Efficacy of some colloidal silver preparations and silver salts against Proteus bacteria, one possible cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

There has been increased interest in the role of anti-Proteus antibodies in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and whether chemotherapeutic agents active against Proteus species might reduce the risk and/or exacerbations of RA. We examined the in vitro antibacterial effects of ten different silver preparations which were either ionic silver [Ag(I)] solutions or nanoparticulate silver (NPS) (Ag(0)) suspensions against ATCC and two wild (clinical) strains of Proteus. The data establish the low minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of all the silver formulations tested against these four Proteus strains. In a pilot study, a potent NPS preparation ex vivo showed long-lasting anti-Proteus activity in a normal human volunteer.

TiO2 nanotubes as a therapeutic agent for cancer thermotherapy.

We report the photothermal properties as well as the in vitro cell test results of titanium oxide nanotubes (TiO(2) NTs) as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer thermotherapy in combination with near-infrared (NIR) light. TiO(2) NTs are found to have a higher photothermal effect upon exposure to NIR laser than Au nanoparticles and single-wall carbon nanotubes, which have also attracted considerable interest as therapeutic agents for cancer thermotherapy. The temperature increase of a TiO(2) NT/NaCl suspension during NIR laser exposure is larger than that of a TiO(2) NT/D.I. water suspension due to the heat generated by the formation of Na(2)TiF(6). According to the in vitro cell test results the cells exposed to NIR laser without TiO(2) NT treatment have a cell viability of 96.4%. Likewise, the cells treated with TiO(2) NTs but not with NIR irradiation also have a cell viability of 98.2%. Combination of these two techniques, however, shows a cell viability of 1.35%. Also, the cell deaths are mostly due to necrosis but partly due to late apoptosis. These results suggest that TiO(2) NTs can be used effectively as therapeutic agents for cancer thermotherapy due to their excellent photothermal properties and high biocompatibility.

Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6%.

Besifloxacin is a novel fluoroquinolone that, like other fluoroquinolones, acts by inhibiting the essential bacterial enzymes DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. Topical besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% is indicated for use in patients with bacterial conjunctivitis caused by susceptible bacteria. Besifloxacin had in vitro activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria that commonly cause ocular infections (e.g. Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae), including drug-resistant strains. In two randomized, double-blind, multicentre trials, besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered at the recommended dose for 5 days in patients aged > or =1 year with bacterial conjunctivitis was significantly (p < 0.01) more effective than vehicle in terms of clinical resolution and microbial eradication rates (coprimary endpoints) at study visit two (day 5+/-1) or three (day 8 or 9) [primary timepoints]. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% was noninferior to moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% in patients aged > or =1 year with bacterial conjunctivitis with regard to clinical resolution (58.3% vs 59.4%) and microbial eradication (93.3% vs 91.1%) rates on day 5 +/- 1 of treatment (coprimary endpoints) in a randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial; both drugs were administered at a dosage of one drop in the affected eye(s) three times daily for 5 days. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% was generally well tolerated in clinical trials, with most adverse events being mild in severity. The tolerability profile of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% was similar to that of moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5%.

Adjuvant use of liquid alginate suspension for post-tonsillectomy morbidity: double-blind randomized clinical trial of efficacy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of liquid alginate suspension in alleviating post-tonsillectomy morbidity in adult patients. METHODS: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study comparing the effect of liquid alginate suspension with placebo was performed on 40 patients who underwent tonsillectomy at Derince State Hospital, Kocaeli, Turkey. The patients were randomly chosen, and each used liquid alginate suspension four times daily or a placebo solution at the same regimen. Tonsillectomy was performed under general anesthesia by cold dissection and suture ligation. Patients were examined at postoperative days 1, 3, 5, and 7 for healing, instructed to note the amount of analgesics used, and asked to mark the visual analog score of throat pain every day for a week. RESULTS: The study group had statistically significant lower pain scores at day 2 (P = 0.03). Study group required less analgesic than the control group during the study period, but the difference was statistically different only on day 2 (P = 0.003) day. Healing was statistically significant on day 5 (P = 0.03) in the study group. CONCLUSION: Use of the antireflux suspensions in patients undergoing tonsillectomy may be effective in reducing postoperative morbidity in adjunct with classic analgesics.

Clinical and in vitro efficacy of amoxicillin against bacteria associated with feline skin wounds and abscesses.

A clinical trial involving 122 cats with infected skin wounds or abscesses presented to 10 veterinary clinics was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of 2 oral amoxicillin drug products (a paste and a suspension). A 2nd objective of the study was to identify bacteria involved in such infections and verify their in vitro sensitivity to amoxicillin. Samples of wound exudate were harvested at the time of presentation and submitted for aerobic and anaerobic culture. The sensitivity to amoxicillin of isolates thought to be infecting agents was tested, using a standard minimum inhibitory concentration method. Pasteuralla multocida and obligate anaerobes of the genera Prevotella, Fusobacterium, and Porphyromonas were the most frequently isolated pathogens. Overall, their in vitro susceptibility to amoxicillin was very good. Both drug products were clinically efficacious with a global success rate of 95.1% for cats administered oral amoxicillin at 11-22 mg/kg bodyweight (mean 13.8 mg/kg bodyweight) twice daily for 7 to 10 days.