Airway reactivity to mannitol is similarly increased in chronic cigarette and water pipe smokers.

Background: In contrast to cigarette smoking, the association between water pipe smoking and airway hyperresponsiveness remains widely unexplored.

Methods: A bronchoprovocation challenge with mannitol was performed in young adults recruited at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Subjects were categorized as acute water pipe smokers (single episode of water pipe smoking, no or <0.

Water pipe smoking and its association with cigarette and cannabis use in young adults in Switzerland.

Background: Water pipe is a traditional method of tobacco use, which is epidemically spreading throughout Europe. There are scarce data about the use of water pipe and its relation to other addictive behaviors among young adults in Western countries.

Objectives: It was our aim to identify the sociodemographic characteristics of water pipe users in Switzerland and to describe concurrent cigarette and cannabis smoking habits.

Three new epoxy-spirolactone derivatives: characterization in vivo and in vitro.

The use of spironolactone, the most commonly used antimineralocorticoid compound, is limited by the occurrence of sexual endocrine effects. New antagonists are therefore required which lack these unwanted effects. Three 9 alpha,11 alpha-epoxy-derivatives of known aldosterone antagonists (spironolactone, prorenone and mexrenone) have been characterised in vitro and in vivo.