http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/pharmacology/ Drug discovery. Read the latest in new drug development and pharmacology from leading research institutes around the world. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/pharmacology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524215249.htm A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development. The finding could lead to alternatives to the conventional male contraceptives that rely on disrupting the production of hormones, such as testosterone. These treatments can cause side effects such as irritability, mood swings and acne. Thu, 24 May 2012 21:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524215249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134703.htm A new device delivers a tiny, high-pressure jet of medicine through the skin without the use of a hypodermic needle. Thu, 24 May 2012 13:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123205.htm A seaweed considered a threat to the healthy growth of coral reefs in Hawaii may possess the ability to produce substances that could one day treat human diseases, a new study has revealed. Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123017.htm An anti-psychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia appears to get rid of cancer stem cells by helping them differentiate into less threatening cell types. The discovery comes after researchers screened hundreds of compounds in search of those that would selectively inhibit human cancer stem cells, and it may lead rather swiftly to a clinical trial. Thu, 24 May 2012 12:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092930.htm Researchers have delved into a series of high profile court cases testing the limits of patent protection. Thu, 24 May 2012 09:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092046.htm Stem cells are essential building blocks for all organisms, from plants to humans. They can divide and renew themselves throughout life, differentiating into the specialized tissues needed during development, as well as cells necessary to repair adult tissue. Therefore, they can be considered immortal, in that they recreate themselves and regenerate tissues throughout a person’s lifetime, but that doesn’t mean they don’t age. They do, gradually losing their ability to effectively maintain tissues and organs. Now, researchers have uncovered a series of biological events that implicate the stem cells' surroundings, known as their "niche," as the culprit in loss of stem cells due to aging. This research has implications for treatment of age-related diseases and for the effectiveness of regenerative medicine. Thu, 24 May 2012 09:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200257.htm After years of reducing their contact with pharmaceutical sales representatives, physicians now risk an unintended consequence: Doctors who rarely meet with pharmaceutical sales representatives — or who do not meet with them — are much slower to drop medicines with the Food and Drug Administration’s “black box” warnings and to adopt first-in-class therapies. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm Researchers have shown in mice how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. This research sheds light on how brain activity influences brain development, and highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in how the brain is wired, as well as how the brain forms new connections throughout life in response to change. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm Transplanting embryonic cells into adult mouse spinal cord can alleviate persistent pain. The research suggests that reduced pain results from successful integration of the embryonic cells into the host spinal cord. The findings open avenues for clinical strategies aimed not just at treating the symptoms of chronic debilitating pain, but correcting the underlying disease pathology. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm Chronic pain, by definition, is difficult to manage, but a new study shows how a cell therapy might one day be used not only to quell some common types of persistent and difficult-to-treat pain, but also to cure the conditions that give rise to them. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm Acne patients who take oral medications like Accutane double their risk of developing an eye infection compared to those who do not, new research suggests. Researchers say that the use of inexpensive artificial tears or eyedrops, which are available over-the-counter at the local pharmacy, can minimize the risk. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115049.htm Scientists are reporting development of a new, higher-yield, two-step, less costly process that may ease supply problems and zigzagging prices for the raw material essential for making the mainstay drug for malaria. That disease sickens 300-500 million people annually and kills more than one million. The report on the process uses readily available substances and could be easily implemented by drug companies. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115049.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523101929.htm Some people feel depressed because they have been eating too much, then they eat too much because they are feeling depressed. As is the case with drug addicts, a vicious cycle sets in where "food-highs" are used as a way to combat depression, experts say. Wed, 23 May 2012 10:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523101929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522161336.htm Researchers have discovered a new way to precisely detect a single chemical at extremely low concentrations and high contamination. Tue, 22 May 2012 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522161336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522154801.htm Technology spin-off from long-running research aboard the International Space Station is opening up a new way to keep hospital patients safe from infections. Using plasma -- electrically charged gas -- researchers are developing ways to kill bacteria and viruses that can cause infections in hospitals. Tue, 22 May 2012 15:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522154801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115252.htm Scientists have created a new type of anti-cancer drug named BP-1-102. The drug, which can be orally administered, targets a key protein that triggers the development of many types of cancer including lung, breast and skin cancers. The development of BP-1-102 was guided by the research teams computer based molecular analysis of the cancer causing Stat 3 protein. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115030.htm Patient care nationwide may be affected when research on medications contain only 'good news' – especially when the research is industry-funded. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522114911.htm Scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522114911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522084524.htm Researchers have achieved, for the first time, the generation of neuronal cells from stem cells of Fragile X patients. The discovery paves the way for research that will examine restoration of normal gene expression in Fragile X patients. Tue, 22 May 2012 08:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522084524.