Category Archives: psychotropic

Stelazine


Trifluoperazine

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Trifluoperazine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
10-[3-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)propyl]-
2-(trifluoromethyl)-10H-phenothiazine
Identifiers
CAS number 117-89-5
ATC code N05AB06
PubChem CID 5566
IUPHAR ligand ID 214
DrugBank DB00831
Chemical data
Formula C21H24F3N3S 
Mol. mass 407.497
Pharmacokinetic data
Metabolism Hepatic
Half-life 10–20 hours
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. C(AU) C(US)
Legal status POM (UK) -only (US)
Routes oral, IM
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y
Trifluoperazine (Eskazinyl, Eskazine, Jatroneural, Modalina, Stelazine, Terfluzine, Trifluoperaz, Triftazin) is a typical antipsychotic of the phenothiazine chemical class.

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[edit] Uses

The primary indication of trifluoperazine is schizophrenia. Other official indications may vary country by country, but generally it is also indicated for use in agitation and patients with behavioural problems, severe nausea and vomiting as well as severe anxiety. Its use in many parts of the world has declined because of highly frequent and severe early and late tardive dyskinesia, a type of extrapyramidal symptom. The annual development rate of tardive dyskinesia may be as high as 4%.[citation needed]
A 2006 study suggested that trifluoperazine may be able to reverse addiction to opioids.[1]
A multi-year UK study by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust suggested that this and other antipsychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer’s patients with mild behavioural problems often make their condition worse.[2] The study concluded that
For most patients with AD, withdrawal of neuroleptics had no overall detrimental effect on functional and cognitive status and by some measures improved functional and cognitive status. Neuroleptics may have some value in the maintenance treatment of more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms, but this possibility must be weighed against the unwanted effects of therapy. The current study helps to inform a clinical management strategy for current practice, but the considerable risks of maintenance therapy highlight the urgency of further work to find, develop, and implement safer and more effective treatment approaches for neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with AD.

[edit] Pharmacology

Trifluoperazine has central antiadrenergic,[3] antidopaminergic,[4][5] and minimal anticholinergic effects.[6] It is believed to work by blockading dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the mesocortical and mesolimbic pathways, relieving or minimizing such symptoms of schizophrenia as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thought and speech.[7]

[edit] Side effects

A 2004 meta-analysis of the studies on trifluoperazine found that it is more likely than placebo to cause extrapyramidal side effects such as akathisia, dystonia, and Parkinsonism.[7] It is also more likely to cause somnolence and anticholinergic side effects such as blurred vision and xerostomia (dry mouth).[7] All phenothiazines can cause the rare and sometimes fatal neuroleptic malignant syndrome.[8] Trifluoperazine can lower the seizure threshold.[9] The antimuscarinic action of trifluoperazine can cause excessive dilation of the pupils (mydriasis), which increases the chances of patients with hyperopia developing glaucoma.[10]

Seroquel


Quetiapine

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Quetiapine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
2-(2-(4-dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine- 11-yl- 1-piperazinyl)ethoxy)ethanol
Identifiers
CAS number 111974-69-7
ATC code N05AH04
PubChem CID 5002
IUPHAR ligand ID 50
DrugBank DB01224
ChemSpider 4827
Chemical data
Formula C21H25N3O2S 
Mol. mass 383.5099 g/mol
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 9%
Metabolism Hepatic
Half-life 6 hours
Excretion Renal
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. C(US)
Legal status -only (US)
Routes Oral
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y
Quetiapine (pronounced /kwɨˈtaɪ.əpiːn/ kwi-TYE-ə-peen), marketed by AstraZeneca as Seroquel and by Orion Pharma as Ketipinor, both as a quetiapine fumarate salt of the drug, is an atypical antipsychoticschizophrenia, bipolar I mania, bipolar II depression, bipolar I depression, and used off-label for a variety of other purposes, including insomnia and anxiety disorders. used in the treatment of
Annual sales are approximately $4.7 billion worldwide, and $2.9 billion in the U.S.[1] The patent in the U.S., which was set to expire in 2011, received a pediatric exclusivity extension, which pushed its expiration to March 26, 2012.[2] The patent already expired in Canada. Several pharmaceutical companies are now making generic versions of quetiapine. Quepin is a generic version manufactured and marketed by Specifar ABEE, Athens, Greece.[3]
Controversy arose over AstraZeneca’s aggressive marketing of the Seroquel for off-label uses, including treatment of PTSD in veterans. Several American soldiers and veterans have died while taking Seroquel.[4]

Contents

[show]

[edit] Uses

Quetiapine (Seroquel) 25 mg tablets, next to US one-cent coin for comparison.

Quetiapine is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia, depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder, acute manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (as either monotherapy or adjunct therapy to lithium or valproate), and maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder (as adjunct therapy to lithium or divalproex). Quetiapine received its initial indication from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of schizophrenia in 1997.[5] In 2004, it received its second indication for the treatment of mania-associated bipolar disorder.[6] It is sometimes used off-label, often as an augmentation agent, to treat conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, restless legs syndrome, autism, alcoholism, depression,[7] Tourette syndrome,[8] and has been used by physicians as a sedative for those with sleep disorders or anxiety disorders.[9]
In 2005, the National Institute of Mental Health examined quetiapine and other antipsychotics to uncover the comparative efficacy of “second generation” anti-psychotics against older anti-psychotics (known as “first generation” or “typical anti-psychotics”). Such information could be important to the patients, as the newer drugs are far more expensive than their older counterparts. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results of the CATIE (“clinical antipsychotic trials of interventional effectiveness”) trial were somewhat mixed. 74% of trial participants (of the 1,493 people who were in different treatment groups) discontinued before the trial ended. The majority of the participants discontinued treatment due to intolerable side effects or lack of efficacy. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) was considered the most effective in terms of the time it took patients to drop out of the study, although it was associated with greater weight gain and glucoseperphenazine.[10] The CATIE trial was supported by a grant (N01 MH90001) from the NIMH and by the Foundation of Hope of Raleigh, N.C. The individual pharmaceutical companies, whose drugs were used, donated all of the study medication. intolerability found in diabetes patients. The effects of all other treatments (such as Seroquel) were considered to be similar to the effects of the generic (and dramatically less expensive) drug,
A report in British Medical Journal in 2005 showed that quetiapine was ineffective in reducing agitation among Alzheimer’s patients, whose usage of the drug constituted 29% of sales. In fact, quetiapine was found to worsen cognitive functioning in elderly patients with dementia.[11]
Use of quetiapine to minimize the symptoms of opioid withdrawal has been studied.[12]

[edit] Investigations

In 2007 and 2008, studies were conducted on quetiapine’s efficacy in treating generalized anxiety disorder and major depression. In April 2009, the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public meeting to discuss whether study results supported the FDA’s approval for anxiety and depression, with risks of metabolic side effects and of tardive dyskinesia and sudden cardiac death.[13]

In 2010 AstraZeneca was ordered to pay $520 million in a settlement with State and Federal authorities. According to the settlement AstraZeneca promoted the sale and use of Seroquel for uses not approved by the FDA, and paid illegal kickbacks to doctors. As a result of their promotional activity, physicians prescribed Seroquel for children, adolescents and dementia patients in long term care facilities.[14]

[edit] Pharmacology

Quetiapine has the following pharmacological actions:[15][16][17][18]
This means Quetiapine is dopamine, serotonin and adrenergic antagonist, anticholinergic substance and antihistamine. Quetiapine binds strongly to serotonin receptors. Serial PET scans evaluating the D2 receptor occupancy of quetiapine have demonstrated that quetiapine very rapidly disassociates from the D2[19] Theoretically, this allows for normal physiological surges of dopamine to elicit normal effects in areas such as the nigrostriatal and tuberoinfundibular pathways, thus minimizing the risk of side effects such as pseudo-parkinsonism as well as elevations in prolactin.[citation needed] receptor.

Chemical restraint (+disinformation)


Chemical restraint

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A chemical restraint is a form of medical restraint in which a drug is used to restrict the freedom or movement of a patient or in some cases to sedate a patient. These are used in emergency, acute, and psychiatric settings to control unruly patients who are interfering with their care or who are otherwise harmful to themselves or others in their vicinity.
Drugs that are often used as chemical restraints include benzodiazepines (such as Lorazepam (Ativan), Midazolam (Versed), or Diazepam (Valium)[1]. Haloperidol (Haldol) is a drug chemically unrelated to benzodiazepines and is also popular for chemical restraint, without the potentially dangerous side effects of benzodiazepine drugs.
In the United States, no drugs are presently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as chemical restraints[2].
The use of chemical restraint has been criticized. It has been found to be mismanaged by health care workers for the convenience of the staff rather than the benefit of the patient, as workers use them to prevent patients from resisting care rather than improving the health of the patient[3]. This has been found to cause more confusion in patients, thereby slowing their recovery[4].

