Analyzing Childhood Recall Antigens in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
Albert Einstein College of Medicine / Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03848182
Resnick Campus, Albert Einstein College of Medicine [Photo: Albert Einstein College of Medicine]Investigators at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in collaboration with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN), have opened a Phase II clinical trial of gemcitabine with tetanus toxoid vaccine booster for patients with pancreatic cancer. Patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal carcinoma will be treated with gemcitabine as standard of care and boosted once with the human childhood vaccine to tetanus toxoid.
From the study summary:
“The investigator is developing an immune therapy against pancreatic cancer. Immune cells, known as ‘T cells with tumor killing capacity’, are involved in this immune therapy. In mice with pancreatic cance there is evidence that one tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination (that patients receive from childhood) combined with Gemcitabine activates these killer T cells. (Gemcitabine improves T cell responses.) These killer T cells are able to destroy tumor cells uploaded with TT protein (such studies are planned in future clinical trials). The goal of this study is to test whether one TT vaccination combined with Gemcitabine treatment activates the same T cells in pancreatic cancer patients.”
See additional details, including study location(s), eligibility criteria, contact information, and study results (when available) at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified clinical trials for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
Study of Axitinib (AG-013736) With Evaluation of the VEGF-pathway in Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
Columbia University / Pfizer
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03839498
Axitinib PubChem CID: 6450551
Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center [Photo: National Cancer Institute]Investigators at Columbia University Medical Center have opened a Phase I clinical trial to determine the activity of axitinib (INLYTA®, Pfizer) as a single agent in tumor and hormonal responses in malignant pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma.
See complete details, including study location(s), eligibility criteria, contact information, and study results (when available) at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified clinical trials for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
Skardu, Shigar Valley, Pakistan [Photo: Rizwan Saeed, Wikimedia Commons]Investigators at Hazara University, Quaid-i-Azam University, Karakoram International University, and COMSATS conducted an ethnobotanical study to document medicinal uses of plant species by the inhabitants of the Shigar Valley in the Karakorum Range of Northern Pakistan. This is the first such study in the region, which is home to ethnic Balti people of Tibetan descent:
“Baltistan is an archetypal mountainous region of the Northern Pakistan with average altitude of 3555 m above sea level. Historically, it has often been referred as “Western Tibet” or ‘Little Tibet’. The territories of the Baltistan region lie sparsely at acclivities and in deep mountains of Karakorum and Himalaya with unique landscape, climate, flora and fauna. However, remoteness, difficult access and inadequate funding may be the major handicaps to conduct field survey in these areas. Only few workers have conducted ethnobotanical survey in some parts of Northern Pakistan. Therefore, very limited ethno-botanical literature is available in the region. Shigar valley is located in the Karakorum Ranges, and is the home of various peaks (including K2), glaciers and hot springs, which have always been the most preferred tracking places for visitors across the country and abroad. Ethno-botany is a recently introduced and rapidly flourishing field in this region, and is gaining adequate attention by researchers. Although, various ethnobotanical surveys have be conducted in different parts of Pakistan. However, Northern parts of country are still poorly explored. Therefore, present survey aimed to provide the first inventory on ethno-pharmacological application of medicinal plant species used by the inhabitants of Balti community of Shigar valley, Karakorum Mountains-Pakistan.”
Allium carolinianum [Photo: Sherpaworld, Wikimedia Commons]Working with local respondents, the team identified 84 medicinal plant species used primarily to treat abdominal, respiratory, and skin ailments. Commonly used plants included Allium carolinianum, Hippophe rhamnoides, Tanacetum falconeri, and Thymus linearis. Roughly a quarter of the species were identified for medicinal uses for the first time and included Aconitum violoceum, Arnebia guttata, Biebersteinia odora, Clematis alpina, Corydalis adiantifolia, Hedysarum falconeri, and Saussurea simpsoniana.
The authors found the results to be significant for scientific purposes, as well as for conservation and cultural/economic development:
“Present study illustrated diverse medicinal flora in the territories of Gilgit-Baltistan mountains. The exclusive alliance of medicinal plants, mountain restricted distribution and high level disagreement in traditional uses corroborate the significance of this study. Being the first inventory on medicinal flora of Shigar valley, present study offers baseline data for researchers, particularly interested in high mountains phyto-diversity and related traditional knowledge. The sub-alpine species in environs are practicable for conservation and cultivation. The abundance of medicinal plant species in the study area could enhance the economic status of local communities by marketing and sustainable utilization. Local inhabitants can make their home gardens or micro park system of medicinally important species on their own land.”
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified published research for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
Window of Opportunity Trial of Abemaciclib for Bladder Cancer
Weill Medical College of Cornell University / Eli Lilly and Company
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03837821
Abemaciclib PubChem CID: 46220502
Weill Medical College of Cornell University – New York, NY [Photo: Cornell010, Wikimedia Commons]Investigators at Weill Medical College of Cornell University have opened a Phase I “Window of Opportunity” clinical trial of neoadjuvant abemaciclib (Verzenio®, Eli Lilly and Company) followed by radical cystectomy in patients with platinum-ineligible urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer) to evaluate CDK4/6-dependent phosphorylation of pocket proteins and clonal evolution dynamics.
See complete details, including study location(s), eligibility criteria, contact information, and study results (when available) at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified clinical trials for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used as insects repellents in six malaria endemic localities of Cameroon
Youmsi RDF, Fokou PVT, Menkem EZ, Bakarnga-Via I, Keumoe R, Nana V, Boyom FF
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2017 Jun 8;13(1):3 PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5465592
Investigators from the University of Yaoundé, University of Adam Barka-Abeche, and National Herbarium of Cameroon conducted an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used as insect repellents in six malaria-endemic localities of Cameroon: Lolodorf, Bipindi, Kribi-Londji, Dimako, Kon-Yambetta, and Mbouda (Babete). The inhabitants of these regions include Bagyeli, Bakola, and Baka pygmies, among others.
Citrus limon [Photo: WAH]Working with 182 local informants, the team identified 16 plant species commonly used as insect repellents, including Canarium schweinfurthii, Chromolaena odorata, Citrus limon, and Elaeis guineensis. Important modes of administration included plants burnt to produce smoke inside the house (50%), smashed for topical application (31%), and hung inside the house (19%).
The authors concluded that the results have baseline potential for further scientific investigation of plant-based mosquito repellents, while urging caution regarding the use of one plant, Erythrophleum ivorense:
“[T]he insecticidal activity of the bark extract of Erythrophleum ivorense was previously reported in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Besides, Erythrophleum ivorense is resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. This denotes repellency/insecticidal properties that might be explained by the presence of pharmacologically active alkaloids in the bark and seed such as cassaine, cassaidine and erythrophleguine. However, it should be noted that high doses of the bark extract are extremely strong, rapid-acting cardiac poison in warm-blooded animals causing shortness of breath, seizures and cardiac arrest in a few minutes. Furthermore, the seeds are reported to be more toxic due to a strong haemolytic saponin which acts synergistically with the alkaloids. Fresh bark of this plant was reported to be burnt by Mbamda (Bafia) people to repel in-house mosquitoes. Given the presence of toxic alkaloids in the bark, the resulting smokes are highly likely to be equally poisonous to insects and human, stressing the fact that it should be used with caution or simply discontinued.”
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The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
An ethnopharmacological evaluation of Navapind and Shahpur Virkanin district Sheikupura, Pakistan for their herbal medicines
Zahoor M, Yousaf Z, Aqsa T, Haroon M, Saleh N, Aftab A, Javed S, Qadeer M, Ramazan H
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2017 May 8;13(1):27 PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5422909
Punjab Province, Pakistan [Source: TUBS, Wikimedia Commons]Investigators from the Lahore College for Women University conducted an ethnopharmacological survey to document the medicinal uses of wild plants in the villages of Nava Pind and Shahpur Virkanin in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab province in eastern Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical documentation of medicinal plants to be undertaken in the region.
“The village[s] NavaPind and ShahpurVirkan [of the] district Sheikhupura are floristically quite rich tropical regions of Punjab. Ethnobotanical study of this area has never been conducted. The climate of the area is subjected to extreme variations. Wheat, Rice and Sugarcane are the main cash crops. Guavas, Strawberries and Citrus are grown at a larger scale in this district. Literacy rate of the villages is very low. Generally it is observed that most men in these areas are engaged in unskilled labor, while women are self-employed in petty trade of agriculture especially in the collection and trade of wild food and medicinal plants. Mostly plants are used for many purposes like food, shelter and therapeutic agents. However, lack of scientific knowledge about the useable parts, proper time of collection and wasteful methods of collection lead to mismanagement of these plants. So, the indigenous knowledge is going to be depleted. Hence ethnobotanical survey is planned for NavaPind and ShahpurVirkan district Sheikhupura, province Punjab to document the traditional uses of medicinal plants in the area before the information is lost.”
Ocimum sanctum [Photo: WAH]Working with indigenous local informants, the team identified 96 plant species used for medicinal purposes, including 12 species that had not been previously reported for medicinal properties: Allium roylei, Asthenatherum forkalii, Carthamus tinctorius, Conyza erigeron, Digitaria ciliaris, Digitaria nodosa, Jasminum nudiflorum, Malva verticillata, Melilotus indica [Melilotus indicus], Ocimum sanctum, Schoenoplectus supinus, and Tetrapogon tenellus. Therapeutic applications included abdominal pain, respiratory disorder, cholera, and use as a skin tonic, among others.
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified published research for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
Venetoclax Combined With Vyxeos (CPX-351) for Participants With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Leukemia
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03825289
Venetoclax PubChem CID: 11707110
Vyxeos PubChem CID: 11707110
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati [Photo: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center]Investigators at Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, have opened a Phase I clinical trial to study the safety and tolerability of combining venetoclax (VENCLEXTA®, AbbVie) with VYXEOS® (CPX-351, daunorubicin and cytarabine, Jazz Pharmaceuticals) in pediatric and young adult patients with acute leukemia that has come back or has not responded to treatment.
See complete details, including study location(s), eligibility criteria, contact information, and study results (when available) at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Send email to avery@williamaveryhudson.com for information about submitting qualified clinical trials for sponsored posts on this blog.
The information on my blog is not intended as a substitute for medical professional help or advice but is to be used only as an aid in understanding current medical knowledge. A physician should always be consulted for any health problem or medical condition.
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