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213514.htm The innovative PAL device uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suck, and ultimately feed. Mon, 21 May 2012 21:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164102.htm A promising new strategy for "reactivating" genes that cause cancer tumors to shrink and die has now been developed. The discovery may aid the development of an innovative anti-cancer drug that effectively targets unhealthy, cancerous tissue without damaging healthy, non-cancerous tissue and vital organs. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163747.htm An inexpensive "orphan drug" used to treat sleep disorders appears to be a potent inhibitor of cancer cells, according to a new study. The novel approach, using groundbreaking technology that allows rapid analysis of the genome, has broad implications for the development of safer, more effective cancer therapies. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163747.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521141824.htm Scientists have found evidence of antibiotics – one a suspected human carcinogen – in seafood imported into the United States and purchased from grocery store shelves. Mon, 21 May 2012 14:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521141824.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115512.htm Statins drugs prescribed to treat high cholesterol may also work to slow prostate growth in men who have elevated PSA levels, according to a new analysis. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115512.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115351.htm Researchers have found that green and white teas could hide abnormal levels of testosterone in athletes. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104019.htm Researchers discovered how a drug-lead compound kills cancer cells by 'starving' them of energy, hence preventing tumor formation. Mon, 21 May 2012 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htm The plague, bacterial dysentery, and cholera have one thing in common: These dangerous diseases are caused by bacteria which infect their host using a sophisticated injection apparatus. Through needle-like structures, they release molecular agents into their host cell, thereby evading the immune response. Researchers have now elucidated the structure of such a needle at atomic resolution. Their findings might contribute to drug tailoring and the development of strategies which specifically prevent the infection process. Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133826.htm A combination of three drugs used worldwide as the standard of care for a serious lung disease puts patients in danger of death or hospitalization, and should not be used together to treat the disease, called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, according to the surprising results of a rigorous independent study. The findings show the importance of testing treatments that doctors give for any condition -- to see if they truly help, and don't harm, patients. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133512.htm Scientists have identified the mechanism by which a cell signaling pathway contributes to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sun, 20 May 2012 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133512.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133508.htm An existing drug has been found to be effective against Entamoeba histolytica. This parasite causes amebic dysentery and liver abscesses and results in the death of more than 70,000 people worldwide each year. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133508.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133503.htm Medical researchers have identified an approved arthritis drug that is effective against amoebas in lab and animal studies, suggesting it could offer a low-dose, low cost treatment for the amoebic infections that cause human dysentery throughout the world. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm An experimental drug targeting a common mutation in melanoma successfully shrank tumors that spread to the brain in nine out of 10 patients in part of an international phase I clinical trial report. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193129.htm The strategy used by Google to decide which pages are relevant for a search query can also be used to determine which proteins in a patient's cancer are relevant for the disease progression. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143508.htm Innate differences in immunity can be detected at birth, according to new research. And babies with a better innate response to viruses have fewer respiratory illnesses in the first year of life. Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143508.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132055.htm Mental distractions make pain easier to take, and those pain-relieving effects aren't just in your head, according to a new report. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195600.htm Researchers have demonstrated that a hormone-depleting drug approved for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer can help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in many patients with aggressive cancers that have yet to spread beyond the prostate, according to a new clinical study. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195554.htm Medical researchers explored naturally occurring genetic variations in humans to test the connection between HDL levels and heart attack. By studying the genes of roughly 170,000 individuals, the team discovered that, when examined together, the 15 HDL-raising variants they tested do not reduce the risk of heart attack. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195550.htm A Phase I clinical trial examining the safety of combining temsirolimus and capecitabine in advanced malignancies suggests the two agents can be given safely to patients. In addition researchers conducting the study in cancer patients whose tumors have resisted multiple treatments say the combination demonstrates "promising evidence" of disease control and should be studied in a Phase II trial. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195548.htm Targeted therapies have been studied for years, but recent laboratory research is providing robust clues about drugs that might work better in combination, particularly in treating cancers that have become resistant to therapy. That kind of information is behind a novel clinical trial that combines cetuximab and lapatinib. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195548.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195405.htm A pill designed to zero in on abnormal genes that drive specific cancers has produced encouraging early results in children with an uncommon but aggressive type of lymphoma, as well as in children with a rare form of neuroblastoma. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152540.htm Returning extra medicine to the pharmacy for disposal might not be worth the extra time, money or greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study that is the first to look at the net effects of so-called take-back programs. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152540.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140113.htm Scientists are reporting development and testing of a new series of drugs that could finally stop the fox tapeworm -- which causes a rare but life-threatening disease in humans -- dead in its tracks. The report shows that specific organometallic substances that help combat cancer are also the surprising best new hope for a treatment against tapeworm infection. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140010.htm Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. Now, researchers have found that in mice, having the most risky variant of ApoE damages the blood vessels that feed the brain. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516092712.htm Cell surface protein GD2 blows potent tumor-generating cells’ cover. The first single marker of breast cancer stem cells also is targetable by a drug in preclinical tests. Wed, 16 May 2012 09:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516092712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515203056.htm Nearly half of all diabetics suffer from neuropathic pain, an intractable, agonizing and still mysterious companion of the disease. Now researchers have identified an unexpected source of the pain and a potential target to alleviate it. Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515203056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515202122.htm The American Academy of Dermatology today reiterated the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens to protect against the damaging effects from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As one component of a daily sun-protection strategy, sunscreen is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Tue, 15 May 2012 20:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515202122.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165405.htm A drug made from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard is effective in reducing the craving for food. Researchers have tested the drug on rats, who after treatment ceased their cravings for both food and chocolate. Tue, 15 May 2012 16:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165324.htm The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the government's far-reaching health-care foreign aid program, has contributed to a significant decline in adult death rates from all causes in Africa, according to a new study. Tue, 15 May 2012 16:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515151036.htm For the first time, researchers have peered inside a living mouse cell and mapped the processes that power the celebrated health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. More profoundly, they say their findings suggest it may be possible to manipulate these processes to short-circuit inflammation before it begins, or at least help to resolve inflammation before it becomes detrimental. Tue, 15 May 2012 15:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515151036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131715.htm A novel mechanism for anxiety behaviors, including a previously unrecognized inhibitory brain signal, may inspire new strategies for treating psychiatric disorders, researchers report. By testing the controversial role of a gene called Glo1 in anxiety, scientists uncovered a new inhibitory factor in the brain: The metabolic by-product methylglyoxal. The system offers a tantalizing new target for drugs designed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorder, epilepsy, and sleep disorders. Tue, 15 May 2012 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070439.htm Researchers found that administering a common chemotherapy drug before bone tumors took root actually fertilized the bone marrow, enabling cancer cells, once introduced, to seed and grow more easily. Tue, 15 May 2012 07:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070307.htm Scientists have identified how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury and may be stimulated to improve muscle repair in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe inherited disease of muscle that causes weakness, disability and, ultimately, heart and respiratory failure. Tue, 15 May 2012 07:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070305.htm Researchers have identified a new biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer, an often-fatal disease for which there is currently no reliable method for early detection or therapeutic intervention. Tue, 15 May 2012 07:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515070305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514204050.htm A new study consisting of inducing cells to express telomerase, the enzyme which -- metaphorically -- slows down the biological clock -- was successful. The research provides a "proof-of-principle" that this "feasible and safe" approach can effectively "improve health span." Mon, 14 May 2012 20:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514204050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153117.htm Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of bile duct cancer, a deadly type of liver cancer. By identifying several new genes frequently mutated in bile duct cancers, researchers are paving the way for better understanding of how bile duct cancers develop. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153111.htm Hospitals in large cities act as breeding grounds for the superbug MRSA prior to it spreading to smaller hospitals, a study suggests. Researchers found evidence that shows for the first time how the superbug spreads between different hospitals throughout the country. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153111.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153109.htm Researchers have found a previously unknown mechanism through which pain is signaled by nerve cells -- a discovery that could explain the current failings in the drug development process for painkillers and which may offer opportunities for a new approach. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514134303.htm In one of the first studies to examine the effect of nature walks on cognition and mood in people with major depression, researchers in Canada and the US have found promising evidence that a walk in the park may provide some cognitive benefits. Mon, 14 May 2012 13:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514134303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514122747.htm New research uses a novel, computer based strategy to identify potential anti-cancer drugs, including one that targets the third most common p53 mutation in human cancer, p53-R175H. The number of new cancer patients harboring this mutation in the United States who would potentially benefit from this drug is estimated to be 30,000 annually. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514122747.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm Why diabetics suffer from increased pain and temperature sensitivity is a step closer to being understood and effectively treated. Sun, 13 May 2012 14:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm