Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004134 (ataxia)
 15,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Various nitrogen analogs of delta6a,10a-tetrahydrocannabinol were synthesized by a general procedure described in an earlier communication. Minimum effective doses (MED50's) and lethal doses (LD50's) were determined by a modified Irwin mouse screen after iv administration of compounds in PEG 200. The most potent compounds were the propargyl (5t), allyl (5m), and chloroallyl (5o-q) derivatives. Overt behavioral effects (CNS depression, static ataxia, and hypersensitivity) of 5t and Roger Adams' carbocyclic analog (III) were found to be similar in the mouse, cat, dog, and monkey. Dichloroisoproterenol prevented and reversed many of the depressant effects of both III and 5t but had no effect on the ataxia produced by these compounds. In antinociceptive tests, 5t was active in the phenylquinone and Eddy hot-plate tests but was inactive in the tail-flick test.
 ...
PMID:Drugs derived from cannabinoids. 1. Nitrogen analogs, benzopyranopyridines and benzopyranopyrroles. 81 19

Studies were performed on the light and electron microscopic structures of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal nerve roots of the 4th lumbar nerve obtained by autopsy from a 49-year-old man with unusual familial ataxia, who showed varied neurological manifestations such as progressive ataxia, action tremors, pyramidal tract signs, mild deep sensory disturbances and autonomic dysfunctions during a 30-year period of illness, and had 2 siblings, one male and female, similarly affected and close consanguineous marriages in his family. On laboratory examinations, blood chemistry disclosed no significant findings. Repeated spinal taps showed constant xanthochromia and elevated protein in the cerebrospinal fluids. A PEG and cranial CTs revealed a progressive brain atrophy. NCVs and EMGs in the extremities were within normal limits. There was no chromosomal abnormality. Light microscopically, intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions (IEIs) with pale rim, which showed varied sizes and rounded shapes, occurred within neurons in the DRG, particularly in small neurons. Many of the small neurons had numerous IEIs, and several rounded granules with a high degree of eosinophilia, measuring below 5 microns in diameter. Generally the small neurons showed atrophic, while most large neurons showed no remarkable change although they had a small number of IEIs and granules located in the perikaryal periphery. Most satellite cells, and some Schwann cells in the DRG, ventral and dorsal roots had IEIs similar to those seen in the neurons. No IEIs occurred intraaxonally, and there was seen no degenerative process in the DRG and roots except a connective tissue fiber proliferation in the DRG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:[Intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions in dorsal root ganglia and spinal nerve roots from an autopsy case of unusual familial ataxia with cerebrospinal fluid abnormality]. 255 64

Valspodar, a P-glycoprotein modulator, affects pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin when administered in combination, resulting in doxorubicin dose reduction. In animal models, valspodar has minimal interaction with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PEG-LD). To determine any pharmacokinetic interaction in humans, we designed a study to determine maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and pharmacokinetics of total doxorubicin, in PEG-LD and valspodar combination therapy in patients with advanced malignancies. Patients received PEG-LD 20-25 mg m(-2) intravenously over 1 h for cycle one. In subsequent 2-week cycles, valspodar was administered as 72 h continuous intravenous infusion with PEG-LD beginning at 8 mg m(-2) and escalated in an accelerated titration design to 25 mg m(-2). Pharmacokinetic data were collected with and without valspodar. A total of 14 patients completed at least two cycles of therapy. No DLTs were observed in six patients treated at the highest level of PEG-LD 25 mg m(-2). The most common toxicities were fatigue, nausea, vomiting, mucositis, palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia, diarrhoea, and ataxia. Partial responses were observed in patients with breast and ovarian carcinoma. The mean (range) total doxorubicin clearance decreased from 27 (10-73) ml h(-1) m(-2) in cycle 1 to 18 (3-37) ml h(-1) m(-2) with the addition of valspodar in cycle 2 (P=0.009). Treatment with PEG-LD 25 mg m(-2) in combination with valspodar results in a moderate prolongation of total doxorubicin clearance and half-life but did not increase the toxicity of this agent.
 ...
PMID:Phase I study of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and the multidrug-resistance modulator, valspodar. 1594 26

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is a rare syndrome associated with systemic malignancies, most in lung and ovarian cancer. Cerebellar ataxia has previously been associated with the presence of anti-Purkinje cell antibodies (anti-Yo) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid and responses to therapy are uncommon. We reported two patients were identified with delayed onset of PCD associated with high titer of CSF anti-Yo (1:30,000, 1:320 U/ml) and a marked elevation of tumor markers for ovarian cancer (CA-125 17,700 ng/ml, 43 ng/ml) titer 1 year and 6 months prior to discovery of the carcinoma. Both developed subacute onset of severe ataxia, dysarthria, tremor, nystagmus with progression to severe debilitation (wheelchair bound or bedridden status). One of these patients also developed dysphagia that required PEG tube feeding. They were treated with six cycles of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) 0.4 gm/kg/day x 5 days, every 4-6 weeks in conjunction with combination chemotherapy of Taxol and Carboplatin after the surgical resection of ovarian cancer. In each case, a significant improvement of neurological deficits were seen after the third cycle of IVIG, approximately 4 months after initiation of treatment. This type of delayed response is contrary to the previous reports. Both patients could ambulate without assistance in correlation with dramatic decrease in anti-Yo titer (1:80, 1:320 U/ml) and CA-125 (11 ng/ml, 8 ng/ml). This is a first report of benefit from IVIG in patients with late onset of PCD, which showed a delayed response with significant neurological improvement.
 ...
PMID:Neurologic improvement after high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration associated with anti-Purkinje cell antibody. 1677 14

Repeated oral administration of mexazolam, an anti-anxiety agent, may cause adverse effects such as gastric disturbance, drowsiness, and ataxia due to transiently high blood levels. Transdermal administration would avoid the systemic side effects and gastric disorders after oral administration. We have developed a matrix using ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), a heat-processible and flexible material, for transdermal delivery of mexazolam. Drug solubility was highest at 40% PEG-400 volume fraction. The release and permeation profiles through the rat skin were determined for 24 h using a modified Keshary-Chien diffusion cell. The drug release was increased by increasing the concentration with a linear relationship between the release rate and the square root of loading dose. Increasing temperature increased drug release from the EVA matrix. The activation energy (Ea), which was measured from a slope of log P versus 1000/T plot, was 8.64 Kcal/mol for a 1.5% loading dose. To reduce the brittleness and increase the pore of the EVA matrix, diffrent plasticizers were used. Among the plasticizers, including the citrates or the phthalate groups, diethyl phthalate showed the highest effect on the release of mexazolam. To increase the skin permeation of mexazolam from the EVA matrix, enhancers such as the fatty acids, the pyrrolidones, the propylene glycol derivatives, the glycerides, and the non-ionic surfactants were added to the EVA matrix, respectively, and skin permeation was evaluated using a modified Keshary-Chien diffusion cell fitted with intact excised rat skin. Among the several enhancers used, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone showed the best enhancement factor. In conclusion, enhanced transdermal delivery of mexazolam through an EVA matrix containing plasticizer and a permeation enhancer could be useful in the development of a transdermal drug delivery system.
...
PMID:Enhanced Controlled Transdermal Delivery of Mexazolam Using Ethylene-vinyl Acetate. 2531 80