Sevoflurane formulation water content influences degradation by Lewis acids in vaporizers.

Background: Sevoflurane is produced by several manufacturers. Currently marketed sevoflurane formulations differ in their method of synthesis, impurities, containers in which they are sold, and water content. Of the various types of chemical degradation to which sevoflurane is susceptible, the most pertinent is degradation by Lewis acids (such as metal oxides and metal halides) to hydrofluoric acid and other toxic compounds.

Zotarolimus-eluting stents reduce experimental coronary artery neointimal hyperplasia after 4 weeks.

Aims: The addition of drug elution to coronary stents plays an integral role in coronary restenosis prevention. The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism of action and the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of zotarolimus, a new chemical entity designed specifically for elution from phosphorylcholine (PC)-coated stents, for the reduction of neointimal hyperplasia in porcine coronary arteries.

Methods And Results: In vitro studies of Zotarolimus bound to FKBP-12 potently inhibited smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cell (EC) proliferation.