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Biomedical subjects

M Moscucci

Publications and source records attributed to M Moscucci.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Brief footshock analgesia: long-lasting enhancement induced by cathinone, an amphetamine-like agent.

In view of the analgesic effects produced by cathinone (CATH), an amphetamine-like agent, and of the interaction of amphetamines with stressful environmental stimuli, the present study evaluated in rats the influence of CATH on the nonopioid analgesia induced by a brief electric footshock (FSA; 3 min of continuous 2.5 mA current). The influence of this combination on body temperature was also evaluated. CATH (5 mg/kg, i.p.) alone induced a brief and slight increase in latency during the hot plate test (HPT), but enhanced and prolonged the analgesic effect induced by FS. In addition, the presentation of the environment (shock box with unelectrified grid) where other rats received FS, caused CATH to induce a slow-rising analgesic effect for 180 min. A hyperthermic response paralleling the analgesic effect was observed in shocked and nonshocked rats receiving CATH. After 24 h, rats that had received both CATH and FS on the previous day showed prolonged latencies on the HPT before and after a 1-min presentation of unelectrified grid. These animals also showed an increased analgesic response to the subsequent application of a 15-second FS. At the same time no differences in body temperature were observed between treatment groups. These results suggest that CATH can interact with environmental stimuli to induce an analgesic effect, the time-course of which depends upon the intensity of the stimulus applied.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1987

Blinding, unblinding, and the placebo effect: an analysis of patients' guesses of treatment assignment in a double-blind clinical trial.

We administered a questionnaire to assess maintenance of patients' blindness at the end of a double-blind clinical trial of Osmotic Release Oral System phenylpropanolamine (PPA) vs. placebo in mild obesity. Seventy-four percent of placebo participants and 43% of PPA participants guessed their treatment correctly. Appetite control was the most frequently reported basis for guessing PPA, even by placebo participants. Lack of adverse drug reactions was the most frequently reported basis for guessing placebo, even by PPA participants. Participants receiving either PPA or placebo and guessing PPA lost more weight, had less diet difficulty, and had more adverse drug reactions than had participants receiving either PPA or placebo and guessing placebo. Although blindness was probably maintained in the PPA group, the placebo group seems to have been, at least at the study's end, unblinded. These results suggest that in double-blind studies, differences in outcome or incidence of adverse drug reactions may act as unblinding factors.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1986

Taste preference for cough syrups: a comparative study of three codeine-containing medications.

Unpleasant taste is a common feature of cough syrups, particularly those containing codeine. An antitussive compound of codeine sulfate and chlorpheniramine maleate was formulated in a coated drug-resin complex, which prevents release of the active ingredients until they reach the stomach and small intestine. Thus patients do not taste the bitterness of the codeine. A three-way crossover taste test was conducted in 175 volunteers who tasted each of three cough syrups in random sequence, rated the taste of each, and ranked their preferences. The cough syrups used in the study were the aforementioned formulation (CM), promethazine hydrochloride with codeine (PH), and iodinated glycerol with codeine phosphate (IG). Tastes were rated on a scale from +2 (very good) to -2 (very poor). Mean rating scores for each product were 0.97 for CM, 0.14 for PH, and -1.5 for IG. Pairwise comparisons showed statistically significant differences between CM and PH (P less than 0.01) and CM and IG (P less than 0.001) but no significant difference between PH and IG. CM was ranked as most liked by 115 respondents and as least liked by 27 respondents. Reasons cited for this preference were its sweet rather than medicinal taste and its smooth, thick consistency. Bitterness was a common reason for the lack of preference for PH and IG. CM thus was shown to have greater user acceptability than either of the other two cough syrups tested.

Antitussive Agents↗
PubMed1984

Clinical and experimental evidence of an opiate-like activity of lefetamine.

A case of lefetamine abuse (0.9-1.8 g/day in 15-30 i.m. divided doses) is reported. In this patient, the administration of naloxone precipitated a mild opiate-like withdrawal syndrome, characterized by mydriasis, piloerection, yawning and a slight increase of blood pressure. The complete withdrawal of lefetamine, substituted by a placebo regimen, aggravated these symptoms. Furthermore, experimental results showed that lefetamine induced a naloxone-reversible inhibition of the guinea-pig ileum contractile response to electric field stimulation, and that naloxone pretreatment of mice prevented lefetamine antinociceptive activity in the hot-plate test. The clinical and experimental findings suggest that lefetamine has an opiate-like activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Prolonged analgesia induced by cathinone. The role of stress and opioid and nonopioid mechanisms.

Cathinone, the active principle of Catha edulis (khat), shows long-lasting analgesic effects when the tail-flick test is used in rats. The involvement of monoamines, endogenous opioids and stress in this analgesic effect was tested. Both early (30 min) and late (24 h) analgesic effects of cathinone were prevented by reserpine or p-chlorophenylalanine, which deplete catecholamines or serotonin, respectively, and by nomifensine, which prevents neuronal uptake of biogenic amines and amphetamines. The same inhibitory effect was obtained with a high dose (4 mg/kg) of naloxone. However, rats made tolerant to morphine retained both early and late analgesic response to cathinone. The increase in plasma ACTH induced by the tail-flick test at 30 min and 24 h was significantly enhanced by cathinone, in a naloxone-reversible way. However, the analgesic responses shown at these times were not prevented by either dexamethasone or adrenalectomy. We conclude that the prolonged analgesia induced by cathinone is primarily due to an amphetamine-like activation of monoaminergic pathways, but requires the integrity of non-mu-opioid mechanisms. The involvement of the adrenohypophyseal axis in this cathinone effect is less probable.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vascular complications of coronary interventions.

Vascular complications such as hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, and arteriovenous fistula that occur after intracoronary or intracardiac procedures are responsible for considerable morbidity and some mortality. In addition, many of these complications result in considerable increases in hospital stays and in the costs associated with the procedures. A number of risk factors for vascular complications after coronary interventions have been identified. They include excessive anticoagulation, use of femoral sheaths for extended lengths of time, multiple interventions during the same hospitalization, catheter insertion in the superficial or deep femoral artery larger catheter size, and complex interventions such as stent deployment or atherectomy. Specific interventions have been identified that help to decrease procedural risk, improve early detection and prompt treatment of the vascular injury, and prevent long-term disability.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