Zyprexa (? + rex(king))


Olanzapine

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Olanzapine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
2-methyl-4-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-10H-thieno[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepine
Identifiers
CAS number 132539-06-1
ATC code N05AH03
PubChem CID 4585
IUPHAR ligand ID 47
DrugBank DB00334
ChemSpider 10442212
Chemical data
Formula C17H20N4S 
Mol. mass 312.439
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Physical data
Melt. point 195 °C (383 °F)
Solubility in water Practically insoluble in water mg/mL (20 °C)
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 87% [1]
Metabolism Hepatic (direct glucuronidation and CYP mediated oxidation)
Half-life 21–54 hours
Excretion urine 57%, feces 30%
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. C
Legal status Prescription only
Routes oral, intramuscular
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y

Zyprexa 10 mg tablets (AU)

Olanzapine (trade names Zyprexa, Zalasta, Zolafren, Olzapin, Oferta, Zypadhera or in combination with fluoxetine Symbyax) is an atypical antipsychotic, approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.[2] Olanzapine is structurally similar to clozapine, but is classified as a thienobenzodiazepine. The olanzapine formulations are manufactured and marketed by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company, whose patent for olanzapine proper expires in 2011 (in October 2009 a Canadian judge ruled that the 1991 patent was invalid).[3] Sales of Zyprexa in 2008 were $2.2B in the US alone, and $4.7B in total.[4]

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[edit] Indications and Usage

  • oral formulation: acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults, acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (monotherapy and in combination with lithium or valproate)
  • intramuscular formulation: acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I mania in adults
  • oral formulation combined with fluoxetine: treatment of acute depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults, or treatment of acute, resistant depression in adults [5]
Known FDA approvals are as follows:
  • approved for the treatment of the manifestations of psychotic disorders on September 6, 1996[6]
  • approved in combination with fluoxetine for the treatment of depressive episodes associated with Bipolar disorder on December 24, 2003[7]
  • approved for the long-term treatment of bipolar I disorder on January 14, 2004[8]
  • approved in combination with fluoxetine for treatment of resistant depression on March 19, 2009.[9]

[edit] Off-label uses

Case-reports, open-label, and small pilot studies suggest efficacy of olanzapine for the treatment of some anxiety spectrum disorders (e.g. generalized anxiety disorder,[10] panic disorder,[11] post-traumatic stress disorder);[12] however, olanzapine has not been rigorously evaluated in randomized, placebo-controlled trials for this use and is not FDA approved for these indications. Other common off-label uses of olanzapine include the treatment of eating disorders (e.g. anorexia nervosa) and as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder without psychotic features. It has also been used for Tourette syndrome and stuttering.[13][14] Olanzapine is also used in many addiction clinics as a sleep aid (usually 2.5–5 mg) due to its low abuse profile and zero addictive properties.

[edit] Prevention of psychosis

Olanzapine has been considered as part of an early psychosis approach for schizophrenia. The Prevention through Risk Identification, Management, and Education (PRIME) study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and Eli Lilly, tested the hypothesis that olanzapine might prevent the onset of psychosis in people at very high risk for schizophrenia. The study examined 60 patients with prodromal schizophrenia, who were at an estimated risk of 36–54% of developing schizophrenia within a year, and treated half with olanzapine and half with placebo.[15] In this study, patients receiving olanzapine had a lower risk of progressing to psychosis, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. Olanzapine was effective for treating the prodromal symptoms, but was associated with significant weight gain.[16]

[edit] Use in elderly

Citing an increased risk of stroke, in 2004 the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the UK issued a warning that olanzapine and risperidone, both atypical antipsychotic medications, should not be given to elderly patients with dementia. In the U.S., olanzapine comes with a black box warning for increased risk of death in elderly patients. It is not approved for use in patients with dementia-related psychosis.[17][18]

However, a BBC investigation in June 2008 found that this advice was being widely ignored by British doctors.

Risperdal (psedoscience and the psychiatric equivalent to AIDS/HIV/H4)


Risperidone

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Risperidone
Systematic (IUPAC) name
4-[2-[4-(6-fluorobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-yl)-
1-piperidyl]ethyl]-3-methyl-
2,6-diazabicyclo[4.4.0]deca-1,3-dien-5-one
Identifiers
CAS number 106266-06-2
ATC code N05AX08
PubChem CID 5073
IUPHAR ligand ID 96
DrugBank DB00734
ChemSpider 4895
Chemical data
Formula C23H27FN4O2 
Mol. mass 410.485 g/mol
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 70% (oral)
Metabolism Hepatic (CYP2D6-mediated)
Half-life 3–20 hours
Excretion Urinary
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. C
Legal status Prescription only
Routes Oral and extended-release intramuscular injection
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y
Risperidone (pronounced Ris-PEAR-rǐ-dōne) is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophreniaschizoaffective disorder, the mixed and manic states associated with bipolar disorder, and irritability in children with autism. The drug was developed by Janssen-Cilag and first released in 1994[1]. It is sold under the trade name Risperdal in the Netherlands, United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, New Zealand and several other countries, Risperdal or Ridal in New Zealand, Sizodon or Riscalin in India, Rispolept in Eastern Europe, and Russia, and Belivon, or Rispen elsewhere. (including adolescent schizophrenia),

Contents

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[edit] Indications and Uses

  • treatment of schizophrenia in adults
  • treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents aged 13-17 years
  • alone or in combination with lithium or valproate, for the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults
  • alone in the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in children and adolescents aged 10-17 years
  • treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and young adults
  • it has also been used as a control drug for people with tourette syndrome and other tic disorders.
  • treatment of major depression with psychotic features
  • cure persistent or intractable hiccups[2]
Risperidone was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993 for the treatment of schizophrenia.[3]
On August 22, 2007, risperidone was approved as the only drug agent available for treatment of schizophrenia in youth ages 13–17; it was also approved that same day for treatment of bipolar disorder in youth and children ages 10–17, joining lithium. Risperidone contains the functional groups of benzisoxazolepiperidine as part of its molecular structure. In 2003 the FDA approved risperidone for the short-term treatment of the mixed and manic states associated with bipolar disorder. In 2006 the FDA approved risperidone for the treatment of irritability in children and adolescents with autism.[4] The FDA’s decision was based in part on a study of autistic children with severe and enduring problems of violent meltdowns, aggression, and self-injury; risperidone is not recommended for autistic children with mild aggression and explosive behavior without an enduring pattern.[5] Like other atypical antipsychotics, risperidone has also been used off-label for the treatment of anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder; severe, treatment-resistant depression with or without psychotic features; tourette syndrome; disruptive behavior disorders in children; and eating disorders, among others. In two small studies risperidone was reported to successfully treat the symptoms of phencyclidine (PCP) psychosis due to acute intoxication[6] and chronic use.[7] and
A 2009 Cochrane Library review found no evidence from randomized controlled trials that risperidone is effective for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in people with intellectual disabilities.[8] A multi-year UK study by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust suggested that this and other neuroleptic anti-psychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer’s patients with mild behavioural problems often made their condition worse. The study concluded that:
For most patients with AD, withdrawal of neuroleptics had no overall detrimental effect on functional and cognitive status and by some measures improved functional and cognitive status. Neuroleptics may have some value in the maintenance treatment of more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms, but this possibility must be weighed against the unwanted effects of therapy.[9]

[edit] Availability

Risperdal 4 mg tablets (UK)

Janssen’s patent on Risperdal expired on December 29, 2003, opening the market for cheaper generic versions of the drug from other companies, and Janssen’s exclusive marketing rights expired on June 29, 2004 (the result of a pediatric extension.)
Risperidone is available as a tablet in 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mg sizes, as an oral solution (30ml, 1 mg/ml), and as a 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 37.5 mg and 50 mg ampoule Risperdal Consta, which is a depot injectionRisperdal M-Tabs and elsewhere as Risperdal Quicklets. administered once every two weeks. It is also available as a wafer known in the United States and Canada as
Risperidone became available as a generic drug in October 2008 from Teva Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Inc. and Patriot Pharmaceutics. The Patriot generic is Janssen Pharmaceutical’s “authorized generic pharmaceutical.”

