THE USE OF ANTITHYROID DRUGS

The preoperative use of antithyroid drugs is mandatory if surgical treatment of complicated hyperthyroidism is contemplated. Six months to a year may be required for suitable preparation.The long-term use of antithyroid drugs is less effective for the “cure” of hyperthyroidism than is operation or the use of radioactive iodine.Propyl and methyl thiouracil are the antithyroid drugs of choice.Either of these thiouracil derivatives is capable of producing leukopenia.The antithyroid drugs exert no favorable effect on exophthalmos.The antithyroid drugs are suitable for the control of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy. The patient probably should not be kept hypothyroid during pregnancy but rather in a state of mild hyperthyroidism.     

REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF NEW DRUGS

The uses and actions of a few of the large number of new drugs that have been introduced to the medical profession in recent years are reviewed herein. The greatest number of drugs introduced are those affecting the autonomic nervous system. Their usefulness often depends upon the individual patient''s own response. A knowledge of the type of drug he is administering and a comparison with others that are related better enables a physician to appraise the results of his treatment.     

EFFECTS OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS ON NEUROTUBULE ASSEMBLY

Abstract— The interaction of psychotropic drugs with brain microtubules was assessed by viscometry, [³H]colchicine binding studies and neurite growth in neuroblastoma cells in tissue culture. Of the thirteen drug- tested, only d-amphetamine, chlorpromazine and reserpine inhibited the in vitro repoly-merization of microtubules. However, the maximal drug effects observed in these studies occurred at concentrations in excess of the pharmacologically theraputic range. These results suggest: (1) the affinity of these drugs for tubulin appears to be similar to, but clearly less than, that observed for colchicine; (2) the toxic side effects of these drugs may be mediated, in part, by the microtubule system; (3) these drugs may inhibit microtubule assembly by disrupting secondary processes rather than by a direct interaction with tubulin.