Research Profile - College of Medicine and Health Science - United ...

Department of Pharmacology
subtype selective toxins from mamba snake
(Dendroaspis) venoms. At present the status of
M1 and M4 receptors in health and disease
states in humans are being investigated. Our
results show significant decrease of M4, but not
of M1 receptors in the hippocampus of
Alzheimer’s patients compared to controls.
Moreover, changes in these receptors in
adrenalectomized animal models which have
been shown to have a selective loss of
hippocampal neurons. Attempts to isolate and
characterize M2, M3, and M5 selective toxins is
also in progress. Behavioral, biochemical and
electrophysiological techniques are also used in
understanding the role of other
neurotransmitters in diabetes, epilepsy,
aggressive behavior, aging, and degenerative
diseases.
Prof. Georg Petroianu
Clinical toxicology
Therapy of acute organophosphate
poisoning
Organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitors
(organophosphates) are widely used in
agriculture, in industry and technology, and in
military technology. According to the WHO,
more than one million casualties per year are
due to organophosphates exposure. Countries
of the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions
top the list. While use of atropine in the therapy
of acute organophosphate poisoning is wellestablished
clinical practice, the use of oxime
enzyme reactivators (pralidoxime, obidoxime)
is a hotly debated issue. Recent in vivo data
from our laboratory shows that oximes produce
a spurious signal when ChE activity is
determined photometrically. True enzyme
protection/reactivation is thus less than
assumed. Furthermore high dose oxime
increases the “time-to-extubation (TTE)” and
mortality as compared to identical therapy
without oxime (animal data). The paradigm of
enzyme reactivation in organophosphate
poisoning must be reassessed and alternatives
developed. Screening of benzamide
compounds with cholinesterase protective
capabilities is a present priority of our group.
Preliminary experiments performed in our
laboratory in vitro and in vivo suggest that the
benzamide compound tiapride is partially
protective against esterase inhibition by
organophosphates. In addition newly
synthesized oximes with superior reactivating
properties are tested in conjunction with
benzamides to increase survival in exposed
animals.
Prof. MY Hasan
Neuroscience
The main line of research has been focusing on
neurotransmission. We have been applying
behavioral, biochemical and electrophysiological
and morphological techniques in
understanding the role of neurotransmitters in
various disorders (diabetes, epilepsy, aging,
neurodegenerative diseases). Findings indicated
significant modification of specific
neurotransmitters in many of the disorders. It
appears that alteration in calcium mobilization
and free radical system may be a common factor
accounting for some of the changes observed
in aging, diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
Another line of research has been toxicological
studies and impact of toxins on muscle the
nervous system. We have investigated the effects
of heavy metal intoxication in relation to
FIGURE 1
degenerative diseases. We studied impact of
heavy metal toxicity on nervous system and
muscle and observed that free radicals may be
involved in metal toxicity and antioxidants like
ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol may have a
protective role against metals effects Also we
have been looking at neurotoxicity and general
toxicity from organophosphates and nerve
gases. We have been screening antidotes for
organophosphate poisoning and implication
for treating exposure to nerve gas agents.
Furthermore my interest covered broad areas in
medical education and community health. Some
63