Skin cancer drug reverses Alzheimer's in mice

(CNN) -- Scientists say they "serendipitously" discovered that a drug used to treat a type of cancer quickly reversed Alzheimer's disease in mice.

"It's really exciting," said Maria Carrillo, senior director for medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer's Association. "They saw very positive and robust behavior effects in the mice."

In the study, researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine gave mice mega-doses of bexarotene, a drug used to treat a type of skin cancer called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Within 72 hours, the mice showed dramatic improvements in memory and more than 50% of amyloid plaque -- a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease -- had been removed from the brain.

The study was published Thursday in the journal Science.

Gary Landreth, the lead researcher at Case Western, cautioned that even though his results were impressive in mice, it may turn out not to work in people.

"I want to say as loudly and clearly as possible that this was a study in mice, not in humans," he said. "We've fixed Alzheimer's in mice lots of times, so we need to move forward expeditiously but cautiously."

Mice -- and humans -- with Alzheimer's have high levels of a substance called amyloid beta in their brain. Pathology tests on the mice showed bexarotene lowered the levels of amyloid beta and raised the levels of apolipoprotein E, which helps keep amyloid beta levels low.

Landreth said he hopes to try the drug out in healthy humans within two months, to see if it has the same effect.

Those participating in the trial would be given the standard dose that cancer patients are usually given.

Researchers tested the memories of mice with Alzheimer's both before and after giving them bexarotene. For example, the Alzheimer's mice walked right into a cage where they'd previously been given a painful electrical shock, but after treatment with bexarotene, the mice remembered the shock and refused to enter the cage.

In another test, the scientists put tissue paper in a cage. Normal mice instinctively use tissues in their cage to make a nest, but mice with Alzheimer's can't figure out what to do with the tissues. After treatment with the drug, the Alzheimer's mice made a nest with the paper.

Carrillo said one of the major advantages of bexarotene is that it's already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans, which means the researchers can move into human trials sooner than if it were a completely new drug.

The Alzheimer's Association is funding Case Western's next phase of research, which will involve using bexarotene at the levels used on cancer patients, Landreth said. Since the drug does have some side effects -- it can increase cholesterol, for example -- he hopes to use it in even lower levels as the study goes on.

Landreth said his lab had been working on other drugs for Alzheimer's for 10 years when a graduate student, Paige Cramer, decided to try bexarotene, which works on a receptor involved in amyloid beta clearance. Some other drugs that worked in mice were too toxic to use in humans.

"We're really lucky that bexarotene is a great drug with an acceptable safety profile," he said. "This doesn't happen very many times in life'"

Source: CNN News

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Scientific Studies on Birth Control Pills

Contraceptive pills have been so controversial these days because of the RH bill. Studies prove the harm associated with the use of birth control pills. Below are the results of these studies together with their reference:

• The birth control pill increases a woman's chance of having breast cancer, cervical cancer, and liver cancer.

References:
Chris Kahlenborn, MD, et al., "Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis," Mayo Clinic Proceedings 81:10 (October, 2006): 1290-1302; Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer, "Breast cancer and hormonal contraceptives: collaborative reanalysis of individual data on 53,297 women with breast cancer and 100,239 women without breast cancer from 54 epidemiological studies," Lancet 347 (June, 1996): 1713-1727; World Health Organization, "IARC Monographs Programme Finds Combined Estrogen-Progestogen Contraceptives and Menopausal Therapy are Carcinogenic to Humans," International Agency for Research on Cancer, Press Release 167 (July 29, 2005); Smith, et al., "Cervical cancer and use of hormonal contraceptives: A systematic review," Lancet361 (2003):1159?1167; La Vecchia, "Oral contraceptives and cancer," Minerva Ginecologica 58:3 (June, 2006): 209-214.

• Depo-Provera (aka: the shot) interferes with a woman's immune system, making her more likely to contract chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Reference:

Morrison, et al.,"Hormonal Contraceptive Use, Cervical Ectopy, and the Acquisition of Cervical Infections," Sexually Transmitted Diseases 31:9 (September, 2004): 561?567.

