Advances in Pharmacology and Therapeutics Journal

Practical Dietary Recommendations of Persian Medicine for Pruritus: A Brief Review

Mohammad Ali Zareian — 2024-10-19

This paper is a brief review of the practical dietary recommendations of Persian Medicine (PM) in the management of itching. According to our findings, PM scholars believe that the following dietary modifications help ameliorate pruritus: relative reduction of food intake, consuming tenuous foods, consumption of sweet-and-sour foods, whether natural (e.g., pomegranate juice) or man-made (e.g., oxymels), substances with astringent property, narcotics and quasi-narcotics such as a combination of dry coriander and sugar, using a group of substances called fine-humor-producing foods, laxative fruits such as tamarinds and plums, foods with sedative action including lettuce extract, watery foods containing ingredients such as barley, and increasing the share of healthy fats in the diet.

Hematological Side Effects of Psychiatric Drugs

Habibollah Afshang — 2024-10-19

This review article focuses on hematological disorders caused by psychiatric drugs, including neutropenia, leukopenia, leukocytosis, and anemia. Most major psychiatric drugs induce neutropenia and thrombocytopenia through various mechanisms, such as toxic bone marrow suppression and drug-dependent antineutrophil antibodies against hematopoietic precursors. Among these, agranulocytosis associated with phenothiazines is a well-discussed hematological side effect. Although rare, agranulocytosis is a dangerous and often fatal complication that may go unnoticed until infection occurs. We conducted a comprehensive literature search from 1977 to 2021, identifying 64 relevant articles. Our study aims to analyze outcomes related to pancytopenia, leucopenia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and other hematological complications leading to hospitalization.

Varenicline: Efficacy, Precaution, and Safety in Smoking Cessation

Habibollah Afshang — 2024-10-19

Varenicline is a medication used to help people quit smoking when used in conjunction with education and counseling. It is the first-line treatment for smoking cessation and is available in 0.5 mg and 1 mg strength oral tablets. Varenicline is primarily eliminated via the kidney through glomerular filtration, and its excretion is via the renal route, so it is important to monitor renal function before and during treatment. Varenicline has been associated with an increased risk of new psychiatric conditions, anxiety, and mood disorders in some individuals. The use of Varenicline should be accompanied by close monitoring and careful consideration of individual patient factors. While Varenicline can be used in a wide range of patients, its use should be carefully considered in patients with heart or blood vessel disease, renal impairment, psychiatric disorder, or seizure.

Evaluation of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Usage in a Teaching Hospital: A Case Series Study in Kerman, Iran

Ali Asadipour — 2024-10-19

Background: Assessing the utilization of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is crucial due to its high cost and limited availability. IVIG preparations are utilized in various disorders. This study aimed to investigate the prescribing and consumption patterns of IVIG at Kerman Afzalipour Hospital and to propose strategies for reducing drug expenditures.

Materials and Methods: Over one year, physician orders and patient charts of individuals treated with IVIG were reviewed to collect data. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis using SPSS software.

Results: During the study period, 62 IVIG administrations were documented at the hospital, with 54.1% involving female patients. Of these, 51.4% were prescribed for labeled indications, while 48.6% were for off-label indications. No contraindications were observed, although precaution was warranted in 9.6% of cases, which was not consistently addressed, and laboratory parameters were not evaluated in any case.

Conclusion: This study reveals that IVIG infusions for off-label indications were nearly as frequent as those for labeled indications.

Bacterial contamination of hospital-prepared enteral tube feeding formulas in Kerman, Iran

Mehdi Ahmadinejad — 2024-10-19

Background: Blenderized feedings continue to be used in most parts of Iran, mostly due to economic and cultural reasons. The most important problem of this kind of food is bacterial contamination.

Materials and Methods: 54 samples were taken at the first and the last time of their giving to patients from blenderized food. Furthermore, 10 samples were collected from the commercial brand Fresubin® in the same way. Samples were brought to the laboratory and analyzed for the presence of some microbial pathogens.

Results: Citrobacter diversus, Enterobacter cloacae, E.coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus sp, Klebsiella oxytoca, Hafnia alvei, Serratia sp, Shigella sonnei were identified from blenderized feeding. The mean bacterial contamination of 54 samples that were collected from 3 intensive care units was 5/5×106 CFU/ml. Bacterial contamination of commercial food was obtained less than 1 organism/ml. According to these results, there are significant differences between these foods. Commercial foods are the best choice for feeding patients in the hospital.

Conclusion: The results indicated that a majority of the blenderized enteral tube feedings in those hospitals are not safe. In comparison to the standard limits, these enteral tube feedings are highly contaminated and pose a substantial risk of developing a foodborne disease or nosocomial infection.