Captisol-enabled Contrast Media with Reduced Renal Toxicity in Development This case study was sponsored by Ligand Pharmaceuticals The medical imaging market relies heavily on contrast media, injected into patients to increase the contrast of bodily structures in images and improve diagnostic examinations. In radiographic imaging procedures, iodinated contrast agents can greatly enhance X-rays or computed tomography (CT) images. But many contrast agents carry with them the risk of nephrotoxicity, or renal toxicity, for patients with significant and lingering kidney issues. This risk can lead to the need for renal replacement therapy, or result in rehospitalization and even death. Currently many scientists are searching for ways to develop a more kidney-safe contrast agent for this subgroup of patients. Ligand’s Captisol-enabled iohexol is poised to offer a new opportunity for the diagnostic imaging market.
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Researchers have found that treating seeds with ethylene gas increases both their growth and stress tolerance. This discovery, involving enhanced photosynthesis and carbohydrate production in plants, offers a potential breakthrough in improving crop yields and resilience against environmental stressors. Just like any other organism, plants can get stressed. Usually, it’s conditions like heat and drought that lead to this stress, and when they’re stressed, plants might not grow as large or produce as much. This can be a problem for farmers, so many scientists have tried genetically modifying plants to be more resilient. However plants modified for higher crop yields tend to have a lower stress tolerance because they put more energy into growth than into protection against stresses. Similarly, improving the ability of plants to survive stress often results in plants that produce less because they put more energy into protection than into growth. This conundrum makes it difficult to imp
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Horse Chestnut Supplements: Are There Health Benefits? Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a fruit-bearing tree grown in southeastern Europe. The leaves, seeds, flowers, and bark of horse chestnut contain bioactive compounds that may benefit human health. For example, some people take horse chestnut to relieve joint pain or leg cramps. Compounds in horse chestnut include antioxidants, chlorophylls , and saponins, the most abundant of which is escin. While it is unsafe to consume horse chestnut in raw form, supplements are available and have been studied for their potential use in treating a variety of health conditions, including chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. When choosing a supplement, look for third-part
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