Impacto das drogas na saúde física e mental de dependentes químicos / Drug use impact in drug addicts' physical and mental health

Pesquisa qualitativa e exploratória -desenvolvida em 2012 e 2013 -em uma unidade de reabilitação para dependentes químicos no Paraná, com objetivo de verificar o impacto do uso de drogas na saúde física e mental do dependente químico. Foram entrevistados vinte dependentes químicos em tratamento. Os dados foram coletados mediante entrevista semiestruturada e tratados com a técnica de análise categorial temática. Os resultados demonstraram impactos na condição física do dependente químico relacionados à intoxicaçãopor drogas, estado de abstinência, alterações de alimentação, sono, higiene e aparência pessoal. Em relação ao impacto das drogas na saúde mental, os resultados apontaram a presença de comorbidades psiquiátricas, como: esquizofrenia e transtorno afetivo bipolar, bem como alterações de pensamento, percepção, memória, cognição e comportamento. Conclui-se que as drogas ocasionam graves impactos na saúde física e mental dos dependentes químicos a partir de consequências nocivas na condição física, no autocuidado, no pensamento, na cognição e no comportamento.

This is a qualitative study of exploratory method, developedin2012 and 2013,in a rehab unity to drug addicts, Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, its aim is verify the drug use impact in addicts' physical and mental health. Twenty drug addicts in treatment were interviewed.Data collected by through of semi-structured interviews andprocessed using the categorical thematic analysis.The results showed impacts on physical medical condition related to drug poisoning, the state of abstinence, changes on feed, sleep, rest, hygiene and personal appearance.Regarding the impact of substance abuse in mental health, the results indicated the presence of psychiatric comorbidies as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder, thought changes, perception, memory and cognition, also behavioral changes. As conclusion, drugs are responsible for huge impacts in addicts' physical and mental health considering the harmful consequences in the physical conditions, self-care, thought, cognition and in the behavior.

Expectativas positivas com o uso de álcool e o beber se embriagando: diferenças de gênero em estudo do Projeto GENACIS, São Paulo, Brasil / Positive expectations towards alcohol use and binge drinking: gender differences in a study from the GENACIS project, São Paulo, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar as expectativas de homens e mulheres com relação ao uso do álcool e a associação dessas com o comportamento de beber com embriaguez. Foi realizado inquérito epidemiológico, domiciliar, transversal, de base populacional, com amostra probabilística estratificada por conglomerados, na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil. Foram entrevistadas 2.083 pessoas de ambos os sexos utilizando-se o questionário GENACIS (Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study). Beber com embriaguez foi considerada variável dependente, e foram construídos modelos de regressão logística para cada sexo, ajustando-se os modelos para idade, escolaridade e renda. Todas as expectativas, exceto achar mais fácil falar com companheiro, associaram-se ao comportamento de beber com embriaguez. Nosso estudo mostrou que beber com embriaguez pode estar associado a expectativas com uso do álcool. Compreender essas expectativas pode contribuir para elaboração de estratégias mais efetivas de prevenção do beber excessivo.

The objective was to investigate expectations towards alcohol use among men and women and the association between these expectations and binge drinking (or heavy episodic drinking). An epidemiological cross-sectional population-based household survey with a stratified probabilistic sample was conducted in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. Males and females were interviewed (n = 2,083) with the GENACIS questionnaire (Gender, Alcohol, and Culture: an International Study). The dependent variable was binge drinking, and logistic regression models were constructed for each gender, adjusting for age, schooling, and income. All expectations, with the exception of increased ease in talking with one's partner, were associated with binge drinking. The study shows that binge drinking can be associated with expectations towards alcohol use. Understanding such expectations can contribute to the design of effective polices to prevent binge drinking.

