[Drug counterfeiting--the risk to the public health]

Pharmaceutical counterfeiting and purchasing medicines from illegal distribution channels have become more and more common problem in our country. Different medicines, especially erectile dysfunction drugs are involved. The aim of this study was the qualitative analysis of fake Levitra tablets and the estimation of the risk they bear to potential users. Tablets were secured by the police and delivered to Bayer office in 2006.

RESULTS

Trace amount of sildenafil (the active ingredient of Viagra) and not vardenafil (the active ingredient of Levitra) was found in tablets described as "Levitra" (vardenafil). The presence of this substance was discovered by NIR--and Raman spectroscopy. The appearance of tablets and blisters corresponded to the original product. There were no paper boxes and patient information leaflets attached. As prescription medicines erectile dysfunction drugs should be purchased from a pharmacy only. They need to be used under strict medical control.

Salutary Effects of Tachykinin Receptor Antagonists in a Rat Model of Postoperative Ileus

BACKGROUND

Postoperative ileus (PI) is a common surgical complication treated mainly with supportive measures. Tachykinins control gastrointestinal motility and modulate somatic and visceral pain sensation; therefore, the effect of tachykinin receptor antagonists in a rat model of PI using NK(1-3) antagonists, SR140333, SR48968, and SR142801, was investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Intestinal transit was measured as Evans blue migration after varied nociceptive stimuli: skin incision (SI), laparotomy (LAP), or laparotomy plus gut manipulation (L + M) in anesthetized rats.

RESULTS

Diethyl ether anesthesia and SI did not influence the intestinal transit of the dye in comparison to untreated animals--UN: 61.17 +/- 5.47, 62.10 +/- 8.30, and 56.70 +/- 4.10 cm, respectively. In contrast LAP and L + M have significantly reduced intestinal motility to 26.40 +/- 2.07 and 9.70 +/- 1.15 cm, respectively. SR140333 (3-30 microg/kg), SR48968 (1-30 microg/kg), and SR142801 (3-10 microg/kg) reversed the additional inhibitory effects of gut manipulation subsequent to LAP dose-dependently, the dye transit returning with the use of the most effective antagonist doses up to 25.28 +/- 1.08, 21.70 +/- 0.19, and 25.0 +/- 1.34 cm. The combinations of submaximal doses of NK(1) and NK(3), NK(2) and NK(3) and NK(1), and NK(2) and NK(3) antagonists were not more effective than a single-agent regimen. On the other hand SR140333 and SR48968 (NK(1) + NK(2) antagonists) acted additively, the intestinal transit reaching 26.60 +/- 0.85 cm. SR140333, SR48968, and SR142801 have not affected the intestinal passage in UN rats or those undergoing SI or LAP.

CONCLUSIONS

SR140333, SR48968, and SR142801 exert a salutary action on suppressed gut motility following surgical manipulation of the gut, the combination of NK(1) and NK(2) antagonists being most beneficial.

The contractile effects of several substituted short analogues of porcine galanin in isolated rat jejunal and colonic smooth muscle strips

The activity of short porcine galanin (Gal) analogues was tested in vitro using rat jejunal and colonic smooth muscle strips. Peptides evoked concentration-dependent tissue contractions yielding typical response curves in concentration range from 0.3 nM to 300 microM, with a characteristic fall-down effect at the supramaximal concentrations. Gal(1-15) was less potent than Gal(1-29). Furthermore, [D-Trp(2)]Gal(1-15), [endo-Trp(2),Cle(4)]Gal(1-15), [D-Leu(4)]Gal(1-15), [des-Leu(4)]Gal(1-15), [Hse(6)]Gal(1-15), [Dab(14)]Gal(1-15), [Dpr(14)]Gal(1-15) or [Arg(14)]Gal(1-15) showed a considerable decrease in potency compared to Gal(1-15) in jejunal and/or colonic smooth muscle cells. Functional evidence confirmed that the integrity of both N- and C-terminals must be preserved in order to preserve a full excitatory myogenic potential of the peptide in rat jejunum and colon. Besides, amino acids located in positions 2, 4, 6 and 14 play a crucial role in recognition and activation of molecular domains responsible for Gal action in the intestinal smooth muscle.

