Pharmaceutical research
-
Pharmaceutical research · May 1997
ReviewCyclodextrins: their future in drug formulation and delivery.
Since their discovery, cyclodextrins and their ability to form inclusion complexes have fascinated chemists, formulators and recently, entrepreneurs. This mini-review has as its objective, a critical assessment of the current status of cyclodextrins in the formulation and delivery of pharmaceuticals and commentary on their potential future uses. The emphasis will be on answers to common questions often asked of pharmaceutical scientists working in this area. Why use cyclodextrins for drug solubilization and stabilization when alternative techniques are available? Why the greater interest in modified cyclodextrins and not the parent cyclodextrins? If a drug forms a strong cyclodextrin inclusion complex, how is the drug released in vivo? Dose the injection of a cyclodextrin/drug complex alter the pharmacokinetics of the drug? Are there drug products on the market which contain cyclodextrins? What is the regulatory status of cyclodextrins? Although definitive answers to all these questions are not possible at this time, many of these questions are answerable, and educated and informed responses are possible for the rest.
-
Pharmaceutical research · Feb 1997
The Pharmacists' Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care (PIPC) model.
Study purpose was to develop a theoretical framework that will explain pharmacists' behavior relative to the provision of pharmaceutical care. The model was developed from four attitude models by testing their predictive validity relative to pharmaceutical care implementation. Four hypotheses and one research question were investigated to identify determinants of behavioral intention and behavior. ⋯ The PIPC model provides a formal scientifically validated theoretical framework which can be used to design successful intervention for pharmaceutical care implementation.
-
Pharmaceutical research · Feb 1997
The association of prescription status, patient age, patient gender, and patient question asking behavior with the content of pharmacist-patient communication.
Data from 358 pharmacist-patient encounters in 12 community pharmacies were used to investigate the association of prescription status, patient age, patient gender, and patient question asking with the content of pharmacist-patient communication. ⋯ An important cue for improvement of pharmacist-patient communication was patient question asking. Thus, it is imperative to find ways to increase question asking by patients and understand why some patients are reluctant to ask their pharmacist questions.
-
Pharmaceutical research · Jul 1996
In vitro and in vivo evaluation in rabbits of a controlled release 5-fluorouracil subconjunctival implant based on poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide).
To design a controlled release 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) implant to provide prolonged antifibroblast concentrations of 5-FU in the subconjunctival tissues but low concentrations of 5-FU in other ocular tissues. ⋯ The CM1 implant maintained steady antifibroblast levels in target tissues and minimized levels in nontarget tissues.
-
Pharmaceutical research · Apr 1996
Immunoliposomes as enzyme-carriers (immuno-enzymosomes) for antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT): optimization of prodrug activating capacity.
Immuno-enzymosomes are tumor-specific immunoliposomes bearing enzymes on their surface. These enzymes are capable of converting relatively nontoxic prodrugs into active cytostatic agents. The enzyme beta-glucuronidase (GUS)4 was coupled to the external surface of immunoliposomes directed against ovarian carcinoma cells. This study aimed at optimization of the prodrug-activating capacity of these immuno-enzymosomes by increasing the enzyme density on the immunoliposomal surface. ⋯ SATA-mediated thiolation of GUS-molecules enabled the preparation of immuno-enzymosomes with high enzyme densities while avoiding spontaneous aggregation. In vitro antitumor activity experiments showed that the improved immuno-enzymosome system is able to completely convert the prodrug daunorubicin-glucuronide into its parent compound.