Anxiolytic activity of hydro-alcoholic extract of Mukia maderaspatana Linn. leaves on experimental animals

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anxiolytic activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract of the leaves of Mukia maderaspatana. Anxiety is a condition which occurs when exposing animals to unfamiliar conditions and creating fear. More synthetic compounds are available in the market for treating the anxiety, but only few natural compounds are available as anti-anxiety drugs. Mukia maderaspatana which belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family is a tropical plant which has the anti-anxiety property. To prove this, the hydro-alcoholic extract of the leaves of Mukia maderaspatana was tested on experimental Wister albino rats by using an elevated plus maze test and by using mice in a socio-behavioral deficit test. The drug was given in an oral dose of 150 mg/kg. The result indicates that the hydro-alcoholic extract of Mukia maderaspatana exhibited a significant [p<0.05] increase in the entry as well as time spent on an open arm in the maze test and reduced the attempts made at escape by the mice in the deficit test when compared with the standard drug diazepam

The influence of estazolam on human neurobehavioral function / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the relation between human blood estazolam concentration and neurobehavioral function.@*METHODS@#The neurobehavioral ability of 10 volunteers were measured with computer-administered neurobehavioral evaluation system-chinese3 (NES-C3) and SMART EquiTest system.@*RESULTS@#The neurobehavioral ability and balance function declined 1 h later after dosing estazolam. The neurobehavioral ability index and balance function declined to the lowest level 3 h later after dosing estazolam. The neurobehavioral ability recovered partly 6 h later after dosing estazolam, and neurobehavioral ability recovered completely 10 h later.@*CONCLUSION@#Driving ability was impaired when estazolam concentration in blood is 20 ng/mL, and the neurobehavioral ability declined when estazolam concentration is 40 ng/mL in blood. The influence to human in absorption process is greater than the metabolic process with the same estazolam concentration.

effect of phencyclidine new derivatives on anxiety behaviors in rats

Anxiety is a common disorder which afflicts many people in any society and is often accompanied by physiological sensations such as tachycardia, chest pain, shortness of breath, insensitivity, etc. The purpose of present study was to evaluate the putative anxiolytic-like effects of phencyclidine [l-[l-phenylcyclohexyl] piperidine, CAS 956-90-1, PCP, I] and its methyl and methoxy hydroxyl derivatives [II, III] using elevated plus maze test of anxiety. Phencyclidine as well as its methyl and methoxy hydroxyl derivatives [I, II, III] [hydrochloride, 1, 2, 5 mg/kg] were synthesized and administrated intraperitoneally [IP] on adult male Wistar rats. The results of this study demonstrated that, intraperitoneal [IP] administration of PCP analogues [I, II, III] hydrochloride [1, 2, 5 mg/kg] increases the percentage of open arm time [OAT%] and percentage of open arm entries [OAE%]. This study revealed that both derivatives of phencyclidine [II, III] were more effective than PCP [I] itself in modulation of anxiety behavior in rats

[ use of psycho-pharmaceuticals to control boys' behaviour: a tale of badly behaving drug companies and doctors]

There has been a rapid rise in rates of diagnosis of and prescription of psycho-pharmaceuticals for, behavioural disorders in children in general, and boys in particular, in North American, North European and Australasian countries. This article concentrates on the evidence base for the prescription of psycho-pharmaceuticals for the two most common of these disorders: ADHD and Autism. The practice of widespread prescribing is based more on successful marketing than scientific evidence. Arab and other non- Western societies can learn from these mistakes and take a more cautious approach before accepting the validity of these diagnoses and the benefits of prescribing medication to 'treat' them

A exposição pré-natal ao álcool como fator de risco para comportamentos disfuncionais: o papel do pediatra: [revisão] / Prenatal alcohol exposure as a risk factor for dysfunctional behaviors: the role of the pediatrician: [review]

