Kenalog
Endotoxin stimulates secretion of cortisol, but not ACTH in heifers pretreated with suppressive doses of a glucocorticoid.

Bosu WT, Kujjo LL, Perez GI.

Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706-1100, USA.

The ability of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) to suppress actions of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the pituitary-adrenal axis was examined in Holstein heifers. The study was carried out using repeated measure/split plot factorial design involving four heifers which were repeatedly used in four experimental groups thus yielding eight experimental units (EU). Each EU received two treatments, the first at zero hour and the second at 28 h. Heifers in Groups I (n = 2) and II (n = 2) were given sterile saline as treatment (TRT) 1. For TRT 2, group I was given sterile saline, and group II received Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In group III (n = 2) and group IV (n = 2) triamcinolone acetonide was given as TRT 1. Sterile saline (SAL) was TRT 2 for GP III, and group IV heifers received LPS. Administration of LPS elicited increases in concentrations of the stress hormones ACTH (P < 0.05) and cortisol (P < 0.001) in SAL-pretreated heifers. However, in TA-pretreated animals, the endotoxin could only cause increase (P < 0.001) in concentrations of cortisol, but not ACTH. Therefore, the significant response of cortisol to LPS stimulation suggest that, at doses used in this study, triamcinolone acetonide did not suppress LPS-triggered cortisol secretion from adrenal zonae fasciculata and reticularis cells. The LPS-induced ACTH response appears to have been blunted by prior administration of triamcinolone acetonide.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8592875&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog



Kenalog
Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for pseudophakic cystoid macular edema.

Jonas JB, Kreissig I, Degenring RF.

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty for Clinical Medicine Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany. Jost.Janos ma.augen.uni-heidelberg.de

PURPOSE: To report the clinical outcome of patients undergoing intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide as treatment of long-standing cystoid macular edema after phacoemulsification. DESIGN: Prospective clinical interventional cases series studies. METHODS: The study included five patients suffering from cystoid macular edema after cataract surgery. They received an intravitreal injection of 25-mg crystalline triamcinolone acetonide transconjunctivally with topical anesthesia. RESULTS: In the follow-up period of 6.6 +/- 4.1 months, visual acuity increased from 0.26 +/- 0.13 to a mean maximal visual acuity of 0.60 +/- 0.19. For all patients, visual acuity improved during the follow-up by at least 0.20. Two (40%) patients developed intraocular pressure values higher than 21 mm Hg, which could be controlled by topical antiglaucomatous treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide may be a therapeutic option for long-standing cystoid macular edema after cataract surgery.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12888077&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog



Kenalog
Comparison of cosmetic and physicochemical properties of six topical corticosteroid creams.

Hadzija BW, Ambrose WW.

Division of Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599, USA.

The cosmetic and physicochemical properties of six topical corticosteroid creams were evaluated and compared. The following creams were provided in blinded tubes: Elocon, Westcort, Lidex, Kenalog, Valisone, and Cutivate. The following properties were evaluated in vitro: stiffness (hardness), grittiness, color, odor, homogeneity (phase separation), pH, weight loss, and tackiness (stickiness). Samples of the creams were evaluated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to identify particle and droplet distribution, particulate contamination, and microscopic homogeneity of the products. Cutivate ranked number 1 in each category and received the best overall score for each of the cosmetic and physicochemical properties evaluated. The cosmetic and physicochemical properties of Elocon, Westcort, Lidex, and Kenalog were found to be similar to one another with regard to overall score but inferior to Cutivate. Valisone was also good with regard to overall score but was ranked less acceptable due to a strong odor.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8646864&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog



Kenalog
Hyperlipoproteinemia of aminonucleoside-induced nephrotic syndrome--modulation by glucocorticoids and triiodothyronine.

Shafrir E.

Department of Biochemistry, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.