• The makers of the Shot (Pfizer Pharmaceuticals) are being sued for 700 million dollars because the drug thins out a woman's bones. This is especially worrisome for young women, because the teenage years are a critical time for bone development.

References:

CTV.ca News, "Class action suit filed over birth control drug," (December 19, 2005); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "Black Box Warning Added Concerning Long-Term Use of Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection," FDA Talk Paper (November 17, 2004).

• Because of its link to breast cancer, veterinarians stopped prescribing Depo-Provera for dogs. However, it's still being given to women, and is sometimes injected into male sex offenders in order to kill their sex drive.

References:

"The Case Against Depo-Provera," Multinational Monitor 6:2-3 (February/March, 1985); T.A. Kiersch, "Treatment of sex offenders with Depo-Provera," The Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 18:2 (1990): 179-187; "Assembly Bill 3339, "An act to repeal and add Section 645 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes." California State Senate, Amended August 20, 1996; 2005 California Penal Code, 645.

• Makers of the Birth Control Patch are being sued by at least 4000 women. 

Reference:
Johnson and Johnson, SEC Filing, Annual Report for Period Ending 12/31/2006.

• The birth control pill, patch, and shot can all act as abortifacients. The same is true of the morning after pill.

References:
"Physicians' Desk Reference, 2414, 2626, 2411.Physicians' Desk Reference, 1068; "Plan B® (Levonorgestrel) Prescribing Information, Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (August, 2006); Larimore, et al.,"Postfertilization Effects of Oral Contraceptives and Their Relationship to Informed Consent," Archives of Family Medicine 9 (2000): 126-133.

Now, is it true that the RH Bill protects the rights of women? Will it empower the Filipinos or will it just bring harm to society? Think about it.

My dear people, our future is at stake!

The Truth Behind Food Supplements

"You'll have a fairer skin."

"Lose weight in 7 days!"

"Increase your height!"

"Have a good memory!"

These are just some statements that food supplements promise to the consumers...

Food supplements nowadays have been regarded as naturally-derived medicines that can cure all diseases in a snap. Just take a look at how these advertisements present their products. Some are very deceiving and too good to be true. Some even claim that their products are "safe" and possess no side effects. Pharmaceutical companies are gaining a lot as more and more people patronize their "safe and natural" products.

Sadly, people have a wrong notion of such products. The claim that food/nutritional supplements can cure certain diseases is misleading. Food supplement, as its name implies, is an addition to our diet to make up for a deficiency. It is no secret that these products are of nutritional importance. Most of them contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities. 

However, it should be clear for people that these are not medicines and should not be regarded as such. Although for some, taking food supplements might have promising effects, it is not enough to rely on them in treating certain kinds of diseases. Actually, most of the food supplements are from various research on herbal plants. Some of them might have remarkable results when tested on animals. However, human clinical trials have not been well-established that's why they are marketed as dietary supplement. Unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food supplements cannot be labeled and sold as medicines.

It is mandatory for these products to put "No approved therapeutic claims" in their labels. But unfortunately, because of deceiving advertisements, this statement has always been set aside.

Please don't get me wrong, I have nothing against food supplements. In fact, I am doing a pharmacological research on a particular plant. I still believe in their ability to help prevent certain diseases. But my concern is the people who go gaga over them. Choosing them over "expensive" medicines to treat a certain disease isn't cost-effective. It is still best to seek medical advice to provide you with an appropriate treatment plan.

Pinoy-developed cancer treatment could mean less pain for patients

A cancer treatment currently under development promises fewer side effects and less pain for cancer patients. Developed by a team led by Dr. Jay Lazaro of the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines-Diliman, the treatment uses immunoliposomes as carriers of drugs in cancer therapy. It is set to be tested on mice, and is part of a project funded by the Department of Science and Technology. "Our work is centered on the production of immunoliposomes and their testing in mice. The genetic engineering of the unique antibody, the key part of the project, was the work of our predecessors, particularly Drs. Ed Padlan, Ameurfina Santos, and Gisela P. Concepcion, to name a few. The current team consists of myself, and Drs. Denise Bascos, Portia Sabido, and Sonia Jacinto, all of UP Diliman," Dr. Lazaro told GMA News Online. "The immunoliposome approach is not new. It is a logical consequence of the specific binding properties of antibodies. In our case, we attach an antibody to a known anticancer drug, the 'payload', to favor the latter's concentration at the target site. Labs around the world are experimenting with different disease targets, different antibodies, different liposome formulations, and different 'payloads. One immunoliposome will not work against all cancers," he explained.

"This kind of breakthrough technology is part of DOST’s drug discovery program for 2012,” says DOST Secretary Mario Montejo. “It lists high in the priorities under the Department's antibody molecular oncology R&D in our search for anti-cancer treatments suitable to Filipinos.”

More common chemotherapy methods damage normal cells, so patients experience unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, fatigue, weight loss, changes in taste and smell, loss of appetite and hair loss. Therefore, a treatment that affects fewer normal cells will result in fewer side effects.

The immunoliposome method coats cancer-treating drugs with liposomes, or microscopic artificial sacs that can be filled with drugs.

The technology is more specific as it targets only cancer cells. Since there are fewer non-cancer cells affected by the treatment, it results in less toxicity and the patient feels less pain.

The team is presently testing the technology using Caelyx, a cancer drug, as a benchmark. However, “the technology can be eventually used for any other drug and any other illness,” says Dr. Lazaro.

Cancer treatment using Caelyx may cost from P40,000 to 45,000 for every 20 mg. Although the immunoliposome treatment may cost higher, it can potentially be more effective because it is target-specific and results in less toxicity. This could mean less fatigue for the patient and a greater chance of beating and recovering against the disease.

According to the Department of Health, cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, behind communicable diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

Read full article here

Dengue Vaccine Out by 2015

In a few years time, humanity may soon say goodbye to dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that infects 220 million people and kills two million each year.

For decades, Thailand has been researching to develop the world's first dengue vaccine to combat the four strains of the virus that causes the fatal hemorrhagic form of the disease, The Hindu said.

Over 70 percent of dengue fever strikes in Southeast Asia region where it is endemic.

About 4,000 children in Thailand's highest incidence of dengue have begun receiving the vaccine that was jointly developed by Mahidol University and Sanofi Pasteur.

A senior clinical researcher said, "So far the vaccine seems to be very safe, with very few clinical reactions after each vaccination."

The trial is not without challenges. Because the disease affects only humans, animal testing could not be performed. The four kinds of viruses necessitate the build up of different immune response for each.

In addition, funding the vaccine development is difficult since the disease is generally found in the marginalized sector of developing countries where big pharmaceutical countries are not interested in investing in the research and development.

Barring all impediments to its commercial use, dengue vaccine will be available by 2015, Channel News Asia stated.

Details of this report here.

Dosage Forms: Suppositories

To have a copy of the 5-page lecture, download it here.

DOCUMENT OVERVIEW

Suppositories

 Derived from the Latin term supponere, meaning “to place under”.

 SUB – under ; PONERE – to place

 Are solid dosage forms intended for insertion into body orifices where they melt, soften, or dissolved and exert localized or systemic effects.

Coating Tablet Defects: The Cause and The Remedies

Here is a list of common defects associated with coated tablets and some likely causes and the remedies.

Picking and sticking
This is when the coating removes a piece of the tablet from the core. Overwetting or examples or excessive film tackiness causes tablets to stick to each other or to the coating pan. On drying, at the point of contact, a piece of the film may remain adhered to the pan or to another tablet, giving a “picked” appearance to the tablet surface and resulting in a small exposed area of the core. It is caused by over-wetting the tablets, by under-drying, or by poor tablet quality.

REMEDY: A reduction in the liquid application rate or increase in the drying air temperature and air volume usually solves this problem. Excessive tackiness may be an indication of a poor formulation.


Twinning
This is the term for two tablets that stick together, and it’s a common problem with capsule shaped tablets.

REMEDY : Assuming you don’t wish to change the tablet shape, you can solve this problem by balancing the pan speed and spray rate. Try reducing the spray rate or increasing the pan speed. In some cases, it is necessary to modify the design of the tooling by very slightly changing the radius. The change is almost impossible to see, but it prevents the twinning problem.