OBJETIVO: Ainda que as características clássicas da síndrome fetal alcoólica tenham sido descritas desde 1968, a pesquisa sobre a teratogênese do álcool apenas recentemente demonstrou que o cérebro é o órgão do corpo mais vulnerável aos efeitos da exposição pré-natal ao álcool. No presente artigo, fazemos uma revisão da literatura focalizando principalmente os distúrbios comportamentais relacionados à exposição pré-natal ao álcool. FONTES DOS DADOS: Foi realizada uma pesquisa com base no PubMed sobre a literatura publicada entre 1968 e 2006, com as palavras-chave etanol, gestação e comportamento. Foram estabelecidos limites a estudos em humanos. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Os dados apresentados nesta revisão sugerem que jovens com efeitos do espectro do álcool fetal estão sob risco maior de terem comportamento social disruptivo, entre outros problemas neurocomportamentais. CONCLUSÕES: Ainda que seja impossível separar completamente a teratogênese sobre o cérebro decorrente da exposição ao álcool de influências ambientais pós-natais como a causa definitiva desses resultados, o pediatra deve ser estimulado ao diagnóstico precoce de crianças afetadas pela síndrome fetal alcoólica e efeitos do espectro do álcool fetal. Isso permite iniciar o manejo e cuidados apropriados para evitar as conseqüências em longo prazo no comportamento e assegurar uma adaptação social e escolar melhor e mais produtiva.

OBJECTIVE: Although the classic features of fetal alcohol syndrome have been recognized since 1968, research on alcohol teratogenesis has only recently demonstrated that the brain is the organ in the body most vulnerable to the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In this present article, we reviewed the literature focusing mainly on behavioral disturbances related to prenatal ethanol exposure. SOURCES: We performed a PubMed search on the literature published between 1968 and 2006 using the terms ethanol, pregnancy and behavior. We limited our search to studies on humans. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: The data presented in this review suggested that youths with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder are at risk of disruptive social behavior, among other neurobehavioral abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is still impossible to completely separate brain teratogenesis secondary to alcohol exposure from environmental postnatal influences as the definite cause for these outcomes, the pediatrician should be encouraged to early diagnose children affected by fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This provides proper management and care and avoids long-term consequences on their behavior, besides ensuring better and productive school and social adaptation.

Neurochemical and behavioral effects of M-CPP in a rat model of tardive dyskinesia

Present study was designed to monitor the responsiveness of 5HT [5-Hydroxytryptamine] -2C receptors following the long-term administration of haloperidol in rats. Effects of m-CPP [meta-Chlorophenyl piperazine] were monitored 48h after withdrawal from repeated [twice a day for 5 week] administration of haloperidol [at the dose of 1mg/kg]. Vacuous chewing movements [VCMs] were monitored on weekly basis. Two days after withdrawal, animals were injected with saline [1ml/kg of body weight] or m-CPP [3mr/kg of body weight]. Activities in open field and light dark activity box were monitored 15 and 30 min post injection respectively. Animals were then decapitated [4h post injection] to collect dorsal striatum [DS] samples for the neurochemical analysis by HPLC-EC [High performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical detection] method. Results from the present study showed significant hypolocomotive effect of m-CPP [p<0.05] in both repeated haloperidol as well as repeated saline injected rats. Neurochemical analysis of DS by HPLC-EC method showed that administration of m-CPP significantly [p<0.05] decreased 5-HIAA [5-Hydroxyindol acetic acid] in repeated haloperidol injected rats. In conclusion, present study provides evidence that 5HT-2C receptors become hypersensitive in a rat model of Tardive Dyskinesia [TD]. These findings have potential implication in the treatment of TD and attenuation of EPS induced by typical neuroleptics

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-Gallate attenuates behavioral abnormality in hemi-parkinsonian rat

Epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG], a major constituent of green tea, has been introduced as a potent free radical scavenger and can effectively reduce free radical-induced lipid peroxidation. Since free radical injury plays an important role in neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease [PD], this study examined whether EGCG administration would reduce functional asymmetry in an experimental model of PD in male Wistar rats. For this purpose, unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats were intraperitoneally pretreated with EGCG [40 mg/Kg] 2 hours before surgery and daily [20 mg/Kg] for a period of 2 weeks post-surgery. Apomorphine- and amphetamine-induced rotations were measured pre- and post-surgery after 2 weeks. The results showed that there are 35.1% [P<0.05] and 33.2% [P<0.05] reductions in controversies apomorphine- and ipsiversive amphetamine-induced rotations in EGCG-treated-lesioned group respectively as compared to the untreated lesioned group at 2[nd] week post-surgery. Taken together, these results showed that two-week administration of EGCG could attenuate the drug-induced behavioral abnormalities in this model of PD

