[Fire dragon cupping in prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of fire dragon cupping in prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in breast cancer. METHODS: Sixty breast cancer patients receiving medium-high emetogenic chemotherapy regimen were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a control group (30 cases, 3 cases dropped out). In both groups, 5 mg tropisetron hydrochloride was given intravenously on the day of chemotherapy and 1st to 3rd days after chemotherapy. In the observation group, fire dragon cupping on the abdomen was applied on 1st, 3rd and 5th days after chemotherapy. The incidence of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, the severity of nausea, vomiting on 1st to 6th days after chemotherapy, and the duration of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite were observed in the two groups. The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, general comfort questionnaire scale (GCQ) score before and after treatment and remedy antiemetic medication were observed in the two groups, and the safety was evaluated. RESULTS: On 2nd to 6th days after chemotherapy, the number of patients with nausea, loss of appetite and abdominal distension and nausea scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). On 1st to 3rd days after chemotherapy, the number of patients with vomiting and vomiting scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The duration of nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, there was no significant difference in SAS and GCQ scores before and after treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the GCQ score in the control group was decreased compared with that before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, there was no significant difference in SAS and GCQ scores between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the number of patients using remedy medication between the two groups (P>0.05). No adverse reaction occurred during treatment in both groups. CONCLUSION: Fire dragon cupping can effectively reduce the incidence of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and the severity of nausea, vomiting related to chemotherapy in breast cancer, and improve patient comfort, and have good safety.

[Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with tropisetron hydrochloride for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with tropisetron hydrochloride and tropisetron hydrochloride alone in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). METHODS: Sixty CINV patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with tropisetron hydrochloride. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, heat-sensitive acupoints were explored at Zhongwan (CV 12), Shenque (CV 8), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Shangwan (CV 13), Xiawan (CV 10), Jianli (CV 11) and bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Tianshu (ST 25), Liangmen (ST 21) areas in the observation group，and heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied at heat-sensitive acupoints. The treatment started from the day of chemotherapy in both groups, once a day for 7 days. The occurrence and severity of nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy were recorded after each treatment on the 1st to 7th days of chemotherapy in the two groups, the complete remission rate was evaluated. The KPS score, quality of life scale score before and after treatment and incidence of myelosuppression were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: On the 2nd to 4th days of chemotherapy, the incidence and severity of nausea and vomiting in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), the complete remission rates of nausea and vomiting were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the KPS score in the observation group was higher than those before treatment and in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of emotional function and overall health status in the observation group were higher than those before treatment and in the control group (P<0.05), the scores of fatigue, pain, insomnia, loss of appetite and diarrhea were lower than those before treatment and in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of myelosuppression in the observation group was 20.0% (6/30), which was lower than 46.7% (14/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with tropisetron hydrochloride can effectively reduce nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy in patients with malignant tumor, improve the quality of life, relieve the myelosuppression caused by chemotherapy drugs.

Tailoring novel soft nano-vesicles 'Flexosomes' for enhanced transdermal drug delivery: Optimization, characterization and comprehensive ex vivo - in vivo evaluation.

The transdermal route is a convenient non-invasive way for drug delivery, however, the hydrophobic compact nature of stratum corneum (SC) forms an obstacle hindering the diffusion of drugs particularly hydrophilic ones. Hence, the purpose of this study was to develop novel soft nano-vesicles, entitled Flexosomes, amalgamating two penetration enhancers, ethanol and one edge activator (EA) from various types and different hydrophilic-lipophilic balances. The tailored vesicles were loaded with tropisetron hydrochloride (TRO), a potent highly-soluble anti-emetic, and compared with ethosomes. Aiming to preclude the formation of rigid non-deformable mixed micelles, all critical parameters; EA type, phosphatidylcholine-to-EA molar ratio, and cholesterol concentration, were optimized proving their influences on vesicle-to-micelle transitions. The prepared formulations were characterized in terms of visual inspection, particle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, turbidity measurements, entrapment efficiency, and vesicle morphology. The permeation mechanisms were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry on isolated SC. The modified vesicles, based on ethanol and either vitamin E or PEGylated castor oil derivatives exhibited the highest transdermal fluxes confirmed by a deeply tracking to dermis using confocal laser microscopy. Both vesicles demonstrated higher bioavailability relative to ethosomes, topical and oral aqueous solutions. The findings endorsed the effectiveness of tailored nano-vesicles in boosting TRO skin transport suggesting their applicability with various drug entities for enhanced transdermal delivery.

Evaluation on the Curative Effects and Safety of the Domestic Tropisetron Hydrochloride on Cisplatin-induced Nausea and Vomiting / 中国药房

0.05).CONCLUSION:The domestic tropisetron hydrochloride is equivalent to the imported one in terms of the efficacy and safety in the treatment of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting.