- Email: [email protected]
Prescription Practice: Prescription Information Service
PRESCRIP T ION PRACTICE
~ INFORMATION SERVICE M embers of t he A MERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL A SSOCIATION are invited to submit their professional problems to The Ed itor o f t he PRACTI CAL PHARMACY EDITION, 22 15 Constitution Ave., N. W ., Wa shington 7, D. C. Inauiries should include all pertinent d eta i ls.
Alazopeptin-Sou rce Please let us know who manufactures the antibiotic Alazopeptin.-M. J . E., Morocco. The new antibiotic Alazopeptin is manufactured by the American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, N.V. It is our understanding that it is not commercially available at the present time and is now being used only experimentally as a possible anti-cancer agent. Thus far it has been used only against experimental cancers in mice.
Aluminum Acetate Solution We should be much obliged for the reasons why the U.S.P. dropped aluminum acetate solution which has proved its value for more than 100 years.-A. R., Denmark. Aluminum acetate solution or Burow's solution was first included in U.S.P. XIV and at present is in U.S.P. XV. Earlier, it was given official recognition in the National Formulary. The preparation is still widely used in the United States. Evidently your information was erroneous.
Calcium-Magnesium Inositehexaphosphate-Source Will you inform me, if possible, of American manufacturers of CalciumMagnesium Inosite Hexafosfate. -F. R. A., Columbia. Calcium-magnesium inositehexaphosphate is listed as being available from: Fallek Products Company, Inc. 165 Broadway New York 6, N.Y. Mann Fine Chemicals, Inc. 136 Liberty Street New York 6, N.Y. R. S. A. Corporation 690 Saw Mill River Road Ardsley, N.Y.
Chlorophyll, Urea, Papain Ointment Will you comment on the fact that the following prescription expands due to gas formation shortly after compounding. Is the therapeutic action of the mixture afJected?-E. S., Arizona. Chlorophyll, water soluble 6 Urea 10 Papain 10 Neobase 100 108
It has been observed that different lots of water-soluble chlorophyll (chlorophyllins) will foam more than others on mixing with water. If an ointment base that includes water in its formulation is used, one might moisten the three active ingredients with water and, if gas appears to form, let the mixture stand until the evolution of gas ceases and then incorporate the mixture into the ointment base. If no copper ions, which might inhibit the papain activity, are liberated from the water-soluble chlorophyll during the "foaming," the activity of the mixture should not be impaired. The ointment should be refrigerated to retard loss of papain activity.
F!orinef, Salicylic Acid , Sulfur, Ichthammol in Ointment How can the following prescription be compounded to avoid "weeping? "-J . W. L., California. Phenol 1% Salicylic acid 3% Ichthammol 4% Sulfur, pptd. 7% Florinef oint. 0.1 % 5 Gm. Vanishing cream q.s. The "weeping" can be caused by the action of salicylic acid on the emulsion of the vanishing cream. The vanishing cream might be replaced with an oleaginous base such as Plastibase. However, if a water-washable product is desired by the physician, the oleaginous Florinef ointment could be replaced with 2.5 cc. of Florinef lotion 0.2% and a heavy bodied vanishing cream or a water-washable ointment base used. See THIS JOURNAL, 15, 32-44(Jan. 1954) for articles' on some waterwashable ointment bases.
Moccasin Snake Venom Could you advise us where to obtain moccasin snake venom?-H. H. E., Pennsylvania. Moccasin snake venom can be obtained from the Venomin Company, Lorain, Ohio.
Orinase in Diabetes Please give information about the drug Orinase used in the treatment of diabetes.-M. J. E ., Morocco. Orinase (Upjohn) is tolbutamide, tolylsulfonylbutylurea. It has been used experimentally in the United
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION
States in the oral treatment of diabetes. The clinical trials have been sponsored by The Upjohn Company. The latest information we have been able to obtain is that Orinase will not become commercially available for some time. It is still being investigated and must be SUbjected to more extensive clinical trials before any conclusions as to its efficacy can be reached . An abstract of a recent clinical report on Aryl sulfonylureas in diabetes mellitus appeared in THIS JOURNAL, 18, 58(Jan. 1957).
Periclor, Stanolone, Cycloserine Can you tell us what the following are and let us have the names of the U.S. manufactuerers: Periclor, Stallolone, and Cycloserine.-E. B., France. Periclor is petrichloral N.N .R., pentaerythritol chloral, and is marketed by the Ives-Cameron Company. Stanolone N.N.R. is an androgenic steroid, androstane - 17 - (beta) - 01 - 3 - one, marketed as Neodrol by Chas. Pfizer and Company and as Androlone by ).Jational Drug Company. Cycloserine is an antibiotic marketed as Seromycin by Eli Lilly and Company, for use in serious cases of pulmonary tuberculosis that have failed to respond to other drugs.
Surgical Merbromin Solution N.F. When surgical merbromin solution is prepared according to the directions in N. F. X, p. 360, a turbid product results. Can you explain this?-E. B., North Carolina. When surgical merbromin solution is prepared according to the directions in N.F. X a small weight of flocculent precipitate is formed which causes the product to appear turbid. On standing overnight the precipitate settles out and can be removed by filtration. However, if the mixture is vigorously agitated and permitted to stand for several days with occasional mixing, a clear dispersion is obtained which has the characteristic appearance described in the monograph. The formation of the precipitate appears to be caused by the high concentration of alcohol at the instant of contact on addition of the alcohol to the water-acetone solution of merbromin. The precipitated merbromin is slowly soluble in the final water-acetone-alcohol vehicle.
~ INFORMATION SERVICE M embers of t he A MERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL A SSOCIATION are invited to submit their professional problems to The Ed itor o f t he PRACTI CAL PHARMACY EDITION, 22 15 Constitution Ave., N. W ., Wa shington 7, D. C. Inauiries should include all pertinent d eta i ls.
Alazopeptin-Sou rce Please let us know who manufactures the antibiotic Alazopeptin.-M. J . E., Morocco. The new antibiotic Alazopeptin is manufactured by the American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, N.V. It is our understanding that it is not commercially available at the present time and is now being used only experimentally as a possible anti-cancer agent. Thus far it has been used only against experimental cancers in mice.
Aluminum Acetate Solution We should be much obliged for the reasons why the U.S.P. dropped aluminum acetate solution which has proved its value for more than 100 years.-A. R., Denmark. Aluminum acetate solution or Burow's solution was first included in U.S.P. XIV and at present is in U.S.P. XV. Earlier, it was given official recognition in the National Formulary. The preparation is still widely used in the United States. Evidently your information was erroneous.
Calcium-Magnesium Inositehexaphosphate-Source Will you inform me, if possible, of American manufacturers of CalciumMagnesium Inosite Hexafosfate. -F. R. A., Columbia. Calcium-magnesium inositehexaphosphate is listed as being available from: Fallek Products Company, Inc. 165 Broadway New York 6, N.Y. Mann Fine Chemicals, Inc. 136 Liberty Street New York 6, N.Y. R. S. A. Corporation 690 Saw Mill River Road Ardsley, N.Y.
Chlorophyll, Urea, Papain Ointment Will you comment on the fact that the following prescription expands due to gas formation shortly after compounding. Is the therapeutic action of the mixture afJected?-E. S., Arizona. Chlorophyll, water soluble 6 Urea 10 Papain 10 Neobase 100 108
It has been observed that different lots of water-soluble chlorophyll (chlorophyllins) will foam more than others on mixing with water. If an ointment base that includes water in its formulation is used, one might moisten the three active ingredients with water and, if gas appears to form, let the mixture stand until the evolution of gas ceases and then incorporate the mixture into the ointment base. If no copper ions, which might inhibit the papain activity, are liberated from the water-soluble chlorophyll during the "foaming," the activity of the mixture should not be impaired. The ointment should be refrigerated to retard loss of papain activity.
F!orinef, Salicylic Acid , Sulfur, Ichthammol in Ointment How can the following prescription be compounded to avoid "weeping? "-J . W. L., California. Phenol 1% Salicylic acid 3% Ichthammol 4% Sulfur, pptd. 7% Florinef oint. 0.1 % 5 Gm. Vanishing cream q.s. The "weeping" can be caused by the action of salicylic acid on the emulsion of the vanishing cream. The vanishing cream might be replaced with an oleaginous base such as Plastibase. However, if a water-washable product is desired by the physician, the oleaginous Florinef ointment could be replaced with 2.5 cc. of Florinef lotion 0.2% and a heavy bodied vanishing cream or a water-washable ointment base used. See THIS JOURNAL, 15, 32-44(Jan. 1954) for articles' on some waterwashable ointment bases.
Moccasin Snake Venom Could you advise us where to obtain moccasin snake venom?-H. H. E., Pennsylvania. Moccasin snake venom can be obtained from the Venomin Company, Lorain, Ohio.
Orinase in Diabetes Please give information about the drug Orinase used in the treatment of diabetes.-M. J. E ., Morocco. Orinase (Upjohn) is tolbutamide, tolylsulfonylbutylurea. It has been used experimentally in the United
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION
States in the oral treatment of diabetes. The clinical trials have been sponsored by The Upjohn Company. The latest information we have been able to obtain is that Orinase will not become commercially available for some time. It is still being investigated and must be SUbjected to more extensive clinical trials before any conclusions as to its efficacy can be reached . An abstract of a recent clinical report on Aryl sulfonylureas in diabetes mellitus appeared in THIS JOURNAL, 18, 58(Jan. 1957).
Periclor, Stanolone, Cycloserine Can you tell us what the following are and let us have the names of the U.S. manufactuerers: Periclor, Stallolone, and Cycloserine.-E. B., France. Periclor is petrichloral N.N .R., pentaerythritol chloral, and is marketed by the Ives-Cameron Company. Stanolone N.N.R. is an androgenic steroid, androstane - 17 - (beta) - 01 - 3 - one, marketed as Neodrol by Chas. Pfizer and Company and as Androlone by ).Jational Drug Company. Cycloserine is an antibiotic marketed as Seromycin by Eli Lilly and Company, for use in serious cases of pulmonary tuberculosis that have failed to respond to other drugs.
Surgical Merbromin Solution N.F. When surgical merbromin solution is prepared according to the directions in N. F. X, p. 360, a turbid product results. Can you explain this?-E. B., North Carolina. When surgical merbromin solution is prepared according to the directions in N.F. X a small weight of flocculent precipitate is formed which causes the product to appear turbid. On standing overnight the precipitate settles out and can be removed by filtration. However, if the mixture is vigorously agitated and permitted to stand for several days with occasional mixing, a clear dispersion is obtained which has the characteristic appearance described in the monograph. The formation of the precipitate appears to be caused by the high concentration of alcohol at the instant of contact on addition of the alcohol to the water-acetone solution of merbromin. The precipitated merbromin is slowly soluble in the final water-acetone-alcohol vehicle.