The Rise of a New Psychoactive Agent: Salvia divinorum

Since the 1990s, there has been a rise in the availability and recreational use of a herbal plant called Salvia divinorum. Numerous internet websites have advertised it for sale as a legal herbal alternative to illegal hallucinogens. Initial data surveying use has indicated many young adults are obtaining and using this herb for its psychoactive properties. Reported methods of ingestion for the plant include chewing, and smoking leaves or fortified extracts. Subjective effects of the plant include, affect changes, psychedelic-like changes in perception, and even loss of consciousness. Although the pharmacological properties and possible antidepressant effects have been studied in recent years, little information is known about potential negative impact resulting from recreational use, and scant information about Salvia divinorum currently exists in the psychological and substance abuse literature. While Salvia divinorum appears to be a substance with some therapeutic potential, it also poses some significant dangers as a substance of varying legal status with a potential for abuse.     

中药醇提物对血液透析效果的影响

①目的　观察中药醇提物 (HD组方 )对血液透析效果的影响。②方法　选择我院终末期肾衰竭 (ES RD)病人 6 6例 ,已行维持性血液透析治疗 1年以上 ,随机分为常规组 32例 ,中药组 34例。常规组继续进行常规血液透析 ,中药组在常规透析的基础上 ,将透析液中加入HD组方 ,疗程均为 6个月。定期观察各组病人透析前、后血清尿素氮 (BUN)、肌酐 (Cr)、平均时间尿素氮浓度 (TACurea)、蛋白分解率 (PR)及G S指数 (KT/V值 )。③结果　中药组治疗后BUN、Cr水平与常规组同期比较明显降低 ,差别具有显著性 (t=2 .5 6 1、2 .4 98,P <0 .0 5 )。中药组治疗后TACurea较治疗前明显降低 ,差别具有极显著性 (t=2 .797,P <0 .0 1 ) ;而PR、KT/V值较治疗前明显升高 ,差别具有显著性 (t=2 .36 1、2 .4 98,P <0 .0 5 )。④结论　中药HD组方在透析液中的应用可提高ESRD病人透析效果及生活质量     

Gait patterns of a patient with myoclonus of a lower limb,when OFF and ON treatment with antiepileptic drugs

Abstract We describe kinematics, kinetics and electromyographic patterns of a patient with spinal myoclonus of the left lower limb, during walking. Gait analysis was performed when the patient was OFF and ON his treatment with antiepileptic drugs. When OFF, we mainly observed clonic bursts and out-of-phase activations of m. tibialis anterior and m. rectus femoris, with increased hip flexion, reduction of knee flexion during swing and excessive ankle dorsal flexion. Furthermore, large oscillations of knee moment of force and power during stance phase were also observed. These abnormal patterns markedly recovered when ON drugs.     

Levetiracetam monotherapy in Alzheimer patients with late-onset seizures: a prospective observational study

Levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy was investigated in 25 patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease (AD) and new-onset epileptic seizures in a prospective open-label study. At a daily dose of 1000–1500 mg, 72% were seizure-free for at least one year; 16% discontinued for untolerability; 8% were unresponsive; 4% were lost to follow-up. These results suggest the need for controlled studies to confirm if LEV can be a first-choice drug in AD.     

Cholinergic therapy in dementia

After reviewing the evidence for cholinergic pathology in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, this paper reviews strategies for treating dementia using cholinomimetic drugs. Special attention is paid to cholinesterase inhibitors, particularly tacrine, the drug recently approved by the FDA. New studies suggesting that muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptor active drugs may be more effective will be reviewed. Brief mention will be made of strategies to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.     