The role and interactions of nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and prostanoids in the pathogenesis of postoperative ileus in rats

The effects of heme oxygenase (HO) inhibitors, zinc-protoporphyrin-IX (ZnPP-IX), and tin protoporphyrin-IX (SnPP-IX) and their interactions with L-arginine/nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways were investigated in postoperative ileus in rats. Intestinal transit was measured as Evans blue migration after skin incision, laparotomy or laparotomy plus gut evisceration and handling. Laparotomy and small intestinal manipulations increased blood plasma nitrites/nitrates level 1.88-fold. N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, indomethacin, a selective COX-1 blocker (resveratrol) and COX-2 antagonists (nimesulide, DuP-697, NS-398) reversed the additional inhibitory effects of gut manipulation subsequent to laparotomy. In contrast, N-(3-(aminomethyl)benzyl)acetamidine or S-methylisothiourea, highly selective inducible NOS blockers, remained ineffective. ZnPP-IX and SnPP-IX overturned the effects of laparotomy on dye propulsion, but were only partially effective after laparotomy and gut handling attenuating the additional inhibitory influences of gut manipulation, the intestinal transit reaching 89.21%, 92.87%, 53.46%, and 48.56% of respective controls transit. Salutary effects of L-NAME, ZnPP-IX, and SnPP-IX were dose-dependent, L-arginine or hemin (HO substrate) sensitive. Administration of indomethacin and resveratrol subsequent to SnPP-IX reversed the inhibitory effects of laparotomy and manipulation, amounting to 93.91% and 87.43% of controls. On the other hand, L-NAME injected after SnPP-IX abolished the salutary effects of the latter, study dye migration reached 25.18% of control rat. Therefore we demonstrated that nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and prostanoids play a role in the pathogenesis of postoperative ileus albeit in different mechanisms. Laparotomy stimulated HO activity, whereas gut manipulation led to an excessive constitutive NOS stimulation accompanied by augmented prostanoid synthesis by COX-1. Unaffected synthesis of either NO or CO enables a return of gastrointestinal transit during postoperative period, whereas a pharmacological blockade of two complementary metabolic pathways provides a most effective measure against postoperative ileus development.

Increased potency of some substituted short peptide analogues in comparison to galanin(1-15)-NH(2)in rat fundus strips

The activity of short porcine galanin (Gal) analogues was tested in vitro using rat gastric fundus strips. The peptides contracted longitudinal smooth muscle in a concentration-dependent manner with the following order of potency: Gal(1-29) >[Cit(14)]Gal(1- 15) >[Asp(14)]Gal(1- 15) >[Dab(14)]Gal(1- 15) >[Nle(14)] Gal(1-15) >[Dpr(14)]Gal(1- 15) >[Arg(14)]Gal(1- 15) >[Orn(14)]Gal(1- 15) >Gal(1-15). Only in the case of two peptides, namely [Cit(14)]Gal(1-15) and [Dab(14)]Gal(1-15) did the values of Hill coefficients, estimated from the appropriate concentration-contraction curves, differ significantly from unity. Our results indicate that both N- and C-terminals of Gal molecule contribute towards the affinity and activity of Gal in rat gastric smooth muscle cell receptors, indicating that their integrity is essential for its full excitatory myogenic action. The substitution of histidine with citruline, aspartic acid, norleucine or diaminobutyric acid in position 14 of the amino acid chain led to a considerable increase in potency, suggesting that amino acids located at this position might play a crucial role where the strength of short analogues is concerned.

Actions of several substituted short analogues of porcine galanin on isolated rat fundus strips: a structure-activity relationship

The activity of porcine galanin (Gal) fragments and analogues were tested in vitro using rat gastric fundus strips. The peptides contracted longitudinal smooth muscle in a concentration-dependent manner with the following order of potency: [Nle4]Gal(1-15), Gal(-15), [Cle4]Gal(1-15), [Hse6]Gal(1-15), [Va14]Gal(1-15), [Ile4]Gal(1-15), [endoTrip2a, Cle4]Gal(1-15), [desThr3, Cle4]Gal(1-15), [D-Leu4] Gal(1-15), [desLeu4]Gal(1-15). On the contrary [desTrp2, Val4]Gal (1-15) remained inactive up to 10 microM. The values of Hill's coefficients estimated from the appropriate concentration-contraction curves for all analogues except for [Val4]Gal(1-15), [Hse6]Gal(1-15), [endoTrp2a,Cle4]Gal(1-15), [desLeu4]Gal(1-15) and [D-Leu4] Gal(1-15) did not significantly differ from unity. Our results indicate that the integrity of the first four N-terminal amino acids of Gal molecule is essential for the full excitatory myogenic action of the peptide in rat gastric fundus. Similarly, substitution, addition or deletion of amino acid residues in positions two, three, four and six can considerably influence the ability of Gal analogues to interact with Gal receptors. The data acquired in the course of our structure-activity study suggest that both N- and C-terminals of Gal molecule contribute towards the affinity and activity of Gal in rat gastric smooth muscle cell receptors.

