Use of Cultured Cells in Assessing Ethanol Toxicity and Ethanol-Related Metabolism

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the 2000 ISBRA Meeting in Yokohama, Japan. The chairs were Terrence M. Donohue, Jr, and Dahn L. Clemens. The presentations were (1) Characterization of single and double recombinant hepatoma cells that express ethanol-metabolizing enzymes, by Terrence M. Donohue, Jr; (2) Inhibition of cell growth by ethanol metabolism, by Dahn L. Clemens; (3) Use of transfected HeLa cells to study the genesis of alcoholic fatty liver, by Andrea Galli and David Crabb; (4) CYP2E1-mediated oxidative stress induces COL1A2 mRNA in hepatic stellate cells and in a coculture system of HepG2 and stellate cells, by Natalia Nieto; (5) Transforming growth factor-α secreted from ethanol-exposed hepatocytes contributes to development of alcoholic hepatic fibrosis, by Junji Kato; and (6) Effect of ethanol on Fas-dependent caspase-3 activation and apoptosis in CD4+ T cells, by Shirish S. Barve.     

Targeting pulmonary tuberculosis using nanocarrier-based dry powder inhalation: current status and futuristic need

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Prolonged administration of high dose antibiotics using oral and injectable routes and their associated side effects show limitations to successful treatment outcome of TB. Nanocarrier-based dry powder inhalers (DPIs) may provide a breakthrough as an alternative therapeutic approach because of their stable, non-invasive nature and ability to target the drug at the site of infection. The current review focuses on the roadmap of the respiratory system, drug deposition and targeting at the site of infection via the pulmonary route. This review will provide readers with an overview of the existing literature of nanocarrier-based DPIs of anti-TB drugs. Among different nanocarriers, results of most of the proliposomes and polymeric particles-based DPIs with respect to their characterisation parameters like encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, storage stability and aerodynamic properties are not encouraging, whereas surface engineered, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), i.e. ligand attached-NLCs-based dry powder inhalers (NLCs-DPI) show promising results. But still, there is a need to investigate them for in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo and toxicity studies to achieve a market approval.     

Evaluation of acrylophenones and related bis-Mannich bases against murine P388 leukemia

2-Dimethylaminomethyl-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one hydrochloride (IIa) was shown to have potent activity against P388 cells in vitro, whereas in vivo examination of this derivative and related acrylophenone hydrochlorides revealed little activity against P388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice. The preparation of a variety of bis-Mannich bases designed as prodrugs of certain acrylophenones gave rise to various compounds with in vivo activity. Measurement of the half-lives of seven bis-Mannich bases revealed some structural features affecting the rates of deamination. Both IIa and the related bis-Mannich base (If) produced 3-dimethylamino-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone under simulated physiological conditions and this process may represent degradation pathways of acrylophenones and bis-Mannich bases in vivo.     

Self inflicted, bilateral oleogranuloma of the breast: report of a bizarre case

A 30-year-old male was admitted with bilateral painful breast enlargement of 6 months duration. There was a past history of surgery for similar bilateral swellings, which was then diagnosed as fibrocystic disease. On examination both breasts were firm to hard, tender & adherent to deeper structures. A single axillary lymph node was palpable on each side. The clinical diagnosis was sarcoma of the breast. After initial denial, the patient confessed to having injected gear oil into both the breasts,for the purpose of augmentation. He was a homosexual.