Efficacy and safety of phlogenzym--a protease formulation, in sepsis in children.

Background: Infections are a major cause of hospitalisation wherein the host mounts an inflammatory response against the infecting agent. Administration of proteolytic enzymes could regulate the host's immune system and help early recovery from sepsis.

Objective: To test the efficacy and safety of an oral enzyme formulation, Phlogenzym (Mucos Pharma GmbH, Geretsried, Germany; constituents of each enteric-coated tablet were bromelain 90 mg, trypsin 48 mg, rutin 100 mg) as adjuvant therapy in treatment of sepsis in children.

Efficacy and tolerability of oral enzyme therapy as compared to diclofenac in active osteoarthrosis of knee joint: an open randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of an oral enzyme preparation (Phlogenzym) with that of an NSAID (diclofenac) in the treatment of active osteoarthrosis.

Methods: Prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind study of seven weeks duration at a tertiary care centre wherein 50 patients aged 40-75 years, with activated osteoarthrosis of knee joint were randomized to receive phlogenzym tablets (2-3 tablets, bid) or diclofenac sodium 50 mg bid for three weeks.

Results: At the end of therapy (three weeks) and at follow-up visit at seven weeks there was reduction in pain and joint tenderness and swelling in both groups, and slight improvement in the range of movement in the study group.

Retrolective cohort study of an additive therapy with an oral enzyme preparation in patients with multiple myeloma.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of an additive therapy with an oral enzyme (OE) preparation given for more than 6 months additionally to standard combination chemotherapy (vincristine/melphalan/cyclophosphamide/prednisone (VMCP)- or methylprednisolone/ vincristine/CCNU/cyclophosphamide/melphalan (MOCCA)-regimen) in the primary treatment of patients with multiple myeloma stages I-III.

Methods: A cohort of 265 patients with multiple myeloma stages I-III was consecutively treated at our institution in two parallel groups (control group (n = 99): chemotherapy +/-OE for less than 6 months; OE-group (n = 166): chemotherapy + OE for more than 6 months). The median follow-up time in the stages I, II, and III for the OE-group was 61, 37, and 46.

Hyaluronidase significantly enhances the efficacy of regional vinblastine chemotherapy of malignant melanoma.

The regional chemotherapy of the human malignant melanomas (SK-MEL-2, -3, -5, -24) implanted in NMRI nu/nu mice with a combination of the hyaluronic-acid-cleaving enzyme hyaluronidase (HYase) and vinblastine is a very effective therapeutic procedure. In three out of four melanoma models (SK-MEL-2, -3, -5) the weekly peritumoral administration of high-dose HYase (100,000 IU/kg) 4 h prior to the injection of 0.3 mg/kg vinblastine in the vicinity of the tumor (seven weekly therapeutic cycles) caused marked antitumor effects, while HYase and vinblastine were inactive when given alone.

Hyaluronidase enhances the activity of adriamycin in breast cancer models in vitro and in vivo.

The effect of hyaluronidase and a combination of hyaluronidase with Adriamycin was investigated on several breast cancer models in vitro and in vivo. In vitro enzyme treatment (using concentrations up to 80,000 IU/1) of murine (MXT-, MXT +/-, and MXT+) and human (MCF-7, ZR-75-1 and T-47-D) breast cancer cell lines did not inhibit tumour cell proliferation (measured by a kinetic crystal violet assay) in either case. Although high-dose hyaluronidase (1.

Bopindolol, pindolol, and atenolol in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Twelve subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease and a partially reversible obstruction received increasing single doses of bopindolol (1, 2, 4, and 8 mg), pindolol (7.5, 15, and 30 mg), and atenolol (50 and 100 mg). Resting heart rate and blood pressure were reduced in a dose-dependent fashion.

Effect of propranolol, alprenolol, pindolol, and bopindolol on beta 2-adrenoceptor density in human lymphocytes.

Abrupt withdrawal of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists may lead to "rebound effects." To investigate the position of the new nonselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist bopindolol [with moderate intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA)], this drug was compared with propranolol (no ISA), alprenolol (weak ISA), and pindolol (marked ISA). The effects on lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor density--assessed by (+/-)-[125I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding--were investigated in healthy volunteers aged 23-35 years.

Bopindolol, pindolol, and atenolol in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Twelve subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease and a partially reversible obstruction received increasing single doses (1, 2, 4, and 8 mg) of bopindolol, (a new beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor blocking drug with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity), pindolol (7.5, 15, and 30 mg), and atenolol (50 and 100 mg). The actions of the drugs on lung function were assessed by whole-body plethysmography.

