Efficacy and safety of linezolid for the treatment of infections in children: a meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antibacterial agent, with activity against Gram-positive bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of linezolid in children with infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens. A systematic search was conducted by two independent reviewers to identify published studies up to September 2013.

Controlled release of 5-fluorouracil from microporous zeolites.

Unlabelled: Zeolite particles with different pore diameter and particle size were loaded with the model anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil. The loaded zeolites were characterized by means of SEM, XRD, DSC, XPS, N2 physisorption and FT-IR. Higher loading of 5-FU was observed for NaX-FAU than BEA.

Determination of atenolol in human plasma by HPLC with fluorescence detection: validation and application in a pharmacokinetic study.

Atenolol is a cardioselective β1-adrenergic blocker widely used for the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris and cardiac arrhythmias. A simple, specific, sensitive, precise and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection has been developed and validated for the determination of atenolol in human plasma. After addition of the internal standard, the analytes were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction.

Potential drug-drug interactions in prescriptions dispensed in community pharmacies in Greece.

Objectives: To evaluate the nature, type and prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in prescriptions dispensed in community pharmacies in Thessaloniki, Greece. Secondary objectives included the classification of DDIs as per pharmacotherapeutic class of the medications and the investigation of the relationship between medical specialties and the frequency of potential DDIs, as well as the relationship between DDIs and prescription size. Setting DDIs are a common cause of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among patients using multiple drug therapy.

A validated SIM GC/MS method for the simultaneous determination of dextromethorphan and its metabolites dextrorphan, 3-methoxymorphinan and 3-hydroxymorphinan in biological matrices and its application to in vitro CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 inhibition study.

Dextromethorphan is used as a probe drug for assessing CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 activity in vivo and in vitro. A SIM GC/MS method without derivatization for the simultaneous determination of dextromethorphan and its metabolites, dextrorphan, 3-methoxymorphinan and 3-hydroxymorphinan, in human plasma, urine and in vitro incubation matrix was developed and validated. Calibration curves indicated good linearity with a coefficient of variation (r) better than 0.

Simultaneous determination of the flavonoid aglycones diosmetin and hesperetin in human plasma and urine by a validated GC/MS method: in vivo metabolic reduction of diosmetin to hesperetin.

Diosmetin and hesperetin are the aglycones of the flavonoid glycosides diosmin and hesperidin which occur naturally in citrus fruit. A GC/MS method for the simultaneous determination of diosmetin and hesperetin in human plasma and urine has been developed and validated. The method was linear in the 2-300 ng/mL concentration range for both diosmetin and hesperetin in plasma and urine (r > 0.

The phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity assessment of orange peel (Citrus sinensis) cultivated in Greece-Crete indicates a new commercial source of hesperidin.

The flavonoid content of several methanolic extract fractions of Navel orange peel (flavedo and albedo of Citrus sinensis) cultivated in Crete (Greece) was first analysed phytochemically and then assessed for its antioxidant activity in vitro. The chemical structures of the constituents fractionated were originally determined by comparing their retention times and the obtained UV spectral data with the available bibliographic data and further verified by detailed LC-DAD-MS (ESI+) analysis. The main flavonoid groups found within the fractions examined were polymethoxylated flavones, O-glycosylated flavones, C-glycosylated flavones, O-glycosylated flavonols, O-glycosylated flavanones and phenolic acids along with their ester derivatives.

Development and validation of a high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of oxcarbazepine and its main metabolites in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and its application to pharmacokinetic study.

An isocratic reversed-phase HPLC-UV procedure for the determination of oxcarbazepine and its main metabolites 10-hydroxy-10,11-dihydrocarbamazepine and 10,11-dihydroxy-trans-10,11-dihydrocarbamazepine in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid has been developed and validated. After addition of bromazepam as internal standard, the analytes were isolated from plasma and cerebrospinal fluid by liquid-liquid extraction. Separation was achieved on a X-TERRA C18 column using a mobile phase composed of 20 mM KH(2)PO(4), acetonitrile, and n-octylamine (76:24:0.

No increased levels of the nicotine metabolite cotinine in smokers with schizophrenia.

The prevalence of smoking cigarettes has repeatedly been found to be greater in schizophrenia as compared with other psychiatric patients and the general population. Patients with schizophrenia have been found to engage in heavy smoking and consumption of higher doses of nicotine, probably by deeper inhalation of cigarettes. The aim of the current study was to assess nicotine exposure through smoking by measuring urinary cotinine, the major nicotine metabolite, in a group of smokers from Greece of smokers with schizophrenia and smokers from the general population.

A validated HPLC determination of the flavone aglycone diosmetin in human plasma.

