Class of 2005 Abstract / Objective: To analyze the quantity of active ingredient as well as the content uniformity of lovastatin and warfarin manufactured in Mexico as compared to the lovastatin and warfarin manufactured in the United States. Methods: High-pressure liquid chromatography assays modified from the U.S. Pharmacopoeia will be used to evaluate the amount of active ingredient found in lovastatin and warfarin manufactured in Mexico and America. Area-under-the-curve analysis was done to evaluate relative quantities of the active ingredients. Results: The amount of lovastatin found in the Mexican manufactured product was found to be 64%, and content uniformity was found to be 73%, both values are outside of the acceptable range of 90%-110% set by the USP-NF guidelines. The amount of warfarin found in the Mexican manufactured product was found to be 84% with a content uniformity of 100%. The average content value is outside of the acceptable range of 90%-110% set by the USP-NF guidelines. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the amounts of active ingredients found in Mexican manufactured lovastatin and warfarin were significantly different from the amounts found in the American manufactured products.

No description available.

Die Strahlenreaktion der Mundschleimhaut ist die häufigste und Dosis limitierende frühe Nebenwirkung der Radio(chemo)therapie von Kopf-Hals-Tumoren. Sie führt zu einer starken Beeinträchtigung des Allgemeinzustandes sowie der Lebensqualität der Patienten. Nicht selten muss die Strahlentherapie unterbrochen werden, wodurch sich die Tumorheilungschance deutlich reduziert. Trotz zahlreicher experimenteller und klinischer Ansätze konnte bisher kein allgemein gültiges Konzept zur Prophylaxe und Therapie der radiogenen Mucositis enoralis in der Klinik etabliert werden. Die Pathogenese der oralen Mukositis ist komplex. Sie wird durch eine Vielzahl von Faktoren beeinflusst, darunter verschiedene Signalkaskaden, wie die Rho- und Ras-vermittelte Signaltransduktion. Die vorliegende tierexperimentelle Arbeit untersuchte deshalb den Ein-fluss des 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoenzymA-Reduktase-Hemmers Lovastatin, welcher unter anderem die genannten Signalkaskaden modifiziert, auf die Reaktion der Mundschleimhaut auf fraktionierte Bestrahlung. Ergänzende histologische Untersuchungen sollen weitere Anhaltspunkte auf den Wirkmechanismus von Lovastatin geben. Alle Untersuchungen erfolgten am etablierten Tiermodell der Schleimhaut der Zungenunter-seite der Maus (Inzucht-Stamm C3H/Neu). Die Bestrahlung wurde als fraktionierte, perkutane Schnauzenbestrahlung (200 kV Röntgenstrahlung) mit wöchentlich 5x3 Gy über eine (Tag 0-4) bzw. zwei Wochen (Tag 0-4 und 7-11) durchgeführt. Das Bestrahlungsfeld war dabei so definiert, dass die gesamte Schnauze bis zu einer Ebene von den Augen bis zur Kehle, und damit die gesamte Zunge, eingeschlossen wurden. Daraus resultierte zunächst nur ein subklinischer Effekt an der Mundschleimhaut. Durch die lokale Testbestrahlung (25 kV Röntgen-strahlung) eines 3x3 mm² großen Feldes auf der Zungenunterseite wurde eine klinische Reaktion indiziert. Die lokale Bestrahlung erfolgte mit jeweils 5 gestaffelten Dosisgruppen (je-weils 10 Tiere zur Generierung vollständiger Dosis-Effekt-Kurven (Logit-Analyse). Als quantaler Endpunkt diente das Auftreten einer Ulzeration, entsprechend einer konfluenten Mukositis Grad 3 nach RTOG/EORTC-Klasifikation. Die Latenzzeit zwischen lokaler Bestrahlung und Diagnosestellung und die Dauer der Ulzeration bis zur Reepithelialisierung beschreiben den zeitlichen Verlauf der