Effect of oral versus intramuscular androgen on blood indices in impotent and infertile patients

Stimulatory effects of androgen on red blood cell number, hemoglobin and hematocrit value have been evaluated. This study was done to evaluate the safety of oral uptake of mesterolone and intramuscular injection of testosterone enanthate when given either to impotent or infertile men on the mean value of blood indices. This work comprised 52 patients suffering from either impotence [25 patients] or male infertility [27 patients]. Patients were divided into two groups: Mesterolone group [included patients randomized to receive 75 mg daily of oral mesterolone] and testosterone enanthate group [included patients randomized to receive 250 mg monthly of intramuscular testosterone enanthate]. Different blood indices, such as venous hematocrit value, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, were measured before and three months after administration of androgen therapy. Platelet count, red blood cells count and white blood cells count were also measured before and three months after treatment with androgen. Also, serum testosterone was measured before and at the end of the treatment period. According to the results, it was concluded that mean values of blood indices were significantly increased after administration of both oral and injectable androgen hence, the danger of hemoconcentration may developed. Intramuscular testosterone enanthate is safe on blood indices than oral mesterolone

Serum Levels of levonorgestrel and sex hormone binding globulin following vaginal and oral administration of combined steroid contraceptive tablets

Ten women were treated daily with a standard dose contraceptive tablet [Neovlar, Shiring] consisting of 0.25 mg levonorgestrel in combination with 0.05 mg of ethinylestradiol. Five women used the tablet vaginally while the other five used it orally. Blood samples were taken frequently during the first day of treatment and after one and two hours from taking the tablets on treatment days 7 and 14. Serum levonorgestrel [LNG] levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and sex hormone binding globulin [SHBG] was quantitated by means of charcoal assay. On the first day, peak concentration of LNG of 5.1 ng/ml was reached after two hours in the oral group whereas in the vaginal group the peak concentration [2.2 ng/ml] was reached after four hours. After 24 hours, mean serum levels of LNG were 1.1 and 0.69 ng/ml in the oral and vaginal groups, respectively. In both groups, mean LNG concentrations increased dramatically on day 7 and 14 compared to the first day. There was no significant difference between the two groups in LNG concentrations, except after 2 hours on the first day. SHBG levels were increased after one day of treatment. By day 14 of treatment, there was a 3.5 to 4.5 folds rise in SHBG levels from pretreatment values in both groups. However, there was no significant difference in SHBG levels between the two groups throughout the study. A high correlation was found between serum levels of SHBG and LNG in both the vaginal and oral groups. The results suggested that increase in serum LNG levels in women receiving combined contraceptive tablets either vaginally or orally is due to the increased levels of SHBG. The presence of a measurable concentration of LNG up to 24 hours after taking the tablet in the vaginal group is consistent with the previously reported clinical contraceptive efficacy of combined contraceptive pills when given vaginally

Relative bioavailability of two commercially available oral tablet formulations of ibuprofen

This study was undertaken to evaluate the bioavaility of a new marketed table formulation of ibuprofen [Sapofen', Spimaco] in comparison with the innovator's product [Brufen', Boots]. The two brands were founds were found to be similar with respect to content, content uniformity dissolution and water content of the tablets as specified by USPXXIII. The bioavailability study was carried out on fourteen healthy male volunteers who had received a single dose [400 mg] of each product in a crossover design. One week washout period was allowed between each brand intake. Blood samples were obtained over a 10 h interval and the drug concentrations in plasma were determined using a sensitive HPLC assay. The pharmacokinetic parameters i.e. peak plasma concentration, Cmax, time to peak concentration, Tmax, and area under the curve, AUC were analyzed statistically using the non-parametric friedman's test and the wilcoxon signed rank test. The results of these statistical evaluations showed that the two formulations are similar. Therefore, the two brands of ibuprofen under study are bioequivalent