Sunitinib Malate is an FDA approved internal-use injectable medicine that treats moderate to severe cases of fibromyalgia. It can also be used for other similar diseases as well, including osteoarthritis and multiple sclerosis. Its primary mechanism of action is the inhibition of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (THC).
The third component of the body’s metabolic pathways, cytochrome P-2, is normally found in superoxide dismutase (SOD) or other detoxification mechanisms. By interfering with the actions of these substances, it prevents fibrosis (or inflammation) of tender points around the joints.
Using the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research’s diagnostic evaluation system, doctors have evaluated the effects of 341031-54-7 on patients with either no symptoms or mild pain and are currently evaluating how it may affect the patients’ ability to tolerate oral anticoagulant therapies.
Initial reports of the use of the medicine had focused on treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis and metastatic lung cancer. In a study completed on patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantation, Malate was shown to be effective in both treatment and prevention of multiple types of solid tumors.
In this study, three patients who were receiving ongoing treatments for breast cancer with no response or a negative prognosis received Malate therapy for survival and/or prolonging survival (PPR). Additional studies are currently underway at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minn., and the University of Iowa.
The common adverse reactions reported by patients who have received sunitinib malate are moderate to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea. Diarrhea is the first symptom that patients report, usually lasting for more than a day or two, along with a decreased appetite and weight loss.
Abdominal pain is usually associated with ulcers, which are redness in the abdomen that is not common in patients who receive the drug treatment. Patients may also report experiencing nausea, but this tends to be mild and less intense than vomiting.
It is important to note that although the drug has not been linked to an increase in the risk of ulcerative colitis, patients should continue to monitor their gastrointestinal activities and report any symptoms that they experience.
There have been some concerns regarding the safety of sunitinib malate when pregnant women were treated with the drug. There have been reports that pregnant women receiving a course of the drug increased their chances of having adverse events.
Because of these reports and the limited benefit provided by the drug, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is notifying patients and physicians about the potential for adverse events and the precautions to be taken in conjunction with the use of the medicine.
The FDA has advised patients to contact their physician if they experience any of the following: a change in heart rate or blood pressure, difficulty breathing, irregular heart rhythm, fever, generalized weakness, sweating and numbness, a chills sensation or hot flashes, chest pain, feeling faint, chest discomfort, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, or a change in skin color.
Sunitinib Malate is being considered as a treatment for ulcerative colitis in patients who are in the advanced stages of the disease. At present, there are no known benefits, and patients should be watched carefully for signs of an allergic reaction or a severe rash in the days after treatment begins. Check here for more information.