Pharmacophore Virtual Screening Identifies Riboflavin as an Inhibitor of the Schistosome Cathepsin B1 Protease with Antiparasitic Activity.

Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease of poverty that affects over 200 million people worldwide and relies on a single drug for therapy. The cathepsin B1 cysteine protease (SmCB1) of has been investigated as a potential target. Here, a structure-based pharmacophore virtual screening (VS) approach was used on a data set of approved drugs to identify potential antischistosomal agents targeting SmCB1.

Reproductive performance of gilts and weaned sows grouped at different days after insemination.

The objective of the study was to compare the reproductive performances of gilts and weaned sows grouped at different days after insemination. The study was conducted on a sow farm in the Midwest of Paraná State, Brazil, using animals from the Camborough genetic line (PIC®, Patos de Minas, Brazil, Landrace × Large White crossbred). The groups of comparison have considered the distribution of gilts (n = 407) and sows (parity 1 to 5; n = 843) according to the day of group housing in collective pens in relation to the day of last insemination (AI).

Impact of feed intake in early gestation on maternal growth and litter size according to body reserves at weaning of young parity sows.

The effect of increasing the feed level (1.8, 2.5, and 3.

Antiparasitic activity of piplartine (piperlongumine) in a mouse model of schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic infections in terms of its negative effects on public health and economics. Since praziquantel is currently the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis, there is an urgent need to identify new anthelmintic agents. Piplartine, also known as piperlongumine, is a biologically active alkaloid/amide from peppers that can be detected in high amounts in the roots of Piper tuberculatum.

Maternal nutrition during early and late gestation in gilts and sows under commercial conditions: impacts on maternal growth and litter traits1.

The effects of two different feeding levels, offered in two phases during gestation, on body measurements and litter traits were evaluated in 152 gilts and 551 sows. The treatments consisted of the combination of two gestation phases (phase 1-days 22 to 42; phase 2-days 90 to 110) and two feed amounts (1.8 or 3.

Promethazine exhibits antiparasitic properties and reduces worm burden, egg production, hepato-, and splenomegaly in a schistosomiasis animal model.

The treatment and control of schistosomiasis, a neglected disease that affects more than 200 million people worldwide, rely on the use of a single drug, praziquantel. A vaccine has yet to be developed and since new drug design and development is a lengthy and costly process, drug repurposing is a promising strategy. In this study, the efficacy of promethazine, a first-generation antihistamine, was evaluated against and in a murine model of schistosomiasis.

Prophylaxis for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis using an antibacterial sublingual vaccine obtained through mechanical lysis: a clinical and pharmacoeconomic study.

Chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) complicated by acute exacerbations, or exacerbations, triggered by episodes of infection is the most demanding respiratory disease in our country today, to the extent that the implementation of every possible prevention strategy, in terms of both behaviour and prophylactic vaccination, is fully justified. From this point of view, in addition to the classic anti-viral vaccines, increasing importance is also being placed on antibacterial vaccines obtained by mechanically crushing pathogen bacteria (without the use of chemicals to denature the antigenic structures), which can be sublingually administered. In this study, conducted on 57 patients aged over 75 suffering from COB and affected by at least one exacerbation over the past 12 months, we evaluated the incidence of these exacerbations during a follow-up period, subsequent to prophylaxis with polyvalent bacterial mechanical lysate.

Effects of oral doxofylline on inflammatory changes and altered cell proliferation in chronic obstructive bronchitis.

The effects of oral doxofylline (400 mg BID) on bronchial airway mucosa were investigated in 14 patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis. The eligible patients had to have forced expiratory volume in 1 second > 60% of the predicted value and oxygen partial tension > 55 mm Hg. At the onset and the end of the study, bronchial biopsies were performed via a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope.

Doxofylline: a new generation xanthine bronchodilator devoid of major cardiovascular adverse effects.

Doxofylline (7-(1,3-dioxalan-2-ylmethyl) theophylline) is a novel xanthine bronchodilator which differs from theophylline in that it contains a dioxalane group in position 7. Similarly to theophylline, its mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of phosphodiesterase activities, but in contrast it appears to have decreased affinities towards adenosine A1 and A2 receptors, which may account for its better safety profile. The bronchodilating activities of doxofylline have been demonstrated in clinical trials involving patients with either bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[Levels of sIgA in patients suffering from chronic bronchitis at the breakthrough stage, treated with rokitamycin].

