Efficacy and tolerance of 200 mg micronised fenofibrate administered over a 6-month period in hyperlipidaemic patients: an open Belgian multicenter study.

The authors report the results of a large open multicenter study using 200 mg micronised fenofibrate once a day. Among 1545 selected patients who underwent a 3-month period with nutritional advice, 1334 were included in a 6-month drug study. Inclusion criteria were total serum cholesterol equal to or above 250 mg/dl and/or serum triglycerides equal to or above 200 mg/dl. At 6 months, average changes from inclusion levels were -20.5, -26.1. -7.5 and +15.2% for total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol > or = 160 mg/dl on inclusion, plasma fibrinogen and HDL-cholesterol, respectively. Median decrease of serum triglycerides was 46.5%. Trial discontinuation for clinical and biological adverse events were 5 and 1%, respectively. In conclusion, micronised fenofibrate at a daily dose of 200 mg had significant lipid-modifying properties but also exhibited a beneficial effect on other related risk factors such as fibrinogen reduction. The safety profile was very satisfactory providing an excellent benefit/risk ratio.

Roxithromycin versus amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

A multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy trial was conducted in 96 general practice patients with upper and lower respiratory tract infection to compare the efficacy and tolerance of roxithromycin (150 mg b.i.d.) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (500 mg/125 mg t.i.d.). Good clinical response was obtained in 96% and 95% of cases, respectively, but only 4% of patients receiving roxithromycin volunteered adverse events possibly or probably related to their test treatment, as opposed to 17% of those receiving amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. The results indicate that both drugs are equally effective in the treatment of respiratory tract infection, but that roxithromycin is better tolerated.

Eclipse products of poliovirus after cold-synchronized infection of HeLa cells.

The particles derived from radioactively labeled poliovirus, in cold-synchronized infection of HeLa cells, were studied. After temperatures shift-up, radioactivity was transferred rapidly from the infecting virions (160 S) to 135 S, and from there more slowly to 110 S, a previously unreported eclipse product. Both the 135 and 110 S particles contained RNA, lacked VP4, and were H-antigenic. In the 135 S particles, part of the VP1 complement was lost; in addition to this, the VP2 polypeptide of the 110 S particles was cleaved in situ. The formation of eclipse products was insensitive to cycloheximide. Arildone totally blocked the formation of 135 S particles, but not their further processing.

Antiviral activity of flavones and potentiation by ascorbate.

We compared the anti-poliovirus activities of three flavones, quercetin, luteolin and 3-methylquercetin, which differ only at ring position 3. 3-Methylquercetin was the most potent compound. Quercetin exhibited antiviral activity only when protected against oxidative degradation by ascorbate. The antiviral activity of luteolin was comparable to that of ascorbate-stabilized quercetin.

The poliovirus-induced shut-off of cellular protein synthesis persists in the presence of 3-methylquercetin, a flavonoid which blocks viral protein and RNA synthesis.

In poliovirus-infected cells, the viral protein and RNA synthesis were severely reduced, provided 3-methylquercetin was present between 1 and 2 h post-infection. Under these conditions, the virally induced host shut-off remained in effect. On the other hand, in uninfected HeLa cells, protein and RNA synthesis was inhibited only slightly by 3-methylquercetin. The inhibition of poliovirus cytopathogenicity in Vero cells by 3-methylquercetin exhibited a similar time dependence.