Diosmetin, 3',5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxy flavone, is the aglycone of the flavonoid glycoside diosmin that occurs naturally in foods of plant origin. Diosmin exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, improves venous tone and it is used for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. Diosmin is hydrolyzed by enzymes of intestinal micro flora before absorption of its aglycone diosmetin.

A validated solid-phase extraction HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of the citrus flavanone aglycones hesperetin and naringenin in urine.

A simple, specific, precise, accurate, and robust HPLC assay for the simultaneous analysis of hesperetin and naringenin in human urine was developed and validated. Urine samples were incubated with beta-glucuronidase/sulphatase and the analytes were isolated by solid-phase extraction using C18 cartridges and separated on a C8 reversed phase column using a mixture of methanol/water/acetic acid (40:58:2, v/v/v) at 45 degrees C. The method was found to be linear in the 50-1200 ng/ml concentration range for both hesperetin and naringenin (r > 0.

Evaluation of the bioequivalence of two tablet formulations of enalapril/hydrochlorothiazide after single oral administration to healthy volunteers.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of two oral formulations of 20/12.5 mg tablets of enalapril/hydrochlorothiazide (CAS 75847-73-3 and CAS 58-93-5, respectively; Penopril as test and another commercially available preparation as reference) were compared in an open-label randomized single oral dose two-period cross-over design to 24 healthy volunteers under fasting conditions. Plasma concentrations of enalaprilat (CAS 76420-72-9), the pharmacologically active metabolite of enalapril, and hydrochlorothiazide were determined by a validated GC/MS and HPLC assay, respectively.

Validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method utilizing solid-phase extraction for the simultaneous determination of naringenin and hesperetin in human plasma.

Naringenin and hesperetin, the aglycones of the flavanone glucosides naringin and hesperidin occur naturally in citrus fruits. They exert a variety of pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, blood lipid-lowering, anticarcinogenic and inhibit selected cytochrome P-450 enzymes resulting in drug interactions. A specific, sensitive, precise, and accurate solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the simultaneous determination of naringenin and hesperetin in human plasma was developed and validated.

Smoking impact on CYP1A2 activity in a group of patients with schizophrenia.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the impact of smoking on the metabolism of psychotropic drugs in a group of patients with schizophrenia, by measuring CYP1A2 activity. This activity was assessed by the molar ratio (MR) of caffeine metabolites in urine [(AFMU+1U+1X)/17U] and saliva (17X/137X). Participants were 40 patients with schizophrenia: 30 current cigarette smokers and 10 nonsmokers.

Simultaneous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of diosmin, hesperidin and naringin in different citrus fruit juices and pharmaceutical formulations.

Diosmin, hesperidin and naringin are flavonoid glycosides that occur naturally in citrus fruits. They exert a variety of pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and free radical scavenging and antiulcer effects and also inhibit selected cytochrome P-450 enzymes resulting in drug interactions. A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of diosmin, hesperidin and naringin in different citrus fruit juices and pharmaceutical preparations.

Determination of nifedipine in human plasma by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography: validation and application to pharmacokinetic studies.

Nifedipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, is widely used in the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. A simple, rapid, sensitive, precise and accurate HPLC method, using solid-phase extraction, for the quantitation of nifedipine in human plasma was developed and validated. The calibration graphs were linear in the 5-400 ng/ml concentration range (r>0.

A validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of glibenclamide in human plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies.

Glibenclamide is a potent second generation oral sulfonylurea antidiabetic agent widely used for the treatment of type II diabetes melitus. A rapid, sensitive, precise, accurate and specific HPLC assay for the determination of glibenclamide in human plasma was developed and validated. After addition of flufenamic acid as internal standard, the analytes were isolated from human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction.

Evaluation of the bioequivalence and pharmacokinetics of two tablet formulations of isosorbide-5-mononitrate after single oral administration in healthy volunteers.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of two oral formulations of 20 mg tablets of isosorbide-5-mononitrate (CAS 16051-77-7, Dilavenil as test and another commercially available preparation as reference) were compared in an open-label, randomized, single oral dose, two-period cross-over design in 20 healthy volunteers under fasting conditions. Plasma concentrations of isosorbide-5-mononitrate were measured by a validated gas chromatographic assay. The parametric 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean values of the test/reference ratios were 101.

Flavone aglycones in glandular hairs of Origanum x intercedens.

On the leaf surfaces of Origanum x intercedens numerous peltate glandular hairs producing essential oil occur. Although all glandular hairs have the same anatomical and developmental pattern, they differ in the appearance of the contents of the subcuticular space. Thus, in many hairs the subcuticular space is homogeneously filled with essential oil, whereas in others, within the mass of the oil numerous droplets constituting another phase exist.