In the present study, besides the clinical activity and safety of rokitamycin in patients with episodes of breakthrough chronic bronchitis, its influence on the production of secretory immunoglobulins of group A (sIgA) at the bronchial level was studied. Fifteen patients (12M, 3F), of mean age 51.0 years 7.

Efficacy and safety of the standardised Ginseng extract G115 for potentiating vaccination against the influenza syndrome and protection against the common cold [corrected].

The aim of the study was to determine the properties of a standardized extract of ginseng root in inducing a higher immune response in vaccination against influenza. Attention was also paid to the common cold in this multicentre, two-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind investigation. A total of 227 volunteers who visited 3 private practices in Milan received daily oral capsule doses of either placebo (113) or 100 mg of standardized ginseng extract Ginsana G 115 (114) for a period of 12 weeks within which they received an anti-influenza polyvalent vaccination at week 4.

Comparative activities of pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of chronic respiratory tract infections.

To determine the efficacy in vivo of pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of acute infectious bronchopneumopathies, 90 patients, suffering from acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and with no known allergies to quinolones, were admitted to the study. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of 30; the first group was dosed with pefloxacin 800 mg i.v.

Efficacy and tolerability of brodimoprim od versus norfloxacin bid in the treatment of bacterial urinary tract infections.

The efficacy and tolerability of brodimoprim OD versus norfloxacin BID were studied in patients affected by bacterial urinary tract infections. The study was performed in 203 patients divided into two parallel randomized groups orally given either brodimoprim 400 mg OD on the first day followed by 200 mg OD for 2 days, or norfloxacin 400 mg BID respectively. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by the bacterial cultures, tolerability, analysis of signs and symptoms, a complete physical examination and from laboratory data.

Brodimoprim concentrations in bronchial mucosa, bronchial secretions and middle ear effusions.

Brodimoprim, a structural analogue of trimethoprim, is a long acting broad spectrum antibacterial agent characterized by a good pharmacokinetic profile, allowing once daily (OD) administration. The aim of this study was to investigate the penetration of brodimoprim into bronchial mucosa, bronchial secretion and middle ear effusion, in order to evaluate the efficacy of the antibiotic in respiratory tract infections. The study was performed in patients affected by chronic bronchitis having to undergo diagnostic bronchoscopy (n = 26), in patients affected by exacerbation of chronic bronchitis with purulent or mucopurulent secretions (n = 10), and in patients affected by otitis media with eardrum perforation (n = 28).

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of rufloxacin in elderly patients with lower respiratory tract infections.

The pharmacokinetics of rufloxacin, after repeated doses, was evaluated in 12 elderly patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Patients were given a single loading dose of 400 mg on the first day of treatment and single daily maintenance doses of 200 mg for the next 6-9 days. Serum concentrations of the drug were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at regular intervals during treatment and fitted to a one-compartment open model for repeated doses.

[Therapeutic effectiveness of bamifylline in elderly patients with COPD].

We studied the clinical and instrumental modifications of 20 patients (mean age: 67.95 +/- 1.23 years; 13 males, 7 females) suffering from COPD (less than 65% theoretical FEV1), during treatment with bamiphylline.

Pharmacokinetics of GM1 ganglioside following parenteral administration.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) have been determined in healthy volunteers at 3 dose levels: 100, 200, 300 mg. Each dose was administered to separate groups of 12 volunteers. GM1 levels were determined in plasma, urine, and faeces by a method based on the property of the cholera toxin beta subunit to react specifically with GM1 ganglioside.

Evaluation of the siderohaemic curve after loading administration of iron--protein--succinylate to gastrectomized subjects: a controlled study.

The absorption of iron after oral administration of 80 mg iron--protein--succinylate complex was evaluated by determining serum iron concentrations in 10 patients who had undergone total gastrectomy more than 1 year before and were suffering from hypochromic anaemia. Serum iron concentrations in these patients were no different from those obtained in 10 'normal' hypochromic anaemic patients.

[Pulmonary tuberculosis in an immigrant population: the epidemiological aspects and clinical picture].

The number of extra European subjects coming to our country, in the last twenty years, is increased. This fact has contributed to enlarge the number of new cases of tuberculosis. In the present work we analyzed 54 extra European and 116 Italian patients with pulmonary tuberculosis observed in the last six years in our institute.

Six-drug sequential chemotherapy in non small cell lung cancer. A North Milan Group Study.

Forty-five patients with inoperable non small cell lung carcinoma were treated according to a sequential polychemotherapeutic regimen with cisplatin-vinblastine (A), cyclophosphamide-etoposide (B), and adriamycin-vincristine (C). Patients were evaluated every two cycles. Ten patients (22.