1.Plant-derived anticancer agents: A green anticancer approach
Iqbal JAVED ; Abbasi Ahsan BANZEER ; Mahmood TARIQ ; Kanwal SOBIA ; Ali BARKAT ; Shah Afzal SAYED ; Khalil Talha ALI
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2017;7(12):1129-1150
Cancer is a frightful disease and represents one of the biggest health-care issues for the human race and demands a proactive strategy for cure.Plants are reservoirs for novel chemical entities and provide a promising line for research on cancer.Hitherto,being effective,chemotherapy is accompanied by certain unbearable side effects.Nevertheless,plants and plant derived products is a revolutionizing field as these are Simple,safer,ecofriendly,low-cost,fast,and less toxic as compared with conventional treatment methods.Phytochemicals are selective in their functions and acts specifically on tumor cells without affecting normal cells.Carcinogenesis is complex phenomena that involves many signaling cascades.Phytochemicals are considered suitable candidates for anticancer drug development due to their pleiotropic actions on target events with multiple manners.The research is in progress for developing potential candidates (those can block or slow down the growth of cancer cells without any side effects) from these phytochemicals.Many phytochemicals and their derived analogs have been identified as potential candidates for anticancer therapy.Effort has been made through this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved in cancer therapies using phytomolecules with their mechanism of action on nuclear and cellular factors.Furthermore,drags for cancer treatment and their limitations have also been discussed.
2.Prescription Patterns for Bipolar Disorder in Asian Countries:Findings from Research on Asian Prescription Pattern-Bipolar Disorder
Shih-Ku LIN ; Shu-Yu YANG ; Seon-Cheol PARK ; Ok-Jin JANG ; Xiaomin ZHU ; Yu-Tao XIANG ; Wen-Chen OUYANG ; Afzal JAVED ; M. Nasar SAYEED KHAN ; Sandeep GROVER ; Ajit AVASTHI ; Roy Abraham KALLIVAYALIL ; Kok Yoon CHEE ; Norliza CHEMI ; Takahiro A. KATO ; Kohei HAYAKAWA ; Pornjira PARIWATCHARAKUL ; Margarita MARAMIS ; Lakmi SENEVIRATNE ; Sim KANG ; Wai Kwong TANG ; Tin OO ; Norman SARTORIUS ; Chay-Hoon TAN ; Mian-Yoon CHONG ; Yong Chon PARK ; Naotaka SHINFUKU
Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 2022;20(1):61-69
Objective:
Pharmacotherapy including mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are frequently used in bipolar disorder (BD); however, the lack of consensus regarding the definition of polypharmacy hinders conducting comparative studies across different settings and countries. Research on Asian Prescription Pattern (REAP) is the largest and the longest lasting international collaborative research in psychiatry in Asia. The objective of REAP BD was to investigate the prescription patterns of psychotropic medications across Asian countries. The rates of polypharmacy and psychotropic drug load were also analyzed.
Methods:
The data collection was web-based. Prescription patterns were categorized as (1) mood stabilizer monotherapy: one mood stabilizer; (2) antipsychotic monotherapy: one antipsychotic; (3) simple polypharmacy: one mood stabilizer and one antipsychotic; and (4) complex polypharmacy: ≥ 2 mood stabilizers or/and antipsychotics. The psychotropic drug load in each patient was calculated using the defined daily dose method.
Results:
Among 2003 patients with BD (52.1% female, 42.4 years) from 12 countries, 1,619 (80.8%) patients received mood stabilizers, 1,644 (82.14%) received antipsychotics, and 424 (21.2%) received antidepressants, with 14.7% mood stabilizer monotherapy, 13.4% antipsychotic monotherapy, 48.9% simple polypharmacy, 20.3% complex polypharmacy, and 2.6% other therapy. The average psychotropic drug load was 2.05 ± 1.40. Results varied widely between countries.
Conclusion
Over 70% of psychotropic regimens involved polypharmacy, which accords with the high prevalence of polypharmacy in BD under a permissive criterion (2 or more core psychotropic drugs) worldwide. Notably, ≥ 80% of our sample received antipsychotics, which may indicate an increasing trend in antipsychotic use for BD treatment.
3.A Call for a Rational Polypharmacy Policy: International Insights From Psychiatrists
Yukako NAKAGAMI ; Kohei HAYAKAWA ; Toru HORINOUCHI ; Victor PEREIRA-SANCHEZ ; Marcus P.J. TAN ; Seon-Cheol PARK ; Yong Chon PARK ; Seok Woo MOON ; Tae Young CHOI ; Ajit AVASTHI ; Sandeep GROVER ; Roy Abraham KALLIVAYALIL ; Yugesh RAI ; Mohammadreza SHALBAFAN ; Pavita CHONGSUKSIRI ; Pichet UDOMRATN ; Samudra T. KATHRIARACHCHI ; Yu-Tao XIANG ; Kang SIM ; Afzal JAVED ; Mian-Yoon CHONG ; Chay-Hoon TAN ; Shih-Ku LIN ; Toshiya INADA ; Toshiya MURAI ; Shigenobu KANBA ; Norman SARTORIUS ; Naotaka SHINFUKU ; Takahiro A. KATO
Psychiatry Investigation 2021;18(11):1058-1067
Objective:
Recently, rational polypharmacy approaches have been proposed, regardless of the lower risk and cost of monotherapy. Considering monotherapy as first-line treatment and polypharmacy as rational treatment, a balanced attitude toward polypharmacy is recommended. However, the high prevalence of polypharmacy led the Japanese government to establish a polypharmacy reduction policy. Based on this, the association between the policy and psychiatrists’ attitude toward polypharmacy has been under debate.