Effect of a combination of pindolol and isosorbide dinitrate on ischemic ST-segment depression and exercise ability in angina pectoris.

The antianginal action of a fixed combination of pindolol (7.5 mg) and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN, 30 mg slow release) was compared with placebo in sixteen patients with stable, exercise-induced angina pectoris. Exercise tests were performed on a bicycle ergometer before and 90 min after the oral application of active drug or placebo.

Influence of propranolol, metoprolol, and pindolol on mucociliary clearance in patients with coronary heart disease.

The effects of the beta-adrenoceptor-blocking drugs propranolol, metoprolol, pindolol, and placebo, on mucociliary clearance were studied in three groups of 6 subjects with coronary heart disease and normal lung function. Clearance rates of inhaled 99mTc-labeled human serum albumin minimicrospheres were determined over the apical right region of the lung with a gamma camera. A 3-day medication of propranolol 40 mg b.

Double-blind comparison of once-daily bopindolol, pindolol and atenolol in essential hypertension.

The efficacy of once-daily bopindolol, a nonselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent with partial agonist activity, and of pindolol and atenolol in the treatment of essential hypertension has been compared. 369 patients were investigated in a double-blind parallel-group study. The treatment period was 10 weeks.

Effects of ketotifen on cholinergic induced airway obstruction.

By repeated inhalant carbachol provocation tests on 13 normal and 13 asthmatic subjects, we investigated the effect of ketotifen (as compared with placebo) on the cholinergic responsiveness of the airways. In normal subjects, ketotifen reduced the slope of the linear regression lines, calculated from the airway resistance vs. the intra-pulmonary deposited amount of carbachol (reactivity).

The influence of ketotifen and aminophylline on the central and peripheral airways.

In a double-blind study we compared the effect of 2 mg ketotifen (Zaditen) daily and 1050 mg aminophylline daily for 6 months in two groups of altogether 24 patients with bronchial asthma and a chronic obstruction of the airways. Lung function tests were done in regular intervals to investigate the effects of the drugs on the central airways resistance, thoracic gas volume, forced expiratory volume of the first second and inspiratory vital capacity--and the peripheral airways closing volume, flow of iso and the flow volume curve. Ketotifen reduced the obstruction of the central and of the peripheral airways.

Abrupt withdrawal of pindolol or metoprolol after chronic therapy.

1 In an open controlled study a group of 18 healthy volunteers received either pindolol 10 mg three times daily or metoprolol 100 mg three times daily for 4 weeks. Before treatment, and after abrupt withdrawal the resting heart rate, the blood pressure, the exercise heart rate and the isoprenaline CD25 (dose of isoprenaline to increase the heart rate of 25 beats/min) were determined. Heart rates were continuously monitored by an ECG-coupled computer.

[Influence of ketotifen on IgE-mediated cutaneous test reactions (author's transl)].

The influence of ketotifen on IgE-mediated skin reactivity was investigated in two studies in 20 and 14 adolescent patients with pollen allergy. In the first intraindividual, double-blind randomised study, ketotifen showed a significant decrease (P less than 0.001) of the prick test weal by 38% after a 3-day-medication of 1 mg b.

[Treatment of seasonal asthmatic symptoms. A multicentre trial to compare the effects of ketotifen and disodium cromoglycate (author's transl)].

A randomized multicentre trial was done to investigate the protective effects of ketotifen and disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) in the therapy of bronchial asthma. 236 patients with seasonal asthmatic symptoms were treated and controlled in the summer of 1978. Both drugs showed a significant improvement of the lung function and a marked reduction of asthmatic symptoms, cough and expectoration.

[Beta-blockader, pindolol, in the therapy of angina pectoris; a report on a multicentric controlled study].

68 patients with angina pectoris were treated 14 days with placebo and four weeks with 15 mg/die pindolol (Visken) in a double blind multicenter study. The patients were divided into two groups at random: group I received pindolol/placebo, group II pacebo/pindolol. Pindolol reduced in both groups significantly the number and intensity of angina pectoris attacks and the consumption of nitroglycerin capsules.

The fate of a bacterial plasmid in mammalian cells.

When hamster cells are infected with the bacterial plasmid colicinogenic factor E1 (ColE1), as much as 5-8% of the input plasmid radioactivity is found in the recipient cell, mainly in the nuclear fraction. Density shift experiments with bromodeoxyuridine labeled ColE1 DNA indicate that part of the input DNA may be replicated in the nucleus. ColE1 specific RNA but no colicin E1, can be detected during the first two generations after the uptake of ColE1 DNA.