[edit] Side effects

Risperidone has been associated with weight gain.[10] Other common side effects include akathisia, sedation, dysphoria, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, muscle stiffness, muscletremors, increased salivation, constipation, and stuffy nose. pain,
Many antipsychotics are known to cause hyperprolactinemia which may lead to hypogonadism-induced osteoporosis, galactorrhoea, gynaecomastia, irregular menstruation and sexual dysfunction. However, risperidone is known to increase prolactin to a greater extent than other atypical antipsychotics. Although lactation is possible in both sexes using other antipsychotic drugs, risperidone is the biggest offender.[11][12][13] It is thought that once risperidone raises prolactin, it may cause prolactinoma, a benign tumor of the pituitary gland. Tumors, in general, are not considered reversible. Medical therapy may help reduce tumor size and restore normal reproduction and pituitary function, however, dopamine agonists[14] There is a higher association between pituitary neoplasms with use of risperidone and amisulpride than with other antipsychotic agents. are not likely to be prescribed to antipsychotic users, thus, surgery or radiation treatment may be required. This condition may recur if the patient is switched to a different antipsychotic. Risperidone has been known to cause increased thoughts of suicide.
Risperidone can potentially cause tardive dyskinesia (TD),[15] extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS),[15] and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).[15] Risperidone may also trigger diabetes and more serious conditions of glucose metabolism, including ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar coma, according to an FDA Warning Letter issued to Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. on 19-Apr-04.[16]

[edit] Pharmacology

This drug belongs to a class of antipsychotic drugs known as atypical antipsychotics that have more pronounced serotonin antagonism than dopamine antagonism, but risperidone is unique in this class because it retains dopamine antagonism. It has high affinity for D2 dopaminergic receptors. It has actions at several 5-HT (serotonin) receptor subtypes. These are 5-HT2C, linked to weight gain, 5-HT2A,linked to its antipsychotic action and relief of some of the extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) experienced with the typical neuroleptics.
It reaches peak plasma levels quickly regardless of whether it is administered as a liquid or pill. Risperidone is metabolised fairly quickly, so the potential for nausea subsides usually in two to three hours. However, the active metabolite, 9-hydroxy-risperidone, which has similar pharmacodynamics to risperidone, remains in the body for much longer, and has been developed as an antipsychotic in its own right, called paliperidone.
An intramuscular preparation, marketed as Risperdal Consta, can be given once every two weeks. It is slowly released from the injection site. This method of administration may be used on sanctioned patients who are declining, or consenting patients who may have disorganized thinking and cannot remember to take their daily doses.[17] Doses range from 12.5 to 50 mg given as an intramuscular injection once every two weeks.

Abilify (Phi)(ability)


Double play on words (Phi, Ability), comp. lexapro

 Aripiprazole

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Aripiprazole
Systematic (IUPAC) name
7-{4-[4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl]butoxy}-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one
Identifiers
CAS number 129722-12-9
ATC code N05AX12
PubChem CID 60795
IUPHAR ligand ID 34
DrugBank APRD00638
ChemSpider 54790
UNII 82VFR53I78
Chemical data
Formula C23H27Cl2N3O2 
Mol. mass 448.385
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 87%
Protein binding >99%
Metabolism liver
Half-life 75h (active metabolite : 94h)
Excretion feces and urine
Therapeutic considerations
Licence data EU EMA:LinkUS FDA:link
Pregnancy cat. C (USA)
Legal status Prescription only
Routes oral (via tablets, orodispersable tablets, and oral solution); intramuscular
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y

Aripiprazole (pronounced /ˌɛərɨˈpɪprəzoʊl/ AIR-i-PIP-rə-zohl; brand names: Abilify, Abilify Discmelt, Aripiprex) is an atypical antipsychotic and antidepressant used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for schizophrenia on November 15, 2002, for acute manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder on October 1, 2004, as an adjunct for major depressive disorder on November 20, 2007 and to treat irritability in children with autistic disorder in children on 20 November 2009.[1][2] Aripiprazole was developed by Otsuka in Japan, and in the United States, Otsuka America markets it jointly with Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Contents

[show]

[edit] Indications and usage

[edit] Schizophrenia

Aripiprazole has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia.[3]

[edit] Bipolar disorder

Aripiprazole has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute manic and mixed episodes, in both pediatric patients aged 10–17 and in adults.[4] Several double-blind, placebo-controlled trials support this use.[5][6][7][8] In addition, it is often used as maintenance therapy, either on its own or in conjunction with a mood stabilizer such as lithium or valproate. This use is also supported by a handful of studies.[9][10]haloperidol at reducing manic symptoms,[11][unreliable source?] and is much better tolerated by patients.[12] Aripiprazole is at least as effective as
Aripiprazole’s use as a monotherapy in bipolar depression is more controversial. While a few pilot studies have found some effectiveness[13][14] (with one finding a reduction in anhedonia symptoms[15]), two large, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies found no difference between aripiprazole and placebo.[16] One study reported depression as a side effect of the drug.[17]

[edit] Major depression (Unipolar depression)

In 2007, aripiprazole was approved by the FDA for the treatment of unipolar depression when used adjunctively with an antidepressant medication.[18] It has not been FDA-approved for use as monotherapy in unipolar depression.

[edit] Autism

In 2009, the United States FDA approved Abilify to treat irritability in persons with autism.[19] It was approved on the basis of two studies that showed it reduced aggression towards others, self-injury, quickly changing moods, irritability, and temper tantrums in autistic males and females 6–17 years of age.

[edit] Cocaine dependency

Perhaps owing to its mechanism of action relating to dopamine receptors, there is some evidence to suggest that aripiprazole blocks cocaine-seeking behaviour in animal models without significantly affecting other rewarding behaviours (such as food self-administration). [20]

[edit] Pharmacology

  • D2 Partial Agonist (Ki = 0.34 nM)
  • D3 Antagonist (?)
  • 5-HT1A Partial Agonist (Ki = 0.34 nM)
  • 5-HT2A Antagonist (Ki = 0.8 nM)
  • 5-HT2C Partial Agonist (Ki = 15 nM)
  • 5-HT7 Antagonist (Ki = 39 nM)
  • SRI (?)
  • Antihistamine (Ki = 61 nM)
  • α-adrenergic antagonist (Ki = 57 nM)
  • mACh receptor antagonist (?)

Aripiprazole’s mechanism of action is different from those of the other FDA-approved atypical antipsychoticsclozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, and risperidone). Rather than antagonizing the D2 receptor, aripiprazole acts as a D2 partial agonist (Ki = 0.34 nM).[21][22] Aripiprazole is also a partial agonist at the 5-HT1A receptor (Ki = 1.65 nM), and like the other atypical antipsychotics displays an antagonist profile at the 5-HT2A receptor (Ki = 0.8 nM).[23][24] It also antagonizes the 5-HT7 receptor (Ki = 39 nM) and acts as a partial agonist at the 5-HT2C receptor (Ki = 15 nM), both with high affinity. The latter action may underlie the minimal weight gain seen in the course of therapy.[25] Aripiprazole has moderate affinity for histamine (Ki = 61 nM) and α-adrenergic (Ki = 57 nM) receptors and for the serotonin transporter, and no appreciable affinity for cholinergic muscarinic receptors.[26] (e.g.,
D2 and D3 receptor occupancy levels are high, with average levels ranging between ~71% at 2 mg/day to ~96% at 40 mg/day.[27][28] Most atypical antipsychotics bind preferentially to extrastriatal receptors, but aripiprazole appears to be less preferential in this regard, as binding rates are high throughout the brain.[29]
Recently, it has been demonstrated that in 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice, aripiprazole does not reduce immobility time in the forced swim test (FST), and actually increases it.[30][31] This implicates 5-HT7amisulpride.[30][31][32] antagonism as playing a major role in aripiprazole’s antidepressant effects, similarly to
Aripiprazole produces 2,3-dichlorophenylpiperazine (DCPP) as a metabolite similarly to how trazodone and nefazodone reduce to 3-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and niaprazine converts to 4-fluorophenylpiperazine[33] It is unknown whether DCPP contributes to aripiprazole’s pharmacology in any way, but the possibility cannot be excluded. (pFPP).

[edit] Pharmacokinetics

Aripiprazole displays linear kinetics and has an elimination half-life of approximately 75 hours. Steady-state plasma concentrations are achieved in about 14 days. Cmax (maximum plasma concentration) is achieved 3–5 hours after oral dosing. Bioavailability of the oral tablets is about 90% and the drug undergoes extensive hepatic metabolization (dehydrogenation, hydroxylation, and N-dealkylation), principally by the enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Its only known active metabolite is dehydro-aripiprazole, which typically accumulates to approximately 40% of the aripiprazole concentration. The parenteral drug is excreted only in traces, and its metabolites, active or not, are excreted via feces and urine.[26] When dosed daily, brain concentrations of aripiprazole will increase for a period of 10–14 days, before reaching stable constant levels. This phenomenon is due to the long half life of aripiprazole, and is responsible for many of the adverse side effects that appear after multiple days of dosing (whereas the first dose normally does not cause these side effects).

