Erosive and cariogenicity potential of pediatric drugs: study of physicochemical parameters

Background

Pediatric medications may possess a high erosive potential to dental tissues due to the existence of acid components in their formulations. The purpose was to determine the erosive and cariogenic potential of pediatric oral liquid medications through the analysis of their physicochemical properties in vitro.

Methods

A total of 59 substances were selected from the drug reference list of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), which belong to 11 therapeutic classes, as follows: analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, corticosteroids, antihistamines, antitussives, bronchodilators, antibacterials, antiparasitics, antiemetics, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics. Measurement of pH was performed by potentiometry, using a digital pH meter. For the Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) chemical assay, a 0.1 N NaOH standard solution was used, which was titrated until drug pH was neutralized. The Total Soluble Solids Contents (TSSC) quantification was carried out by refractometry using Brix scale and the analysis of Total Sugar Content was performed according to Fehling’s method. In addition, it was analyzed the information contained in the drug inserts with regard to the presence of sucrose and type of acid and sweetener added to the formulations.

Results

All drug classes showed acidic pH, and the lowest mean was found for antipsychotics (2.61?±?0.08). There was a large variation in the TTA (0.1% - 1.18%) and SST (10.44% - 57.08%) values. High total sugar contents were identified in the antitussives (53.25%) and anticonvulsants (51.75%). As described in the drug inserts, sucrose was added in 47.5% of the formulations, as well as citric acid (39.0%), sodium saccharin (36.4%) and sorbitol (34.8%).

Conclusion

The drugs analyzed herein showed physicochemical characteristics indicative of a cariogenic and erosive potential on dental tissues. Competent bodies’ strategies should be implemented in order to broaden the knowledge of health professionals, drug manufacturers and general consuming public about the risks from the consumption of medicines potentially harmful to dental tissues.

     

The bronze baby syndrome: evidence of increased tissue concentration of copper porphyrins

A case regarding a newborn infant with severe Rh haemolytic disease, who presented with the bronze baby syndrome and eventually died, is reported. The postmortem examination showed marked extramedullary haematopoiesis in the liver and spleen, heavy hepatic haemosiderosis and mild intralobular cholestasis. The porphyrin content, which was assayed in different tissues. was very high in the liver, suggesting that the increased erythropoiesis seen in Rh haemolytic disease leads to an increased synthesis of porphyrins as by-products of haem synthesis. Phototherapy causes photodestruction, sensitized by bilirubin, of porphyrins (mainly copper porphyrins), yielding brown photoproducts.     

江西省8所大学1348名大学生主观幸福感影响因素的调查

目的:对江西省8所大学部分学生主观幸福感进行调查分析,为进一步开展大学生心理健康教育工作提供依据。方法:于2005-10-20/11-30运用主观幸福感量表、青少年生活事件量表、领悟社会支持量表、内在-外在心理控制源量表对江西省8所大学的1348名大学生进行抽样调查。其中主观幸福感量表分数越高,幸福感越高。内在-外在心理控制源量表得分越低,越倾向内控,得分越高,越倾向外控。结果:共发放问卷1348份,收回有效问卷1231份,其中男生539名,女生692名,大一学生421名,大二学生390名,大三学生420名,城市452名,农村779名,平均年龄20.4岁。①男生主观幸福感的得分略低于女生的得分,但差异没有显著性(25.97±5.80,26.61±5.03,t=0.309,P>0.05)。②大一学生主观幸福感评分为26.97±4.61,大二学生为25.35±6.37,大三学生为25.92±5.75,3个年级之间的主观幸福感评分比较差异无显著性(F=2.769,P>0.05),两两比较发现,大一学生主观幸福感的得分显著高于大三学生(P<0.05)。③家庭经济收入低的大学生(家庭人均年收入≤2000元)主观幸福感评分显著低于普通大学生(21.58±3.97,26.30±5.43,t=3.015,P<0.01)。④生活事件与主观幸福感存在显著性负相关(r=-0.289,P<0.01),社会支持与主观幸福感存在显著性正相关(r=0.384,P<0.01)。生活事件、社会支持分别对主观幸福感的回归分析发现,生活事件、社会支持分别解释了主观幸福感变异的7.2%,11.7%。⑤按照控制感量表得分把分数由高到低进行排序,把分数处于最低点的30%的学生作为内控组的学生,分数处于最高点的30%的学生作为外控组的学生。内控组大学生的主观幸福感得分显著高于外控组(27.29±5.86,21.83±7.03,t=5.359,P<0.01)。结论:高年级学生、低收入家庭的学生幸福感水平低,负性生活事件能降低大学生的主观幸福感,而较多社会支持会产生较高的主观幸福感。     

