WONDER PILL TO CURE OBESITY, CANCER

According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports an all-in-one tablet is being developed to treat obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The drug, which is being made by the biotech firm Sirtris, could be available within three years.The excitement surrounds a family of drugs based on resveratrol, the “miracle ingredient” in red wine credited with inhibiting the development of cancer and heart disease. The drugs would activate a gene called SIRT1 that is the key to longevity and energy, and their potency would give them the equivalent health benefits of 8,000 bottles of wine. In the study conducted, mice given one of the drugs, known as SRT1720, did not gain an ounce of weight despite being fed fatty foods, and blood tests suggested that they were protected against diabetes. They also showed improved stamina.  Now a follow-up study, led by the U.S.government’s health research arm, has confirmed the drug’s promise. This time, giving it to “middle-aged” mice allowed them to escape many of the dangers of a bad diet, with those eating fatty foods living almost as long as mice fed normally. At high doses, the drug extended the life of the junk food group by as much as 44 per cent. In addition, it stopped fat from clogging up their livers and, once again, appeared to protect against Diabetes.

REFERENCES

·        www.globalpharmasectornews.com

·        www.andhranews.net

·        www.topnews.in

·        www.silobreaker.com

FEMINA CP

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

FDA APPROVED FIRST DRUG RELEASING IMPLANT FOR CHRONIC SINUSITIS PATIENTS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Intersect ENT, Inc.’s Pre-market Approval (PMA) application for the Propel™ mometasone furoate implant offering localized, controlled drug delivery for chronic sinusitis patients.Chronic sinusitis is a condition in which patients’ sinuses become swollen and inflamed, leading to difficulty breathing, facial pain or headache, and reduced sense of smell and taste. The condition is common, affecting one in seven adults in theU.S., and greatly impacts quality of life. Chronic sinusitis often requires a complex combination of surgical and medical treatments. Each year, 500,000 patients undergo sinus surgery to treat the condition.  Although sinus surgery is effective, the majority of patients experience recurrent symptoms within the first year; as many as 25 percent then undergo revision surgery due to recurrent obstruction of the sinus cavity.Propel is the first of a new category of products offering localized, controlled delivery of steroid directly to the sinus tissue. Inserted by a physician following endoscopic sinus surgery, the spring-like implant expands to prop open the sinus and gradually delivers an advanced corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory properties directly to the sinus lining to maintain sinus patency.The Propel system has been clinically proven to prevent obstruction of the ethmoid sinus following surgery. The result is improved post-operative outcomes, reducing the need for additional surgical procedures and systemic steroids that can have serious side effects.

REFERENCES

1.     www.globalpharmasectornews.com

2.     www.medscape.com

3.     www.qmed.com

4.     www.emedicinelive.com

5.     www.pharmabiz.com

APARNA S

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

POOR SLEEP QUALITY ENHANCES RISK OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

According to the a report published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, a reduced level of dreamless, deep sleep is a powerful predictor for developing high blood pressure in older men. High quality sleep is as important to health as diet and exercise.Reduced slow wave sleep (SWS) is one of the deeper stages of sleep, is characterized by non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) from which it’s difficult to awaken. It’s represented by relatively slow, synchronized brain waves called delta activity on an electroencephalogram. Researchers from the Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men Study (MrOs Sleep Study) found that people with the lowest level of SWS had an 80 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure.This study shows for the first time that poor quality sleep, reflected by reduced slow wave sleep, puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure, and that this effect appears to be independent of the influence of breathing pauses during sleep,Men who spent less than 4 percent of their sleep time in SWS were significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure during the 3.4 years of the study. Men with reduced SWS had generally poorer sleep quality as measured by shorter sleep duration and more awakenings at night and had more severe sleep apnea than men with higher levels of SWS. However, of all measures of sleep quality, decreased SWS were the most strongly associated with the development of high blood pressure. This relationship was observed even after considering other aspects of sleep quality.

REFERENCES

1.    www.globalpharmasectornews.com

2.    www.allheadlinenews.com

3.    www.sciencedaily.com

4.    www.medicalxpress.com

5.    www.eurekalert.org

VINOD B

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

POOR SLEEP QUALITY ENHANCES RISK OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

According to the a report published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, a reduced level of dreamless, deep sleep is a powerful predictor for developing high blood pressure in older men. High quality sleep is as important to health as diet and exercise.Reduced slow wave sleep (SWS) is one of the deeper stages of sleep, is characterized by non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) from which it’s difficult to awaken. It’s represented by relatively slow, synchronized brain waves called delta activity on an electroencephalogram. Researchers from the Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men Study (MrOs Sleep Study) found that people with the lowest level of SWS had an 80 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure.This study shows for the first time that poor quality sleep, reflected by reduced slow wave sleep, puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure, and that this effect appears to be independent of the influence of breathing pauses during sleep,Men who spent less than 4 percent of their sleep time in SWS were significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure during the 3.4 years of the study. Men with reduced SWS had generally poorer sleep quality as measured by shorter sleep duration and more awakenings at night and had more severe sleep apnea than men with higher levels of SWS. However, of all measures of sleep quality, decreased SWS were the most strongly associated with the development of high blood pressure. This relationship was observed even after considering other aspects of sleep quality.