Critical review of treatment trials in hypertension

Summary: Despite numerous deficiencies in some antihypertensive drug treatment trials, and some questionable selections of studies for inclusion in several meta-analyses, undoubtedly such trials have shown treatment benefits from reducing hypertension. Complications that can be corrected or prevented include malignant hypertension, hypertensive heart failure, stroke and coronary artery morbidity. the all-cause mortality has been lowered in several trials. the benefits have been seen in subjects aged over 60 years, in women and men, and in patients with isolated systolic hypertension. the benefits have been achieved using a wide range of drugs, not only with beta-blockers or diuretics. Non-pharmacological means of lowering blood pressure have not been evaluated in relation to morbidity.     

不同时程给予抗精神病药物对大鼠脑内AchE活性的影响

目的 探索常敏和超敏状态时乙酰胆碱酯酶活性的变化及该变化与锥体外系症状（ＥＰＳ）的可能关系。方法 应用分光光度法测定大鼠脑皮层、海马和纹状体ＡｃｈＥ催化碘化乙酰硫代胆碱水解的速率而确定酶的活性。结果 急性给予利血平、氯氮平、氟哌啶醇对大鼠纹状体、海马和皮层的ＡｃｈＥ活性无显著影响；以相同剂得的利血平、氯氮平和氟哌啶醇连续给药７ｄ和２１ｄ，利血平和氟哌啶醇显著降低纹状体和海马ＡｃｈＥ活性，氯氮平仅在     

空管药物疗法治疗牙髓病和根尖周病疗效观察

用ＳＭＴＤ复合药物对牙髓病和根尖周病实施空管药物疗法。７８例１０３颗获得完整随访资料患牙经两年观察，９２．２％治愈率。文章介绍了治疗方法，讨论了空管药物疗法的愈合机理、优点、失败原因及其预防措施。     

Psychotropic drug intake in residents newly admitted to nursing homes

While several surveys have shown that psychotropic drugs are frequently used by nursing home residents, no studies have been performed to investigate whether the rates of drug use increase during the stay in nursing homes or whether residents have taken these drugs already before admission. Therefore, we investigated 262 residents admitted to rural and urban nursing homes in Austria for prevalence of psychotropic drug intake before admission, shortly after admission, and 6 months later. Two weeks after admission, 72.1% of the residents were being treated with psychotropics, while 6 months later 79.0% were receiving these drugs. The significantly higher rates of psychotropic drug use among the psychiatrically ill and in those suffering from sleeping problems suggest that these drugs were prescribed aptly, but residents without appropriate criteria for drug intake were often also treated with psychotropics. During 3 months before admission to nursing homes, 45.5% of the sample reported having taken psychotropics. In more than half of residents without drug intake before admission, psychotropic treatment was initiated within the first 2 weeks after admission, while during the first 6 months after admission the rate of drug use increased only slightly. This suggests that a large percentage of psychotropic intake is due to nursing home orders. Received: 20 January 1997/Final version: 21 May 1997     

Antiepileptic drug toxicity: Definition and mechanism of action

A detailed review of the adverse reactions of anticonvulsants is given, focusing on the definitions of drug toxicity, sources of information, patterns of durg utilization, pharmacokinetic variables and different mechanisms of action. The information available in the literature provides a wide spectrum of drug toxicity with no attempt at a practical definition of the reported events. This favors uncertainty among practising physicians, who are led to use the individual items with different attitudes. Suggestions are given for the evaluation, prevention and treatment of anticonvulsant drug toxicity.

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Sommario La presente è una revisione critica dei diversi aspetti della tossicità dei farmaci antiepilettici. L'analisi della letteratura è condotta con particolare riferimento alle diverse fonti di informazione, ai pattern di utilizzo dei singoli principi attivi, ai dati farmacocinetici ed ai meccanismi di azione farmacologica sottostanti. L'ampio panorama che ne deriva non consente una definizione pratica degli effetti indesiderati degli anticonvulsivanti. Ciò determina incertezza e confusione nella pratica medica, con conseguente diversità di comportamenti. La rassegna si conclude con la presentazione di alcuni suggerimenti pratici per la valutazione, la prevenzione ed il trattamento della tossicità da anticonvulsivanti.