Therapeutic Uses of

Galen, a physician whose views outUved him by about a thousand years, died about 200 AD. He beUeved that mercurials were toxic, and did not use any mercury compound therapeutically. However, as a result of Arabian influence, the therapeutic uses of mercury were slowly recognized by Western Europe. In the thirteenth century mercury ointments were prescribed for treating chronic diseases of the skin. Mercury and its compounds, such as mercurous chloride, mercuric oxide, mercuric chloride, and mercuric sulfide, were used widely from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, and to some extent in the twentieth century. During the first half of the twentieth century, the primary therapeutic uses of mercury included bactericidal preparations, such as mercuric chloride, mercuric oxycyanide, and mercuric oxide and diuretics, such as aryl HgX (Novasural) and mercurated ahyl derivatives (14). 

Lack of favorable ADME properties (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination) can preclude therapeutic use of an otherwise active molecule. The clinical pharmacokinetic parameters of clearance, half-life, volume of distribution, and bioavailability can be used to characterize ADME properties. 

Neurotensin/Neuromedin N. Table 1 Structures and and potential therapeutical uses of NT receptor ligands... 

In addition to the alleviation of symptoms, the therapeutic use of these drugs results in some side effects. Often, depending on the setup of treatment, flulike symptoms such as shivering, fever, aching muscles,... 

Busto U, Sellers EM, Naranjo CA, et al Withdrawal reaction after long-term therapeutic use of benzodiazepines. N Engl] Med 315 854-859, 1986a... 

Recent studies on the therapeutic uses of toxins have demonstrated also that ... 

Basset, C. A., Therapeutic use of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs), critical reviews, Biomed. Eng., 17, 451 (1989). 

An understanding of the role of toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics in the manifestation of hazard is fundamental to designing safer chemicals and can guide early design choices. Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics use the same principles to study toxicological phenomena as those that are used to study the therapeutic use of chemicals as medicines. Toxicokinetics is concerned with the time course of action of chemicals that involves the disposition of a chemical affected by absorption, distribution, metabohsm and excretion commonly referred to by the acronym ADME. 

Free-radical generation occurs normally in the human body, and rates of free-radical generation are probably increased in most diseases (see Table 13.1). Their importance as a mechanism of tissue injury is still uncertain, largely because the assays used to measure them have, until recently, been primitive. The development of new assays applicable to humans (such as the assays of oxidative DNA damage described above) should allow rapid evaluation of the role of free radicals in disease pathology and provide a logical basis for the therapeutic use of antioxidants. A rationale is presented in Fig. 13.3. Attempts to use antioxidants in the treatment of human disease can be divided into three main areas ... 

Recent controversy about the recreational abuse and potential therapeutic use of designer drugs has focused attention on MDA (methylenedioxyampheta-mine HCl) and structurally related phenylisopropylamine compounds, including MDMA istructural analogs of the psychomotor stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline, and produce stimulant and/or hallucinogenic effects (Shulgin 1978). 

Other therapeutic uses of cannabinoid agonists have been reported. The potential of cannabinoids as a treatment for asthma is supported experimentally. A CBi agonist, (i )-methanandamide (21), inhibited nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in vivo [251]. The antipruritic effect of cannabinoids has been reported, the action being mediated by both CBi and CB2 pathways [252]. Treatment with cannabis extract improved urinary tract symptoms of multiple sclerosis patients significantly in an open-label pilot study [253]. 

Use antipyretics and cooling blanket where necessary ° Therapeutic use of hypothermia is currently not recommended... 

Because disturbances in fluid balance are routinely encountered in clinical medicine, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of body fluid compartments and the therapeutic use of fluids. Similarly, disturbances in serum sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are ubiquitous and must be mastered by all clinicians. Dysregulation of fluid and/or electrolyte status has serious implications regarding the concepts of drug absorption, volumes of distribution, and toxicity. Similarly, many medications can disrupt fluid and/or electrolyte balance as an unintended consequence. 

Figure 4A shows the assembled components of a pMDI in operation. The therapeutic usefulness of this device stems from the accurate metering of small doses of drug, which is achieved by a small but complex metering valve. The components of a metering valve are shown in Fig. 4B. 

Robbers JE, Tyler VE. Herbs of Choice The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York Haworth Press, Inc., 1999. 

The therapeutic use of these agents is in control of cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, and in essential and renovascular hypertension. The various ancillary activities lead to side effects and much... 

Hirst RA, Lambert DG and Notcutt WG (1998). Pharmacology and potential therapeutic uses of cannabis. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 81, 77-84. 

Kumar RN, Chambers WA and Pertwee RG (2001). Pharmacological actions and therapeutic uses of cannabis and cannabinoids. Anaesthesia, 56, 1059-1068. 

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