Triamcinolone or triiodothyronine (T3) was administered to rats with nephrosis induced by aminonucleoside of puromycin and to control nontreated rats. Triamcinolone produced hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and liver glycogen deposition in control rats and to a lesser extent in nephrotic rats. Triamcinolone treatment did not affect plasma protein and albumin levels but increased the level of plasma triglycerides and cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and LDL but not high density lipoprotein fractions. The exacerbation of hyperlipoproteinemia was attributed both to increase hepatic lipid synthesis and delayed removal, since it was associated with the induction of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the regulatory enzyme of lipogenesis, as well as with marked suppression of adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL). The hepatic lipase activity was found to be elevated in nephrotic rats but was suppressed by triamcinolone treatment, indicating a reduced capacity of VLDL to LDL conversion. T3 treatment resulted in serum glucose and insulin increases similar to triamcinolone, but more moderate in nephrotic vs. control rats, and in marked reduction in liver glycogen content. Plasma protein levels were not affected, but contrary to control rats, T3 treatment produced an elevation in serum triglycerides and cholesterol in nephrotic rats. The activity of several hepatic lipogenic enzymes, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase, was markedly elevated, as was the activity of gluconeogenic enzymes. Thus, the hyperlipoproteinemia on T3 treatment appeared to be mainly due to predomination of lipid synthesis over removal, since the activities of enzymes responsible for plasma lipid disposal, adipose tissue LPL and hepatic lipase were enhanced both in control and nephrotic rats. It is remarkable that both T3 and triamcinolone induce the lipogenic enzymes and apolipoproteins in the liver of nephrotic rats, already pronouncedly stimulated to replace the excreted plasma proteins. Thus, the nephrotic liver is able to respond to hormonal stimulation with further specific protein and lipid synthesis. It is also pertinent that the recovery from immunosuppressive treatment of human nephrosis, developing on an immune background, may result in more impressive amelioration of proteinuria and hypoproteinemia than of hyperlipoproteinemia because of the lipidemic effect of glucocorticoids.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8682644&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog



Kenalog
Biological activity and characteristics of triamcinolone-acetonide formulated with the self-regulating drug carriers, Transfersomes.

Cevc G, Blume G.

Medizinische Biophysik, Klinikum r. d. I., Technische Universitat Munchen, Ismaningerstr. 22 D-81675, Munich, Germany. cevc idea-ag.de

Novel formulations of the halogenated corticosteroid, triamcinolone-acetonide, based on ultradeformable mixed lipid vesicles, Transfersomes, are described. Their performance was tested in vivo using radioactive label measurements, to study the drug biodistribution, and murine ear edema, to determine the drug bioactivity. Sparse use of drug-loaded Transfersomes on the skin ensures an almost exclusive delivery of triamcinolone-acetonide into the organ, thus arguably increasing the treatment safety. Delivery of triamcinolone-acetonide in the skin with ultradeformable vesicles prolongs the anti-inflammatory drug action several times compared to drug usage in a conventional creme or an ointment, the robustness of biological response for the former being at least identical to the latter. The required dose of Transfersome-based triamcinolone-acetonide is also greatly reduced. The drug dose of 0.2 microg cm(-2) suppresses 75% of arachidonic acid-induced murine ear edema for at least 48 h. In contrast, a conventional formulation of triamcinolone-acetonide requires a 10-fold higher drug dosage to achieve a similar effect. In either case, increasing the applied corticosteroid amount delays the onset of anti-edema action.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12896808&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog



Kenalog
Decidua and placenta in mice after treatment with a synthetic glucocorticoid.

Matejevic D, Heilmann P, Schuster C, Schoneshofer M, Graf R.

Institut fur Anatomie, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany.

To investigate a possible long-term effect of glucocorticoids on decidua and placenta of mice, a single dose of 24 mg kg-1 body weight triamcinolone acetonide in crystalline suspension was given subcutaneously to NMRI mice on gestational day (GD) 2. Deciduae and placentae, as well as corticosterone and triamcinolone concentrations in maternal plasma of GDs 10 and 17 were examined. NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase involved in drug biotransformation was detected immunocytochemically and showed co-localization with NADPH diaphorase histochemistry in the decidua and placenta. Both reactions were higher in endothelial cells of decidual sinusoids on GD 10, but were lower on GD 17 in the trophoblast, spongiotrophoblast and extraplacental visceral yolk-sac epithelial cells of treated mice than in untreated animals. Histochemistry of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, an enzyme that metabolizes biologically active adrenocortical steroids and their synthetic congeners in the placenta, showed higher activity on GD 17 in enlarged labyrinthic trophoblast I cells of treated mice than in untreated animals. As corticosterone concentrations were still decreased on GD 17, when triamcinolone concentrations were no longer detectable, a long-term suppression of adrenal gland function seems obvious.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8743163&dopt=Abstract triamcinolone Kenalog