[edit] Patent status

Otsuka’s US patent on aripiprazole expires on October 20, 2014;[34] however, due to a pediatric extension, a generic will not become available until at least April 20, 2015.[4] Barr Laboratories (now Teva Pharmaceuticals) initiated a patent challenge under the Hatch-Waxman Act in March 2007.[35] As of 14 August 2009, this challenge is still in court. (2009 -08-14)[update]

[edit] Side effects

Akathisia[36], headache, unusual tiredness or weakness, nausea, vomiting, an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach, constipation, light-headedness, insomnia, sleepiness, shaking, and blurred vision.
Uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements, tremors, seizure, and weight gain. Some people may feel dizzy, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position, or may experience a fast heart rate.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (Combination of fever, muscle stiffness, faster breathing, sweating, reduced consciousness, and sudden change in blood pressure and heart rate.)
Aripiprazole also causes sexual dysfunction.
Tardive dyskinesia (As with all antipsychotic medication, patients using aripiprazole may develop the permanent neurological disorder tardive dyskinesia.[37][38][39])
Stroke (While taking aripiprazole some elderly patients with dementia have suffered from stroke or ‘mini’ stroke.)
Other elderly patients may experience high blood sugar or the onset or worsening of diabetes.
Allergic reaction (such as swelling in the mouth or throat, itching, rash), increased production of saliva, speech disorder, nervousness, agitation, fainting, reports of abnormal liver test values, inflammation of the pancreas, muscle pain, weakness, stiffness, or cramps.

[edit] Overdosage

Children or adults who ingested acute overdoses have usually manifested central nervous system depression ranging from mild sedation to coma; serum concentrations of aripiprazole and dehydroaripiprazole in these patients were elevated by up to 3-4 fold over normal therapeutic levels, yet no deaths have yet been recorded.[40]

[edit] Drug interactions

Aripiprazole is a substrate of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Coadministration with medications that inhibit (e.g. paroxetine, fluoxetine) or induce (e.g. carbamazepine) these metabolic enzymes are known to increase and decrease, respectively, plasma levels of aripiprazole.[41] As such, anyone taking Abilify should be aware that their dosage of Abilify may need to be decreased.
Aripiprazole may change the subjective effects of alcohol. One study[42] found that aripiprazole increased the sedative effect and reduced the sense of euphoria normally associated with alcohol consumption. However, another alcohol study[43] found that there was no difference in subjective effect between a placebo group and a group taking aripiprazole.

[edit] Dosage forms

  • Intramuscular injection, solution: 7.5 mg/mL (1.3 mL)
  • Solution, oral: 1 mg/mL (150 mL) [contains propylene glycol, sucrose 400 mg/mL, and fructose 200 mg/mL; orange cream flavor]
  • Tablet: 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg
  • Tablet, orally disintegrating: 10 mg [contains phenylalanine 1.12 mg; creme de vanilla flavor]; 15 mg [contains phenylalanine 1.68 mg; creme de vanilla flavor]

[edit] Synthesis

Aripiprazole synth.png
U.S. Patent 5,006,528



  • )

Lexapro (symbolc misrepresentation)[Lexis-vocabulary, pro-(for, skilled]


Lexapro [Lexis(vocabulary) + Pro]

Escitalopram

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  (Redirected from Lexapro)
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Escitalopram
Systematic (IUPAC) name
(S)-1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-carbonitrile
Identifiers
CAS number 128196-01-0
ATC code N06AB10
PubChem CID 146570
DrugBank APRD00683
ChemSpider 129277
UNII 4O4S742ANY
Chemical data
Formula C20H21FN2O 
Mol. mass 324.392 g/mol
(414.43 as oxalate)
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 80%
Protein binding ~56%
Metabolism Liver, specifically the enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C19
Half-life 27–32 hours
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. C
Legal status Rx Only (U.S) POM (U.K)
Routes Oral
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y

Lexapro tablets

Cipralex brand escitalopram package and tablet sheet

Escitalopram (trade names Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex, Lexamil) is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment in adults with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder , or panic disorder. Escitalopram is the S-stereoisomer (enantiomer) of the earlier Lundbeck drug citalopram, hence the name escitalopram. Escitalopram is noted for its high selectivity of serotonin reuptake inhibition and has side effects typical for the SSRI class.

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[edit] History

Escitalopram was developed in a close cooperation between Lundbeck and Forest Laboratories. Its development was initiated in the summer of 1997, and the resulting new drug application was submitted to the U.S. FDA in March 2001. The short time (3.5 years) it took to develop escitalopram can be attributed to the previous extensive experience of Lundbeck and Forest with citalopram, which has similar pharmacology.[1]evergreening[2] (also called “lifecycle management”[3])– the long-term strategy pharmaceutical companies use in order to extend the lifetime of a drug, in this case of the citalopram franchise. Escitalopram is an enantiopure compound of the racemic mixture citalopram, used for the same indication, and for that reason it required less investment and less time to develop. Two years after escitalopram’s launch, when the patent on citalopram expired, the escitalopram sales successfully made up for the loss. On May 23, 2006, the FDA approved a generic version of escitalopram by Teva.[4] On July 14 of that year, however, the U.S. District Court of Delaware decided in favor of Lundbeck regarding the patent infringement dispute and ruled the patent on escitalopram valid.[5] The FDA issued the approval of escitalopram for major depression in August 2002 and for generalized anxiety disorder in December 2003. Escitalopram can be considered an example of “
In 2006 Forest Laboratories was granted an 828 day (2 years and 3 months) extension on its US patent for escitalopram.[6] This pushed the patent expiry from December 7, 2009 to March 14, 2012.

Geodon [geo (earth) + don(dominic)]


LORD
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish ([don]), Portuguese (Dom, [dõ]), and Italian ([dɔn]). The female equivalent is Doña (Spanish: [ˈdoɲa]), Dona (Portuguese: [ˈdonɐ]), and Donna (Italian: [ˈdɔnna]), abbreviated “Dª” or simply “D.”

Dominus is the Latin word for master or owner.

Ziprasidone

Ziprasidone
Systematic (IUPAC) name
5-[2-[4-(1,2-benzisothiazol-3-yl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-
6-chloro-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one
Identifiers
CAS number 146939-27-7
ATC code N05AE04
PubChem CID 60854
IUPHAR ligand ID 59
DrugBank DB00246
ChemSpider 54841
Chemical data
Formula C21H21ClN4OS 
Mol. mass 412.936
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 100% (intramuscular)
60% (orally)
Metabolism hepatic (aldehyde reductase)
Half-life 7 hours
Excretion Urine and feces
Therapeutic considerations
Licence data US FDA:link
Pregnancy cat. C(US)
Legal status Prescription only
Routes oral, intramuscular
 Yes(what is this?)  (verify)Y
Ziprasidone (marketed as Geodon, Zeldox by Pfizer) was the fifth atypical antipsychotic to gain FDA approval (February 2001). In the United States, Ziprasidone is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, and the intramuscular injection form of ziprasidone is approved for acute agitation in schizophrenic patients. Ziprasidone has also received approval for acute treatment of mania and mixed states associated with bipolar disorder. The brand name Geodon has been suggested to bring to mind the phrase ‘down (don) to earth (geo)’ referring to the goals of the medication.
The oral form of ziprasidone is the hydrochloride salt, ziprasidone hydrochloride. The intramuscular form, on the other hand, is the mesylate salt, ziprasidone mesylate trihydrate, and is provided as a lyophilized powder.
Geodon was one of four drugs which Pfizer in 2009 pleaded guilty to misbranding “with the intent to defraud or mislead”. Pfizer agreed to pay $2.3 billion (£1.4 billion) in settlement, and entered a corporate integrity agreement. Pfizer was found to have illegally promoted four of its drugs for use in conditions that had not been approved by the FDA.[1]

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[edit] Pharmacology

Ziprasidone has a high affinity for dopamine, serotonin, and alpha-adrenergic receptors and a moderate affinity for histamine receptors, where it is believed to act as an antagonist.[2] Ziprasidone also displays some inhibition of synaptic reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine[2][3], although the clinical significance of this is unknown. The mechanism of action of ziprasidone is unknown. However it has been theorized that its antipsychotic activity is mediated primarily by antagonism at dopamine receptors, specifically D2. Serotonin antagonism may also play a role in the effectiveness of ziprasidone, but the significance of 5-HT2A antagonism is debated among researchers.[4] Ziprasidone has perhaps the most selective affinity for 5-HT2A receptors relative to D2 and 5-HT2C receptors of any neuroleptic.[5][6] Antagonism at histaminic and alpha adrenergic receptors likely explains some of the side effects of ziprasidone, such as sedation and orthostasis.

[edit] Pharmacokinetics

The systemic bioavailability of ziprasidone administered intramuscularly is 100%, or 60%, administered orally with food. After a single dose intramuscular administration, the peak serum concentration typically occurs at about 60 minutes after the dose is administered, or earlier. Steady state plasma concentrations are achieved within one to three days. The mean half-life ranges from two to five hours. Exposure increases in a dose-related manner and following three days of intramuscular dosing, little accumulation is observed.
Ziprasidone absorption is not optimally achieved when administered without food. Without a meal preceding dose, the bioavailability of the drug is reduced by approximately 50%.[7][8]
Ziprasidone is hepatically metabolized by aldehyde oxidase; minor metabolism occurs via cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4).[9] Medications that induce (e.g. carbamazepine) or inhibit (e.g. ketoconazole) CYP3A4 have been shown to decrease and increase, respectively, blood levels of ziprasidone.[10][11]

[edit] Adverse effects

Ziprasidone received a black box warning due to increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.[7] It also slightly increases the QTc interval in some patients and increases the risk of a potentially lethal type of heart arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes. Ziprasidone should be used cautiously in patients taking other medications likely to interact with ziprasidone or increase the QTc interval.[12]
Patients in general will experience loss of focus and motivation as well as blurry vision to the point that stronger doses may cause thoughts of suicide while the medicine is in the patients system. Thoughts of suicide may occur. Typically side effects will start about an hour after ingestion and peak about four to five hours after ingestion. Patient will most likely be unable to operate machinery or drive a vehicle while the medicine is effecting the patient as blurred vision can be quite severe.
Ziprasidone may cause cause dangerous—even fatal—heartbeat irregularities.
Geodon generally adheres to the mid section of the prefrontal cortex. It derives from the ideas and thoughts process in the prefrontal cortex in which determines a treatment diagnosis for psychosis. Those who experience the symptoms of psychosis will experience on-going symptoms such as: lack of sleep, insomnia, and uncontrollable desires and experiences. Geodone adheres and corrects the prefrontal cortex by delivering an enzyme called (enzyme-B). This enzyme corrects the basal ganglia function which coorelates with the B-cortex hemispheres. In other words the enzyme delivers a vital nutrient into the system which is release by the geodome once again, called enzyme-b. The process of Geodon is somewhat confusing as it affects both the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex. By affecting the basal ganglia the prefrontal cortex does what is called: identity change. This is a process in which enzymes are switched from one section of the brain to another. The prefrontal cortex is mainly involved in spacial recognition which will be slightly alleviated by the geodon. Those who experience spacial recognition problems usually suffer from psychosis.
Ziprasidone is known to cause activation into mania in some bipolar patients.[13][14][15]
This medication can cause birth defects, according to animal studies, although this side effect has not been confirmed in humans.[7]
Adverse events reported for ziprasidone include severe chest pains, impaired erectile function and stimulation, sedation, insomnia, orthostasis, life-threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome, akathisia, and the development of permanent neurological disorder tardive dyskinesia. Rarely, temporary speech disorders may result.
Recently, the FDA required the manufacturers of some atypical antipsychotics include a warning about the risk of hyperglycemia and Type II diabetes with atypical antipsychotics. Some evidence suggests that ziprasidone may not be as bad as some of the other atypical antipsychotics (namely, olanzapine (Zyprexa)) at causing insulin resistance and weight gain.[16][17][18][19] In fact, in a trial of long term therapy with ziprasidone, overweight patients (BMI > 27) actually had a mean weight loss overall.[7] Ziprasidone, though, is not a weight loss drug. The weight loss reflected in this study on ziprasidone was really reflective of patients who had gained weight on other antipsychotics who were now trending back toward their baseline.[citation needed]clozapine and olanzapine). According to the manufacturer insert, ziprasidone caused an average weight gain of 2.2 kg (4.8 lbs) (which is significantly lower than other atypicals–

[edit] Off-label uses

In addition to its antipsychotic use, ziprasidone is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of tic disorders. A small study[20] has supported the efficacy of this use.

Freddie Mercury


Freddie Mercury

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Freddie Mercury

Mercury performing in New Haven, CT, 1977
Background information
Birth name Farrokh Bulsara
Born 5 September 1946(1946-09-05) Stone Town, Zanzibar
Origin London, England, UK[1]
Died 24 November 1991 (aged 45)
Kensington
, London, England, United Kingdom
Genres Rock, Hard rock
Occupations Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments Vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar
Years active 1969–91
Labels Columbia, Polydor, EMI, Parlophone, Hollywood Records
Associated acts Queen, Wreckage/Ibex, Montserrat Caballé
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara (Gujarati: ફ્રારુક બુલ્સારા‌), 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991)[2] was a British musician, best known as the lead vocalist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range.[3][4][5] As a songwriter, Mercury composed many hits for Queen, including “Bohemian Rhapsody“, “Killer Queen“, “Somebody to Love“, “Don’t Stop Me Now“, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “We Are the Champions“. In addition to his work with Queen, he led a solo career, penning hits such as “Barcelona“, “I Was Born to Love You” and “Living on My Own“. Mercury also occasionally served as a producer and guest musician (piano or vocals) for other artists.
Mercury, who was a Parsi born in Zanzibar and grew up there and in India until his mid-teens, has been referred to as “Britain’s first Asian rock star”.[6] He died of bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS on 24 November 1991, only one day after publicly acknowledging he had the disease. In 2006, Time Asia named him as one of the most influential Asian heroes of the past 60 years,[7] and he continues to be voted one of the greatest singers in the history of popular music. In 2005, a poll organised by Blender and MTV2 saw Mercury voted the greatest male singer of all time.[8] In 2009, a Classic Rock poll saw him voted the greatest rock singer of all time.[9] In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 18 on their list of the 100 greatest singers of all time.[4] Allmusic has characterised Mercury as “one of the most dynamic and charismatic frontmen in rock history.”[10]

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Early life

The house in Zanzibar where Mercury lived in his early years

Mercury was born in the British protectorate of Zanzibar, East Africa. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara,[a]Parsis from the Gujarat region of the then province of Bombay Presidency in British India.[11][b] The family surname is derived from the town of Bulsar (also known as Valsad) in southern Gujarat. As Parsis, Freddie and his family practised the Zoroastrian religion.[12] The Bulsara family had moved to Zanzibar in order for his father to continue his job as a cashier at the British Colonial Office. He had one younger sister, Kashmira.[13] were
In 1954, at the age of eight, Mercury was sent to study at St. Peter’s School,[14] an English style boarding school for boys in Panchgani near Bombay (now Mumbai), India.[15] At school, he formed a popular school band, The Hectics, for which he played piano. A friend from the time recalls that he had “an uncanny ability to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on piano”.[16] It was also at St. Peter’s where he began to call himself “Freddie”. Mercury remained in India for most of his childhood, living with his grandmother and aunt. He completed his education in India at St. Mary’s School, Bombay.[17]
At the age of 17, Mercury and his family fled from Zanzibar for safety reasons due to the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution.[6] The family moved into a small house in Feltham, Middlesex, England. Mercury enrolled at Isleworth Polytechnic (now West Thames College) in West London where he studied art. He ultimately earned a Diploma in Art and Graphic Design at Ealing Art College, later using these skills to design the Queen crest. Mercury remained a British citizen for the rest of his life.
Following graduation, Mercury joined a series of bands and sold second-hand clothes in the Kensington Market in London. He also held a job at Heathrow Airport. Friends from the time remember him as a quiet and shy young man who showed a great deal of interest in music.[18] In 1969 he joined the band Ibex, later renamed Wreckage. When this band failed to take off, he joined a second band called Sour Milk Sea. However, by early 1970 this group broke up as well.[19]
In April 1970, Mercury joined guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor who had previously been in a band called Smile. Despite reservations from the other members, Mercury chose the name “Queen” for the new band. He later said about the band’s name, “I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it”.[1] At about the same time, he changed his surname, Bulsara, to Mercury.

Career

Singer

Although Mercury’s speaking voice naturally fell in the baritone range, he delivered most songs in the tenor[20] His vocal range extended from bass low E (E2) to coloratura soprano E-natural (E6). His belting register soaring to tenor high F (F5).[21] Biographer David Bret described his voice as “escalating within a few bars from a deep, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant tenor, then on to a high-pitched, perfect coloratura, pure and crystalline in the upper reaches”.[22] Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé, with whom Mercury recorded an album, expressed her opinion that “the difference between Freddie and almost all the other rock stars was that he was selling the voice”.[23] As Queen’s career progressed, he would increasingly alter the highest notes of their songs when live, often harmonising with seconds, thirds or fifths instead. Mercury suffered from vocal fold nodules and claimed never to have had any formal vocal training.[24] range.