REFERENCES

1.    www.globalpharmasectornews.com

2.    www.allheadlinenews.com

3.    www.sciencedaily.com

4.    www.medicalxpress.com

5.    www.eurekalert.org

VINOD B

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

WORLD CONGRESS OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 2011

71^st INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF FIP

3-8 September 2011

THEME:  COMPROMISING SAFETY AND QUALITY: A RISKY PATH

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) brought the world congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences to India for the very first time since its inception, over 2000 delegates representing 98 countries were arrived at the International Convention Centre at Hyderabad, India. The Congress was graced by the presence of the Honorable President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, along with the Governor of the State of Andhra Pradesh E.S.L. Narasimhan, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N.Kiran Kumar Reddy and the Minister for Medical and health affairs of the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh Dr.D.L. Ravindra Reddy.Thousands of Pharmacists from around the world were participated on a global platform of learning and networking. FIP along with Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) was enthusiastic in welcoming participants to the 71^st FIP world congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences, under the theme COMPROMISING SAFETY & QUALITY: A RISKY PATH, all were encouraged to join in the discussion as to how Pharmacy Practitioners and scientists may best ensure the delivery of safe and quality medicines that are used responsibly.

The sessions were organized by the FIP board of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice to motivate Pharmacists from all practice areas to reach new heights in their fields.

SESSIONS ORGANIZED

1.     Academic Pharmacy Section

The vision of this session was to contribute to improved pharmacy educational standards worldwide.  The session discussed the issues of interest to educators with the aim of improving educational standards in order to maintain and improve pharmacy Practice.

2.     Social and Administrative Pharmacy Section

This session consisted of members from a wide variety of backgrounds who shared an interest in administrative and social pharmacy.  This session therefore provided a unique platform for networking with colleagues in other countries and in other fields of work.

3.      Clinical Biology Section

This session was aimed to study and maintain the development and the protection of the scientific and professional interests of all pharmacists engaged in clinical biology.

4.     Community Pharmacy Section

This session was the largest of the FIP sections.  The mission was to assist pharmacists, wherever they love and practice, in the delivery of medicines, health products and services that will improve medicine use and advance patient care. The session focused on Community Pharmacists and Pharmacists with other primary care functions and services; supporting Pharmacists so that they can fulfill their responsibilities towards society and provide their services at a high professional level.

5.      Hospital Pharmacy Section

The goal of this session was to advance the opportunities for pharmacists practicing in hospitals and organized health care settings to improve patient care by optimizing the use of medications.

6.      Industrial Pharmacy Section

This session mainly emphasized on the quality of medicines, but other topics such as clinical trials, Pharmacy education, and orphan drugs are also explored.

7.     Pharmacy Information Section

This session was aimed to provide a forum in which FIP members and other interested parties can expand and share their knowledge about information issues relating to pharmacy medicines and public health.

8.     Pharmabridge

A session was organized by Pharmabridge which aims at strengthening pharmaceutical services in developing and transitional countries through co ordinate support from the Pharmacy establishment and individual Pharmacists in developing countries.  It provides support to institutions and individual Pharmacists. It also aims at creating links amongst Pharmacists worldwide and is supported by the FIP.

The following websites will provide more information regarding Pharmabridge free online registration & FIP:

www.pharmabridge.org

www.fip.org

In addition to symposia, poster presentations, an extensive exhibition and a vibrant social programme were set the stage.

This 2011 FIP congress in Hyderabad has not only brought us to a new corner of the globe, but would also bring us to a new level of connecting with others on a global platform of professional learning and growth.

Dr.S.Durgaramani

Prof & Head

Department of Pharmacy Practice

COMPOUND IN GREEN TEA EFFECTIVE TREATING GENETIC DISORDER, TUMOR

According a new research, a compound have been found in green tea that shows great promise for the development of drugs to treat two types of tumors and a deadly congenital disease.  The discovery is the result of research led by Principal Investigator, Dr. Thomas Smith at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and his colleagues at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The findings are published in the recent article, “Green Tea Polyphenols Control Dysregulated Glutamate Dehydrogenase In Transgenic Mice By Hijacking The ADP Activation Site” in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is found in all living organisms and is responsible for the digestion of amino acids. In animals, GDH is controlled by a complex network of metabolites. For decades it was not clear why animals required such regulation but other kingdoms did not.  This was partially answered by the Stanleygroup’s finding that a deadly congenital disease, hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HHS), is caused by the loss of some of this regulation. In this disorder, patients (typically children) respond to the consumption of protein by over secreting insulin, becoming severely hypoglycemic, often leading to death.  Using atomic structures to understand the differences between animals and plants, Dr. Smith and his colleagues discovered that two compounds found naturally in green tea are able to compensate for this genetic disorder by turning off GDH in isolated and when the green tea compounds were administered orally. The Smith lab also used X-ray crystallography to determine the atomic structure of these green tea compounds bound to the enzyme. With this atomic information, they hope to be able to modify these natural compounds to design and develop better drugs. Interestingly, two other research groups have validated and extended these findings to demonstrate that blocking GDH with green tea is very effective at killing two different kinds of tumors; glioblastomas, an aggressive type of brain tumor, and tuberous sclerosis complex disorder, a genetic disease that causes non-malignant tumors to grow on a number of organs.