Effect of paroxetine and venlafaxine on mice exposed to chronic mild stress

The role of gamma-amino butyric acid [GABA] in mood disorders and its interaction with serotonin [5-HT] and norepinephrine [NE] systems is worthy of further study. Many studies reported that plasma GABA levels are relatively reduced in depressed patients. The present study investigated the alteration of GABA content by long-term antidepressant treatment with either paroxetine as one of the selective serotonin r-euptake inhibitors [SSRIs] or venlafaxine as a serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor [SNRI] in the frontal cortex [F.Cx] [as a brain region crucial for the control of emotion and cognition] obtained from male mice exposed to chronic mild stress[CMS]-induced anhedonia. The long term behavioral changes of the CMS without and with antidepressant treatment were also tested using the forced swimming test [FST]. The results demonstrated the reversal of CMS-induced anhedonia after 3 weeks i.p. administration of 1 and 8 mg/kg/day paroxetine and venlafaxine, respectively. Furthermore, venlafaxine seems to be more efficacious than paroxetine in long-term behavioral changes recorded by the FST. Additionally, there was a significant [p<0.001] increase in the GABA content of the F.Cx of mice exposed to CMSinduced anhedonia. The present study suggested that GABA levels may be decreased in an animal model of depression and its reversal together with the behavior improvement by either paroxetine or venlafaxine could support the hypothesis that modification in GABAergic activity in mood disorders may complement the monoaminergic and serotonergic theories, proposing that the balance between multiple neurotransmitter systems may be altered in these disorders

Efeitos do Bromazepam observados pela eletroencefalografia quantitativa (EEGq) durante a prática de datilografia / Effects of Bromazepam in qEEG by typingwriting

A eficiência com que uma informação é transmitida dentro da circuitaria neural pode ser alterada por neuromoduladores. O uso do Bromazepam nos transtornos de ansiedade se deve a sua propriedade ansiolítica. Porém, os efeitos deste benzodiazepínico na aprendizagem motora não são plenamente conhecidos. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar alterações neuropsicológicas, comportamentais e eletrofisiológicas decorrentes da administração de Bromazepam (6 mg) durante o aprendizado de uma tarefa motora. A amostra consistiu de 26 sujeitos saudáveis, de ambos os sexos, entre 19 e 36 anos. Os grupos controle (placebo) e experimental (Bromazepam 6 mg) foram submetidos ao aprendizado de datilografia, em desenho duplo-cego randomizado. Os resultados não revelaram diferenças nas variáveis neuropsicológicas e comportamentais entre os grupos. Testes estatísticos demonstraram interação entre condição e momento e um efeito principal para setor, ou seja, uma diminuição da potência relativa no hemisfério direito. Esta diminuição de potência sugere uma especialização da circuitaria neural no hemisfério contralateral ao dedo utilizado no pressionamento da tecla. Tal diminuição é independente do uso da droga.

Bizarre behavior during intracarotid sodium amytal testing (Wada test): are they predictable?

O teste do amital sódico intracarotídeo (TASI ou teste de Wada) é procedimento comum na avaliação de pacientes portadores de epilepsia clinicamente refratária candidatos a cirurgia de epilepsia. Tem por objetivo promover interrupção seletiva e temporária da função hemisferial, definindo lateralização de linguagem e risco de comprometimento de memória no pós-operatório. São esperadas mudanças comportamentais durante o teste, as quais podem durar vários minutos, porém, em geral, são sutis e facilmente manejáveis. Relatamos uma série de casos em que ocorreram comportamentos pouco usuais, bizarros, incluindo agitação e agressividade. Estes comportamentos comprometem o teste (paciente deve ser contido), podendo levar a atrasos ou mesmo abortamento do mesmo, além de produzir dados menos confiáveis. Os casos foram revisados, visando a definição de preditores de sua ocorrência. Estas reações são raras (5% dos casos). Efeito barbitúrico, perfil psiquiátrico, dominância cerebral e seletividade da injeção não puderam ser validados como preditores. Explicações detalhadas, repetição e simulações podem ser utéis na prevenção deste tipo de ocorrência.

Hacia una comprensión de las bases biológicas de la conducta / Toward understanding the biological bases of behavior

En este trabajo se exponen algunos de los desarrollos más recientes en el estudio de las bases biológicas de la conducta, a partir de la obra de Arvid Carlsson, Paul Greengard y Eric Kandel. Se analiza el descubrimiento del mecanismo de acción de los neurolépticos y la situación actual de la hipótesis dopaminérgica de la esquizofrenia. Luego se revisan algunos aspectos del estudio de las bases biológicas de la memoria, en especial las bases genéticas del aprendizaje y la memoria. Por último, se analizan los nuevos conceptos acerca de la relación entre cerebro y conducta y de los determinantes genéticos y ambientales en las enfermedades mentales. Se concluye que los progresos de la neurobiología moderna han modificado profundamente la psiquiatría, acentuando su carácter de especialidad médica y volviendo a acercarla a la neurología

Behavioural parameters in hypertensives on atenolol therapy.

Behavioural responses which included psychological tests and cold pressor test as a stress test were studied in 20 mild to moderate hypertensives of both sexes, excluding smokers, alcoholics, secondary hypertensives and patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Subjects were put on 2 weeks of placebo washout period followed by 6 weeks of treatment with atenolol. Following treatment with atenolol they showed no significant alteration in the scores of psychological tests which included Weschler adult intelligence scale for orientation, while showing significant depression in the rise of heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure following cold pressor test. On further analysis, the results showed that hypertensives on placebo had lower scores of memory and attention test as compared to normotensive controls. Besides this, hypertensives on placebo had higher rise of heart rate and systolic blood pressure as compared to normotensive controls after cold pressor test.

Control de estímulos con fármacos: aplicaciones en psicofarmacología / Pharmacological stimuli control: applications in psicopharmacology

Uno de los principales objetivos de la farmacología es identificar nuevos y mejores medicamentos, tratando de determinar el mecanismo y el sitio de acción de los mismos, en el entendimiento de que aparte del beneficio terapéutico, dichos hallazgos amplían nuestro conocimiento acerca de la fisiopatología de los padecimientos. Para cubrir este propósito, se comparan los diferentes fármacos, se determinan los efectos terapéuticos y los efectos colaterales, utilizando diversos modelos experimentales. No obstante, debido al gran número de modelos experimentales disponibles, no siempre es eficiente la comparación entre las moléculas. Sin embargo los modelos conductuales conocidos como discriminación de drogas, o más apropiadamente control de estímulos con fármacos, ofrecen una alternativa eficiente para establecer las similitudes y las diferencias entre éstos. El uso de modelos experimentales ha cobrado cierta popularidad, particularmente en el área de psicofarmacología, por lo cual es conveniente familiarizarse con los principios conceptuales de dichos modelos para evaluar sus bondades y deficiencias. En la discriminación de drogas para comparar a diferentes fármacos entre sí uno de ellos se establece como estímulo discriminativo, lo cual significa que este fármaco adquiere una propiedad especifica que se encarga de controlar la conducta de los organismos por medio de las señales del estímulo que produce. Durante la adecuación del sujeto bajo el efecto de este fármaco, debe aprender a emitir una cierta respuesta la cual está relacionada congruentemente con una consecuencia en particular. Además, al mismo sujeto se le entrena para que emita una respuesta diferente en las ocasiones en las que se le presenta algún otro estímulo farmacológico correlacionado con una consecuencia diferente. Después del entrenamiento, en las pruebas de sustitución, se examina la conducta del sujeto ante estímulos diferentes, con los cuales se pretende determinar la similitud que hay con respecto al estímulo de entrenamiento. La proporción de una u otra de las respuestas del sujeto será una función directa de la similitud que exista entre los fármacos (efecto, dosis, mecanismo de acción, etc.). En este trabajo, esta preparación se ilustra con agonistas parciales del receptor serotonérgico 5-HT 1A, por el gran interés que estos compuestos han despertado por sus posibles aplicaciones en el tratamiento de la depresión, de la ansiedad, de la ingesta de alimento y otras más

