Loading...
2 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
- Toxicity of amphetamines: an updatePublication . Carvalho, Márcia; Carmo, Helena; Costa, Vera Marisa; Capela, João Paulo; Pontes, Helena; Remião, Fernando; Carvalho, Félix; Bastos, Maria de LourdesAmphetamines represent a class of psychotropic compounds, widely abused for their stimulant, euphoric, anorectic, and, in some cases, emphathogenic, entactogenic, and hallucinogenic properties. These compounds derive from the β-phenylethylamine core structure and are kinetically and dynamically characterized by easily crossing the blood-brain barrier, to resist brain biotransformation and to release monoamine neurotransmitters from nerve endings. Although amphetamines are widely acknowledged as synthetic drugs, of which amphetamine, methamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) are well-known examples, humans have used natural amphetamines for several millenniums, through the consumption of amphetamines produced in plants, namely cathinone (khat), obtained from the plant Catha edulis and ephedrine, obtained from various plants in the genus Ephedra. More recently, a wave of new amphetamines has emerged in the market, mainly constituted of cathinone derivatives, including mephedrone, methylone, methedrone, and buthylone, among others. Although intoxications by amphetamines continue to be common causes of emergency department and hospital admissions, it is frequent to find the sophism that amphetamine derivatives, namely those appearing more recently, are relatively safe. However, human intoxications by these drugs are increasingly being reported, with similar patterns compared to those previously seen with classical amphetamines. That is not surprising, considering the similar structures and mechanisms of action among the different amphetamines, conferring similar toxicokinetic and toxicological profiles to these compounds. The aim of the present review is to give an insight into the pharmacokinetics, general mechanisms of biological and toxicological actions, and the main target organs for the toxicity of amphetamines. Although there is still scarce knowledge from novel amphetamines to draw mechanistic insights, the long-studied classical amphetamines-amphetamine itself, as well as methamphetamine and MDMA, provide plenty of data that may be useful to predict toxicological outcome to improvident abusers and are for that reason the main focus of this review.
- Abordagem farmacológica na cessação tabágica em farmácia comunitáriaPublication . Martins, João Barbosa; Capela, João PauloO tabagismo é responsável por inúmeras mortes e elevados custos de saúde a nível mundial. A nicotina é o principal responsável pela dependência ao tabaco. Nesta revisão foram analisadas as abordagens farmacológicas mais utilizadas actualmente e o papel do farmacêutico na cessação tabágica. As terapias de substituição de nicotina e fármacos como a bupropiona e a vareniclina, que ajudam a evitar a síndrome de abstinência, constituem fármacos de primeira linha. Fármacos menos utilizados são a nortriptilina e a clonidina. Dada a proximidade do farmacêutico com a população, este desempenha um papel primordial para o sucesso da cessação tabágica. Smoking is responsible for countless deaths and heavy health costs worldwide. Nicotine is the main responsible for smoking addition. In this review we made an overview of pharmacological approaches and the pharmacist role on smoking cessation. Nicotine replacement therapies, drugs like bupropione and varenicline that help to avoid the nicotine withdrawal syndrome represent the first-line therapies. Drugs like nortriptiline and clonidine are less used. The proximity of the pharmacist to the population has an extremely important role for the success of tobacco cessation therapy.