Songwriter

Mercury wrote 10 of the 17 songs on Queen’s Greatest Hits album: “Bohemian Rhapsody“, “Seven Seas of Rhye“, “Killer Queen“, “Somebody to Love“, “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy“, “We Are the Champions“, “Bicycle Race“, “Don’t Stop Me Now“, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Play the Game“.
The most notable aspect of his songwriting involved the wide range of genres that he used, which included, among other styles, rockabilly, progressive rock, heavy metal, gospel and disco. As he explained in a 1986 interview, “I hate doing the same thing again and again and again. I like to see what’s happening now in music, film and theatre and incorporate all of those things.”[25] Compared to many popular songwriters, Mercury also tended to write musically complex material. For example, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is acyclic in structure and comprises dozens of chords.[26][27] He also wrote six songs from Queen II which deal with multiple key changes and complex material. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, on the other hand, contains only a few chords. Despite the fact that Mercury often wrote very intricate harmonies, he also claimed that he could barely read music.[28] He wrote most of his songs on the piano and used a wide variety of different key signatures.[26]

Mercury, performing live with his bottomless microphone stand

Live performer

Mercury was noted for his live performances, which were often delivered to stadium audiences around the world. He displayed a highly theatrical style that often evoked a great deal of participation from the crowd. A writer for The Spectator described him as “a performer out to tease, shock and ultimately charm his audience with various extravagant versions of himself”.[29] David Bowie, who performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and recorded the song “Under Pressure” with Queen, praised Mercury’s performance style, saying: “Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest… he took it over the edge. And of course, I always admired a man who wears tights. I only saw him in concert once and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand.”[30]
One of Mercury’s most notable performances with Queen took place at Live Aid in 1985, during which the entire stadium audience of 72,000 people clapped, sang and swayed in unison. Queen’s performance at the event has since been voted by a group of music executives as the greatest live performance in the history of rock music. The results were aired on a television program called “The World’s Greatest Gigs”.[31][32] In reviewing Live Aid in 2005, one critic wrote, “Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the top spots to Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, etc all are guilty of a terrible oversight. Freddie, as evidenced by his Dionysian Live Aid performance, was easily the most godlike of them all.”[33]
Over the course of his career, Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the world with Queen. A notable aspect of Queen concerts was the large scale involved.[25] He once explained, “We’re the Cecil B. DeMille of rock and roll, always wanting to do things bigger and better.”[25] The band were the first ever to play in South American stadiums, breaking worldwide records for concert attendance in the Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo in 1981.[34] In 1986, Queen also played behind the Iron Curtain, when they performed to a crowd of 80,000 in Budapest.[35] Mercury’s final live performance with Queen took place on 9 August 1986 at Knebworth Park in England and drew an attendance estimated as high as 300,000.[36]

Instrumentalist

Freddie Mercury playing guitar during a live concert with Queen in Frankfurt, 1984.

As a young boy in India, Mercury received formal piano training up to the age of nine. Later on, while living in London, he learned guitar. Much of the music he liked was guitar-oriented: his favourite artists at the time were The Who, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Led Zeppelin. He was often self-deprecating about his own skills on both instruments and from the early 1980s onward began extensively using guest keyboardists for both Queen and his solo career. Most notably, he enlisted Fred Mandel (a Canadian musician who also worked for Pink Floyd, Elton John and Supertramp) for his first solo project, and from 1985 onward collaborated with Mike Moran and Spike Edney, leaving most of the keyboard work exclusively to them.
Mercury played the piano in many of Queen’s most popular songs, including “Killer Queen“, “Bohemian Rhapsody“, “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy“, “We Are the Champions“, “Somebody To Love” and “Don’t Stop Me Now“. He used concert grand pianos and, occasionally, other keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord. From 1980 onward, he also made frequent use of synthesizers in the studio. Queen guitarist Brian May claims that Mercury was unimpressed with his own abilities at the piano and used the instrument less over time because he wanted to walk around onstage and entertain the audience.[37] Although he wrote many lines for the guitar, Mercury possessed only rudimentary skills on the instrument. Songs like “Ogre Battle” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” were composed on the guitar; the latter featured Mercury playing acoustic guitar both on stage and in the studio.

Mercury poisoning [can also cause red, white blood and immune cell abnormalities]


Mercury poisoning

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Mercury poisoning
Classification and external resources

Elemental mercury
ICD10 T56.1
ICD9 985.0
DiseasesDB 8057
MedlinePlus 002476
eMedicine emerg/813
Mercury poisoning (also known as hydrargyria or mercurialism) is a disease caused by exposure to mercury or its compounds. Mercury (chemical symbol Hg) is a heavy metal that occurs in several forms, all of which can produce toxic effects in high enough doses. Its zero oxidation state Hg0 exists as vapor or as liquid metal, its mercurous state Hg+ exists as inorganic salts, and its mercuric state Hg2+ may form either inorganic salts or organomercury compounds; the three groups vary in effects. Toxic effects include damage to the brain, kidney, and lungs.[1] Mercury poisoning can result in several diseases, including acrodynia (pink disease), Hunter-Russell syndrome, and Minamata disease.[2]
Symptoms typically include sensory impairment (vision, hearing, speech), disturbed sensation and a lack of coordination. The type and degree of symptoms exhibited depend upon the individual toxin, the dose, and the method and duration of exposure.

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[edit] Signs and symptoms

Common symptoms of mercury poisoning include peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain), skin discoloration (pink cheeks, fingertips and toes), swelling, and desquamation (shedding of skin).
Because mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating, tachycardia (persistently faster-than-normal heart beat), increased salivation, and hypertension (high blood pressure). Mercury is thought to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Affected children may show red cheeks, nose and lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia (muscle weakness), and increased sensitivity to light. Other symptoms may include kidneyFanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms (Bradley Coyne Syndrome) such as emotional lability, memory impairment, or insomnia. disfunction (e.g.
Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.
An example of desquamation of the hand of a child with severe mercury poisoning acquired by handling elemental mercury is this photograph in Horowitz, et al. (2002).[3]

[edit] Causes

The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans and animals, although plants and livestock also contain mercury due to bioaccumulation of mercury from soil, water and atmosphere, and due to biomagnification by ingesting other mercury-containing organisms.[4]. Exposure to mercury can occur from breathing contaminated air;[5] from eating foods containing mercury residues from processing, such as can occur with high-fructose corn syrup;[6] from exposure to mercury vapor in mercury amalgam dental restorations;[7] and from improper use or disposal of mercury and mercury-containing objects, for example, after spills of elemental mercury or improper disposal of fluorescent lamps.[8]
Consumption of whale and dolphin meat, as is the practice in Japan, is a source of high-levels of mercury poisoning. Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, has tested whale meat purchased in the whaling town of Taiji and found mercury levels that are more than 20 times acceptable Japanese standards. [9]
Human-generated sources such as coal plants emit approximately half of atmospheric mercury, with natural sources such as volcanoes responsible for the remainder. An estimated two-thirds of human-generated mercury comes from stationary combustion, mostly of coal. Other important human-generated sources include gold production, non-ferrous metal production, cement production, waste disposal, human crematoria, caustic soda production, pig iron and steel production, mercury production (mostly for batteries), and biomass burning.[10]
Small independent gold mining operations employ workers who are exposed to more risk to mercury poisoning because of crude processing methods. Such is the danger for the galamsey in Ghana and similar workers known as orpailleurs in neighboring francophone countries. While there are no official government estimates of the labor force, observers believe twenty thousand to fifty thousand work as galamseys in Ghana, a figure that includes many women, who work as porters.
Mercury and many of its chemical compounds, especially organomercury compounds, can also be readily absorbed through direct contact with bare, or in some cases (such as dimethylmercury) insufficiently protected, skin. Mercury and its compounds are commonly used in chemical laboratories, hospitals, dental clinics, and facilities involved in the production of items such as fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, and explosives.[11]

[edit] Mechanism

Mercury is such a highly reactive toxic agent that it is difficult to identify its specific mechanism of damage, and much remains unknown about the mechanism.[12] It damages the central nervous system, endocrine system, kidneys, and other organs, and adversely affects the mouth, gums, and teeth. Exposure over long periods of time or heavy exposure to mercury vapor can result in brain damage and ultimately death. Mercury and its compounds are particularly toxic to fetuses and infants. Women who have been exposed to mercury in pregnancy have sometimes given birth to children with serious birth defects (see Minamata disease).
Mercury exposure in young children can have severe neurological consequences, preventing nerve sheaths from forming properly. Mercury inhibits the formation of myelin.
There is some evidence that mercury poisoning may predispose to Young’s syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count).[13]
Mercury poisoning’s effects partially depend on whether it has been caused by exposure to elemental mercury, inorganic mercury compounds (as salts), or organomercury compounds.

