Chloroquine induced pruritus among patients with malaria: recent developments

The salient factors that influence the occurrence of an enhanced drug-induced itch; due to chloroquine among patients with malaria in the tropics; are presented. An overview of six relevant methods that have directly been used to investigate the problem; mainly: epidemiological clinical surveys; animal and human tissue drug level analyses; an animal model of the pruritus; clinical studies; limb activity-relationship research; was performed

Perinatal pharmacology 1 (W.A.P.M.C.): effects of maternally-administered drug (before and during parturition) on foetal and neonatal well-being

"The so called ""placental barrier"" is no barrier to most drugs; except very large macromolecules e.g. heparin. For most drugs the placenta acts more like a sieve. Soluble free (unbound) drugs go through. Even some plasma protein-bound drugs can exchange unto placenta tissue protein and get across to the foetal side. Therefore; the foetus is generally exposed simultaneously to maternally-administered drugs."

Pharmacokinetics and tissue responsiveness in neonates

"Neonates and infants are not just ""little humans"". Pharmacologically and in therapeutic considerations; empirical rules for dosage adjustments for children are still useful guidelines; but; sometimes; it is equally important to take other factors besides age; body weight; and body surface areas; (namely: pharmacokinetic parameters; drug intake via breast milk; and tissue responsiveness) into account for fixing drug doses for the neonates."