High-dose, pharmacological ascorbate (P-AscH−) is preferentially cytotoxic to human cancer cells in vitro. Investigations on the efficacy of P-AscH− as an adjuvant treatment for multiple human cancers are on-going, but has yet to be formally investigated in dogs. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of P-AscH− in healthy Beagle dogs and the effects of P-AscH− on canine osteosarcoma cells in vitro.
Musser ML, Mahaffey AL, Fath MA, Buettner GR, Wagner BA, Schneider BK, et al. In vitro Cytotoxicity and Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Pharmacological Ascorbate in Dogs. Front Vet Sci [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2020 May 29];6. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2019.00385/full
In the United States, lung cancer causes more deaths per year (135,720 estimated for 2020) than does any other type of cancer, and 84% of lung cancer deaths are caused by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Siegel et al., 2020). Treatment for NSCLC has expanded from a limited set of chemotherapeutics and surgery to include immunotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted adjunct therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (Jászai & Schmidt, 2019; Liu et al., 2017). Between 1996 and 2010, it’s estimated that the percentage of NSCLC patients receiving some combination of targeted therapy and chemotherapy has increased by 20% for stage I/II patients, 28% for stage IIIA patients, and at least 15% for stage IIIB/IV patients (Kaniski et al., 2017). Parallel with the advancements in treatments, the prognosis for these patients has also been improving. The 5-year survival rate in NSCLC has advanced from 10.7% in 1973 to slightly less than 21% as of 2019 (Lu et al., 2019). Today, a combination of chemotherapy (including platinum-based doublets), immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. PD-1/PD-L1), and antiangiogenics (e.g. bevacizumab) is recommended as first-line therapy for the management of metastatic or recurrent NSCLC (Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell – Types of Treatment, 2012). (more…)
Conjunctival inflammation disturbs the blood–tear barrier and thus affects the tear film stability and composition. We aimed to develop a non-invasive and reliable method to induce conjunctivitis in dogs, a large animal model for translational work on ocular surface disease in humans. Six beagle dogs underwent a randomized, vehicle-controlled, balanced crossover trial—on six separate days, one eye received topical artificial tears (vehicle), while the other eye received one of six concentrations of histamine solution (0.005–500 mg/ml). At sequential times after eyedrop administration, a conjunctivitis score was given to each eye based on the degree of palpebral and bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis, ocular pruritus, and discharge. Total protein content (TPC) and serum albumin were quantified in tear fluid at baseline and 20 min. Additionally, 13 dogs presenting for various ophthalmic diseases with associated conjunctivitis were examined. Experimentally induced conjunctivitis developed rapidly (<1 min) following topical histamine administration and lasted for 1–3 h (four lowest doses) to 6–8 h (two highest doses). The severity of conjunctivitis was dose-dependent. Histamine was overall well tolerated, although transient blepharitis, aqueous flare, and ocular hypertension occurred in a few dogs receiving histamine ≥375 mg/ml. TPC and serum albumin levels increased in tears of eyes receiving histamine ≥1.0 mg/ml, being significantly higher than vehicle and baseline in eyes receiving histamine ≥375 mg/ml. Lacrimal albumin levels were also increased in 13 dogs with naturally acquired conjunctivitis, up 2.7–14.9 fold compared to contralateral healthy eyes. Histamine-induced conjunctivitis represents a robust model for translational work on the ocular surface given the low cost, non-invasiveness, self-resolving nature, ability to adjust the duration and severity of the disease, and shared features with naturally occurring ocular diseases. Histamine solutions of 1, 10, and 375 mg/ml induce mild, moderate, and severe conjunctivitis in dogs, respectively. Leakage of serum albumin in tear fluid of eyes with conjunctivitis suggests a breakdown of the blood–tear barrier.
In Pharmacokinetic studies, researchers use a controlled research environment to determine the biological fate of a pharmaceutical after administration. In practice, this means determining the typical plasma concentration of the drug from the moment of administration until effective elimination of the drug from the body. From this typical profile, researchers can predict useful clinical metrics like the predicted maximum concentration (Cmax) of the pharmaceutical and the time it takes for the drug to reach peak plasma concentration (Tmax ) after administration. (more…)
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality with an increasing prevalence in human and canine populations. Similar to humans, overactivation of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system is involved in the pathophysiology of CHF in dogs. Current therapeutic strategies for the management of canine CHF include the use of RAAS inhibitors, diuretics and inodilators. The present review summarizes data from our own research on the modulation of the renin-angiotensin cascade in dogs in dogs, together with new findings (including novel therapeutic targets) from the veterinary and the human literature.
In this manuscript, we use a nonlinear mixed effects (NLME) framework to develop a compartmental model of vitacoxib disposition kinetics in dogs after intravenous (I.V), oral (P.O) and subcutaneous (S.C) dosing. The influence of age, sex, bodyweight and food intake were evaluated as covariates on model parameters to assess the need for dose adjustment of vitacoxib in dogs.
