Pharmazie
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In vitro cytotoxic effects of three aqueous mistletoe extracts on cell physiology against different human tumor cell lines and primary cancer cells were investigated in order to compare the receptiveness of different cancer cells against different mistletoe products. Therefore cell proliferation (BrdU-incorporation assay), mitochondrial activity (MTT-testing) and necrotic cell toxicity (LDH assay) were assayed over serial dilutions of the test products. Data obtained with HELA-S3, MOLT-4, MFM-223, COR-L51, KPL-1 and VM-CUB1 tumor cell lines and Iscador M (20 mg/ml), Iscador Q (20 mg/ml) and Abnobaviscum Fraxini -2 (20 mg/ml) indicated significant growth-inhibition of all cell lines, but also different cell susceptibilities against the different extracts. ⋯ The simultaneous presence of pure mistletoe lectins and mistletoe polysaccharides diminished the VAA-mediated cytotoxic effects. The presence of fetal calf serum (FCS) in cultivation media during in vitro testing diminished the cytotoxic effects of mistletoe extracts. It was shown that in vivo application of mistletoe preparations led to the formation of antibodies against unknown compounds of the extracts, diminishing the cytotoxic effect.
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The development of serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonists dramatically improved the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Ondansetron, a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist in combination with dexamethasone is widely used to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. This treatment regimen is effective against acute nausea and vomiting, but fails to control delayed nausea and vomiting. ⋯ Non-pharmacological methods such as acupressure and acustimulation are good adjunct methods in treating nausea and vomiting. Since many mediators are involved in emesis induced by chemotherapy, cocktail treatment is proven to be more efficacious than a single drug, but increases treatment costs. So there is a need of further research in this field to get economically useful methods for the treatment of acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
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Beta-Adrenoceptor antagonists in the treatment of chronic heart failure The incidence of chronic heart failure is high in the developed countries (1-4/1000 per year). Treatment of chronic heart failure is a therapeutic challenge. ⋯ This review outlines pathophysiology of the beta-adrenergic system during human heart failure and its alterations induced by beta-adrenoceptor blockade. Based on the results of large clinical trials, experimental-pharmacological properties of beta-adrenoceptor blockers as well as the main aspects of its clinical use are discussed.
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Propofol whole blood and plasma concentrations at offset of hypnosis in eighteen patients were inversely related to patient age and body fat. The relationship between propofol concentrations and body fat is derived from the relationship between age and body fat and age was the single independent predictor of concentrations at offset of propofol hypnosis.