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Aust Prescr 2019 Feb 1;42(1):24-28. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.

Drugs Can Cause Dysregulation Of The Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal Axis Which Can Result In A Rise In Core Temperature This Type Of Hyperthermia Is Unresponsive To Antipyretics And Can Be Complicated By Rhabdomyolysis Multi-organ Failure And Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation:

Organic Causes Of Fever Such As Infection Must Be Ruled Out Syndromes Associated With Drug-induced Fever Include Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome And Anticholinergic Sympathomimetic And Serotonin Toxicity:

The Class Of Offending Drugs As Well As The Temporal Relationship To Starting Or Stopping Them Assists In Differentiating Between Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome And Serotonin Toxicity:

Immediate Inpatient Management Is Needed The Mainstay Of Management Is Stopping The Drug And Supportive Care Often In The Intensive Care Unit: Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018 29;2018:6124745. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Human Anatomy, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, Pisa 56126, Italy.

Methamphetamine (METH) is abused worldwide, and it represents a threat for public health. METH exposure induces a variety of detrimental effects. In fact, METH produces a number of oxidative species, which lead to lipid peroxidation, protein misfolding, and nuclear damage. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2019 Jan 6. Epub 2019 Jan 6.

Department of Emergency Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre Antipoison Du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Département d'urgence, Hôpital Charles-Lemoyne, Greenfield Park, Qc, Canada.

Objective: Benzodiazepines are often recommended first-line for management of cocaine and amphetamine toxicity while antipsychotic treatment is discouraged due to the potential for lowering seizure threshold, prolonging the QT interval, and decreasing heat dissipation. We performed a systematic review including animal and human studies to elucidate the efficacy and safety of antipsychotics in managing sympathomimetic toxicity specifically evaluating the effect of treatment on mortality, seizures, hyperthermia, and cardiovascular effects.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, BIOSIS Previews, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL and gray literature from inception to 31 May 2017 to answer: Can antipsychotics be used safely and effectively to treat cocaine or amphetamine toxicity? Citations were screened by title and abstract. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2019 01 7;186(2):58. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

CAS Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Northwestern Plant Resources and Key Laboratory for Natural Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.

The authors describe a fluorometric strategy for the determination of dopamine (DA). It is based on the use of aptamer-functionalized MoS quantum dots (QDs) and MoS nanosheets (NSs). The QDs and NSs were extensively characterized with regard to their physical and chemical properties using methods such as TEM, XRD, FT-IR, EDX and molecular spectroscopies. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018 21;2018:1805354. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.

This study is aimed at analysing biochemical and genetic endpoints of toxic effects after administration of adrenaline. For this purpose, the study was carried out on Wistar rats and three doses of adrenaline were used: 0.75 mg/kg, 1. Read More

Toxicol Rep 2019 1;6:26-33. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

EuSci LLC, Gretna, NE, USA.

Sympathomimetic amine compounds are often pooled together and incorrectly assumed to be interchangeable with respect to potential adverse effects. A brief and specific review of sympathomimetic compounds and one instance (i.e. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(51):e13689

Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to review the literature on phenytoin intoxication induced by compound phenytoin sodium, ephedrine hydrochloride and theophylline tablets (CPEHTT).

Method: A literature search was performed in the following databases: WANFANG DATA, HowNet, National Library Reference and Consultation Alliance, Full-text Database of Foreign Medical Journals, PubMed and Ovid. The search terms were "Compound Phenytoin Sodium, ephedrine Hydrochloride and Theophylline Tablets," and "poisoning," or "toxicity," in Chinese and in English. Read More

Sensors (Basel) 2018 Dec 7;18(12). Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Functional Devices Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.

Clenbuterol (CLB) is an antibiotic and illegal growth promoter drug that has a long half-life and easily remains as residue and contaminates the animal-based food product that leads to various health problems. In this work, electrochemical immunosensor based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/graphene oxide (PEDOT/GO) modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) for CLB detection was developed for antibiotic monitoring in a food product. The modification of SPCE with PEDOT/GO as a sensor platform was performed through electropolymerization, while the electrochemical assay was accomplished while using direct competitive format in which the free CLB and clenbuterol-horseradish peroxidase (CLB-HRP) in the solution will compete to form binding with the polyclonal anti-clenbuterol antibody (Ab) immobilized onto the modified electrode surface. Read More

J Mol Neurosci 2019 Jan 23;67(1):1-15. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Toledo, Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Avenue, HEB 282G, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.

