Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Aluminum In Beverages And Foods: A Comprehensive Compilation Of Regulations; Concentrations In Raw, Prepared, And Stored Beverages And Foods; And Intake, Robert Yokel

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The history and controversy concerning aluminum use in beverage and food preparation and storage are reviewed. This review on aluminum in drinking water, foods, and beverages updates and exceeds prior reviews. Country and international organization regulations that permit incorporation of aluminum containing food additives, their use limit, and purposes are presented. The aluminum concentration in beverages and foods consumed worldwide was gleaned from approximately 2100 sources available to the author. The approximately 17700 values are compiled in 175 tables by beverage or food category that include the analytical method used, sample source, and reference. The tables are posted on the …

A Cocaine Hydrolase Engineered From Human Butyrylcholinesterase As A Medical Countermeasure For Aldicarb Poisoning, Johnathan E. Lesaint, Nellore Bhanu Chandar, Annet Kyomuhangi, Huimei Wei, Fang Zheng, Chang-Guo Zhan

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Aldicarb is known to be the most toxic carbamate pesticide and could be used easily by terrorists to cause a mass casualty incident. It is highly desired to discover a medical countermeasure for aldicarb poisoning. Based on structural insights from molecular modeling and in vitro experimental validation, CocH3-Fc(M3), a potent cocaine hydrolase engineered from human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), has a ~4-fold improved binding affinity with aldicarb compared to wild-type human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BChE and a 9-28-fold improved bimolecular rate constant for the carbamylation with aldicarb compared to AChE. CocH3-Fc(M3) also has significant catalytic activity for aldicarb hydrolysis and, hence, is …

Development Of A Ghrelin Deacylase To Attenuate Drug Reward And Associated Effects Of Methamphetamine, Madeline J. Stewart, Huimei Wei, Nellore Bhanu Chandar, Fang Zheng, Chang-Guo Zhan

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

All addictive substances directly or indirectly interact with the dopamine reward system to alter the brain’s dopamine receptor activities. It is essential for a truly effective addiction medication to attenuate substance reward and normalize the brain’s physiological functions. Conventional pharmacological intervention approaches to the treatment of substance addiction usually aim to develop and deliver a potential therapeutic agent to the brain to directly block or decrease actions of the substance or its therapeutic target in the brain. However, it is a grand challenge to attenuate the substance reward without affecting the normal physiological functions of brain receptors or transporters. Here, …

Effects Of Biased Analogues Of The Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonist, U50,488, In Preclinical Models Of Pain And Side Effects, Ross Van De Wetering, Loan Y. Vu, Lindsay D. Kornberger, Dan Luo, Brittany Scouller, Sheein Hong, Kelly F. Paton, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Bronwyn M. Kivell

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have well-established antinociceptive effects. However, many KOR agonists have negative side effects, which limit their therapeutic potential. Some researchers have suggested that the development of biased agonists that preferentially stimulate KOR G-protein pathways over β-arrestin pathways may yield drugs with fewer adverse side effects. This was investigated in the current study. We describe the synthesis and characterization of three U50,488 analogues, 1, 2, and 3. We evaluated the acute and chronic antinociceptive effects of these compounds in mice using the warm-water tail flick assay and in a paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain model. Side …

Effects Of Fentanyl-Adulterated Methamphetamine On Circulating Ghrelin In Rats, Huimei Wei, Elise C. Maul, Shawn Park, Kaniz Fatema, Daniel J. Peter, Chang-Guo Zhan, Fang Zheng

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The appetite hormone ghrelin influences biological processes that are responsible for substance use disorder, which is related to alcohol and most abused drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, etc. In general, upregulation of the ghrelin system enhances drug cravings and substance use. Studies reported in the literature consistently demonstrated that the ghrelin system is associated with stimulants. However, research on opioids in combination with methamphetamine has not been reported. In this study, we examined the relationship of circulating ghrelin with the polydrug use of fentanyl and methamphetamine in male Sprague-Dawley rats, demonstrating for the first time that concurrent use of fentanyl …