Antibody-dependent Lymphocyte-mediated Cytotoxicity in Man: No Requirement for Lymphocytes with Membrane-bound Immunoglobulin

Normal human lymphocytes, depleted of B-lymphocytes by passage through nylon-wool columns, manifested intact antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Similar findings were made with lymphocytes from four hypo-gammaglobulinaemic patients lacking B-lymphocytes. It is concluded that antibody-induced cell-mediated cytotoxicity in man is independent of B-lymphocytes, as identifiable by membrane-bound immunoglobulin.     

Plasma growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide (GH-RP-6) in children with short stature

Eighteen children with short stature were evaluated for growth hormone (GH) reserve after pharmacological tests and a single iv injection of GH-RP-6. These children were divided into two groups: 10 were diagnosed as having idiopathic GH deficiency by classical stimulation tests (group A) and the remaining 8 (group B) were considered growth-retarded children with normal GH secretion, following conventional stimulation, but reduced endogenous GH secretion. The results were compared with a group of 12 normal children. As a group, patients in group A showed a lower GH response to GH-RP-6, while patients in group B had a similar response as normal controls. However, on an individual basis, a considerable degree of overlapping in responses among the three groups was evident. These data indicate that, on an individual basis, GH-RP-6 testing is not of diagnostic value in children suspected of having idiopathic GH deficiency.GH deficiency, GH-RP-6, short stature C Dieguez, PO Box 563, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain     

糖尿病大鼠卵巢组织中细胞色素C、线粒体Ca2+变化与灵芝孢子粉的干预

目的:以卵巢组织中细胞色素C、线粒体Ca2 和性激素水平为观察指标,观察灵芝孢子粉对2型糖尿病大鼠卵巢组织的保护作用。方法:实验于2006-06/08在佳木斯大学黑龙江省小儿神经康复重点实验室完成。①实验对象:Wistar雌性大鼠50只,随机分为对照组10只,2型糖尿病模型组20只,灵芝孢子粉组20只。②实验方法:大鼠禁食16～18h,自由饮水,模型组及灵芝孢子粉组大鼠经尾静脉一次性按25mg/kg注射2%链脲佐菌素,正常对照组尾静脉注射等量柠檬酸钠-柠檬酸缓冲液。正常饮食喂养2周后,进行糖耐量试验,模型组和灵芝组以糖耐量异常者保留,余去除,并改喂高脂高糖饮食,灵芝孢子粉组另加灵芝孢子粉[250mg/(kg·d)]持续10周,实验结束前一天再次做糖耐量试验。③实验评估:实验结束后,各组动物均禁食12h,乙醚吸入浅麻醉,内眦静脉取血待测血清胰岛素。解剖出卵巢,待测线粒体细胞色素C、线粒体Ca2 含量。结果:选用Wistar雌性大鼠50只,结果分析数量每组8只。①葡萄糖耐量试验:实验开始及实验12周时,模型组大鼠均表现出糖耐量异常的变化(P<0.05),1h血糖增高显著(P<0.05)达到高峰,2h血糖仍较高;对照组大鼠30min血糖达到峰值,2h血糖基本恢复正常。②血清胰岛素和卵巢性激素水平:模型组血清胰岛素明显升高(P<0.05)。而灵芝孢子粉组与对照组比较差异无显著性。模型组雌二醇含量明显降低(P<0.05),卵胞刺激素含量、睾酮含量明显升高(P<0.05),而灵芝孢子粉组与对照组比较差异无显著性。③胞浆细胞色素C、线粒体细胞色素C、线粒体钙变化:模型组卵巢组织胞浆细胞色素C含量明显升高(P<0.05),模型组卵巢组织线粒体细胞色素C含量明显降低(P<0.05),模型组卵巢组织线粒体钙含量明显降低(P<0.05);而灵芝孢子粉组与对照组比较差异均无显著性。结论:灵芝孢子粉可降低糖尿病大鼠血清胰岛素、卵巢组织卵胞刺激素、睾酮、胞浆细胞色素C含量,调节卵巢组织雌二醇、线粒体细胞色素C、钙含量,对糖尿病大鼠卵巢组织具有一定保护作用。