Arthur H. Kibbe

Comparative pharmacology of norcocaine in M. Mulatta and M. Fascicularis

Norcocaine was administered intravenously (0.05, 0.5, 5.0 mg/kg) to three chaired unanesthetized male rhesus monkeys and to three chaired male cynomolgus monkeys. Respiration rate, heart rate and rectal temperature were monitored. In the rhesus monkeys tachycardia and hyperventilation resulted. However, similar qualitative and quantitative changes were not observed in the cynomolgus species. There was a statistically significant difference in the response to norcocaine across species. These results indicate that cynomolgus monkeys are either less sensitive or respond differently than rhesus monkeys to some of the pharmacological effects of norcocaine. Furthermore, these data confirm that norcocaine is an active derivative of cocaine in both rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys.

An In Vitro Method of Evaluating Tolnaftate Release from Topical Powder

A dissolution apparatus was constructed to evaluate tolnaftate release from topical powders. It consisted of a mesh unit to support the powder, a receptor phase, and a sink. This report describes three parameters that were used to evaluate this technique. First, three different areas of contact were examined using 52-, 41-, or 30-µm mesh supports. Second, the effect of the pH on the dissolution rate was studied, using aqueous buffers of pH 3, 5, 7, or 8 as the receptor phase. Finally, different topical powder formulations containing different amounts of tolnaftate were tested. The results obtained showed that the percentage of tolnaftate released from topical powders increased at low pH levels and with the larger mesh support. The percentage released was greater in a starch–talc preparation than in a talc-only preparation. The mesh was replaced by a semipermeable membrane (2.5- to 4 nm pore size) to function as an in vitro model for intradermal diffusion. The results showed that a cream initially released more drug than powder formulations.

Dermatologie prescriptions requiring compounding

Dermatologists responding to a mail survey supplied 520 prescriptions as examples of prescriptions requiring compounding. A total of 195 different ingredients were used, with an average of 2.5 ingredients per prescription. Anti-inflammatory agents were most frequently used. Brand-name medications were frequently incorporated with other ingredients.

Chronic intravenous dosing and blood collection in the unanesthetized monkey.

A procedure is described which allows chronic dosing and blood collection from awake monkeys. The procedure involves only minor surgical anesthesia and allows the same vein of the animal to be used several different times with home-cage recuperation periods intervening between sequential chronic catheterizations.