Effects Of Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine On Circulating Ghrelin, Insulin, And Glucose Levels In Rats, Huimei Wei, Elise C. Maul, Annet Kyomuhangi, Shawn Park, Maddilynn L. Mutchler, Chang-Guo Zhan, Fang Zheng

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Opioid mixed with cocaine has been increasingly implicated in overdose deaths, including both intentional co-use of opioid and cocaine and fentanyl-adulterated drug supply. As ghrelin plays an important role in drug reward and can also influence insulin, this study aimed to assess responses of the circulating ghrelin, insulin, and glucose levels to the combined use of fentanyl and cocaine (a polydrug) in rats by performing combined animal behavioral experiments and biochemical analysis. The experimental data consistently revealed that the fentanyl and cocaine co-use can significantly elevate both the acyl-ghrelin and desacyl-ghrelin levels and significantly decrease the insulin level without significant …

Fluorescence-Guided Resection Of Gl261 Red-Fluc And Trp-Mcherry-Fluc Mouse Glioblastoma Tumors, Louis T. Rodgers, Bryan J. Maloney, Anika M. S. Hartz, Björn Bauer

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Most preclinical studies on glioblastoma (GBM) fail to provide translational utility in the clinic. Fluorescence-guided surgery using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) improves tumor resection, disease prognosis, and, thus, patient outcomes. Given the critical role of surgery in managing recurrent GBM, it is essential to incorporate surgical elements into preclinical models to accurately reflect clinical scenarios and enhance translational success. However, existing protocols for 5-ALA-guided resection in preclinical models are limited and often lack clinical relevance.

Methods: To address this gap, we developed a novel protocol for the 5-ALA-guided resection in two mouse GBM models: TRP-mCherry-FLuc and GL261 Red-FLuc.

Results: The …

Development Of Zafirlukast Analogues For Improved Antithrombotic Activity Through Thiol Isomerase Inhibition, Justine A. Keovilay, Kaitlind C. Howard, Kirk A. Taylor, Sabeeya Khan, Sienna E. Wurl, Melanie K. Szahaj, Tanya Sage, Nishad Thamban Chandrika, Caixia Hou, Oleg V. Tsodikov, Jonathan M. Gibbins, Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Daniel R. Kennedy

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:   Thiol isomerases play essential and nonredundant roles in platelet activation, aggregation, and thrombus formation. Thiol isomerase inhibitors have the potential to overcome the 2 major drawbacks of current antithrombotic therapies, as they target both arterial and venous thrombosis without enhancing bleeding risks. Recently, a Food and Drug Administration–approved drug, zafirlukast (ZAF), was shown to be a promising pan-thiol isomerase inhibitor. The objective of this study is to develop analogues of ZAF with optimized thiol isomerase inhibition and antithrombotic activity.   Methods:   Thirty-five ZAF analogues were tested in an insulin turbidometric assay for thiol isomerase inhibition. Analogues were tested for platelet …

Functional And Structural Studies On The Esperamicin Thioesterase And Progress Toward Understanding Enediyne Core Biosynthesis, Erome D. Hankore, Mitchell D. Miller, Abigael J. Kosgei, Weijun Xu, Kemin Tan, Michael Endres, Minakshi Bhardwaj, Grazyna Joachimiak, Andrzej Joachimiak, George N. Phillips Jr., Jon S. Thorson, Steven G. Van Lanen

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Enediynes are among the most potent antitumor and antibacterial natural products. Studies on their biosynthetic pathways have identified a shared, linear polyene precursor generated from an iterative type I polyketide synthase (PKSE) as the source of the enediyne warhead. A key step is the release of this polyene from the PKSE by a discrete thioesterase (TE). Here, we used X-ray crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, and heterologous coexpression of PKSEs and TEs to elucidate how enediyne TEs mediate the production of the polyene. We solved the structure of wild-type EspE7 from esperamicin producer Actinomodura verrucosospora. The substrate binding pocket was also …

Daratumumab Monotherapy: Reconsidering Relapsed And Refractory Multiple Myeloma Maintenance Therapy, Gabrielle O. Carreon Pharmd, Ms

Pharmacy Residency

Results from this study support the continued use of daratumumab monotherapy in carefully selected patients who may not be candidates for more intensive combination therapies due to age, comorbidities, or prior toxicities. However, further research is needed to confirm these early observations.