Sources of activator Ca2+ for galanin-induced contractions of rat gastric fundus, jejunum and colon

Galanin (Gal) evoked reproducible contractions of isolated rat gastric fundus, colon and jejunum longitudinal strips in concentrations ranging from 1 nM to 3 microM. EC50 of Gal equalled 12.63, 23.27 and 56.02 nM, respectively. Hill's coefficients were not different from unity in any of the tissues examined. Experiments have been performed in the presence of protease and peptidase inhibitors, a variety of specific antagonists and tetrodotoxin (TTX) to exclude the non-specific stimulatory or inhibitory action of Gal. Gal-evoked contractions were attenuated by diminished extracellular Ca2+ concentration and by diltiazem. Gal activity in gastric fundus and colon, but not in jejunum was inhibited by depleting intracellular Ca2+ stores, thapsigargin, dantrolene, ryanodine, TMB-8, neomycin and U-73122. Our data confirmed that Gal contracts rat fundus, jejunum and colon by stimulating specific receptors, which are coupled both to Ca2+ influx through the voltage-dependent calcium channels and intracellular Ca2+ release from ryanodine- and IP3-sensitive stores (stomach and colon) or the extracellular Ca2+ influx only (jejunum). Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) plays a crucial role in the former but not in the latter signal transduction cascade.

Polaprezinc exerts a salutary effect on impaired healing of acute gastric lesions in diabetic rats

We examined the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the healing of HCl-induced gastric lesions and the healing promoting effect of polaprezinc [N-(3-aminopropionyl)-L-histidinato zinc] on these lesions. Studies were performed on rats injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (STZ, 70 mg/kg) five weeks prior to experiments. Diabetic rats had blood glucose levels (BGLs) higher than 350 mg/100 ml. Randomly chosen animals were treated subcutaneously with insulin (4 IU/day/rat) starting 1 week after STZ. Animals were given 1 ml of 0.6 N HCl by oral gavage (per os) following 18 hr of fasting; they were fed normally from 1 hr later and killed at various time points after HCl administration. Polaprezinc (3-30 mg/kg) or its components ZnSO4/7H2O and L-carnosine were given orally, twice daily for four days following HCl treatment. Gastric lesions induced by HCl healed macroscopically to quiescence within 10 days. DM and insulin did not affect the development of HCl-invoked gastric lesions, but the healing of such lesions was markedly impaired in animals with DM. Daily administration of insulin returned high BGLs to significantly lower ranges (190-208 mg/100 ml) and markedly antagonized the healing impairment. Polaprezinc (>10 mg/kg) significantly reversed the delay observed in diabetic rats without any notable effects on BGLs or acid secretion. Similar trends were observed with ZnSO4/7H2O or a mixture of ZnSO4/7H2O and L-carnosine, but not by L-carnosine alone. The mucosal expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) mRNA was significantly lower in diabetic rats, a dysregulation partially corrected by insulin and polaprezinc. In addition, the delayed healing in diabetic rats was also significantly promoted by the repeated subcutaneous administration of rhIGF-I (>10 microg/kg, twice daily) without any notable effect on BGLs or acid secretion. These results suggest that DM exerted a deleterious influence on the healing of acute gastric lesions in both insulin- and zinc-sensitive manner. The salutary effects of polaprezinc on the impaired healing of gastric lesion in STZ-diabetic animals may at least be partly explained by enhancement of mucosal IGF-I mRNA expression in the stomach.

The inhibitory effects of terikalant on the contractile activity of galanin in isolated rat fundus strips

The maximal responses (E(max)s) of isolated rat gastric fundus strips to 300 n m porcine galanin (Gal) were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by terikalant (RP 62719). EC(50)of the agent equalled 4.39 microm (2.35-8.22). On the contrary the action of 30 n m of carbachol were not affected by the modulator in concentrations up to 30 microm. It is concluded that potassium currents may contribute to the modulation of Gal myotropic activity in the gut.

Exogenous insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 improves the impaired healing of gastric mucosal lesions in diabetic rats

BACKGROUND

We examined the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the healing of HCl-induced gastric lesions and the healing promoting effect of IGF-1 on these lesions.