REFERENCE

1. www.globalpharmasectornews.com

2. www.currentnewsblog.com

3. www.currentnewsblog.com

4. www.physorg.com

ASLAM ARGODAN

FIRST YEAR MPHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

GENE THERAPY HAS POTENTIAL TO CURE  ADULT LEUKEMIA

The study results published in The New England Journal of Medicine and in Science Translational Medicine showed that two of three patients dying of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) appear cured and a third is in partial remission after infusions of genetically engineered T cells. The treatment uses a form of white blood cells called T cells harvested from each patient. A manmade virus-like vector is used to transfer special molecules to the T cells. One of the molecules, CD19, makes the T cells attack B lymphocytes — the cells that become cancerous in CLL. All this has been done before. These genetically engineered cells are called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. They kill cancer in the test tube. But in humans, they die away before they do much damage to tumors.

                                     What’s new about the current treatment is the addition of a special signaling molecule called 4-1BB. This signal does several things: it gives CAR T cells more potent anti-tumor activity, and it somehow allows the cells to persist and multiply in patients’ bodies. Moreover, the signal does not call down the deadly all-out immune attack — the feared “cytokine storm” — that can do more harm than good. This may be why relatively small infusions of the CAR T cells had such a profound effect. Each of the cells killed thousands of cancer cells and destroyed more than 2 pounds of tumor in each patient. The treatment was not a walk in the park for patients. One of the three patients became so ill from the treatment that steroids were needed to relieve his symptoms. The steroid rescue may be why this patient had only a partial remission And there’s a big downside. The CAR T cells that fight CLL also kill off normal B lymphocytes. These are the cells that the body needs to make infection-fighting antibodies. As long as the CAR T cells persist — which may be for the rest of patients’ lives — patients will require regular infusions of immune globulin.

REFERENCE

stm.sciencemag.org

www.globalpharmasectornews.com

www.sciencedaily.com

www.genengnews.com

SHANOOB K

FIRST YEAR MPHARM

ALSHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

OBESITY BEFORE PREGNANCY MAY   RAISE CHILD'S ASTHMA RISK

According to a new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology obese when they became pregnant may be at increased risk for asthma symptoms. Study found teens were up to 30 percent more likely to wheeze if moms were obese.The study included nearly 7,000 teens aged 15 and 16 who were born in northern Finland between July 1985 and June 1986. The researchers also looked at health information collected from the teens’ mothers, including height and weight before pregnancy.About 10 percent of the teens had wheezing, about 20 percent had wheezing at some point, 6 percent had asthma and 10 percent had asthma at some point. After accounting for a number of other factors, the researchers found that a mother’s weight before she became pregnant had a strong effect on a teen’s wheeze/asthma risk.Teens were 20 to 30 percent more likely to wheeze/have a history of wheezing, or to have asthma or a history of asthma, if their mothers were seriously overweight or obese before pregnancy.Every excess kilogram (1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs) of weight on the mother at pregnancy was linked with a 2.7 to 3.5 percent increased risk of wheeze and asthma among teens, the researchers from Imperial College of London calculated. And after other factors were accounted for, teens with the heaviest mothers had a 47 percent increased risk of severe wheezing.

REFERENCE

1. www.bioportfolio.com

2. www.medicinenet.com

3. www.globalpharmasectornews.com

4. www.goodhealth.com

5. www.babycenter.com

ASLAM ARGODAN

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

AL-SHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

“Triple” Reuptake Inhibitor(TPI’s) The Next Generation Of Antidepressants

               

             Depression has been associated with impaired neurotransmission of serotonergic, norepinephrinergic, and dopaminergic pathways, although most pharmacologic treatment strategies for depression enhance only serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission. “Triple” Reuptake Inhibitor new class of antidepressants which inhibit the reuptake of all three neurotransmitters in the hope of creating medications with broader efficacy and/or quicker onset of action.       

           It has been hypothesized that a broad-spectrum antidepressant will produce a more rapid onset and better efficacy than agents inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and/or norepinephrine, in part due to the addition of the dopamine component. Triple reuptake inhibitors (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine reuptake inhibitors) are being developed as a new class of antidepressant.

Developing Triple Reuptake Inhibitors

Although the clinical efficacy of such a broad-spectrum antidepressant has not yet been fully demonstrated, several compounds have entered clinical trials, such as DOV -216,303, DOV 21,947, NS-2359, and SEP-225289. 

REFERENCE

1.Schildkraut JJ. The catecholamine hypothesis of affective disorders: a review of supporting evidenc

2. Richelson E. Interactions of antidepressants with neurotransmitter transporters and receptors and their

3. Richelson E. Action of antidepressant and other drugs on norepinephrine systems. In: Ordway GA, Schwartz

4. Baldessarini R. Drugs and the treatment of psychiatric disorders-depression and mania. In: Hardman JG,

AJMAL M

FIRST YEAR M PHARM

ALSHIFA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY