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.     

Therapeutic traditions in type 2 diabetes — are they changing?

The utilisation of antidiabetic drugs reflects both the prevalence of diabetes and the different therapeutic traditions of physicians. A questionnaire survey to study attitudes to the use of oral antidiabetic drugs amongst physicians and possible changes in treatment habits was carried out in a representative sample of Finnish physicians (n=454) in 1992 and the results were compared with those of a similar survey carried out in 1985, and with drug utilisation statistics.The mean fasting blood glucose level at which a physician would start pharmacological treatment was 8.7 mmol·l^–1, which was significantly lower than in the 1985 survey. The responses to various case histories suggested a more active approach to pharmacological treatment compared to the 1985 survey. Insulin treatment especially seems to have gained in popularity. This change in attitude was paralled by an increase in the consumption of antidiabetic drugs in Finland during the observation period. The increase in use of oral drugs was steeper in Finland than in Norway and Sweden.Whether this active approach will improve the metabolic control and prognosis of patients with Type 2 diabetes, remains to be demonstrated.     

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.     

解毒保肾汤治疗早期糖尿病性肾病

[目的 ]观察解毒保肾汤治疗早期糖尿病性肾病的疗效 .[方法 ]将诊断为早期糖尿病性肾病的病人随机分为 2组 ,其中治疗组 4 4例给予解毒保肾汤 ,对照组 2 0例给予阳性对照药络汀新 ,观察治疗前后 2组病人的临床症状、空腹血糖、糖化血红蛋白量及尿蛋白排泄率等的变化 .[结果 ]治疗组总有效率为 80 % ,对照组总有效率为 6 5 % ,治疗组疗效优于对照组 ;治疗组在改善临床症状 ,降低空腹血糖、糖化血红蛋白量及尿蛋白排泄率等方面均优于对照组 .[结论 ]解毒保肾汤能够降低早期糖尿病性肾病患者的血糖、减少尿蛋白的排泄 ,具有一定的保护肾脏功能 ,对早期糖尿病性肾病有治疗作用 .     

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。     

血瘀证的研究发展脉络与评述

主要从4个方面论述了血瘀证50年来研究进展．理论研究，着重从古今文献论述血瘀证定义和含义；客观研究，着重对生理、生化、血液流变学、免疫学、病理学和微循环等方面对血瘀证进行研究；血瘀证的动物模型研究，主要对血瘀证动物模型的建立与造模方法和途径进行研究；诊断标准研究，包括诊断标准、诊断指标的研究。并对上述内容进行了评述，并提出了展望。     

甲状腺功能亢进性呕吐(附2例报告)

本文报告2例系非甲亢危象及危象前期的甲状腺功能亢进(简称甲亢)患者,临床突出的症状是:频繁而又顽固的呕吐,例1导致了Mallory-Weiss征,服他巴唑60小时后呕吐明显缓解,96小时后呕吐完全停止。例2由于呕吐误诊为胃神经官能症,服他巴唑治疗一周后呕吐停止。甲亢性呕吐国内未见报告,本文对呕吐的机制进行了分析探讨。     

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.     

Assessment of Rhythm and Rate Control in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

A recent series of randomized prospective clinical trials that compared rate control with rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) found no significant difference in primary outcome between the two strategies. However, these trials lacked clear criteria for defining "successful" rate or rhythm control. Various measures have been used to gauge the success of antiarrhythmic drug therapy, including time to first recurrence of AF, any AF recurrence, AF burden, and a reduction in symptoms. Determining the success of antiarrhythmic therapy can be relatively straightforward by using how patients feel during therapy as a key endpoint. Most patients are satisfied with a major reduction in symptomatic AF episodes and can live comfortably with occasional episodes of AF. For those who are bothered by even infrequent, brief AF episodes, a treatment regimen that eliminates nearly all AF recurrences is required, although often hard to achieve. Catheter ablation may be necessary to achieve a successful outcome in these patients. Suppression of AF in a patient at high risk of stroke does not, however, remove the need for concomitant warfarin therapy. The endpoints of ventricular rate control are not clear, and the recently published rhythm versus rate control trials lacked standard criteria for judging acceptable rate control. One relatively simple method is to try and achieve a 24-hour heart rate that mimics expected normal sinus rhythm. It is important to achieve good rate control to minimize symptoms and the risk of tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy.     

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced colonic strictures and perforation: A case report

Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced colopathy is well described, colonic perforations complicating non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake are rare. We report a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who was on long-term diclofenac and presented with early colonic stricture formation and a caecal perforation, which to the best of our knowledge, has only been reported once before. It is important to suspect this diagnosis in patients on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy who present with an acute abdomen.