Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Trigeminal Neuralgia in a South Asian Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: The antinociceptive effect of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) has been described. We evaluated effects of BTX-A in relieving pain in patients with refractory TN at National Hospital of Sri Lanka. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pain in patients with TN was assessed using a visual analog from 0 to 10. Three months after commencement of drug therapy with ≥2 drugs including one first-line drug (carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine), pain scores were re-assessed. Twenty-two patients who did not report improvement of ≥50% at 90 days' posttreatment were recruited. They were given adjunct BTX-A directly to the trigger point (if identified) or intradermal. Pain scores were assessed at 10, 20, 30, 60, and 90 days' posttreatment. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in mean pain scores at 10, 20, 30, 60, and 90 days' posttreatment (5.59 [standard deviation (SD) = 2.7], 5.68 [SD = 2.6], 5.27 [SD = 3.2], 4.77 [SD = 3.7], and 5.32 [SD = 4.0]) compared to pre-BTX-A treatment (7.14, SD = 2.2). Percentage reduction in mean pain score ranged from 20.4% to 33.1%. Maximum response was at day 60 post-BTX-A (50% had ≥50% reduction in pain). No significant difference was found in response with higher doses and injection strategy. CONCLUSION: Consistent statistically significant reductions in pain scores at the aforesaid intervals compared to pretreatment means that there is a place for BTX in refractory TN.

Sterically congested, hexameric tetrakispyridinyl-Pd(II)/Cd(II)-metallomacrocycles: self-assembly and structural characterization.

Hexagonal Pd(II)- or Cd(II)-tetrakispyridinyl-based macrocycles are quantitatively self-assembled from 4'-(3-pyridinyl)-4,4''-di(tert-butyl)-2,2' : 6',2''-terpyridine and structurally confirmed by NMR and TWIM-MS.

High-temperature stabilized anatase TiO2 from an aluminum-doped TiCl3 precursor.

The solid-state hydrolysis and air calcination of aluminum-doped TiCl3 leads to crystalline anatase TiO2 that is stable on heating to 1000 degrees C, in contrast to control studies with related AlCl3 and TiCl3 physical mixtures that produce rutile TiO2 under the same conditions.