PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Panico

Publications and source records attributed to A Panico.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

[Methimazole versus methimazole and diphosphonates in hyperthyroid and osteoporotic patients].

AIM: It is well-know that hyperthyroidism is one of the key causes of secondary osteoporosis. High values of thyroid hormones increase the bone mineral turnover speed by promoting osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities. The aim of our study is to evaluate the increase of bone mineral density (BMD) in osteoporotic and hyperthyroid patients treated with only antithyroid drugs versus patients treated with antithyroid drugs and diphosphonates. METHODS: Twenty-six elderly male patients, 65-75 years, were selected. In all these patients, thyroid function (FT3, FT4, TSH, Tg, AbTg, AbTPO) was evaluated at baseline and after 6 and 12 months from the start of medical treatment; the following were evaluated: BMD, calcium serum, phosphorus serum, alkaline phosphatase, PTH and 24 hours urinary calcium, phosphorus and hydroxyprolin. Thirteen patients (group 1) were treated with antithyroid drugs (methimazole 5-20 mg/die/os) and diphosphonates (alendronate 10 mg/die/os). The control group of 13 patients (group 2) was treated with antithyroid drugs only. RESULTS: After 6 months of treatment, the patients of group 1 showed a mean increase of 2.5% in lumbar spine BMD compared with a mean increase of 0.3% in group 2 (p<0.01). After 12 months, group 1 showed a mean increase of 6.2% in lumbar spine BMD, compared with a mean increase of 2% in group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of antithyroid and diphosphonates drugs appears to be more efficacious than antithyroid therapy alone for the treatment of osteoporosis in male hyperthyroid patients.

Aged↗

A thermophilic Bacillus isolated from an Eolian shallow hydrothermal vent, able to produce exopolysaccharides.

A thermophilic aerobic microorganism, able to produce two exocellular polysaccharides (EPS1 and EPS2), was isolated from a shallow hydrothermal vent at Vulcano island (Eolian Islands, Italy). EPS1 and EPS2 were based on mannose and glucose although in a different ratio. EPS2 possessed a trisaccharide repeating unit with a manno-pyranoside configuration. New isolate phenotype was studied by physiological and morphological observations, including biochemical and antimicrobial susceptibility tests (134). Previous analyses carried out on 87 field isolates and 8 thermophilic reference bacilli displayed low phenotypic similarity level (S(SM) = 65%) with Bacillus thermodenitrificans DSM 465. Optimal growth occurs at 65 degrees C and pH 7.0. Oxidase and catalase are negative. The guanine-plus-cytosine (G+C) content of DNA is 52.7%. Genotypic investigations demonstrated the diversity of the isolate with fifteen selected thermophilic Bacillus spp. when we compared the restriction patterns of the amplified 16S rDNA. The membrane lipids are based on fatty acids mainly belonging to the iso-family.

Bacillus↗

Preparation of liposome formulations containing immunomodulatory peptides.

Some series of liposomal formulations are described, loaded with three oligopeptides: TP5, TP4, and TP3 derived from the thymic hormone thymopoietin. Liposomes, both multilamellar (MLV) and stable plurilamellar vesicles (SPLV) were prepared with and without cholesterol, and contained stearylamine or dipalmitoylphosphatidylserine to induce a positive or negative charge, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency and the rate of release of the entrapped drugs, after incubation at 37 degrees C, were evaluated and results were discussed as a function of liposome type, charge and composition. In vitro evaluation of cytotoxic activity of the three peptides on K562 and IM9 human tumor lines showed in some cases (TP3 and TP5-loaded positively charged MLV; IM9 cells) a slight increase of the activity of peptides. However, a relevant intrinsic toxicity of pure phospholipids (empty liposomes) on cell cultures was observed, which altered the evaluation of drug-loaded formulations activity.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Synthesis and preliminary in vitro screening of lipophilic alpha, gamma-bis(amides) as potential prodrugs of methotrexate.

As part of a program aimed at studying the feasibility of amide derivatives of methotrexate (MTX) as lipophilic prodrugs, with the aims of increasing passive cellular uptake and obtaining prolonged-release agents, we describe the synthesis of five long-chain alkyl bis(amides) of MTX, from decyl- to octadecylamide, by direct transamidation to the MTX diethyl ester. Compounds were subjected to a preliminary biological screening, to assess their inhibitory activity against bovine liver dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and in vitro antitumor activity against human leukemia CCRF-CEM cells. As a general trend, an increase in lipophilicity led to a linear reduction of enzyme inhibition; however, the bis(decyl)amide derivative showed a good intrinsic affinity for DHFR (IC50 6.41 nM), comparable to that of MTX diethyl ester and close to that of MTX (IC50 2.90 nM). In the antitumor assay, lower homologues (C10-C14) displayed an interesting activity profile, suggesting the desirability of additional studies with these and similar compounds.

Animals↗

Synthesis and local anesthetic activity of alkylaminoacyl derivatives of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole.

We prepared some series of 2-(alkylaminoacyl) derivatives of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles. Most terms were subjected to a biological screening showing a local anesthetic activity both in infiltration and trunkular tests. For some of the assayed derivatives, the activity was comparable to that of lidocaine, taken as the reference molecule. From the obtained results an acceptable relationship between some structural features and activity was drawn.

Anesthetics, Local↗

MAOI activity of some novel series of substituted thiazol-2-yl-hydrazines.

Three series of 2-thiazolylhydrazines were synthetized and evaluated for their MAO inhibitory (MAOI) activity, both by in vivo tests, to assay their influence on several MAOI activity-related parameters (the variation on blood pressure induced by tyramine and clonidine and L-amfetamine-induced hypermotility) and in vitro tests, to assay their effect on rat brain mitochondria by a kinuramine fluorimetric assay. In vivo, all the tested compounds significatively influenced the evaluative parameters used. As regards in vitro test, all compounds displayed MAOI activity at a concentration of 1.10(-4) mol.l-1, which was significant in several cases. In the discussion of the results, the influence of the structure on the biological activity of the prepared compounds was delineated.

Amphetamine↗

Synthesis of carboxyalkylthio-triazoles and bicyclic derivatives with antiinflammatory and analgesic activity.

3-Carboxyalkylthio derivatives of 5-alkoxyphenyl-1,2,4-triazole were prepared, performing some substitutions both on carboxyalkyl chain, by lengthening it or introducing substituents with increasing molecular weight in alpha- at the carboxy group, and on N-4 atom in the triazole ring, by introducing an amino or methyl group, so that to vary steric conformation along with the lipophilicity of molecules. The corresponding bicyclic thiazolo-triazolone and triazolo-thiazinone derivatives, which represent the rigid models of carboxymethylthio- and carboxyethylthio- open structures, were also obtained. All the compounds show "in vivo" antiinflammatory activity, while only carboxyalkylthio derivatives of 4-amino- and 4-methyltriazole display an appreciable analgesic one. From the relief of some data on substituent present in the synthesized compounds, a structure-activity relationship is also suggested.

Animals↗

[Histiocytosis].

Histiocytosis are often hard to define clinically, due to a wide range of symptoms shown. Therefore, in order to display them, a deep knowledge of the symptoms is required and, above all, of their histological and histoclinical characteristics.

Bone Marrow Examination↗

[Neuropeptides and asthma].

Authors underline the neuropeptides function in the arising of the allergic modulation: the relationship between eNANC-iNANC systems, their mediators and the production of cytokines and immunoglobulins. The above demonstrates that the peptidergic system has a primary role in the complex pathogenetic mechanism of the allergic asthma.

Asthma↗