impact of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive and behavioral functions in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy

The effects of antiepileptic drugs [AEDs] on the cognitive functions and behavior were studied in 60 freshly diagnosed epileptic children suffering from idiopathic generalized tonic-clonic [GTC] seizures, compared with 15 healthy children. The mean age at presentation was 11.6 + 2.3 years [range 6-15 years]. Our results demonstrated that children suffering from idiopathic GTC, before initiation of AED therapy, had cognitive and behavioral disturbances as evidenced by lower results of the various tests utilized. The behavioral and cognitive impairment became worse after phenytoin [PHT] and phenobarbital [PB] monotherapy in spite of adequate seizure control, while the behavioral and cognitive functions got better after carbamazepine [CBZ] and Valproate [VPA] monotherapy. PHT was more damaging on cognition while PB was more damaging on behavior. We concluded that AEDs significantly modify cognitive functions and behavior in epileptic children. PHT and PB have deleterious effects while CBZ and VPA have positive effects on cognition and behavior

Circadian time-dependent effects of fencamfamine on inhibition of dopamine uptake and release in rat striatal slices

Fencamfamine (FCF) is a central stimulant that facilitates central dopaminergic transmission through inhibition of dopamine uptake and enhanced release of the transmitter. We evaluated the changes in the inhibition of uptake and the release of striatal [3H]-dopamine at 9:00 and 21:00 h, times corresponding to maximal and minimal behavioral responses to FCF, respectively. Adult male Wistar rats (200-250 g) maintained on a 12-h light/12-h dark cycle (lights on at 7:00 h) were used. In the behavioral experiments the rats (N = 8 for each group) received FCF (3.5 mg/kg, ip) or saline at 9:00 or 21:00 h. Fifteen minutes after treatment the duration of activity (sniffing, rearing and locomotion) was recorded for 120 min. The basal motor activity was higher (28.6 + 4.2 vs 8.4 + 3.5 s) after saline administration at 21:00 h than at 9:00 h. FCF at a sigle dose significantly enhanced the basal motor activity (38.3 + 4.5 vs 8.4 + 3.5 s) and increased the duration of exploratory activity (38.3 + 4.5 vs 32.1 + 4.6 s) during the light, but not the dark phase. Two other groups of rats (N = 6 for each group) were decapitated at 9:00 and 21:00 h and striata were dissected for dopamine uptake and release assays. The inhibition of uptake and release of [3H]-dopamine were higher at 9:00 than at 21:00 h, suggesting that uptake inhibition and the release properties of FCF undergo daily variation. These data suggest that the circadian time-dependent effects of FCF might be related to a higher susceptibility of dopamine presynaptic terminals to the action of FCF during the light phase which corresponds to the rats' resting period.

Consideraçöes sobre a avaliaçäo da farmacodependência em modelos experimentais e clínicos / On the evaluation of drug dependence in experimental and clinical models

O presente artigo comenta alguns aspectos da farmacodependência, tais como a dependência física e psíquica e a tolerância. Destaca-se a importância dos modelos experimentais e clínicos que säo usados para avaliaçäo do potencial de dependência a fármacos. Além disso, enfatiza a atuaçäo dessas substâncias como reforçadores positivos que atuariam no sistema central de recompensa, que tem um de seus componentes no sistema dopaminérgico mesocorticolímbico. Assim, o efeito reforçador seria a causa primária do desenvolvimento da farmacodependência.