Color Variation
This problem can be caused by processing conditions or the formulation. Improper mixing, uneven spray pattern and insufficient coating may result in color variation. The migration of soluble dyes, plasticizers and other additives during drying may give the coating a mottled or spotted appearance.

REMEDY:
1. The use of lake dyes eliminates dye migration.
2. A reformulation with different plasticizers and additives is the best way to solve film instabilities caused by the ingredients.


Orange Peel
This refers to a coating texture that resembles the surface of an orange. Inadequate spreading of the coating solution before drying causes a bumpy or “orange-peel” effect on the coating.
It is usually the result of high atomization pressure in combination with spray rates that are too high. This also indicates that spreading is impeded by too rapid drying or by high solution viscosity.

REMEDY: Thinning the solution with additional solvent may correct this problem.


Mottled color
This can happen when the coating solution is improperly prepared, the actual spray rate differs from the target rate, the tablet cores are cold, or the drying rate is out of specification.


Capping and Lamination
This is when the tablet separates in laminar fashion. Capping is partial or complete separation of top or bottom crowns of tablet main body. Lamination is separation of a tablet into two or more distinct layers. Friability test can be used to reveal these problems

The problem stems from improper tablet compression, but it may not reveal itself until you start coating. How you operate the coating system, however, can exacerbate the problem.

REMEDY : Be careful not to over-dry the tablets in the preheating stage. That can make the tablets brittle and promote capping.


Roughness
A rough or gritty surface is a defect often observed when coating is applied by a spray. Some of the droplets may dry too rapidly before reaching the tablet bed, resulting in the deposits on the tablet surface of “spray dried” particles instead of finely divided droplets of coating solution. Surface roughness also increases with pigment concentration and polymer concentration in the coating solution.

REMEDY: Moving the nozzle closer to the tablet bed and reducing the degree of atomization can decrease the roughness due to “spray drying”.


Hazing / Dull Film
This is sometimes called Bloom. It can occur when too high a processing temperature is used for a particular formulation. Dulling is particularly evident when cellulosic polymers are applied out of aqueous media at high processing temperatures. It can also occur if the coated tablets are exposed to high humidity conditions and partial salvation of film results.


Bridging
This occurs when the coating fills in the lettering or logo on the tablet and is typically caused by improper application of the solution, poor design of the tablet embossing, high coating viscosity, high percentage of solids in the solution, or improper atomization pressure. During drying, the film may shrink and pull away from the sharp corners of an intagliation or bisect, resulting in a “bridging” of the surface. This defect can be so severe that the monogram or bisect is completely obscured.

REMEDY: Increasing the plasticizer content or changing the plasticizer can decrease the incidence of bridging.


Filling
Filling is caused by applying too much solution, resulting in a thick film that fills and narrows the monogram or bisect. In addition, if the solution is applied too fast, Overwetting may cause the liquid to quickly fill and be retained in the monogram.

REMEDY: Judicious monitoring of the fluid application rate and thorough mixing of the tablets in the pan can prevent filling.


Erosion
This can be the result of soft or friable tablets (and the pan turning too fast), an over-wetted tablet surface, inadequate drying, or lack of tablet surface strength.


Peeling and frosting
This is a defect where the coating peels away from the tablet surface in a sheet. Peeling indicates that the coating solution did not lock into the tablet surface. This could be due to a defect in the coating solution, over-wetting, or high moisture content in the tablet core which prevented the coating to adhering.


Chipping
This is the result of high pan speed, a friable tablet core, or a coating solution that lacks a good plasticizer


Blistering
When coated tablets require further drying in ovens, too rapid evaporation of the solvent from the core and the effect of high temperature on the strength, elasticity and adhesion of the film may result in blistering.

REMEDY: Milder drying conditions are warranted in this case.


Cracking
It occurs if internal stresses in the film exceed the tensile strength of the film.

REMEDY: tensile strength of the film can be increased by Using higher molecular weight polymers or polymer blends.