Methods:
We developed an original questionnaire about Psychiatrists’ attitudes toward polypharmacy (PAP). We compared the PAP scores with the treatment decision-making in clinical case vignettes. Multiple regression analyses were performed to quantify associations of explanatory variables including policy factors and PAP scores. The anonymous questionnaires were administered to psychiatrists worldwide.
Results:
The study included 347 psychiatrists from 34 countries. Decision-making toward polypharmacy was associated with high PAP scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that low PAP scores were associated with the policy factor (β=-0.20, p=0.004). The culture in Korea was associated with high PAP scores (β=0.34, p<0.001), whereas the culture in India and Nepal were associated with low scores (β=-0.15, p=0.01, and β=-0.17, p=0.006, respectively).
Conclusion
Policy on polypharmacy may influence psychiatrists’ decision-making. Thus, policies considering rational polypharmacy should be established.
4.Thoracic impalement injury: A survivor with large metallic object in-situ.
Randhawa MUHAMMAD AFZAL ; Muhammad ARMUGHAN ; Muhammad Waqas JAVED ; Usman Ali RIZVI ; Sajida NASEEM
Chinese Journal of Traumatology 2018;21(6):369-372
Impalement injuries, is a severe form of trauma, which are not common in civilian life. These injuries rarely occurs in major accidents. Abdomen, chest, limbs and perineum are often involved due to their large surface area. Thoracic impalement injury is usually a fatal injury, due to location of major vessels and heart in the thoracic cavity. These injuries are horrifying to site, but the patients who are lucky enough to make it to hospital, usually survive. Chances of survival are larger in right sided impalement injuries while central injuries are always died at the scene. Our patient, 25 years old male, was brought to the emergency room (ER) with large impaled metallic bar (about 2.5 feet long) in situ, in right sided chest. The patient was immediately shifted to operation room (OR) and was operated, his recovery was uneventful without any sequelae. Such patients should be treated and resuscitated according to advanced trauma life support (ATLS) protocols and operated without any delay for further investigations. Such operations are carried out by the most experienced surgeon team available. The impaled objects should not be processed if not necessary to avoid major hemorrhage and damage to vital structures, until the patient is in operation room. Large size and unusual position of impaled objects, makes the job difficult for surgeons/anesthetists. Although horrifying at scene, patients with thoracic impalement injuries are mostly young and healthy, and those who survive the pre-hospital phase are potentially manageable with proper resuscitation. Usually these patients make recovery without any further complications.
Accidents, Traffic
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Adult
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Advanced Trauma Life Support Care
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Foreign Bodies
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surgery
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Humans
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Male
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Metals
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Resuscitation
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Survivors
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Thoracic Injuries
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surgery
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Thoracic Surgical Procedures
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methods
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Thorax
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Treatment Outcome
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Wounds, Penetrating
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surgery
5. Plant-derived anticancer agents: A green anticancer approach
Javed IQBAL ; Banzeer Ahsan ABBASI ; Tariq MAHMOOD ; Barkat ALI ; Sayed Afzal SHAH ; Sobia KANWAL ; Ali Talha KHALIL ; Ali Talha KHALIL ; Ali Talha KHALIL
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2017;7(12):1129-1150
Cancer is a frightful disease and represents one of the biggest health-care issues for the human race and demands a proactive strategy for cure. Plants are reservoirs for novel chemical entities and provide a promising line for research on cancer. Hitherto, being effective, chemotherapy is accompanied by certain unbearable side effects. Nevertheless, plants and plant derived products is a revolutionizing field as these are Simple, safer, eco-friendly, low-cost, fast, and less toxic as compared with conventional treatment methods. Phytochemicals are selective in their functions and acts specifically on tumor cells without affecting normal cells. Carcinogenesis is complex phenomena that involves many signaling cascades. Phytochemicals are considered suitable candidates for anticancer drug development due to their pleiotropic actions on target events with multiple manners. The research is in progress for developing potential candidates (those can block or slow down the growth of cancer cells without any side effects) from these phytochemicals. Many phytochemicals and their derived analogs have been identified as potential candidates for anticancer therapy. Effort has been made through this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved in cancer therapies using phytomolecules with their mechanism of action on nuclear and cellular factors. Furthermore, drugs for cancer treatment and their limitations have also been discussed.
6. Role of dietary phytochemicals in modulation of miRNA expression: Natural swords combating breast cancer
Banzeer Ahsan ABBASI ; Javed IQBAL ; Tariq MAHMOOD ; Barkat ALI ; Sayed Afzal SHAH ; Ali Talha KHALIL ; Ali Talha KHALIL ; Ali Talha KHALIL ; Sobia KANWAL ; Riaz AHMAD
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2018;11(9):501-509
The National Cancer Institute had projected breast cancer (BC) as one of the topmost prevalent malignancies around the globe. In many cases, BC becomes resistant to chemotherapy, radiation and hormonal therapies. Traditional BC therapies are associated with adverse side effects, drug resistance and recurrence. Extensive research work has shown that these dietary phytochemicals (DPs) may exert therapeutic effects by regulating the miRNA expression. A large number of DPs have been researched as miRNA regulatory agents against BC and some other DPs have not yet been tested against BC. We have discussed the effects of curcumin, diallyl disulphide, 3,3′ diindolylmethane, ellagic acid, genistein, indole-3-carbinol, quercetin, resveratrol, and sulforaphane on regulation of expression of BC miRNAs in a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models. We have also shown some of the possible DPs (Oleanolic acid, capsaicin, benzyl isothiocyanate, epigallocatechin gallate, phenethyl isothiocyanate and ursolic acid) that have shown miRNA regulatory activities and have not yet been tested against BC miRNAs. Finally, current limitations, challenges, future perspectives of DPs and BC research are also critically discussed.