Herbal self-medication use in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2.

Background/aim: A considerable number of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM) turn to self-medication using medicinal plants, preparations, and medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate self-medication using medicinal plants and the potential influence of health care professionals' advice or media information regarding the use of herbal dietary supplements with hypoglycemic effect in a population of patients with type 2 DM.

Materials And Methods: This research, in the form of an analytic cross-sectional study, was conducted in 6 pharmacies in the territory of Nis, Serbia, during October 2013.

Gender-dependent predictable pharmacokinetic method for tacrolimus exposure monitoring in kidney transplant patients.

Tacrolimus (Tac) is an immunosuppressive drug with a narrow therapeutic width and highly variable pharmacokinetics. Therefore, monitoring of Tac blood concentrations is of utmost importance in the management of renal transplant recipients. The occurrence and intensity of adverse effects depend on blood concentration and total exposure of the organism to this drug.

Tacrolimus as a part of immunosuppressive treatment in kidney transplantation patients: sex differences.

Background: Metabolism interaction between corticosteroids and tacrolimus (Tac) exists and can be an important factor in providing rational pharmacotherapy in kidney transplantation patients. Both Tac and corticosteroids can induce adverse metabolic effects, such as hyperglycemia, post-transplantation diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia.

Objective: The main goal of this study was to detect corticosteroid dose influence on Tac level within the first 6 months of immunosuppressive therapy.

Gender differences in pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and their clinical significance in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: The possible influence of gender on tacrolimus disposition and response in kidney transplant recipients is an issue of medical importance.

Objective: The aim of this study was to detect interpatient pharmacokinetic variability of tacrolimus due to patients' gender and to assess the predictability of individual tacrolimus concentrations using abbreviated AUC measurements. The secondary objective was to find the best sampling time to predict the exposure of tacrolimus in kidney transplant recipients.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus after the first oral administration in renal transplant recipients on triple immunosuppressive therapy.

Monitoring of tacrolimus blood concentration is of utmost importance in the management of renal transplant recipients because of Narrow Therapeutic Index and highly variable pharmacokinetics. The aim of this study was to detect inter-patient pharmacokinetic variability of tacrolimus and to assess the predictability of individual tacrolimus concentrations at various times of the area under the curve (AUC) seeking to find the best sampling time to predict the exposure of tacrolimus in renal transplant recipients with triple therapy. This oral dose tacrolimus pharmacokinetics study was conducted in 18 Serbian renal transplant recipients on triple immunosuppressive therapy, including basiliximab.