical tacrolimus are presented and provide evidence that topical tacrolimus is effective in the treatment of AD with no evidence thus far of systemic adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: There is a fair amount of documentation of the efficacy and safety of topical tacrolimus. Further trials are needed to determine the optimal duration of therapy and its efficacy and safety in children less than seven years of age.     

Mechanism of silver sulfadiazine action on burn wound infections

The role of silver and sulfadiazine in the mechanism of action of silver sulfadiazine on burn wound infections was investigated. Silver, but not sulfadiazine, was bound by bacteria. Sulfadiazine did not act as an antibacterial agent in low concentrations, but exhibited specific synergism in combination with subinhibitory levels of silver sulfadiazine. The efficacy of silver sulfadiazine is thought to result from its slow and steady reactions with serum and other sodium chloride-containing body fluids, which permits the slow and sustained delivery of silver ions into the wound environs. In this circumstance, a relatively minute amount of sulfadiazine appears active.     

Comparison of silver sulfadiazine 1% with chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2% to silver sulfadiazine 1% alone in the prophylactic topical antibacterial treatment of burns

Wound bacterial colonization in 118 patients treated with chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2% in silver sulfadiazine 1% applied daily to the burn wounds was compared to that of 135 comparable patients similarly treated with silver sulfadiazine 1%. With chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2% in silver sulfadiazine 1%, colonization by Staphylococcus aureus was less frequent (38%) than with silver sulfadiazine (54%, p = 0.016). No statistical difference was found for colonization by Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Enterobacter cloacae. Washing of the wounds of 65 patients with chlorhexidine gluconate 4% during daily dressing changes was associated with reduced wound colonization by S. aureus (35% versus 51%, p = 0.03) and P. aeruginosa (8% versus 16%, p = 0.08) when compared to the 188 washed with nonantibacterial soap. Chlorhexidine, whether added to the topical agent silver sulfadiazine (chlorhexidine digluconate 0.2%) or in the bath soap (chlorhexidine gluconate 4%), decreased colonization by S. aureus.     

Topical microbicides for the prevention of genital herpes infection

Genital herpes is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections worldwide and is the most common cause of genital ulcers. Despite increased public awareness and the initiation of efforts to prevent transmission, the prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 continues to increase. What makes HSV so difficult to control is that most sexual and perinatal transmission occurs during unrecognized or asymptomatic shedding. The impact of genital herpes as a public health threat is amplified because of its epidemiological synergy with HIV/AIDS. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel prophylactic methods, such as topical microbicides designed for genital application, to prevent both HSV and HIV transmission. Several candidate microbicides are being advanced to clinical trials based on in vitro activity and animal studies. These include compounds that inactivate virus directly, those that enhance innate immunity, and drugs that block viral binding and entry. A more vigorous evaluation of the safety of these and other candidate topical microbicides in development should include assessment of the impact of repeated application on innate host defences in the genital tract.     

复方磺胺嘧啶锌涂膜与磺胺嘧啶银霜治疗小儿Ⅱ度烧伤创面的比较研究

目的：观察复方磺胺嘧啶锌涂膜治疗小儿Ⅱ度烧伤创面的疗效和安全性，探讨其在小儿烧伤治疗中的应用价值。方法：133例患儿随机分为复方磺胺嘧啶锌涂膜组70例（甲组）和磺胺嘧啶银霜组63例（乙组），比较两组患儿创面愈合时间、愈合率、药物抗感染效果及不良反应。结果：甲组创面愈合时间较乙组提前（P〈0．05），细菌检出率甲组小于乙组（P〈0．05）。用药后甲组未见加深现象，乙组出现加深现象，两组均无其他不良反应。结论：复方磺胺嘧啶锌涂膜治疗小儿烧伤安全、有效，可促进创面愈合，尤其适用于小儿Ⅱ度创面的治疗。     

Formation mechanism of nanoporous silver during dealloying with ultrasonic irradiation

Nanoporous silver (NPS) with an extreme coarsened 3-dimensional bi-continuous ligament and nanopore structure could be prepared by chemical dealloying with high-intensity ultrasonic irradiation (UI). The formation mechanism of NPS dealloying with UI was different from NPS obtained through free corrosion. It evolved into NPS with a new lump forming-disintegrating mechanism. Ultrasonic irradiation had strong effects on the dealloying process of NPS. The stirring effect produced by ultrasonic vibration could promote the corrosion of Cu and facilitate the diffusion of Ag atoms. Therefore, the coarsening rate of the ligament was increased significantly. Dealloying assisted by UI could generate an extremely coarsened microstructure of which ligament and pore sizes were much larger than those obtained from free corrosion dealloying.

Nanoporous silver (NPS) with an extreme coarsened 3-dimensional bi-continuous ligament and nanopore structure could be prepared by chemical dealloying with high-intensity ultrasonic irradiation (UI).     

Topical tacrolimus: a new therapy for atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a common problem affecting up to 10 percent of all children. The mainstays of therapy have been oral antihistamines, topical emollients, topical doxepin, and topical corticosteroids. Side effects associated with higher potency topical corticosteroids have limited their use in children and for facial areas. Tacrolimus (Protopic) is an immunosuppressive agent typically used systemically in transplant patients. Used topically, it has been found to be effective in treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis without causing the atrophy that might occur with prolonged use of topical corticosteroids. Tacrolimus works equally well in children and adults, with more than two thirds of both groups having an improvement of greater than 50 percent. Despite its potency, very little of the medication is systemically absorbed, and absorption decreases as the atopic dermatitis resolves. The main side effects are burning and itching, but these also decrease with improvement of the atopic dermatitis.