Presented at Great Lakes PRC

The Chemical Straightjacket: Institutional Over-Use Of Psychotropic Drugs On Children In Lieu Of Therapeutic Community Mental Health Services, Marisa Leib-Neri

Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality

This Article argues that the abysmal state of children’s mental health in America is in part due to an overreliance on and over prescription of psychotropic drugs inside psychiatric residential institutions in lieu of community based mental health services. This overreliance on residential institutions and psychotropic drugs has allowed a new form of chemical restraint to flourish—the chemical straitjacket. This Article uses the medication lists of twelve children in seven different North Carolina psychiatric residential treatment facilities to demonstrate how the chemical straitjacket operates: the prescription of drugs not approved for pediatric populations, counter to evidence-based practices for particular diagnoses, …

Medical-Grade Honey And Standard Dressings In Burn Wound Care: Evaluating Effectiveness, Cost, And Patient Outcomes, Chloe Shin, Andrew Golonka

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Burn injuries burden the healthcare system globally as silver sulfadiazine (SSD) is the standard treatment even though it delays healing and is highly costly. Medical-grade honey (MGH) demonstrates superior antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, however, there are still evidence gaps when comparing effectiveness, cost efficiency, and patient centered outcomes. Purpose: This study aims to compare MGH and SSD amongst these gaps to inform evidence based burn care. Methods: A randomized controlled trial will enroll 100 people between 25-50 years of age with first and second degree burns, < 20% total body surface area within two hospital burn units. Participants will be assigned to either MGH or SSD treatment. The study will be a single blind design where dermatologists evaluating the wound photographs will not know the treatment given. Primary outcomes include wound healing time, infection rates, and patient reported pain scores. Secondary outcomes will focus on cost effectiveness analyses and patient quality of life. Standardized protocols will be implemented for data collection, wound assessment, and safety monitoring. Results: We anticipate that MGH will have lower infection rates, promote faster wound healing, improved outcomes from patient reports, and better cost effectiveness through shorter hospital stays and reduced medical treatments compared to SSD. Conclusion: This study will provide evidence comparing MGH and SSD across economic, clinical, and patient centered outcomes. If our hypothesis aligns with the results, MGH could be a new evidence based standard in burn care as it offers many advantages over SSD in patient comfort, healing efficiency, and medical costs. The findings will provide areas for future research, especially long term outcome and a bigger patient population.

Folic Acid-Decorated Lipidic Nanocapsules Co-Loaded With Atorvastatin And Curcumin To Enhance Glioma Targeting In Mice, Mahitab Bayoumi, John Youshia, Osama Abdelkawy, Sara Abdelgaber, Mona Arafa, Maha Nasr, Omaima Sammour

Pharmacy

Background: Glioma remains an intractable and highly aggressive brain tumor, mainly due to the daunting obstacle presented by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To overcome this challenge and enhance therapeutic efficacy, a dual-drug delivery system was engineered. This system co-encapsulated curcumin, a nutraceutical with multitargeted anticancer potential, with atorvastatin calcium, a repurposed anticancer agent, within lipidic nanocapsules (LNCs). Methods: LNCs were prepared via the phase inversion temperature method and optimized using a Box–Behnken design. The optimized LNCs were subsequently functionalized with folic acid (FA) to enable active targeting. FA-LNCs were characterized using, XPS, TEM, in vitro release, and MTT cytotoxicity …

The Landscape Of Cyclin‑Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitors In Solid Malignancies: Emphasis On Immunotherapy Combinatorial Strategies, Maha R.A. Abdollah, Sara A. Hussein, Ahmed H. Saadawy, Eman Badr, Neamtullah Wael, Rasha M. Allam, Ahmed M. Al‑Abd, Ana Maria Roncero Sanchez, Mai Tolba

