Confirmation of the composition of pharmaceutical products is an essential pharmaceutical issue. The purity and identity of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in the finished drug impact the effect of correct and safe pharmacotherapy. The currently frequently used advanced analytical methods are laborious and time-consuming. On the other hand, less advanced techniques such as UV-Vis spectrophotometry are less specific. In the presented study, thermogravimetry analysis (TGA)-supported by calculated differential thermal analysis (c-DTA)-was proposed to evaluate the composition of pharmaceutical preparations containing theophylline and aminophylline. Due to its advantages, the TGA method can be an alternative used for screening assessment of the composition of pharmaceutical preparations. The obtained results show that TGA supported by c-DTA is a suitable screening method for assessing the composition of pharmaceutical preparations containing theophylline and aminophylline. Both thermal techniques complement each other to obtain reliable results. In contrast to the pharmacopoeial UV-Vis method, TGA allows for unambiguous identification and distinction of one- and two-component pharmaceutical preparations. Moreover, thanks to TGA and c-DTA, it was possible to identify the excipient used in the formulation of a commercial drug and to detect considerable amounts of lactose in the experimentally prepared counterfeit formulation. The research herein indicates the multifaceted application and usefulness of TGA and c-DTA in pharmacology.

It was aimed at the plasma concentration detection of aminophylline under multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) modified electrodes and the curative effect of aminophylline for ticagrelor-related dyspnea (TRD). 120 patients with TRD and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAHD) in Wuhan Sixth Hospital Hospital were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group, with 60 cases in each. The novel chitosan/gold nanoparticles-MWNTs (CTS/Au NPs-MWNTs) composite was prepared for studying the electrochemical behaviors of aminophylline on the electrodes. The clinical curative effect of aminophylline, as well as the levels of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory cytokines, was observed in the treatment of TRD. The actual plasma molar concentration of aminophylline was 23.6-47.8 μmol/L. After treatment, the total effective rate in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group significantly (95% VS 65%) (P<0.05). The forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of the intervention group were better than those of the control group remarkably (P<0.05). The intervention group showed lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 as well as the higher IL-10 significantly in serum compared with the control group (P<0.05). After follow-up, there was no cardiovascular death in either group. The CTS/Au NPs-MWNTs could be used for detecting the plasma concentration of aminophylline in blood samples. Aminophylline could notably relieve the clinical symptoms, reduce the inflammatory response, and regulate the immunity of patients with good safety.

Aminophylline is FDA-approved to treat reversible airway obstruction due to asthma or other chronic lung diseases. This activity illustrates the indications, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and adverse effects of aminophylline. In addition, it stresses the role of health care providers in meticulously monitoring the drug concentrations to avoid toxicity owing to the narrow therapeutic index.

Introduction: Xiyanping injection (XYP), a type of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is widely used and often applied in combination with other medications in treating bronchitis, tonsillitis, and bacillary dysentery in China. In recent years, an elevated risk of allergic reactions has been observed following XYP, but whether concomitant medication use contributes to this risk is still unknown. Objective: This study aims to investigate the association between the concomitant use of XYP and the 25 most frequently co-applied medications with suspected allergic reactions for China's patients receiving XYP. Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted using the sampling data from 2015 China's Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance and Urban Residents Basic Medical Insurance database. Four anti-allergic marker drugs were used to evaluate suspected allergic reactions. Univariate analyses and multivariable conditional logistic regression were conducted, and results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Sensitivity analyses were performed on the expanded sample by including those prescribed with anti-allergic marker drugs on the same day as XYP and then stopped XYP on the next day. Results: Out of 57,612 participants with XYP prescription, we obtained 949 matched case-control pairs. Multivariable conditional logistic regression revealed that seven concomitant medications including gentamicin [OR = 4.29; 95% CI (2.52, 7.30)], cefoperazone-sulbactam [OR = 4.26; 95% CI (1.40, 13.01)], lidocaine [OR = 2.76; 95% CI (1.79, 4.25)], aminophylline [OR = 1.73; 95% CI (1.05, 2.85)], ribavirin [OR = 1.54; 95% CI (1.13, 2.10)], potassium chloride [OR = 1.45; 95% CI (1.10, 1.91)], and vitamin C [OR = 1.32; 95% CI (1.03, 1.70)] were associated with increased risk, while cefathiamidine [OR = 0.29; 95% CI (0.16, 0.51)] was associated with reduced risk. Sensitivity analysis on 2,438 matched pairs revealed similar findings. Conclusion: Increased risks for suspected allergic reactions were found for the concomitant use of XYP with seven medications. Our data suggest that gentamicin, cefoperazone-sulbactam, lidocaine, and ribavirin should be applied with precautions for patients receiving XYP, and further studies on drug interactions and allergy mechanisms are warranted.

The intracellular signaling pathways that regulate myometrial contractions can be targeted by drugs for tocolysis. The agents, 2-APB, glycyl-H-1152, and HC-067047, have been identified as inhibitors of uterine contractility and may have tocolytic potential. However, the contraction-blocking potency of these novel tocolytics was yet to be comprehensively assessed and compared to agents that have seen greater scrutiny, such as the phosphodiesterase inhibitors, aminophylline and rolipram, or the clinically used tocolytics, nifedipine and indomethacin. We determined the IC50 concentrations (inhibit 50% of baseline contractility) for 2-APB, glycyl-H-1152, HC-067047, aminophylline, rolipram, nifedipine, and indomethacin against spontaneous ex vivo contractions in pregnant human myometrium, and then compared their tocolytic potency. Myometrial strips obtained from term, not-in-labor women, were treated with cumulative concentrations of the contraction-blocking agents. Comprehensive dose-response curves were generated. The IC50 concentrations were 53 µM for 2-APB, 18.2 µM for glycyl-H-1152, 48 µM for HC-067047, 318.5 µM for aminophylline, 4.3 µM for rolipram, 10 nM for nifedipine, and 59.5 µM for indomethacin. A single treatment with each drug at the determined IC50 concentration was confirmed to reduce contraction performance (AUC) by approximately 50%. Of the three novel tocolytics examined, glycyl-H-1152 was the most potent inhibitor. However, of all the drugs examined, the overall order of contraction-blocking potency in decreasing order was nifedipine > rolipram > glycyl-H-1152 > HC-067047 > 2-APB > indomethacin > aminophylline. These data provide greater insight into the contraction-blocking properties of some novel tocolytics, with glycyl-H-1152, in particular, emerging as a potential novel tocolytic for preventing preterm birth.

This study aims to identify clinical variables that could affect successful weaning from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) in very preterm infants. Infants born at a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks were retrospectively enrolled. Weaning from NCPAP was initiated when the infants were clinically stable. In the univariate analysis, GA, birth weight, body weight (BW) z-score at the time of successful NCPAP weaning, intubation, total duration of intubation, respiratory distress syndrome grade, APGAR score at the 1 and 5 min, initial shock, anemia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, number of blood transfusions, total duration of dopamine use, administration of more than two doses of surfactant, use of aminophylline, use of a diuretic, and total duration of total parenteral nutrition were significantly associated with postmenstrual age (PMA) at the time of successful NCPAP weaning. Multivariate analysis showed that the total duration of intubation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and administration of more than two doses of surfactant were positively associated with PMA at the time of successful NCPAP weaning. A reverse association was noted between BW z-score and PMA at the time of successful NCPAP weaning. Sufficient nutrition and avoidance of further ventilator-induced lung injury could decrease NCPAP duration in very preterm infants.