Experiencia en el empleo de dosis alternas de neurolépticos de depósito en el tratamiento de las psicosis crónicas / Experience in using alternate doses of depositing neuroleptics in the treatment of chronic psychoses

Se revisan los antecedentes clínios de 38 pacientes, usuarios de neurolépticos de depósito de larga data, controlados en la Unidad de Psicofármacos del Servicio de Psiquiatría de Valdivia. Pacientes mayoritariamente esquizofrénicos, de sexo femenino, con 43,3 años de edad promedio. un 63,2 por ciento presentaba quejas y efectos secundarios ligados al tratamiento. Los pacientes reciben alternada y sucesivamente dos diferentes dosis del Neuroléptico de Depósito sin modificar la periodicidad en uso; una de las dosis será la empleada con anterioridad (dosis original), la otra será mayor o menor que la dosis original. El propósito en la gran mayoría fue minimizar los efectos secundarios y obtener un mejor ajuste farmacológico individual del paciente. La revisión consideró los pacientes con a lo menos 6 meses de exposición al régimen de dosis alternas; al evaluar los resultados los pacientes se dividieron en 4 grupos: la dosis de mantención se fijó en una dosis inferior a la original (34,5 por ciento), permanecen con dosis alternas (36,8 por ciento), en ambos grupos los pacientes se han mantenido estables. En el 13,2 por ciento se debió regresar a la dosis original y el 15,5 por ciento recibía una dosis mayor que la original

A comparative study of the anorectic and behavioral effects of fenproporex on male and female rats

The anorectic and behavioral effects of fenproporex (Fenp, 10 mg/kg, ip) and methamphetamine (Met, 2.5 mg/kg, ip), a prototypical example of an amphetamine-like drug, were studied in male and female Wistar rats (5 and 3 months of age, respectively, at the beginning of the experiments) after acute (immediately after a single dose) or chronic treatment (after 60 days of administration). For the evaluation of the experimental parameters six groups of eight rats each were utilized for food intake and stereotyped behavior and six groups of nine rats each for body weight and motor activity. Similar anorectic effects (decreased food intake in grams: saline(Sal): 12.8 ñ 2.5, Met: 4.7 ñ 4.0, and Fenp: 4.4 ñ 20; decreased weight gain: Sal: 38 ñ 10, Met: 25 ñ 1.0, and Fenp: 27 ñ 3.0) were induced by both drugs in male rats. Female rats, however, required larger doses (20 mg/kg Fenp and 5.0 mg/kg Met) for a complete blockade of food intake. The behavioral tests were carried out 30, 60, 120, 180 and 300 min after drug administration and on day 1 and day 60 immediately after the treatment, for stereotypy and motor activity, respectively (male rats: Met: 3.8 ñ 0.3, Fenp: 6.0 ñ 0.9, and female rats: Met: 15.4 ñ 1.9, Fenp: 9.7 ñ 1.3). Though stereotyped behavior such as sniffing, continuous licking, and false bites was observed in all animals, this was more evident and prolonged in female rats. Both drugs also increased motor activity (male rats, acute treatment: Met: 608 ñ 419, Fenp: 677 ñ 354; chronic treatment: Met: 701 ñ 423, Fenp: 908 ñ 479; female rats, acute treatment: Met: 817 ñ 350, Fenp: 1177 ñ 282; chronic treatment: Met: 623 ñ 274, Fenp: 1511 ñ 573) with female rats once again showing greater sensitivity both after acute and chronic treatment. Our data indicate that fenproporex, like methamphetamine, has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, indicating an action on the dopaminergic systems. These data further suggest that its therapeutic use as an appetite moderator should be prescribed with caution, especially to women, since, at least in the species studied, the female organism seems to show higher susceptibility to the central effects of this substance.