| In vivo: |
| Archives of Oral Biology, 2001, 46(8):689-695. | | The effect of pilocarpine on salivary constituents in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.[Reference: WebLink] | Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a complex clinical entity with various target organs, including the salivary glands.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Oral pilocarpine (Salagen®), 30 mg/day, can ameliorate cGVHD-induced xerostomia and improve the flow rate from the major salivary glands. The purpose here was to evaluate the effect of this drug at 30 mg/day on salivary biochemical and immunological composition in cGVHD patients. Significantly higher concentrations of salivary sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), total protein, albumin, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and total IgG, accompanied by a concomitant increase in total IgA which did not reach significance, were observed in cGVHD patients in comparison with controls, in both resting and stimulated conditions (p < 0.05), while salivary potassium, calcium and phosphate were not altered. Two weeks of oral pilocarpine, at 30 mg/day, resulted in normalization of the altered salivary biochemical and immunological composition in the cGVHD patients. Oral pilocarpine was able to reduce and normalise the elevated Na, Mg, total protein, albumin, EGF, IgG and IgA concentrations in both resting and stimulated conditions.
CONCLUSIONS:
The ability of oral pilocarpine to normalise and reverse the salivary biochemical and immunological alterations induced by cGVHD parallels its known stimulatory effect on salivary flow rates.
As the biochemical and immunological composition of saliva provides its protective antimicrobial characteristics, the ability of pilocarpine to abrogate cGVHD salivary gland abnormalities may be of clinical significance. | | Arch Ophthalmol, 1987, 105(8):1112. | | Pilocarpine antagonizes prostaglandin F2 alpha-induced ocular hypotension in monkeys. Evidence for enhancement of Uveoscleral outflow by prostaglandin F2 alpha.[Reference: WebLink] |
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Twice daily topical application of 50 micrograms of prostaglandin F2 alpha tromethamine to cynomolgus monkey eyes produced significant ocular hypotension lasting at least six hours, with the intraocular pressure (IOP) falling between 35% and 50%, ie, to about 8 to 10 mm Hg, following the seventh dose. A single topical application of 1 mg of pilocarpine hydrochloride produced a much smaller IOP reduction and strong, probably maximal accommodation, both of which lasted at least eight hours. When prostaglandin F2 alpha-treated eyes were given pilocarpine before the seventh dose of prostaglandin F2 alpha, accommodation and IOP responded as in eyes receiving pilocarpine only. Atropine sulfate pretreatment of eyes receiving pilocarpine and prostaglandin F2 alpha completely prevented pilocarpine-induced accommodation and inhibition of ocular hypotension induced by prostaglandin F2 alpha.
CONCLUSIONS:
We hypothesize that (1) prostaglandin F2 alpha reduces IOP by increasing uveoscleral drainage of aqueous humor, and (2) pilocarpine pretreatment contracts the ciliary muscle, obliterating the intramuscular spaces and closing off the uveoscleral drainage pathway and thus physiologically blocking the effect. |
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