Evidence demonstrated that the glutamatergic system is implicated in mediating relapse to several drugs of abuse, including methamphetamine (METH). Glutamate homeostasis is maintained by a number of glutamate transporters, such as glutamate transporter type 1 (GLT-1), cystine/glutamate transporter (xCT), and glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST). In addition, group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2/3) were found to be implicated in relapse-seeking behavior. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2019 Feb 19;301:79-89. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany. Electronic address:

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are still an emerging issue in clinical and forensic toxicology. Information about their cytotoxic potential is limited or even unavailable before distribution and thus their intake can be of high risk for consumers. The aim of the presented study was to develop a strategy to identify cytotoxic potential of NPS based on a high content screening assay (HCSA) using HepG2 cell line and four fluorescent dyes, namely Hoechst33342, TMRM, CAL-520, and TOTO-3. Read More

J Vet Med Sci 2019 Jan 21;81(1):127-133. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-58 Rinku-Ourai-Kita, Izumisano-shi, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.

Fibrotic lesion is formed by myofibroblasts capable of producing collagens. The myofibroblasts are characterized by immunoexpressions of vimentin, desmin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in varying degrees. The cellular characteristics remain investigated in myocardial fibrosis. Read More

Cell Physiol Biochem 2018 21;51(2):681-691. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Rehabilitation, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Background/aims: We aimed to explore the protective role of curcumin (Cur) in a cell model of Parkinson's disease (PD) and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: In this study, genes concerned with PD-related keywords were screened within DiGSeE database. The association network between Cur and selected genes was downloaded from STITCH, with the interactions analyzed by STRING. Read More

J Mol Neurosci 2019 Jan 19;67(1):133-141. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran.

Methamphetamine (METH) known as a highly neurotoxic compound associated with irreversible brain cell damage that results in neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. The mechanisms of METH intoxication mainly involve intraneuronal events including oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and dopamine oxidation. Based on recent studies, HS can protect neurons through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic mechanisms. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2019 Feb 28;301:53-63. Epub 2018 Oct 28.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address:

Nod-like Receptor Protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation is known to lead to microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Methamphetamine is known to induce microglial activation. However, whether NLRP3 inflammasome activation contributes to the microglial activation induced by methamphetamine remains elusive. Read More

Toxicol In Vitro 2019 Feb 24;54:304-309. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Key Lab of Modern Toxicology (NJMU), Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; China International Cooperation Center for Environment and Human Health, China. Electronic address:

Methamphetamine (METH) abusing contributes to dopaminergic neurons degeneration, resulting inParkinson's disease (PD)-like changes. More recently, the association between METH exposure and the Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like changes gained more attention, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether METH exposure promotes the formation of Aβ, one of the key AD-like pathological proteins. Read More

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2019 Feb 24;101:1-11. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Molecular Biology Unit, Dairy Microbiology Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001, Haryana, India. Electronic address:

Lactobacilli have a long history of safe use in human nutrition, however, inclusion of any new strain, despite its safe usage evidence, warrants proper analysis of its safety and toxicity under the purview of existing regulations. In the present investigation, Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 5690 and Lactobacillus fermentum MTCC 5689 were evaluated for their safety and toxicity using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. The in vitro assays included mucin degradation, hemolytic activity, biogenic amine production and platelet aggregation assay. Read More

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2019 Feb 22;101:12-23. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

National Center for Computational Toxicology, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. Electronic address:

The application of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) or toxic units to estimate toxic potencies for mixtures of chemicals which contribute to a biological effect through a common mechanism is one approach for filling data gaps. Toxic Equivalents (TEQ) have been used to express the toxicity of dioxin-like compounds (i.e. Read More

Curr Mol Pharmacol 2018 Oct 10. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

IINFACTS - Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, Rua Central de Gandra, 1317, 4585-116 Gandra PRD. Portugal.

Background: Mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine), mainly found in the Peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii), is one of the oldest known hallucinogenic agents that influence human and animal behavior, but its psychoactive mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Objectives: This article aims to fully review pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of mescaline, focusing on the in vivo and in vitro metabolic profile of the drug and its implications for the variability of response.

Methods: Mescaline pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects were searched in books and in PubMed (U. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Dec 29;70(6):1097-1104. Epub 2018 May 29.

Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address:

Background: Mephedrone is a recreationally used synthetic cathinone, relatively new abusive substances with molecular structure similar to amphetamine. As there is still lack of scientific data regarding mechanisms of action as well as metabolism of mephedrone, especially in aspects other than neurotoxicity, addiction or behavioral changes, therefore we aimed, for the first time, to investigate potential pro-oxidative actions of a single dose of mephedrone in organs other than brain and its structures, i.e. Read More

J Photochem Photobiol B 2018 Nov 8;188:159-176. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.

Owing to the emerging applications of DNA-functionalized TiO nanocrystals towards DNA damage detection, it is inevitable to understand the better chemistry as well as in-depth molecular interaction phenomena. Fundamentally, energy difference underlies the layer-by-layer construction, resulted in the increase of the interaction energy and thus, altering the electrochemical behavior. Herein, Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed using DMol3 and DFTB+ codes successfully to elucidate the structural, electronics, and vibrational properties of the layer-by-layer components composing ss-DNA/dopamine/TiO/FTO. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2018 Dec 4;299:124-128. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of Functional Biology and Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, Spain.

Paraoxon (POX) is an extremely neurotoxic organophosphorous compound (OP) which main toxic mechanism is the irreversible inhibition of cholinesterase. Although the cholinergic system has always been linked as responsible for its acute effects, experimental studies have suggested that the dopaminergic system also may be a potential target for OPs. Based on this, in this study, the acute intrastriatal effects of POX on dopaminergic neurotransmission were characterized in vivo using brain microdialysis in freely moving rats. Read More

J Pharm Biomed Anal 2019 Jan 29;163:64-77. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is a major risk factor for many serious heart diseases. Sustained CH is catastrophic, resulting in cardiac dysfunction that eventually leads to heart failure (HF). Baoyuan decoction (BYD) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for supplementing and reinforcing Qi, clinically used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Read More

Int J Med Sci 2018 10;15(12):1349-1354. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), GABA-A receptors and GABA transporter 1 (GAT1) were reported to be involved in the proliferation of Leydig cells, testosterone production and spermatogenesis. Since methamphetamine (METH) has been reported to have adverse effects on testis and its functions, the aim of this study was therefore to determine the changes of GABAergic activity in testis after METH exposure. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, acute binge (AB-METH), escalating dose (ED METH) and escalating dose-binge (ED-binge METH) groups. Read More

Chemosphere 2019 Jan 19;214:303-313. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA. Electronic address:

Ziram is a broad spectrum pesticide that belongs to the class of dimethyl-dithiocarbamate (DTC) fungicides. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of ziram in developing zebrafish. Ziram was highly toxic to zebrafish embryos, with a 96-h LC value of 1082. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2018 Dec 24;299:159-171. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address:

Methamphetamine (Meth) is an addictive psychostimulant whose abuse is intimately linked to increased risks for HIV-1 infection. Converging lines of evidence indicate that Meth also aggravates the symptoms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), though the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. By using the lipophilic antioxidant N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) as an interventional agent, we examined the roles of oxidative stress in autophagy and apoptosis induced by HIV-Tat (the transactivator of transcription), Meth or their combined treatment in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and in the rat striatum. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2018 Nov 25;107:1074-1081. Epub 2018 Aug 25.

Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Jinling Road, Nanjing 210001, China. Electronic address:

Cycloastragenol, a naturally occurring compound in Astragali Radix, has been demonstrated to possess various pharmacological actions including anti-aging, anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, antibacterial, liver and endothelium protection. However, whether cycloastragenol ameliorates heart failure remains unclear. Isoproterenol administration to rats triggered classic cardiac damage, as demonstrated by objective parameters of cardiac dysfunction. Read More

Environ Toxicol 2019 Jan 25;34(1):22-29. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.

Propamocarb (PM) is a type of fungicide, which is widely used in the greenhouse-based production of vegetables and fruits globally. It has been considered to have generally low toxicity. However, the teratogenicity or neurotoxicity for mammals remains unclear. Read More

Georgian Med News 2018 Jul-Aug(280-281):125-129

Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine.

The aim of the research was to determine in the experiment the content of catecholamines in serum of rats exposed to sodium fluoride. The studies were conducted on adult Wistar rats, subjected to oral exposure by means of a probe with aqueous solutions of sodium fluoride (SF) once daily, for 60 days at doses of 1/10, 1/100 and 1/1000 DL50, which correspondingly amounts to 20 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg of body weight. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2018 Nov 7;838:113-119. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University, 3-11-1 Nishikiori-kita, Tondabayashi, Osaka 584-8540, Japan.