Veränderungen. Der Beschreibung des Dosiseffektes dienten die ED50-Werte (Dosis, bei der bei 50 % der Tiere eine Ulzeration innerhalb des Testfeldes zu erwarten ist) und deren Standardabweichung σ bzw. deren 95 %-Vertrauensbereiche. Für histologische Untersuchungen wurden an 16 aufeinander folgenden Tagen jeweils 3 Tiere einer Versuchsgruppe getötet. Als Kontrolle dienten 3 unbehandelte Tiere. Die Zungen wurden entnommen und mit Hämatoxylin und Eosin gefärbte Schnitte angefertigt. Anschließend erfolgte die lichtmikroskopische Auswertung von mindestens 2 mm Epithellänge pro Präparat, wobei die Zahl der kernhaltigen Zellen in der Funktions- und Germinativschicht sowie die Dicken der Germinativ-, Funktions- und Keratinschicht bestimmt wurden. Lovastatin (1A Pharma, Oberhaching) wurde in einer Dosierung von 16 mg/kg, entsprechend der empfohlenen Dosis beim Menschen, appliziert. Die Gabe des in destillierten Wasser suspendierten Medikamentes, erfolgte täglich per os über eine Schlundsonde. Bei fraktionierter Bestrahlung über 1 Woche erhielten die Versuchstiere Lovastatin von Tag -3 (bezogen auf den Tag der ersten Fraktion) bis Tag +7 oder bis zur Ausheilung der Ulzerationen. Bei fraktionierter Bestrahlung über 2 Wochen wurden 4 Behandlungszeiträume von Lovastatin getestet: Tag -3 bis +4, Tag +7 bis +14, Tag 0 bis +14 oder Tag 0 bis zur Heilung der Ulzeration. Für die histologischen Untersuchungen erfolgte eine fraktionierte Bestrahlung mit 10x3 Gy über 2 Wochen. An den Tagen 0-14 bzw. 7-14 wurde Lovastatin verabreicht. Als Kontrolle dienten die Versuchsgruppen, welche eine alleinige Bestrahlung bzw. Lovastatingabe erhielten. Zur Testung der Verträglichkeit des Medikamentes erhielten zunächst 5 Versuchstiere einmal täglich 16 mg/kg Lovastatin über einen Zeitraum von 25 Tagen. Dabei konnten keine wesentlichen unerwünschten Arzneimittelwirkungen beobachtet werden. Die alleinige Einzeitbestrahlung ergab einen ED50-Wert von 11,5±1,0 Gy mit einer signifikan-ten Dosisabhängigkeit der Ulkusfrequenz (p=0,0007). Die Latenzzeit war 12,2±0,5 Tage, die Ulkusdauer 3,1±0,6 Tage. Der ED50-Wert für die alleinige fraktionierte Bestrahlung über 1 Woche war 8,6±1,4 Gy (p=0,0002). Es wurden für die Latenzzeit 9,7±0,8 Tage und für die Ulkusdauer 5,4±1,1 Tage bestimmt. In beiden Versuchsprotokollen mit Lovastatingabe und fraktionierter Bestrahlung über eine Woche konnte eine signifikante Erhöhung der ED50-Werte gegenüber der alleinigen Fraktionierung festgestellt werden. Bei Medikamentengabe von Tag -3 bis +7 war die ED50 10,1±0,1 Gy, von Tag -3 bis zur Ausheilung 11,6±0,7 Gy. Die mittleren Latenzzeiten waren gegenüber der Kontrolle nicht signifikant verändert, es konnte jedoch in beiden Versuchsarmen eine Verkürzung der mittleren Ulkusdauer um ca. 2 Tage festgestellt werden. Für die Testbestrahlung nach alleiniger fraktionierter Bestrahlung über 2 Wochen ergab sich ein ED50-Wert von 7,9±1,3 Gy (p=0,0002). Für die Latenzzeit wurden 11,8±0,8 Tage und für die Ulkusdauer 4,5±1,0 Tage ermittelt. Die Gabe von Lovastatin führte in allen Behandlungs-protokollen zu einer signifikanten Erhöhung der ED50-Werte: Tag -3 bis +4: 12,7±0,9 Gy; Tag +7 bis +14: 11,6±0,9 Gy; Tag 0 bis 14: 14,3±1,2 Gy, Tag 0 bis Ausheilung der Ulzeration: 12,9±1,3 Gy. Ebenso wie bei fraktionierter Bestrahlung über eine Woche, konnte eine Verkürzung der Ulkusdauer um ca. 2 Tage festgestellt werden. Außerdem wurde eine Verkürzung der mittleren Latenzzeit von 2,4 Tagen (Medikamentengabe von Tag -3 bis +4) bis 4,1 Tagen (Tag 0 bis zur Ausheilung) gefunden. Bei fraktionierter Bestrahlung über 2 Wochen konnte für den gesamten Behandlungszeitraum