[edit] Elemental mercury

Quicksilver (liquid metallic mercury) is poorly absorbed by ingestion and skin contact. It is hazardous due to its potential to release mercury vapour. Animal data indicate that less than 0.01% of ingested mercury is absorbed through the intact gastrointestinal tract; though it may not be true for individuals suffering from ileus. Cases of systemic toxicity from accidental swallowing are rare, and attempted suicide via intravenous injection does not appear to result in systemic toxicity.[12] Though not studied quantitatively, the physical properties of liquid elemental mercury limit its absorption through intact skin and in light of its very low absorption rate from the gastrointestinal tract, skin absorption would not be high.[14] Some mercury vapour is absorbed dermally but uptake by this route is only approximately 1% of that by inhalation.[15]
In humans, approximately 80% of inhaled mercury vapor is absorbed via the respiratory tract where it enters the circulatory system and is distributed throughout the body.[16] Chronic exposure by inhalation, even at low concentrations in the range 0.7–42 μg/m3, has been shown in case control studies to cause effects such as tremors, impaired cognitive skills, and sleep disturbance in workers.[17][18] Acute inhalation of high concentrations causes a wide variety of cognitive, personality, sensory, and motor disturbances. The most prominent symptoms include tremors (initially affecting the hands and sometimes spreading to other parts of the body), emotional lability (characterized by irritability, excessive shyness, confidence loss, and nervousness), insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular changes (weakness, muscle atrophy, muscle twitching), headaches, polyneuropathy (paresthesia, stocking-glove sensory loss, hyperactive tendon reflexes, slowed sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities), and performance deficits in tests of cognitive function.[14]

[edit] Inorganic mercury compounds

Mercury occurs inorganically as salts such as mercury(II) chloride. Mercury salts primarily affect the gastro-intestinal tract and the kidneys, and can cause severe kidney damage; however, as they can not cross the blood-brain barrier easily, mercury salts inflict little neurological damage without continuous or heavy exposure.[19] As two oxidation states of mercury form salts (Hg+ and Hg2+), mercury salts occur in both mercury(I) (or mercurous) and mercury(II) (mercuric) forms. Mercury(II) salts are usually more toxic than their mercury(I) counterparts because their solubility in water is greater; thus, they are more readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.[19]
Hg(CN)2 is a particularly toxic mercury compound. If ingested, both life-threatening mercury and cyanide poisoning can occur. Hg(CN)2 can enter the body via inhalation, ingestion, or passage through the skin. Inhalation of mercuric cyanide irritates the throat and air passages. Heating or contact of Hg(CN)2 with acid or acid mist releases toxic mercury and cyanide vapors that can cause bronchitis with cough and phlegm and/or lung tissue irritation. Contact with eyes can cause burns and brown stains in the eyes, and long time exposure can affect the peripheral vision. Contact with skin can cause skin allergy, irritation, and gray skin color.[20]
Chronic exposure to trace amounts of the compound can lead to mercury buildup in the body over time; it may take months or even years for the body to eliminate excess mercury. Overexposure to mercuric cyanide can lead to kidney damage and/or mercury poisoning, leading to ‘shakes’ (ex: shaky handwriting), irritability, sore gums, increased saliva, metallic taste, loss of appetite, memory loss, personality changes, and brain damage. Exposure to large doses at one time can lead to sudden death.[20]
Mercuric cyanide has not been tested on its ability to cause reproductive damage. Although inorganic mercury compounds (such as Hg(CN)2) have not been shown to be human teratogens, they should be handled with care as they are known to damage developing embryos and decrease fertility in men and women.[20]
According to one study, two people exhibited symptoms of cyanide poisoning within hours after ingesting mercuric cyanide or mercury oxycyanide, Hg(CN)2•HgO, in suicide attempts. The toxicity of Hg(CN)2 is commonly assumed to arise almost exclusively from mercury poisoning; however, the patient who ingested mercury oxycyanide died after 5 hours of cyanide poisoning before any mercury poisoning symptoms were observed. The patient who ingested Hg(CN)2 initially showed symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning which were brought under control, and later showed signs of mercury poisoning before recovering. It is thought that the degree to which cyanide poisoning occurs is related to whether cyanide ions are released in the stomach, which depends on factors such as the amount ingested, stomach acidity, and volume of stomach contents.[21]2 molecules remain undissociated in pure water and in basic solutions,[22] it makes sense that dissociation would increase with increasing acidity. High stomach acidity thus helps cyanide ions to become more bioavailable, increasing the likelihood of cyanide poisoning. Given that Hg(CN)
Mercury cyanide was used in two murders in New York in 1898. The perpetrator, Roland B. Molineux, sent poisoned medicines to his victims through the US mail. The first victim, Henry Barnett, died of mercury poisoning twelve days after taking the poison. The second victim, Catherine Adams, died of cyanide poisoning within 30 minutes of taking the poison. As in the suicide cases, the difference between the two cases may be attributed to differences in the acidities of the solutions containing the poison, or to differences in the acidities of the victims’ stomachs.[23]
The drug NAP (n-acetyl penicillamine) has been used to treat mercury poisoning with limited success.[20]

[edit] Organic mercury compounds

Compounds of mercury tend to be much more toxic than the element itself, and organic compounds of mercury are often extremely toxic and have been implicated in causing brain and liver damage. The most dangerous mercury compound, dimethylmercury, is so toxic that even a few microliters spilled on the skin, or even a latex glove, can cause death.[24][25]
Methylmercury is the major source of organic mercury for all individuals.[1] It works its way up the food chainbioaccumulation in the environment, reaching high concentrations among populations of some species. Larger species of fish, such as tuna or swordfish, are usually of greater concern than smaller species. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise women of child-bearing age, nursing mothers, and young children to completely avoid swordfish, shark, king mackereltilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, (Golden Tilefish from the Mid- and North-Atlantic present no risk), to limit consumption of albacore (“white”) tuna to no more than 6 oz (170 g) per week, and of all other fish and shellfish to no more than 12 oz (340 g) per week.[26] A 2006 review, conducted by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and Dr. Eric B. Rimm, of the risks and benefits of fish consumption found that for adults the benefits of one to two servings of fish per week outweigh the risks, even (except for a few fish species) for women of childbearing age, and that avoidance of fish consumption could result in significant excess coronary heart disease deaths and suboptimal neural development in children.[27] (Dr. Rimm has reported in the past that he has received payment or honoraria for presentations about food and diets from both the Culinary Institute of America and the International Chefs Association, among others.)[27] through and
There is a long latent period between exposure to methylmercury and the appearance of symptoms in adult poisoning cases. The longest recorded latent period is five months after a single exposure, in the Dartmouth case (see History); other latent periods in the range of weeks to months have also been reported. No explanation for this long latent period is known. When the first symptom appears, typically paresthesia (a tingling or numbness in the skin), it is followed rapidly by more severe effects, sometimes ending in coma and death. The toxic damage appears to be determined by the peak value of mercury, not the length of the exposure.[12]
Ethylmercury is a breakdown product of the antibacteriological agent ethylmercurithiosalicylate, which has been used as a topical antiseptic and a vaccine preservative (further discussed under Thiomersal below). Its characteristics have not been studied as extensively as those of methylmercury. It is cleared from the blood much more rapidly, with a half-life of 7 to 10 days, and it is metabolized much more quickly than methylmercury. It probably does not have methylmercury’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier via a transporter, but instead relies on simple diffusion to enter the brain.[1]
Other exposure sources of organic mercury include phenylmercuric acetate and phenylmercuric nitrate. These were used in indoor latex paints for their anti-mildew properties, but were removed in 1990 because of cases of toxicity.[1]

[edit] Diagnosis

Diagnosis of elemental or inorganic mercury poisoning involves determining the history of exposure, physical findings, and an elevated body burden of mercury. Although whole blood mercury concentrations are typically less than 6 μg/L, diets rich in fish can result in blood mercury concentrations higher than 200 μg/L; it is not that useful to measure these levels for suspected cases of elemental or inorganic poisoning because of mercury’s short half-life in the blood. If the exposure is chronic, urine levels can be obtained; 24-hour collections are more reliable than spot collections. It is difficult or impossible to interpret urine samples of patients undergoing chelation therapy, as the therapy itself increases mercury levels in the samples.[28]
Diagnosis of organic mercury poisoning differs in that whole-blood or hair analysis is more reliable than urinary mercury levels.[28]

[edit] Prevention

Mercury poisoning can be prevented (or minimized) by eliminating or reducing exposure to mercury and mercury compounds. To that end, many governments and private groups have made efforts to regulate the use of mercury heavily, or to issue advisories about its use. For example, the export from the European Union[29] The variability among regulations and advisories is at times confusing for the lay person as well as scientists. of mercury and some mercury compounds has been prohibited since 2010-03-15.
[30]
Country↓ Regulating agency↓ Regulated activity↓ Medium↓ Type of mercury compound↓ Type of limit↓ Limit↓
US Occupational Safety and Health Administration occupational exposure air elemental mercury Ceiling (not to exceed) 0.1 mg/m³
US Occupational Safety and Health Administration occupational exposure air organic mercury Ceiling (not to exceed) 0.05 mg/m³
US Food and Drug Administration drinking water inorganic mercury Maximum allowable concentration 2 ppb (0.002 mg/L)
US Food and Drug Administration eating sea food methylmercury Maximum allowable concentration 1 ppm
US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water inorganic mercury Maximum contaminant level 2 ppb (0.002 mg/L)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ (EPA) issued recommendations in 2004 regarding exposure to mercury in fish and shellfish.[31] The EPA also developed the “Fish Kids” awareness campaign for children and young adults [32] on account of the greater impact of mercury exposure to that population.

[edit] Treatment

Identifying and removing the source of the mercury is crucial. Decontamination requires removal of clothes, washing skin with soap and water, and flushing the eyes with saline solution as needed. Inorganic ingestion such as mercuric chloride should be approached as the ingestion of any other serious caustic. Immediate chelation therapy is the standard of care for a patient showing symptoms of severe mercury poisoning or the laboratory evidence of a large total mercury load.[1]
Chelation therapy for acute inorganic mercury poisoning can be done with DMSA, 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS), D-penicillamine (DPCN), or dimercaprol (BAL).[1] Only DMSA is FDA-approved for use in children for treating mercury poisoning. However, several studies found no clear clinical benefit from DMSA treatment for poisoning due to mercury vapor.[33] No chelator for methylmercury or ethylmercury is approved by the FDA; DMSA is the most frequently used for severe methylmercury poisoning, as it is given orally, has fewer side effects, and has been found to be superior to BAL, DPCN, and DMPS.[1] Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been shown to be protective against acute mercury poisoning in several mammalian species when it is given soon after exposure; correct dosage is required, as inappropriate dosages increase toxicity. Although it has been hypothesized that frequent low dosages of ALA may have potential as a mercury chelator, studies in rats have been contradictory.[34] Glutathione and N-acetylcysteine[34] Experimental findings have demonstrated an interaction between selenium and methylmercury, but epidemiological studies have found little evidence that selenium helps to protect against the adverse effects of methylmercury.[35] (NAC) are recommended by some physicians, but have been shown to increase mercury concentrations in the kidneys and the brain.
Even if the patient has no symptoms or documented history of mercury exposure, a minority of physicians (predominantly those in alternative medicine) use chelation to “rid” the body of mercury, which they believe to cause neurological and other disorders. A common practice is to challenge the patient’s body with a chelation agent, collect urine samples, and then use laboratory reports to diagnose the patient with toxic levels of mercury; often no pre-chelation urine sample is collected for comparison. The patient is then advised to undergo further chelation.[33] No scientific data supports the claim that the mercury in vaccines causes autism[36] or its symptoms,[37] and there is no scientific support for chelation therapy as a treatment for autism.[38]
Chelation therapy can be hazardous. In August 2005, an incorrect form of EDTA used for chelation therapy resulted in hypocalcemia, causing cardiac arrest that killed a five-year-old autistic boy.[39]

[edit] Prognosis

Many of the toxic effects of mercury are partially or wholly reversible, either through specific therapy or through natural elimination of the metal after exposure has been discontinued.[40] However, heavy or prolonged exposure can do irreversible damage, particularly in fetuses, infants, and young children. Young’s syndrome is believed to be a long term consequence of early childhood mercury poisoning.[41] Mercuric Chloride may cause cancer as it has caused increases in several types of tumors in rats and mice, while methyl mercury has caused kidney tumors in male rats. The EPA has classified mercuric chloride and methyl mercury as possible human carcinogens (ATSDR, EPA)

[edit] Detection in biological fluids

Mercury may be measured in blood or urine to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized victims or to assist in the forensic investigation in a case of fatal overdosage. Some analytical techniques are capable of distinguishing organic from inorganic forms of the metal. The concentrations in both fluids tend to reach high levels early after exposure to inorganic forms, while lower but very persistent levels are observed following exposure to elemental or organic mercury. Chelation therapy can cause a transient elevation of urine mercury levels.[42]

[edit] History

  • The first emperor of unified China, Qin Shi Huang, reportedly died of ingesting mercury pills that were intended to give him eternal life.[43]
  • The phrase mad as a hatter is likely a reference to mercury poisoning, as mercury-based compounds were once used in the manufacture of felt hats in the 18th and 19th century. (The Mad Hatter character of Alice in Wonderland was almost certainly inspired by an eccentric furniture dealer, not by a victim of mad hatter disease.)[44]
  • In 1810, two British ships, HMS Triumph and HMS Phipps, salvaged a large load of elemental mercury from a wrecked Spanish vessel near Cadiz, Spain. The bladders containing the mercury soon ruptured. The element spread about the ships in liquid and vapour forms. The sailors presented with neurologic compromises: tremor, paralysis, and excessive salivation as well as tooth loss, skin problems, and pulmonary complaints. In 1823 William Burnet, MD published a report on the effects of Mercurial vapour.[45] The Triumph’s surgeon, Henry Plowman, had concluded that the ailments had arisen from inhaling the mercurialized atmosphere. His treatment was to order the lower deck gun ports to be opened, when it was safe to do so; sleeping on the orlop was forbidden; and no men slept in the lower deck if they were at all symptomatic. Windsails were set to channel fresh air into the lower decks day and night.[46]
  • For years, including the early part of his presidency, Abraham Lincoln took a common medicine of his time called “blue mass” which contained significant amounts of mercury.
  • On September 5, 1920, silent movie actress Olive Thomas ingested mercury capsules dissolved in an alcoholic solution at the Hotel Ritz in Paris. There is still controversy over whether it was suicide, or whether she consumed the external preparation by mistake. Her husband, Jack Pickford (the brother of Mary Pickford), had syphilis, and the mercury was used as a treatment of the venereal disease at the time. She died a few days later at the American Hospital in Neuilly.
  • An early scientific study of mercury poisoning was in 1923–6 by the German inorganic chemist, Alfred Stock, who himself became poisoned, together with his colleagues, by breathing mercury vapour that was being released by his laboratory equipment—diffusion pumps, float valves, and manometers—all of which contained mercury, and also from mercury that had been accidentally spilt and remained in cracks in the linoleum floor covering. He published a number of papers on mercury poisoning, founded a committee in Berlin to study cases of possible mercury poisoning, and introduced the term micromercurialism.[47]
  • The term Hunter-Russell syndrome derives from a study of mercury poisoning among workers in a seed packing factory in Norwich, England in the late 1930s who breathed methylmercury that was being used as a seed disinfectant and preservative.[48]
  • Outbreaks of methylmercury poisoning occurred in several places in Japan during the 1950s due to industrial discharges of mercury into rivers and coastal waters. The best-known instances were in Minamata and Niigata. In Minamata alone, more than 600 people died due to what became known as Minamata disease. More than 21,000 people filed claims with the Japanese government, of which almost 3000 became certified as having the disease. In 22 documented cases, pregnant women who consumed contaminated fish showed mild or no symptoms but gave birth to infants with severe developmental disabilities.[2]
  • Widespread mercury poisoning occurred in rural Iraq in 1971-1972, when grain treated with a methylmercury-based fungicide that was intended for planting only was used by the rural population to make bread, causing at least 6530 cases of mercury poisoning and at least 459 deaths (see Basra poison grain disaster).[49]
  • On August 14, 1996, Karen Wetterhahn, a chemistry professor working at Dartmouth College, spilled a small amount of dimethylmercury on her latex glove. She began experiencing the symptoms of mercury poisoning five months later and, despite aggressive chelation therapy, died a few months later from brain malfunction due to mercury intoxication.[24][25]
  • In April 2000, Alan Chmurny attempted to kill a former employee, Marta Bradley, by pouring mercury into the ventilation system of her car.[50]
  • On March 19, 2008, Tony Winnett, 55, inhaled mercury vapors while trying to extract gold from computer parts, and died ten days later. His Oklahoma residence became so contaminated that it had to be gutted.[51][52]
  • In December 2008, actor Jeremy Piven was diagnosed with hydrargyria resulting from eating sushi twice a day for twenty years.[53]

[edit] Infantile Acrodynia

Infantile acrodynia (also known as “calomel disease”, “erythredemic polyneuropathy”, and “pink disease”) is a type of mercury poisoning in children characterized by pain and pink discoloration of the hands and feet.[54]Greek, where άκρο means end (as in: upper extremity) and οδυνη means pain. Also known as pink disease, erythredema, Selter’s disease, or Swift-Feer disease, acrodynia was relatively commonplace amongst children in the first half of the 20th century.[55] Initially, the cause of the acrodynia epidemic among infants and young children was unknown[56]; however, mercury poisoning, primarily from calomel in teething powders, began to be widely accepted as its cause in the 1950s and 60s.[55] The prevalence of acrodynia decreased greatly after calomel was excluded from most teething powders in 1954.[55] The word is derived from the
Acrodynia is difficult to diagnose, “it is most often postulated that the etiology of this syndrome is an idiosyncratic hypersensitivity reaction to mercury because of the lack of correlation with mercury levels, many of the symptoms resemble recognized mercury poisoning.”[57]