Silicone breast implants have been used for breast augmentation and reconstructive surgery for the past 40 years. Capsular contracture is a relatively common complication (a capsule that forms around the breast implant, thereby causing a deformity and pain), and poses challenging problems for surgeons [1]. Clinically, patients with severe capsular contracture, such as those with capsular contra...

Antileukotriene medications that have been implemented into clinical practice of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis include specific leukotriene receptor antagonists (montelukast, zafirlukast, pranlukast) and leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors (zileuton). The current GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) guidelines, the PRACTALL (Practicing Allergology) report on asthma treatment in children...

In vitro and in vivo clinical and experimental data have suggested that leukotrienes play a key role in inflammatory reactions of the skin. Antileukotriene drugs, i.e. leukotriene receptor antagonists and synthesis inhibitors, are a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs that have shown clinical efficacy in the management of asthma. We searched the MedLine database and carried out a manual search...

Cisplatin resistance is a major challenge in the treatment of cancer and develops through reduced drug accumulation and an increased ability to avoid drug-induced cell damage, cell shrinkage, and hence initiation of apoptosis. Uptake and release of the semiessential amino acid taurine contribute to cell volume homeostasis, and taurine has been reported to have antiapoptotic effects. Here we fin...

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that is associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction. The mechanisms that lead to airflow obstruction in asthma are bronchoconstriction, mucosal edema, increased secretion of mucus, and an inflammatory-cell infiltrate that is rich in eosinophils. Leukotrienes (LTs) B4, C4, D4, and E4 have been shown experimentally to play a role in each of...

Cysteinyl leukotrienes are bioactive lipid mediators known to possess potent proinflammatory actions. Included in these are effects on vascular endothelium to promote surface expression of the adhesion molecule P-selectin. In the present study we were interested in investigating the receptor mechanism(s) involved in cysteinyl leukotriene-induced endothelial P-selectin expression. As such we exa...

Antileukotriene drugs are new therapeutic agents that have recently been approved for the treatment of asthma. Several cases of eosinophilic conditions including ChurgStrauss syndrome have been reported to be associated with zafirlukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene type 1 receptor antagonist. So far no other leukotriene modifier has been associated with the syndrome. The case history is presented o...

Capsular contracture is the most common complication following implant based breast surgery and is one of the most common reasons for reoperation. Therefore, it is important to try and understand why this happens, and what can be done to reduce its incidence. A literature search using the MEDLINE database was conducted including search terms 'capsular contracture breast augmentation', 'capsular...

We report the identification of a novel pharmacological profile for the leukotriene (LT)C(4) binding site we previously identified in human lung parenchyma (HLP). We used a series of classic cysteinyl-LT (CysLT)(1) receptor antagonists belonging to different chemical classes and the dual CysLT(1)-CysLT(2) antagonist BAY u9773 for both binding and functional studies. Because the presence of (S)-...

Upon oral administration the solubility of a drug in intestinal fluid is a key property influencing bioavailability. It is also recognised that simple aqueous solubility does not reflect intestinal solubility and to optimise in vitro investigations simulated intestinal media systems have been developed. Simulated intestinal media which can mimic either the fasted or fed state consists of multip...