Anti-dementia drugs: what difference do they make?

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a treatable disorder. Two classes of anti-dementia agents have emerged in the recent past: anti-oxidants and cholinesterase inhibitors. A recent study showed that the anti-oxidants alpha tocopherol (vitamin E) and selegiline slowed the progress of AD. Patients treated with either agent alone or with both agents in combination progressed to end-point more slowly than patients on placebo. Patients on placebo reached one of the end-points - death, nursing home placement, progression to severe AD, or significant loss of activities of daily living - in approximately 400 days, whereas patients on active agent required approximately 600 days to reach the same end-points. Both these agents have anti-oxidant properties; selegiline is a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor that reduces free radical generation and alpha tocopherol has free radical capture capabilities. These agents are applied to patients in mild or moderate phases of AD, where slowing the progression of the illness and maintenance of patients at higher levels of function are the principal goals. Slowing the progression of the disease in more advanced phases of the illness may be less desirable.

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Impact of dexamethasone-sparing regimens on delayed nausea caused by moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy: a meta-analysis of randomised evidence

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-019-6454-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Luigi Celio ◽

Erminio Bonizzoni ◽

Emma Zattarin ◽

Paolo Codega ◽

Filippo de Braud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Absolute Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Active Agent ◽

Significant Loss ◽

Emetogenic Chemotherapy ◽

Additional Patient ◽

Design Parameters ◽

End Points ◽

Delayed Nausea ◽

The Absolute

Abstract Background Nausea can be particularly prominent during the delayed period. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of the available randomised evidence to assess the average effect of palonosetron plus one-day dexamethasone (DEX; also called the DEX-sparing strategy) compared with palonosetron plus 3-day DEX for control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), focusing on delayed nausea. Methods Eligible studies were identified through MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL. Data on acute and delayed CINV were collected. Efficacy end points were complete response (CR; no vomiting, and no use of rescue medication), complete protection (CP; CR plus no clinically significant nausea), and total control (TC; CR plus no nausea) during the delayed period (days 2–5 after chemotherapy initiation). All randomised studies comparing palonosetron plus single-dose DEX (with or without another active agent) on day 1 followed by either no further DEX or additional DEX doses (both alone or in combination with another active agent) qualified. Results Of 864 citations screened, 8 studies with 1970 patients were included in the meta-analysis. During the delayed period, the combined odds ratio (OR) for all comparisons was 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76–1.12) for CR, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.71–1.03) for CP, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.77–1.11) for TC in patients undergoing moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy (AC). The absolute risk difference (RD) computations for all end points in the delayed period did not exceed the threshold of − 4% (range, − 1% to − 4%). The effect was similar in subgroups defined by various study design parameters. The absolute RD computations in the acute period did not exceed the threshold of 1% (range, 0 to 1%). For one-day vs. 3-day DEX, numbers needed to be treated in order for one additional patient to not experience CR, CP and TC over the delayed period were 100, 25 and 50, respectively. Conclusions This meta-analysis demonstrates that DEX-sparing regimens do not cause any significant loss in protection against not only vomiting but also nausea induced by single-day MEC or AC during the delayed period. These data should lead clinicians to optimise use of prophylactic DEX in clinical practice.

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In-vivo anti-oxidant screening of Tectona grandis extract

International Research Journal of Pharmaceutical and Applied Sciences ◽

10.26452/irjpas.v9i1.1164 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Tamilarasi G P ◽

Sabarees G

Keyword(s):

Biochemical Parameters ◽

Tectona Grandis ◽

The Body ◽

Altered Expression ◽

Physiological Conditions ◽

Synthetic Drugs ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Anti Oxidant ◽

Radical Generation

Oxidation is an essential reaction in the human body, which determines the expression of proteins in the body. This results in the altered expression like rapid growth resulting in cancers and other disorders. Many synthetic drugs are available in the market that is effective in limiting the free radical generation and the reaction of radicals with cells. Unfortunately, all those synthetic drugs were found to cause side effects and adverse effects in the body. But given the accuracy of the predictability of the results and administration, this research focuses on testing the anti-oxidant efficiency in rat models testing the biochemical parameters. Investigations have also been done on the anti-oxidant activity of Tectona, but every research was concentrated to prove the anti-oxidant activity only. extract had been tested for anti-oxidant activity by estimating various tissue parameters and it showed better activity. As predicted, there is a significant difference in the and results which can be explained are due to the physiological conditions that exist inside the body.

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Recent advances in Minisci-type reactions and applications in organic synthesis

Current Organic Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1385272824999201230211157 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

Author(s):

Wengui Wang ◽

Shoufeng Wang

Keyword(s):

Free Radical ◽

Hydrogen Atom ◽

Organic Synthesis ◽

Radical Reactivity ◽

Atom Loss ◽

Radical Generation ◽

In Situ Generation ◽

Thermal Cleavage ◽

Synthetic Chemist

Abstract:: Minisci-type reactions have become widely known as reactions that involve the addition of carbon-centered radicals to basic heteroarenes followed by formal hydrogen atom loss. While the originally developed protocols for radical generation remain in active use today, in recent years by a new array of radical generation strategies allow use of a wider variety of radical precursors that often operate under milder and more benign conditions. New transformations based on free radical reactivity are now available to a synthetic chemist looking to utilize a Minisci-type reaction. Radical-generation methods based on photoredox catalysis and electrochemistry, which utilize thermal cleavage or the in situ generation of reactive radical precursors, have become popular approaches. Our review will cover the remarkably literature that has appeared on this topic in recent 5 years, from 2015-01 to 2020-01, in an attempt to provide guidance to the synthetic chemist, on both the challenges that have been overcome and applications in organic synthesis.

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