Pharmacology News and Research

Latest Pharmacology News and Research

Tenofovir gel more effective than oral tablet for HIV treatment: Study

In the first study to make head-to-head comparisons between tenofovir gel and oral tenofovir - two promising approaches for preventing HIV in women - researchers found that daily use of the vaginal gel achieved a more than 100-times higher concentration of active drug in vaginal tissue than did the oral tablet, while, compared to the gel, the tablet used daily was associated with a 20-times higher active drug concentration in blood.

1 Mar 2011

Anti-AIDS gel shows promise

Dr. Ian McGowan, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh who is leading a second-phase study of the gel said, “These are early results, but [they] help set the stage for current and future trials of rectal microbicides and the development of a rectal-specific formulation of tenofovir gel.” Researchers have focused on the use of microbicides such as tenofovir, as a preventive treatment to be used in vaginal sex. However, scientists think unprotected anal sex is much more risky.

1 Mar 2011

Medical experts propose six-point framework for safe production and use of Kava plant

Medical and scientific experts propose a global framework for the safe production and use of the medicinal plant Kava, including further clinical testing In Australia.

1 Mar 2011

Two genes linked to binge drinking

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have identified two genes associated with binge drinking that may open doors to new, more effective treatments for excessive alcohol drinking. The scientists found that manipulating two receptors in the brain, GABA receptors and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), "caused profound reduction" of binge drinking for two weeks in rodents that had been bred and trained to drink excessively. The study was published online the week of Feb. 28 in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1 Mar 2011

Treat discomfort not fever say the new pediatric guidelines

According to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), fevers alone are not a cause for intervention in children. Dr. Janice Sullivan, the lead author of the report says, “The focus should be on comfort and not on absolute temperature.” That’s because fever can be help fight illness, by slowing down the reproduction of bacteria and viruses or stimulating the body’s immune response she explains. “That’s a benefit of fever…and may shorten the time that your child remains ill,” she adds.

28 Feb 2011

Free radicals make the heart to beat with the correct force

Fear of free radicals may be exaggerated, according to scientists from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. A new study, published in the Journal of Physiology, shows that free radicals act as signal substances that cause the heart to beat with the correct force.

28 Feb 2011

Role of serotonin in autism spectrum disorders

Mouse models are yielding important clues about the nature of autism spectrum disorders, which impact an estimated one in 110 children in the U.S. In labs at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, researchers are studying strains of mice that inherently mimic the repetitive and socially impaired behaviors present in these disorders.

25 Feb 2011

Harvard Medical School selects Agilent's NMR spectrometer for biomolecular research applications

Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced that Harvard Medical School has selected Agilent's 700-MHz Ultra-High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer for biomolecular research applications.

25 Feb 2011

New 'closed-loop' system can provide tightly controlled anesthesia in patients undergoing surgery

A new 'closed-loop' system can precisely adjust levels of anesthetics and analgesic drugs in patients undergoing surgery, reports a study in the March issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

25 Feb 2011

UBC study shows Canadians and Americans receive different drug information online

Americans and Canadians are getting vastly different search results when they look up prescription drug information online, says a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia.

24 Feb 2011

Scientists find bovine colostrum can massively reduce leaky gut syndrome

Scientists investigating natural ways to enhance athletic performance have found that bovine colostrum can massively reduce gut permeability - otherwise known as 'leaky gut syndrome.'

24 Feb 2011

Trevena commences TRV120027 Phase 2a trial in patients with acute heart failure

Trevena Inc., the leader in G-protein coupled receptor biased ligand drug discovery, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2a clinical trial with its lead program, TRV120027, a beta-arrestin biased angiotensin II type 1 receptor ligand, the first biased ligand designed to treat patients with acute heart failure.

23 Feb 2011

Cerasome filled molecular-sized bubbles to target liver cancer cells

Nanotechnology may open a new door on the treatment of liver cancer, according to a team of Penn State College of Medicine researchers. They used molecular-sized bubbles filled with chemotherapy drugs to prevent cell growth and initiate cell death in test tubes and mice.

23 Feb 2011

Study: Cannabis use may negatively impact male sexual performance

Rany Shamloul's recent review of the medical literature on cannabis use and sexual health has revealed that cannabis use may negatively impact male sexual performance.

23 Feb 2011

Mouse model could help develop new classes of antidepressant drugs

The most widely prescribed antidepressants - medicines such as Prozac, Lexapro and Paxil - work by blocking the serotonin transporter, a brain protein that normally clears away the mood-regulating chemical serotonin. Or so the current thinking goes.

21 Feb 2011

Slime of starfish may hold a clue for treating inflammatory diseases

Starfish have arms, spines and a mouth on the underside of its body. But what scientists are finding really interesting is the sticky goo which is secreted when the Starfish feels threatened. The slime contains properties which may prove invaluable in treating certain kinds of inflammatory illnesses.

20 Feb 2011

Crustacean inspired technology leads to better calcium supplements

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have developed a unique technology that stabilizes an otherwise unstable form of calcium carbonate. This mineral form provides significantly higher biological absorption and retention rates than other sources presently used as dietary calcium supplements.

19 Feb 2011

Boys get greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls

Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of the response of youth to caffeine found that, in general, boys get a greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls.

18 Feb 2011

Bone remodeling inflammatory protein linked to metastatic lung cancer development in mice with breast cancer

When doctors discover high concentrations of regulatory T cells in the tumors of breast cancer patients, the prognosis is often grim, though why exactly has long been unclear.

16 Feb 2011

Study explores role of proline containing peptides in inhibiting anti-apoptotic function of XIAP

Basic and translational research on cancer, and development of new cancer therapeutics, has focused on different aspects of cancer cellular function. One area of focus is the life and death of a cancer cell. Apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, is a fundamental process of cells including cancer cells. The signal transduction pathways of apoptosis involve many different proteins and their interactions with each other.

16 Feb 2011