breast cancer

Introduction You’ve probably heard a lot about zinc for colds. But is zinc really effective for reducing the duration of cold symptoms? Here’s what you should know about zinc and colds. What is zinc? Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. Zinc has antioxidant effects and is vital to the …

What is sofosbuvir, and how does it work? Sofosbuvir is an oral, direct-acting antiviral agent used for treating infections with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Other direct-acting hepatitis C treatments include: boceprevir (Victrelis) telaprevir (Incivek) simeprevir (Olysio) After administration sofosbuvir is first converted to an active form. The active form of sofosbuvir interferes with multiplication of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) …

What is sulfinpyrazone, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Sulfinpyrazone is an oral drug that is used to treat gout. Gout is caused by elevated blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia). Sulfinpyrazone works by increasing the excretion of uric acid in the urine thereby lowering the elevated levels of uric acid in the blood that are responsible for …

What is tacrine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Tacrine is an oral medication used to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease. Tacrine is in a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors that also includes rivastigmine (Exelon), donepezil (Aricept), and galantamine (Razadyne – formerly Reminyl). Cholinesterase inhibitors inhibit (block) the action of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for the destruction …

What is telaprevir, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Telaprevir is a man-made antiviral medication that targets hepatitis C virus (HCV). Similar drugs include simeprevir (Olysio) and boceprevir (Victrelis). These drugs are called direct-acting antiviral agents because they act directly on hepatitis C virus. They block the replication of hepatitis C virus in human cells by binding to …

What is zalcitabine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Zalcitabine is an oral medication that is used for the treatment of infections with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is in a class of drugs called reverse transcriptase inhibitors which also includes lamivudine (Epivir), zidovudine (Retrovir), didanosine (Videx), and stavudine (Zerit). During infection with HIV, the HIV virus …

What is tazarotene-topical, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? This medication was withdrawn from the US market on March 30, 2007, but it available on a very limited basis for restricted use. Women who would like to be considered for this medication should contact their doctor for an evaluation. Tazarotene is a topical acne and psoriasis medication. The …

What is tranexamic acid (Lysteda), and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Tranexamic acid (Lysteda) promotes the clotting of blood and thereby reduces bleeding due to heavy menstruation. Tranexamic acid is a man-made amino acid derivative that increases blood clotting by preventing the breakdown of fibrin. Fibrin is a protein and an important component of blood clots. It is …

What is urokinase-injection, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Urokinase is a thrombolytic medication made from human neonatal kidney cells. Urokinase is an enzyme (protein) that disrupts the clotting cycle and breaks down blood clots lodged in the lungs in people with pulmonary embolism. The FDA approved urokinase under the brand name Kinlytic in 2007. Is urokinase-injection available …

What is teriflunomide, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Teriflunomide is an oral immunomodulatory agent used for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). It inhibits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, an enzyme used to make pyrimidine which is used to build DNA. The exact mechanism of action of teriflunomide in the treatment of MS is unknown. …