METHODS

Experiments were performed on rats injected with streptozotocin (STZ, 70 mg kg(-1), i.p.) 5 weeks prior to the experimental session. Diabetic animals had blood glucose levels (BGLs) higher than 350 mg dl(-1). Randomly chosen rats were treated with insulin (4 IU day(-1) rat(-1)) starting 1 week after STZ. Animals were given 1 ml of 0.6 m HCl by gavage following 18 h of fasting. Normal feeding was started 1 h later. Animals were killed at various time points after HCl. Recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-1) at doses 10-400 microg kg(-1) was injected subcutaneously twice daily for 4 days following HCl treatment.

RESULTS

Gastric lesions induced by HCl healed macroscopically within 10 days. DM and insulin regimen did not affect the development of HCl-invoked gastric lesions. However, DM significantly delayed the healing of such lesions. Daily administration of insulin returned the high BGLs to significantly lower ranges (190-210 mg dl(-1)) and markedly antagonized the delayed healing. Likewise, the repeated administration of rhIGF-1 (>/=10 microg kg(-1)) significantly enhanced the healing of gastric lesions in diabetic rats, without any notable effect on BGLs or gastric acid secretion. The mucosal expression of IGF-1 mRNA was lower in diabetic rat stomachs as compared to normal rats, although the expression was apparently restored after insulin treatment.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that DM has a deleterious influence on the healing of acute gastric lesions in both insulin- and IGF-1-sensitive manner. The systemic administration of rhIGF enhanced the rate of healing of gastric lesions observed in the healing-impaired STZ-diabetic animals.

Role of nitric oxide in regulation of gastric acid secretion in rats: effects of NO donors and NO synthase inhibitor

1. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of acid secretion was examined in the anaesthetized rat. 2. A rat stomach was mounted in an ex vivo chamber, instilled with 2 ml of saline every 15 min, and the recovered sample was titrated at pH 7.0 against 0.1 N NaOH by use of an automatic titrator for acid secretion. Gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) was measured simultaneously by laser Doppler flowmeter. 3. Intragastric application of NO donors such as FK409 (3 and 6 mg ml[-1]) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 6 and 12 mg ml[-1]) as well as i.p. administration of cimetidine (60 mg kg[-1]), a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, significantly inhibited the increase in acid secretion in response to pentagastrin (60 microg kg(-1) h(-1), i.v.), in doses that increased gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF). 4. Intragastric application of FK409 (6 mg ml[-1]) increased both basal and stimulated acid secretion induced by YM-14673 (0.3 mg kg(-1), i.v.), an analogue of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), but had no effect on the acid secretory response induced by histamine (4 mg kg(-1) h(-1), i.v.). 5. Pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10 mg kg(-1), i.v.) did not affect basal acid secretion, but significantly potentiated the increase in acid secretion induced by YM-14673 and slightly augmented the acid secretory response to pentagastrin. 6. Both pentagastrin and YM-14673 increased the release of nitrite plus nitrate (NOx), stable NO metabolites, into the gastric lumen, and these changes were completely inhibited by prior administration of L-NAME (10 mg kg(-1), i.v.). 7. Pentagastrin caused an increase in luminal release of histamine and this response was significantly suppressed by intragastric application of FK409 (6 mg ml[-1]). 8. These results suggest that either exogenous or endogenous NO has an inhibitory action on gastric acid secretion through suppression of histamine release from enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells.

Role of nitric oxide in pathogenesis of serotonine-induced gastric lesions in rats

We investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the development of gastric mucosal lesions induced by serotonine (5-HT) in rats. Repeated subcutaneous administration of 5-HT (20 mg kg-1) produced damage in the stomach with severe edema in the submucosa. Gastric lesions induced by 5-HT were prevented by simultaneous administration of aminoguanidine, a selective inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, as well as by methysergide, a 5-HT antagonist. In addition, the lesions were inhibited by pretreatment with the antioxidative drugs, such as allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor) and hydroxyurea (a neutrophil reducing agent). Following 5-HT treatment, the Ca(2+)-independent NOS activity in the gastric mucosa was significantly increased within 6 h and remained elevated for 2 days thereafter. The serum NOx levels increased 12 h after the administration of 5-HT, reaching a peak 24 h later. Gastric mucosal thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactants and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were also significantly increased after 2 days treatment with 5-HT. Our results suggest that: (1) the repeated administration of 5-HT induced inflammatory gastric lesions in the rat stomach; (2) iNOS is upreguated during 5-HT treatment, and NO produced by iNOS contributes to development of gastric lesions in response to 5-HT, in addition to the oxyradical formation, and (3) the deleterious role of NO in this model may be accounted for by a cytotoxic action of peroxynitrite that is formed in the presence of NO and superoxide radicals.