eine gegenüber der unbehandelten Kontrolle reduzierte Gesamtzellzahl (Minimalwert Tag 4: 51%) festgestellt werden. Erst am Tag 16 wurde der Ausgangswert wieder erreicht. Demgegenüber ergab die alleinige Applikation von Lovastatin von Tag 0 bis 14 im Vergleich zur unbehandelten Kontrolle signifikant höhere Gesamtzellzahlen (Maximalwert Tag 9: 144% des Ausgangswertes). Bei fraktionierter Bestrahlung und Lovastatingabe konnten gegenüber der Kontrolle reduzierte, jedoch höhere Gesamtzellzahlen als bei alleiniger Fraktionierung festgestellt werden. Die Gesamtschichtdicken aller 4 Behandlungsprotokolle ergaben ähnliche Verläufe ohne signifikante Unterschiede. Zusammenfassend kann festgestellt werden, dass die Applikation von Lovastatin während fraktionierter Bestrahlung einen mukoprotektiven Effekt aufweist. In allen Behandlungsprotokollen war eine signifikante Erhöhung der isoeffektiven Dosen festgestellt werden. Dabei scheint der mukoprotektive Effekt umso größer zu sein, je länger die Behandlung mit Lovastatin andauerte. Lovastatin führte zu einer eindeutigen Akumulation der epithelialen Zellproliferation. Die exakten Wirkmechanismen der Mukoprotektion durch Statine sind jedoch bisher nicht geklärt und bedürfen weitergehender Untersuchungen. / The radiation response of oral mucosa is a frequent and dose-limiting side effect of radio(chemo)therapy of tumours in the head-and-neck region. Oral mucositis substantially im-pacts on the general condition and the quality of life of the patients. It necessitates treatment interruptions in a number of patients, with the consequence of a marked reduction of the tumour cure probability. Despite various experimental and clinical approaches, no general strategy for the prophylaxis or management of radiation-induced oral mucositis has so far been established in clinical routine. The pathogenesis of oral mucositis is complex and is influenced by a variety of factors, including miscellaneous signalling cascades, such as rho- and ras-dependent signal transduction. The present preclinical study in experimental animals was hence initiated to characterize the effect of the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoenzymeA-reductase inhibitor Lovastatin, which modulates the latter signalling chains, on the response of oral mucosa to fractionated irradiation. Accompanying histological studies were performed to illuminate the mechanism of action of Lovastatin. All investigations were performed in the mucosa of the lower surface of mouse tongue (C3H/Neu inbred strain) as an established animal model. Irradiation was administered as fractionated, percutaneous treatment of the entire snout of the animals (200 kV X-rays). The protocols comprised the application of 5x3 Gy/week over 1 week (days 0-4) or 2 weeks (days 0-4, 7-11). The treatment volume encompassed the snout of the animals to a plane from the eyes to the throat, thus including the entire tongue. With snout irradiation, only a subclinical mucosal effect was induced. Subsequent local test irradiation (25 kV X-rays) yielded a clinically manifest reaction within a 3x3 mm2 test area at the lower tongue surface. Local irradiation was performed in 5 graded dose groups with 10 animals each, in order to generate complete doseeffect curves (logit analyses). For this, mucosal ulceration, corresponding to confluent mucositis grade 3 according to the RTOG/EORTC classification, was analyzed as the quantal endpoint. The latent time between test irradiation and first ulcer diagnosis and the ulcer duration until reepithelialisation served as parameters of the time course of the radiation response. The dose effect was described by ED50 values (dose at which an ulceration within the test area is expected in 50 % of the animals) and their standard deviation  or their 95 % confidence intervals. For histological studies, 3 mice of each experimental group (see below) were sacrificed per day over a period of 16 days. Three untreated mice served as controls. The tongues were excised and the sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin. At least 2 mm epithelial length were examined by standard light microscopy, and the number of nucleated cells in the functional and germinal layers as well as the thickness of the individual epithelial layers was quantified. Lovastatin (1A Pharma, Oberhaching, Germany) was administered at a dose of 16 mg/kg, according to the recommended dose in patients. The drug was suspended in A. dest. and applied daily per os via gavage. With fractionated irradiation over 1 week, Lovastatin was administered from day -3 (before the first fraction) until day 7 or until clinical healing of all reactions. Fractionated irradiation over 2 weeks was combined with Lovastatin in 4 admini-stration intervals: day -3 to +4, day +7 to +11, day 0 to +14 or day 0 until clinical healing of all ulcerations. For the histological investigations, irradiation was applied with 10x3 Gy over 2 weeks. Lovastatin was administered on days 0-14 or 7-14, respectively. Groups that received either radiation alone or Lovastatin alone in similar protocols served as controls. To test for tolerability of the drug, 5 animals were treated daily with 16 mg/kg Lovastatin over 25 days. No adverse events were observed. Single dose irradiation alone resulted in an ED50 value of 11.5±1.0 Gy, with a significant dose dependence of ulcer frequency (p=0.0007). The latent time was 12.2±0.5 d, ulcer duration 3.1±0.6 d. The ED50 value for test irradiation after fractionated irradiation over 1 week was 8.6±1.4 Gy (p=0.0002). Latent time was 9.7±0.8 d, ulcer duration 5.4±1.1d. In both protocols with Lovas-tatin, a significant increase of the ED50 values was observed, with 10.1±0.1 Gy and 11.6±0.7 Gy for drug administration from day -3 to +7 and day -3 to ulcer healing, respectively. The mean latencies were not significantly different from the control. However, mean ulcer duration was shortened by ca. 2 d. For test irradiation after 2 weeks of fractionation alone, the ED50 was 7.9±1.3 Gy (p=0.0002). Mean latency was 11.8±0.8 d, mean ulcer duration 4.5±1.0 d. Lovastatin administration yielded a significant increase in ED50 values in all experimental protocols, with 12.7±0.9 Gy for day -3 to +4, 11.6±0.9 Gy for day +7 to +14, 14.3±1.2 Gy for day 0 to +14 and 12.9±1.3 Gy for day 0 until healing. Similar to one week of fractionation, a shortening of ulcer duration by ca. 2 d was found. Mean latencies were reduced by 2.4 days (drug administration day -3 to +4) to 4.1 days (day 0 to healing). Epithelial cell numbers were clearly reduced by fractionated irradiation (minimum day 4: 51 % of the control). Original values were not observed before day 16. In contrast, administration of Lovastatin alone significantly increased the total cell numbers in the epithelium (maximum day 9: 144 % of control). The combination of irradiation and Lovastatin resulted in total cell numbers that were reduced compared to the control, but markedly higher than with irradiation alone. No differences were found for epithelial thickness in comparison to irradiation alone. In conclusion, the administration of Lovastatin during fractionated irradiation showed a substantial mucoprotective effect. Isoeffective doses were significantly increased in all Lovastatin treatment arms. The longer the interval of drug administration was, the more pronounced was the effect. Lovastatin yielded a clear stimulation of epithelial cell proliferation. The detailed mechanisms of action of Lovastatin, however, remain unclear and require further investigation.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading single gene cause of intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is caused by epigenetic silencing of the fragile X mental retardation gene (FMR1), causing a loss of Fragile-X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). Over the last 2 decades, much has been learned about the pathophysiology related to the loss of FMRP from mouse models of FXS. The recent generation of a rat model of FXS opens the door to: validate phenotypes across mammalian species, address cognitive dysfunction using paradigms that are more difficult to address in mice and explore candidate therapeutics more accurately. This thesis explored the validity of a new rat model for FXS (Fmr1 KO rat). I showed that Fmr1 KO rats exhibit normal spatial navigation memory, social interactions and anxiety levels. On the contrary, when subjects were tested in a battery of spontaneous exploration tasks: object recognition (OR), object-context (OC), object-place (OP), and object-place-context (OPC) recognition, which assess associative memory, Fmr1 KO rats showed a severe deficit in remembering the most complex (episodic-like) associations. Following these results, I sought to explore the development of associative memory from postnatal day 25 (P25) to adulthood (P71). Subjects were tested in the four spontaneous exploration tasks, previously mentioned, 8 times between P25 and P71 to assess the development of their ability to discriminate novel from familiar associations between objects, contexts and places. Fmr1 KO rats’ ability to discriminate novel from familiar object-place (spatial) and object-place-context (episodic-like) associations was significantly impaired (OP was delayed, and OPC ability did not develop). In the last part of this thesis I examined whether early therapeutic intervention with lovastatin can restore the cognitive deficits I observed. Subjects were fed either a diet containing lovastatin (“lovachow”) or an identically looking control diet, between P29 and P64, and tested in the four spontaneous exploration tasks, previously mentioned. Fmr1 KO rats demonstrated a developmental profile of associative memory indistinguishable from that of WT animals. At P64, lovachow was replaced with standard laboratory chow and the animals were tested 1 and 3 months later. Surprisingly, lovastatin treated Fmr1 KO animals maintained the ability to perform the OPC task even at 3 months after the end of treatment, whereas Fmr1 KO animals on control chow showed no improvement with age. The findings of this work indicate that transgenic rats can complement existing mouse models of FXS, providing valuable insights into the effects of FMRP loss on cognitive function. Furthermore, the results from the treatment study show that not only can lovastatin treatment prevent the emergence of cognitive deficits associated with Fragile X Syndrome but also that lovastatin (and perhaps pharmaceutical interventions more generally) may prevent the developmental deficits in neuronal circuit formation which can be maintained into adulthood.

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) inhibitors, such as erlotinib/tarceva, have been introduced in the past decade as a promising therapeutic option in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), however, they lack significant efficacy as single agents. As a result, RTK inhibitors require a combination based therapeutic approach with other treatment modalities. To uncover such a combination of agents, we performed a high throughput Prestwick library screen that included 1200 compounds approved by the FDA on HNSCC cell lines and found that monensin, a coccidial antibiotic, synergistically enhanced the cytotoxicity of erlotinib. RT-PCR revealed that monensin induced the expression of Activation of Transcription Factor (ATF) 3 and its downstream target C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) which are key regulators of apoptosis. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis suggests that monensin augments erlotinib cytotoxicity by disturbing lipid and sterol biosynthesis. Therefore, identifying the mechanism of action exerted by monensin may open alternative avenues of cancer treatment.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2006. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / Os efeitos antiinflamatÃrio, hipoglicemiante e hipolipemiante da lovastatina foram avaliados sobre os modelos da peritonite e edema de pata induzidos por carragenina 1% e modelo de diabetes mellitus induzida por aloxano. A lovastatina reduziu o edema de pata, expresso em mL, induzido por carragenina 1% com as doses de 2, 5 e 10 mg/kg na 2 h (1,33  0,12; 1,03  0,19; 1,19  0,21; respectivamente), na 3 h (2,30  0,17; 1,76  0,23; 1,93  0,21) e 4 h (2,44  0,12; 1,85  0,21; 2,06  0,35) em comparaÃÃo ao grupo controle (1,83  0,21; 2,86  0,24 e 3,26  0,13). A indometacina (20 mg/kg), utilizada como droga de referÃncia, tambÃm reduziu o edema nas horas citadas (0,96  0,09; 1,28  0,23 e 1,36  0,17). A lovastatina reduziu a migraÃÃo de neutrÃfilos induzida pela carragenina nas doses de 2 mg/kg (16,0  2,1 x 103/mm3), 5 mg/kg (16,1  2,0 x 103/mm3) e 10 mg/kg (15,5  2,3 x 103/mm3) em comparaÃÃo ao grupo controle (58,7  10,5 x 103/mm3). A dexametasona (1mg/kg) utilizada como padrÃo apresentou resultado semelhante (14,3  3,5 x 103/mm3). Para avaliaÃÃo dos efeitos hipoglicemiante e hipolipemiante induziu-se o distÃrbio metabÃlico atravÃs da injeÃÃo de aloxano (40 mg/kg. i.v.) e utilizou-se diferentes esquemas de tratamento com lovastatina. Sobre o tratamento curativo a lovastatina reduziu a hiperglicemia causada pelo aloxano no quinto dia de tratamento com as doses de 2 mg/kg (reduÃÃo de 41,7%), 5 mg/ kg (43,3%), 10 mg/kg (45,3%) e 20 mg/kg (42,2%). O controle manteve a hiperglicemia (334,1  27,7; 335,5  24,1). Efeitos semelhantes foram encontrados sobre os nÃveis de triglicerÃdeos: 2 mg/kg (reduÃÃo de 70%), 5 mg/kg (55,4%) e 10 mg/kg (47,6%) e 20 mg/kg (31%); sobre os nÃveis de colesterol: 2 mg/kg (reduÃÃo de 33,6%), 5 mg/kg (36,7%), 10 mg/kg (35%) e 20 mg/kg (39,8%); Sobre a AST: 2 mg/kg (reduÃÃo de 36%), 5 mg/kg (45%), 10 mg/kg (43%) e 20 mg/kg (37,8%). Sobre a ALT somente a dose de 20 mg/kg mostrou reduÃÃo (38,9%). Foi realizado um tratamento preventivo onde ratos foram previamente tratados por 5 dias com lovastatina 2mg/kg e em seguida induziu-se o diabetes. A lovastatina preveniu o aparecimento da hiperglicemia (170,7  28,2 mg/dL) em comparaÃÃo ao controle (312,4  22,0). O mesmo ocorreu em relaÃÃo aos triglicerÃdeos (252,8  46,7 e 461,3  34,7; LOV e veÃculo, respectivamente) e colesterol (112,4  9,7 e 191,6  18,9), contudo nÃo houve diferenÃa entre os grupos em relaÃÃo à AST (34,4  1,3 e 35,7  2,1 UI/L) e ALT (44,2  1,1 e 43,9  1,2 UI/L). TambÃm foi realizado um tratamento sub-crÃnico por 23 dias com lovastatina apÃs a induÃÃo do diabetes. Os parÃmetros foram analisados no dia 0, dia 5 e dia 23. Sobre a glicemia as doses de 2 mg/kg (309,2  30,5; 172,0  38,0 e 176,7  33,1) e 5 mg/kg (346,3  21,5; 226,7  25,8 e 125,8  20,4) mostraram reduÃÃo em comparaÃÃo ao controle (373,0  47,5; 347,5  26,2 e 338,6  25,3). O mesmo ocorreu com os triglicerÃdeos: 2 mg/kg (373,1  97,6; 67,0  48,4 e 179,8  40,3), 5 mg/kg (606,9  102,0; 195,2  30,5 e 56,1  10,0) e controle (573,0  27,2; 485,7  54,2 e 459,7  33,7); colesterol: 2 mg/kg (108,0  8,4; 74,0  5,8 e 73,4  5,1), 5 mg/kg (117,5  7,2; 75,9  4,9 e 74,3  6,4) e controle (130,0  6,3; 121,8  4,9 e 116,4  7,8). O tratamento mostrou efeito somente sobre a AST: 2 mg/kg (30,4  2,3; 38,4  3,4 e 29,4  1,1), 5 mg/kg (38,7  7,7; 46,7  3,5 e 32,5  5,5) e controle (41,8  1,8; 40,9  6,3 e 69,6  2,4). A associaÃÃo da lovastatina (2 mg/kg) com glibenclamida (5 mg/kg) nÃo potencializou o efeito de ambas as drogas sozinhas na reduÃÃo da glicemia no quinto dia de tratamento: LOV 2 (reduÃÃo de 64,5%), GLIB 5 (78%) e LOV + GLIB (77,6%). Resultado semelhante foi obtido na associaÃÃo com metformina (50 mg/kg): LOV 2 (reduÃÃo de 64,5%), METF 50 (72%) e LOV + METF (75%). Os resultados encontrados demonstram que a aÃÃo antiinflamatÃria da lovastatina à um importante efeito paralelo, principalmente na prevenÃÃo e tratamento dos distÃrbios inflamatÃrios vasculares associados com aterosclerose e diabetes. AlÃm disso, o efeito hipoglicemiante mostrado pela droga parece ser independente dos seus efeitos hipolipemiantes, demonstrando uma possÃvel aÃÃo auxiliar no tratamento de indivÃduos diabÃticos. / The anti-inflammatory, hypoglicemic and hypolipidemic effects of lovastatin were evaluated on animal models of carrageenan-induced peritonitis and paw edema and alloxan induced diabetes. Lovastatin reduced the paw edema, mL, induced by carrageenan at the doses of 2, 5 and 10 mg/kg during the period of measures: 2nd h (1,33  0,12; 1,03  0,19; 1,19  0,21; respectively), 3rd h (2,30  0,17; 1,76  0,23; 1,93  0,21) and 4th h (2,44  0,12; 1,85  0,21; 2,06  0,35) when compared to control group (1,83  0,21; 2,86  0,24 e 3,26  0,13). Indometacin used as reference drug also reduced the edema (0,96  0,09; 1,28  0,23 e 1,36  0,17). Lovastatin reduced carrageenan-induced neutrophil migration at the doses of 2 mg/kg (16,0  2,1 x 103/mm3), 5 mg/kg (16,1  2,0 x 103/mm3) e 10 mg/kg (15,5  2,3 x 103/mm3) when compared to control group (58,7  10,5 x 103/mm3). Dexametasone used as reference drug showed similar results (14,3  3,5 x 103/mm3). To evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects a metabolic disorder was induced by injection of alloxan (40 mg/kg, i.v.) and different treatments schedules with lovastatin were used. On curative treatment, lovastatin reduced the alloxan induced-hyperglycemia, mg/dL on the fifth day of treatment at the doses of 2 mg/kg (reduction de 41,7%), 5 mg/ kg (43,3%), 10 mg/kg (45,3%) and 20 mg/kg (42,2%). Control group keep the level of hyperglycemia (334,1  27,7; 335,5  24,1). Similar results were found above triglycerides levels : 2 mg/kg (reduction of 70%), 5 mg/kg (55,4%), 10 mg/kg (47,6%) and 20 mg/kg (31%); Over cholesterol levels: 2 mg/kg (reduction of 33,6%), 5 mg/kg (36,7%), 10 mg/kg (35%) and 20 mg/kg (39,8%); Over AST levels: 2 mg/kg (reduction of 36%), 5 mg/kg (45%), 10 mg/kg (43%) and 20 mg/kg (37,8%). Over ALT levels only the dose of 20 mg/kg showed reduction (38,9%). A five-day preventive treatment with lovastatin (2 mg/kg) was carried out before the diabetes induction. Lovastatin prevent the hyperglycemia (170,7  28,2 mg/dL) when compared to control (312,4  22,0). The same happened to