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Fulltext Ingestion of honey improves the symptoms of allergic rhinitis: evidence from a randomized placebo-controlled trial in the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Asha'ari ZA, Ahmad MZ, Jihan WS, Che CM, Leman I

Ann Saudi Med, 2013;33(5):469-75.
PMID: 24188941 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2013.469

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The role of honey in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) is controversial. We studied the complementary effect of ingestion of a high dose of honey, in addition to standard medications, on AR.
DESIGN AND SETTINGS: Prospective randomized placebo-controlled study. Subjects were recruited from an otolaryngology clinic in 2 tertiary referral centers in the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The study period ranged from April 2010-April 2011.
METHODS: Forty AR patients were divided equally into a case group and a control group. All the subjects received a daily dose of 10 mg of loratadine for 4 weeks. The case group ingested 1 g/kg body weight of honey daily in separate doses for the 4-week period. The control group ingested the same dose of honey-flavored corn syrup as placebo. AR symptoms were scored at the start, week 4, and week 8 of the study.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the mean total symptom score of the case and the control groups at the start of the study. At week 4, both groups showed progressive improvement in the symptoms; at week 8, only the case group showed a continuous improvement in the symptom score. Only the group that ingested honey showed a significant improvement in individual AR symptoms. The improvement persisted for a month after the cessation of the treatment.
CONCLUSION: Honey ingestion at a high dose improves the overall and individual symptoms of AR, and it could serve as a complementary therapy for AR.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use*
Respiratory drugs prescribed off-label among children in the outpatient clinics of a hospital in Malaysia

Mohamad NF, Mhd Ali A, Mohamed Shah N

Int J Clin Pharm, 2015 Feb;37(1):127-32.
PMID: 25488318 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-014-0049-0

BACKGROUND: Prescribing medicines in an unlicensed and off-label manner for children is a widespread practice around the world.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent and predictors of off-label respiratory drug prescriptions for children in the outpatient clinics of a hospital in Malaysia.
SETTING: Outpatient clinics at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia.
METHODS: The pharmacy-based computer system and medical records of the patients were utilized to collect data from 220 pediatric patients who were prescribed at least one respiratory drug from July 2011 to December 2011.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Characteristics of the off-label respiratory drug prescriptions were measured.
RESULTS: A total of 134 children (60.9 %) received at least one respiratory drug prescribed in an off-label manner. The most common reasons for the off-label prescribing of drugs were off-label use by indication (31.5 %), followed by higher than the recommended dose (24.9 %) and lower than the recommended frequency (17.1 %). Diphenhydramine was the most common respiratory drug prescribed off-label. The number of medications prescribed was the only significant predictor of off-label prescription of respiratory drugs. Pediatric patients receiving 4-6 medications were 7.8 times more likely to receive at least one off-label respiratory drug compared to pediatric patients that received 1-3 medications (OR 7.8, 95 % CI 1.74-37.44).
CONCLUSION: There was substantial prescribing of respiratory drugs for children in an off-label manner at the outpatient clinics at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. This highlights the need for more research to be carried out on respiratory drugs in the pediatric population.

Study site: Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM)

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use*
New advances and potentials of fungal immunomodulatory proteins for therapeutic purposes

Ejike UC, Chan CJ, Okechukwu PN, Lim RLH

Crit Rev Biotechnol, 2020 Dec;40(8):1172-1190.
PMID: 32854547 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2020.1808581

Fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs) are fascinating small and heat-stable bioactive proteins in a distinct protein family due to similarities in their structures and sequences. They are found in fungi, including the fruiting bodies producing fungi comprised of culinary and medicinal mushrooms. Structurally, most FIPs exist as homodimers; each subunit consisting of an N-terminal α-helix dimerization and a C-terminal fibronectin III domain. Increasing numbers of identified FIPs from either different or same fungal species clearly indicates the growing research interests into its medicinal properties which include immunomodulatory, anti-inflammation, anti-allergy, and anticancer. Most FIPs increased IFN-γ production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, potentially exerting immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting overproduction of T helper-2 (Th2) cytokines common in an allergy reaction. Recently, FIP from Ganoderma microsporum (FIP-gmi) was shown to promote neurite outgrowth for potential therapeutic applications in neuro-disorders. This review discussed FIPs' structural and protein characteristics, their recombinant protein production for functional studies, and the recent advances in their development and applications as pharmaceutics and functional foods.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use
Quality of life assessment in patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis treated with montelukast and/or intranasal steroids: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Goh BS, Ismail MI, Husain S

J Laryngol Otol, 2014 Mar;128(3):242-8.
PMID: 24618303 DOI: 10.1017/S002221511400036X

This study investigated improvements in quality of life associated with eight weeks of montelukast and/or intranasal steroid treatment for moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use*
Hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin in two asian patients

Ng CV

Ann Pharmacother, 2005 Jun;39(6):1114-8.
PMID: 15886290

To report 2 cases of hypersensitivity reactions associated with oxaliplatin treatment in Asian patients.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use
The Relationship Between Long-term Use of Intranasal Corticosteroid and Intraocular Pressure

Mohd Zain A, Md Noh UK, Hussein S, Che Hamzah J, Mohd Khialdin S, Md Din N

J Glaucoma, 2019 04;28(4):321-324.
PMID: 30585941 DOI: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000001164

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between long-term intranasal steroid use and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: In total, 100 eyes from 50 patients on long-term intranasal steroids (>2 y) for allergic rhinitis and 90 eyes from 45 controls were included in this study. Patients on other forms of steroids and risk factors for glaucoma were excluded. IOP was measured and nonmydriatic stereoscopic optic disc photos were taken for each eye. The vertical cup-to-disc ratio and the status of the optic disc were evaluated.
RESULTS: The mean IOP for intranasal steroids group was significantly higher (15.24±2.31 mm Hg) compared to the control group (13.91±1.86 mm Hg; P=0.000). However, there were no significant differences in the vertical cup-to-disc ratio and the status of glaucomatous optic disc changes between the groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged use of intranasal steroids cause statistical significant increase in IOP in patients with allergic rhinitis although no significant glaucomatous disc changes were seen. We suggest patients on long-term use of intranasal steroid have a yearly eye examination to be monitored for IOP elevation and those with additional risk factors for glaucoma is closely monitored for glaucoma.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use
Artesunate attenuates 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis by down-regulating Th17 cell responses in BALB/c mice

Bai XY, Liu P, Chai YW, Wang Y, Ren SH, Li YY, et al.

Eur J Pharmacol, 2020 May 05;874:173020.
PMID: 32087254 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173020

Steroidal agent is a standard clinical treatment of atopic dermatitis; however, have serious side effects. Artesunate is reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties although its effect on atopic eczema remains unknown. We investigated the therapeutic effects and possible mechanism of systemic artesunate on DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis in a BALB/c mouse model. To ascertain artesunate (5 and 10 mg/kg) efficacy, skin dermatitis severity and ear, spleen, and lymph node weight were evaluated. Skin tissue mRNA and protein expression and serum cytokine levels were examined. Artesunate significantly improved atopic dermatitis symptoms, decreasing the dermatitis score, ear weight difference, spleen weight, and lymph node weight compared with those following DNCB treatment. Artesunate reduced ear and skin epidermal thickness and mast cell infiltration, as determined using hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue staining, respectively. The basal level of IgE (287.67 ± 70.41 ng/ml) and TNF-α (19.94 ± 3.98 pg/ml) were Significantly elevated by DNCB (IgE: 1273.23 ± 176.53 ng/ml; TNF-α: 57.53 ± 3.87 pg/ml), while markedly been suppressed in the treatment group (AS-L: IgE: 1100.25 ± 135.32 ng/ml; TNF-α: 38.47 ± 3.26 pg/ml; AS-H: IgE: 459.46 ± 74.75 ng/ml; TNF-α: 24.38 ± 3.85 pg/ml). Among Th17 cell-related factors, DNCB treatment increased mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-17, IL-23, STAT3, and ROR-γt, but reduced TGF-β and SOCS 3; While artesunate reverse these changes. Compared with the model group, artesunate promoted SOCS3 protein and significantly inhibited ROR-γt protein and STAT3 phosphorylation. Thus, artesunate attenuates DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis by inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines and downregulating Th17 cell responses in atopic dermatitis mice.

Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Allergic Agents/therapeutic use*