Pharmacy

Given the pivotal role of CDK4/6 deregulation in the pathogenesis of various malignancies, CDK4/6 inhibitors have been incorporated into cancer treatment protocols. Beyond their antiproliferative effects, these inhibitors exhibit prominent immunomodulatory properties. Preclinical data indicated that CDK4/6 inhibitors enhance the tumor cell antigen presentation capacity and restrict the proliferation of immunosuppressive regulatory T-cells. Furthermore, studies showed that CDK4/6 inhibitors could enhance the development of memory T-cell in vivo in melanoma mouse models and in the clinical setting in breast cancer (BC) patients. In silico analysis identified 225 protein targets for CDK4/6 inhibitors involved in 57 immune-related pathways which further supported …

Corchorus Olitorius Exhibits Antiproliferative Potential Supported By Metabolic Profiling And Integrative Biological Analyses, Maha R.A. Abdollah, Salma Sameh, Ahmed Elissawy, Eman Al-Sayed, Rola Labib, Lan Ye, Fang-Rong Chang, Abdel Nasser B. Singab

Pharmacy

Herbal nutraceuticals could be employed as alternative or complementary routes for alleviating cancer. Corchorus olitorius (Malvaceae) was employed traditionally in the management of tumors. The study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative activity of C. olitorius leaves. In vitro cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic activities of C. olitorius were estimated. The bioactive fraction was subjected to in vivo study on BALB/ c female mice using Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma model. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis was done to determine the phytometabolites followed by in silico studies on the major identified compounds. The bioactive fraction possessed potent in vitro activity against A549 cells with IC50 = 7.8 µg/mL …

Investigating The Extent To Which Diet-Induced Obesity Alters Gene Expression In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells Following Influenza Immunization In Mice, Chaitanya Lahari Chowdary Pathipati

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vaccines are a vital tool in preventing diseases, but their effectiveness varies depending on factors like diet and body weight. Obese individuals often experience reduced vaccine protection, as seen with influenza vaccines, where they have twice the risk of getting the flu compared to healthy-weight individuals after vaccination. This study aims to understand why obesity weakens vaccine effectiveness, focusing on the role of blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow, known as hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). These cells are crucial for producing immune cells that defend the body against infections. Previous research has shown that diet-induced obesity alters …

A Diagnostic Challenge—Tinu Syndrome, Sophia Lee, Md, Claire Kassakian, Md

Books, Presentations, Posters, Etc.

Introduction: •TINU Syndrome: Tubulointerstitial Nephritis and Uveitis  rare multi-system syndrome  has renal manifestations typical of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), in addition to bilateral anterior uveitis  not well-understood •Thought to be an immune-mediated process, although mechanisms for disease remain unclear  Likely secondary to a combination of genetic predisposition and certain environmental exposures •Genetic predisposition:  specific HLA phenotypes  possibly an auto-antigen to modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) •Potential triggers:  Infections: tuberculosis, EBV, varicella zoster, chlamydia, toxoplasma  Medications: antibiotics (β-lactams, meropenem, azithromycin, levofloxacin), NSAIDs, goreisan (Chinese herb)  Endocrine diseases: hypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, IgG4-related autoimmune …

January 2025, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

This is the January 2025 issue of Rural Rocks from the SWOSU College of Pharmacy.

Customary Corruption, Ani B. Satz, Liza Vertinsky

Faculty Articles

For over a hundred years, it has been well-accepted among tort scholars that physicians—as one of the legally recognized professions— determine their own customary practices. Within tort law, and medical malpractice more specifically, customary practice establishes whether physicians breach or uphold the required standard of care toward their patients. The results of our hand-coded examination of decided cases and statutes show a more complex picture. While some states have endeavored to shift the standard away from professional custom, it continues to play a critical, and in many cases a determinative, role in establishing physician liability in most states.

Using illustrative …

Defederalizing Opioid Addiction Care, Matthew B. Lawrence

Faculty Articles

Lack of access to evidence-based care for drug addiction is an urgent problem amid a decades-long overdose crisis that kills tens of thousands of Americans a year. Opioid addiction is the primary driver of overdoses today, and medicines exist to treat such addiction that can dramatically improve quality of life while reducing the risk of deadly overdose by more than half. Yet fewer than one in four of the nine million Americans who need such evidence-based medical care for their addiction receive it. Chief among barriers to access are restrictive and burdensome federal requirements limiting the use of narcotic medications …