Nephrotoxicity is a major adverse reaction of the anticancer drug, cisplatin. We investigated the renoprotective effects of the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine and selective α2C-adrenoceptor antagonist, JP-1302, in cisplatin-treated Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were given a single intravenous dose of 7. Read More

J Neuroinflammation 2018 Aug 31;15(1):249. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Rua Barbosa de Freitas, 130/1100, Fortaleza, CE, 60170-020, Brazil.

Background: The deficiency in 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) seems to increase the risk for neurodegenerative pathologies, including Parkinson's disease (PD). The majority of its actions are mediated by the transcription factor, VD3 receptor (VD3R).

Methods: The neuroprotective effects of VD3 were investigated on a PD model. Read More

J Neuroinflammation 2018 Aug 31;15(1):246. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410007, People's Republic of China.

Background: Chronic persistent airway inflammation has been associated with the comorbidity of asthma and bipolar disorder (BD). However, the direct relevance between airway inflammation and BD-like psychiatric comorbidity is almost unknown. Integrin β4 (ITGB4) is downregulated on the airway epithelial of asthma patients, which might play a critical role in the parthenogenesis of airway inflammation. Read More

J Neuroinflammation 2018 Aug 29;15(1):243. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhua West Road 44, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.

Background: In Parkinson's disease (PD), loss of striatal dopaminergic (DA) terminals and degeneration of DA neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) are associated with inflammation. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD)2, one of the first discovered NOD-like receptors, plays an important role in inflammation. However, the role of NOD2 has not been elucidated in PD. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018 22;2018:4982453. Epub 2018 Jul 22.

Human Anatomy, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, Pisa, Italy.

Methamphetamine is a widely abused drug, which possesses neurotoxic activity and powerful addictive effects. Understanding methamphetamine toxicity is key beyond the field of drug abuse since it allows getting an insight into the molecular mechanisms which operate in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. In fact, key alterations produced by methamphetamine involve dopamine neurotransmission in a way, which is reminiscent of spontaneous neurodegeneration and psychiatric schizophrenia. Read More

Neurotox Res 2018 Oct 20;34(3):706-716. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Kraków, Poland.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by a progressive loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. Intranigral administration of the UPS inhibitor lactacystin is used to obtain a valuable animal model for investigating putative neuroprotective treatments for PD. Read More

Br J Anaesth 2018 Sep 1;121(3):581-587. Epub 2018 Jun 1.

Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.

Background: Colloid solutions have been associated with kidney dysfunction in septic animals and humans. The present study investigated the influence of resuscitation with human albumin (HA) 5%, hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 6%, and balanced crystalloids on ultrastructural kidney damage, kidney function, and survival in a model of ovine septic shock. Read More

J Int Med Res 2018 Nov 15;46(11):4437-4446. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

1 Anesthesiology Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.

Objective: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block ameliorates visual analogue scale scores and decreases morphine requirements, but its role remains unclear. Patients of advanced age are susceptible to local anesthetic intoxication. We aimed to identify an optimal concentration that can be used in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) without compromising analgesic efficacy. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Oct 25;70(5):988-992. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Warszawa, Poland; Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warszawa, Poland.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative process leading to the loss of dopaminergic neurons and their projections. 1-methyl-4-phenol-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) toxicity is a well-recognized animal model of PD. It is suggested that the impairment of mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra plays an important role in both the onset and the progression of PD. Read More

Mol Biol Rep 2018 Oct 13;45(5):1357-1365. Epub 2018 Aug 13.

R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Dist-Dhule, Shirpur, Maharashtra, 425405, India.

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of ferulic acid (FA) against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac toxicity in rats. Isoproterenol challenged in a dose of 85 mg/kg body weight (b.w. Read More

Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018 Aug 14. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.

This chapter describes how new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been involved in fatal intoxications from 2010 and onwards. It summarizes the circumstances, antemortem symptoms, and adverse effects that have led to death after ingestion of one or more NPS and tabulates concentrations, and postmortem findings from these intoxications.Consumption of NPS exerts health problems and unknown risks for the users. Read More

J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2018 Oct 8;32(10):e22200. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The effect of α-bisabolol on hemodyanimcs, lipid peroxidation, and nonenzymatic antioxidants was evaluated in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. They were pre- and cotreated with α-bisabolol (25 mg/kg body weight) daily for 10 days along with the subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (85 mg/kg body weight) at an interval of 24 hours for 2 days (9th and 10th days). Increased activities of serum creatine kinase and creatine kinase-MB along with altered levels/concentrations of lipid peroxidation products and nonenzymatic status were observed in the plasma and heart tissues of rats. Read More

J Toxicol Sci 2018 ;43(8):493-506

Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

We used motion field imaging to characterize the conduction and contraction of a sheet of cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS-CMs). A hiPS-CMs sheet of 2.8 mm × 2. Read More

Life Sci 2018 Sep 29;209:357-369. Epub 2018 Jul 29.

Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Electronic address:

Designer drugs are synthetically formulated to mimic the psychostimulatory effects of an original controlled/illegal drug of abuse. Designer drugs have similar chemical structure or functional analog as compared to existing controlled psychostimulatory drugs. There is a substantial rise in the production and use of designer drugs globally. Read More

Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018 Oct 31;235(10):2795-2808. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Ward Building 7-014, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.

Rationale: The effect of atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs), e.g., lurasidone, to improve cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS), has been suggested to be due, in part, to enhancing release of dopamine (DA), acetylcholine (ACh), and glutamate (Glu) in cortex and hippocampus. Read More

Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018 Oct 27;235(10):2897-2913. Epub 2018 Jul 27.

Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St, 31-343, Kraków, Poland.

Rationale: Metabotropic glutamate receptors and muscarinic M receptors have been proposed as novel targets for various brain disorders, including schizophrenia. Both receptors are coupled to G proteins and are expressed in brain circuits that are important in schizophrenia. Therefore, their mutual activation may be an effective treatment and allow minimizing the doses of ligands required for optimal activity. Read More

Br J Anaesth 2018 Aug;121(2):469-475

División de Anestesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Background: Transversus abdominis plane block is increasingly used for post-Caesarean section analgesia. Cases of toxicity and the limited pharmacokinetic information during pregnancy motivated this study. The objective of the study was to characterise and compare the pharmacokinetics of levobupivacaine with epinephrine in tranversus abdominis plane block, in post-Caesarean section patients and healthy volunteers. Read More

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2018 Nov 17;213:1-6. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Department of Biology, Medgar Evers College, 1638 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225, USA. Electronic address:

Manganese is a neurotoxin causing manganism, a Parkinson-like clinical disorder. Manganese has been shown to interfere with dopaminergic neurotransmission, but the neurotoxic mechanism involved is not fully resolved. In the bivalve mollusc Crassostrea virginica also known as the eastern oyster, beating rates of lateral cilia of the gill are controlled by dopaminergic-serotonergic innervation originating from their cerebral and visceral ganglia. Read More

Br J Clin Pharmacol 2018 Nov 7;84(11):2477-2482. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

There is increasing interest in the use of cannabinoids for disease and symptom management, but limited information available regarding their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to guide prescribers. Cannabis medicines contain a wide variety of chemical compounds, including the cannabinoids delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is psychoactive, and the nonpsychoactive cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis use is associated with both pathological and behavioural toxicity and, accordingly, is contraindicated in the context of significant psychiatric, cardiovascular, renal or hepatic illness. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2018 Aug 5;833:441-450. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, PR China. Electronic address:

Notoginsenoside R1, a unique constituent from the root of Panax notoginseng, exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of the anti-inflammatory effects of R1 to the amelioration of isoproterenol (ISO)-induced hypertrophied hearts of atherosclerosis-prone mice. As a model of in vivo atherosclerosis, ApoE C57BL/6 J mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet for 12 weeks. Read More

Physiol Int 2018 Jun;105(2):127-144

4 Internal Medicine Department, Delta University for Science and Technology , Gamasa, Egypt.

This study examined the effects of aliskiren (Ali) (direct renin inhibitor) on serum cardiac enzymes (LDH and CK-MB), electrocardiography (ECG) changes, myocardial oxidative stress markers (MDA, CAT, and GSH) and the expression of Bcl2, HO-1, and Nrf2 genes in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction (MI). A total of 40 male albino rats were allocated into four groups, (1) normal control (NC) group, (2) Ali group (rats received Ali at 10 mg/kg/day p.o. Read More

Cell Prolif 2018 Oct 28;51(5):e12476. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Objectives: Methamphetamine (MA) abuse evokes pulmonary toxicity. The aim of our study is to investigate if autophagy is induced by MA and if autophagy-initiated apoptosis in alveolar epithelial cells is involved in MA-induced chronic pulmonary toxicity.

Materials And Methods: The rats in Control group and MA group were tested by Doppler and HE staining. Read More