Topical Pilocarpine Formulation for Diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed in infants by estimating the levels of chloride ions present in the sweat induced by iontophoresis of pilocarpine solution. Elevated levels of chloride (≥60 mMol/L) in sweat are indicative of cystic fibrosis. However, the iontophoretic method of delivering pilocarpine is cumbersome and usually is associated with several side effects such as skin burn, skin rashes, erythema, and so forth.

Excipient Stability in Oral Solid Dosage Forms: A Review.

The choice of excipients constitutes a major part of preformulation and formulation studies during the preparation of pharmaceutical dosage forms. The physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of excipients affect various formulation parameters, such as disintegration, dissolution, and shelf life, and significantly influence the final product. Therefore, several studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of drug-excipient interactions on the overall formulation.

Association study of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene G2350A dimorphism with myocardial infarction.

The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is a strong candidate gene for myocardial infarction (MI). Insertion-deletion dimorphism in intron 16 of this gene has been inconclusively found to be associated with it. Several new polymorphisms in the ACE gene have been identified and among these, a dimorphism in exon 17, ACE G2350A, has a significant effect on plasma ACE concentrations.