triglycerides 252,8  46,7 e 461,3  34,7, LOV e control, respectively) and cholesterol (112,4  9,7 e 191,6  18,9), however no difference between the groups were found when analyzing AST (34,4  1,3 e 35,7  2,1 UI/L) and ALT (44,2  1,1 e 43,9  1,2 UI/L). Also a subchronic treatment with lovastatin was undertaken. The parameters were evaluated at the day 0, day 5 and day 23. On glycemia lovastatin at the doses of 2 mg/kg (309,2  30,5; 172,0  38,0 e 176,7  33,1) and 5 mg/kg (346,3  21,5; 226,7  25,8 e 125,8  20,4) showed reduction when compared to control group (373,0  47,5; 347,5  26,2 e 338,6  25,3). The same occured with triglycerides: 2 mg/kg (373,1  97,6; 67,0  48,4 e 179,8  40,3), 5 mg/kg (606,9  102,0; 195,2  30,5 e 56,1  10,0) and control (573,0  27,2; 485,7  54,2 e 459,7  33,7); Cholesterol: 2 mg/kg (108,0  8,4; 74,0  5,8 e 73,4  5,1), 5 mg/kg (117,5  7,2; 75,9  4,9 e 74,3  6,4) and control (130,0  6,3; 121,8  4,9 e 116,4  7,8). The treatment showed effect only over AST levels: 2 mg/kg (30,4  2,3; 38,4  3,4 e 29,4  1,1), 5 mg/kg (38,7  7,7; 46,7  3,5 e 32,5  5,5) and control (41,8  1,8; 40,9  6,3 e 69,6  2,4). The association of lovastatin (2 mg/kg) and glybenclamide (5 mg/kg) did not enhance the effects of both drugs alone on glucose levels at the day 5 of treatment: LOV 2 (reduction of 64,5%), GLIB 5 (78%) e LOV + GLIB (77,6%). A similar effect was found when lovastatin was associated to metformin (50 mg/kg): LOV 2 (reduction of 64,5%), METF 50 (72%) e LOV + METF (75%). The results found show that the anti-inflammatory effect of lovastatin is an important parallel action, especially to prevent and treat vascular inflammatory disorders associated to atherosclerosis and diabetes. Besides that, the hypoglycemic effect of the drug seems to be independent of its hypolipidemic actions, suggesting an auxiliary action to treat diabetic patients.

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) inhibitors, such as erlotinib/tarceva, have been introduced in the past decade as a promising therapeutic option in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), however, they lack significant efficacy as single agents. As a result, RTK inhibitors require a combination based therapeutic approach with other treatment modalities. To uncover such a combination of agents, we performed a high throughput Prestwick library screen that included 1200 compounds approved by the FDA on HNSCC cell lines and found that monensin, a coccidial antibiotic, synergistically enhanced the cytotoxicity of erlotinib. RT-PCR revealed that monensin induced the expression of Activation of Transcription Factor (ATF) 3 and its downstream target C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) which are key regulators of apoptosis. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis suggests that monensin augments erlotinib cytotoxicity by disturbing lipid and sterol biosynthesis. Therefore, identifying the mechanism of action exerted by monensin may open alternative avenues of cancer treatment.

A middle-aged man presented with joint pain and muscle weakness that had begun 2 months before presentation. Three months before presentation, he had begun to take the herbal preparation Chinese red rice. Laboratory testing revealed a moderately elevated creatine phosphokinase level. Symptoms and laboratory abnormalities resolved with discontinuation of the Chinese red rice. Eight months later, he resumed the product and his creatine phosphokinase level rose again. Lovastatin is a naturally occurring component of Chinese red rice and was the probable cause of his myopathy.

No description available.