This document provides an overview of space pharmacology. It discusses how microgravity affects drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the body. Microgravity causes physiological changes like fluid shifts, muscle and bone loss, and alterations to gastrointestinal functioning that influence pharmacokinetics. It also impacts drug stability and pharmacodynamics. Careful consideration of dosing regimens is needed to ensure medications are safe, effective, and treat conditions for astronauts during space travel and exploration. Space pharmacology research benefits both space medicine and applications on Earth.
Space pharmacology plays an major role in Pharmacology and the health care system of astronauts.
Medical support needed for prolonged space flights missions.
This provides an overview of influence of microgravity on pharmacotherapeutics.
Space medicine mainly focused on the practice of medicine on astronaut plays a crucial role in the treatment of many diseases on earth
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2014/10/02 SAPA-GP Webinar:
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Space pharmacology plays an major role in Pharmacology and the health care system of astronauts.
Medical support needed for prolonged space flights missions.
This provides an overview of influence of microgravity on pharmacotherapeutics.
Space medicine mainly focused on the practice of medicine on astronaut plays a crucial role in the treatment of many diseases on earth
Pharmacovigilance planning refers to the systematic and proactive approach taken by pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to establish strategies and procedures for monitoring the safety of drugs throughout their lifecycle. It involves creating a comprehensive framework to detect, assess, understand, and prevent adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. Here are some key aspects to consider in pharmacovigilance planning
Introduction to drug metabolism case studies for its impacts on drug discover...SAPA-GP
2014/10/02 SAPA-GP Webinar:
Introduction to drug metabolism case studies for its impacts on drug discovery and development
Zhoupeng Zhang
Dept of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Drug Metabolism
Merck Research Laboratories
Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association (SAPA)
– A lecture for Medicinal Chemists
(October 2, 2014)
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on pharmaceutical approaches used in enhancing the Gastric Residence Time (GRT). Various approaches are currently used including Gastro Retentive Floating Drug Delivery Systems(GRFDDS),swelling and expanding system, polymeric bioadhesive systems, modifiedshape
systems, high density system and other delayed gastric emptying devices. These systems are very helpful to different problem solve during the formulation of different dosage form. The present work also focuses on the polymers used in floating drug delivery systems
mostly from natural origin. Floating drug delivery systems are less dense than gastric fluids; hence remain buoyant in the upper GIT for a
prolonged period, releasing the drug at the desired/ predeterminedrate. This review article focuses on the recent technological development in floating drug delivery systems with special emphasis on the principal mechanism of floatation and advantages of achieving gastric
retention, brief collection on various polymers employed for floating drug delivery systems etc. In addition this review also summarizes the In –Vitro and In -Vivo studies to evaluate their performance and also their future potential.
The presentation is about the dose selection for laboratory animal toxicology drug testing, explaining staged and staggered approach of dose selection.
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The IB is designed to provide investigators with all the information they need to understand the product being studied and its potential risks and benefits. It also provides guidance on how to conduct the clinical trial, including the study design, dosing and administration, monitoring and assessment of safety and efficacy, and other important aspects of the trial.
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Space habitats for bioengineering and surgical repair: addressing the require...Sérgio Sacani
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mission to Mars. Crews appointed with constructing and establishing planetary bases will require a superior level of physical ability
to cope with the operational demands. However, the challenging environments of nearby planets (e.g. geological, atmospheric,
gravitational conditions) as well as the lengthy journeys through microgravity, will lead to progressive tissue degradation and an
increased susceptibility to injury. The isolation, distance and inability to evacuate in an emergency will require autonomous medical
support, as well as a range of facilities and specialised equipment to repair tissue damage on-site. Here, we discuss the design
requirements of such a facility, in the form of a habitat that would concomitantly allow tissue substitute production, maintenance
and surgical implantation, with an emphasis on connective tissues. The requirements for the individual modules and their operation
are identified. Several concepts are assessed, including the presence of adjacent wet lab and medical modules supporting the
gradual implementation of regenerative biomaterials and acellular tissue substitutes, leading to eventual tissue grafts and, in
subsequent decades, potential tissues/organ-like structures. The latter, currently in early phases of development, are assessed
particularly for researching the effects of extreme conditions on representative analogues for astronaut health support. Technical
solutions are discussed for bioengineering in an isolated planetary environment with hypogravity, from fluid-gel bath suspended
manufacture to cryostorage, cell sourcing and on-site resource utilisation for laboratory infrastructure. Surgical considerations are
also discussed.
Cutting-Edge Biomedical Technologies for Human Spaceflights by Nuwan BandaraNuwan Sriyantha Bandara
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This lecture was presented as a part of the volunteering webinar series for the Amateur Astronomers' Society at the Institute of Astronomy, Sri Lanka.
It was observed that swim rate of sperm changes in microgravity. Sperm swim with higher velocity in microgravity. The fertilization might be affected by this mobility changes in sperm and this led to reduction in sperm motility under microgravity. Follicle Stimulating Hormone FSH that is responsible for ovulation in women by triggering egg maturity and stimulating sperm production in men can be damaged by microgravity. Therefore, ovulations and triggering of egg maturity and production of sperm may not take place. Higher acidity of outer vagina due to fluid distribution at the upper part of the body might kill the sperm or reduce sperm counts. Microgravity environment reduced the thickening of the endometrium to the extent that eggs cannot be planted cause non implantations . Jaiyeola O. Paul | Oluwafemi A. Funmilola | Abdullahi S. Ayegba "Microgravity and Infertility" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-6 , October 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29408.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/other/29408/microgravity-and-infertility/jaiyeola-o-paul
In an era of increasing human longevity, it is becoming ever more critical to prioritize no only improved treatment of disease but also approaches for maintaining wellness to preserve the quality of life for aging adults. Spaceflight-induced physiological changes represent deviations from this state of wellness, with some changes serving as accelerated models of Earth-based conditions, including musculoskeletal disease, immune dysfunction, and delayed wound healing. This session will highlight research onboard the ISS National Lab that seeks to exploit these spaceflight-induced physiological effects to improve human health on Earth through studies that advance the prevention, detection, and treatment of disease. In parallel, spaceflight research and development efforts also seek to improve the human condition by employing the space environment to advance diagnostic tools and drug discovery, development and delivery systems.
Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in theoretical physics that happens when pairs or groups of particles are generated in such a way that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently of the others, even when the particles are separated by a large distance. Instead, a quantum state must be described for the system as a whole. Based on the theory of cancer as an evolutionary metabolic disease (Evolutionary Metabolic Hypothesis of Cancer or EMHC), the cancerous cells are eukaryotic cells with different metabolic rate from healthy cells due to the damaged or shut down mitochondria in them. Assuming each human eukaryotic cell as a particle and the whole body as a Quantum Entangled System (QES), is a new perspective on the description of cancer disease, and this link between theoretical physics and biological sciences in the field of cancer therapies can be a new insight into the cause, prevention and treatment of cancer. Additionally, this perspective admits the Lamarckian evolution in the understanding of the mentioned disease. We have presented each human eukaryotic cell containing mitochondria as a QES, and the whole body containing healthy and normal cells as a QES as well. The difference between the entropy of the healthy cells and cancer cells has also been mentioned in this research.
Keywords: Quantum Entanglement, Cancer, Mitochondria, Evolution, Quantum Entangled System (QES), EMHC
importance and scope of space pharmacy. medicines in space. pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in space. drug metabolism. physiological changes in space.
This review introduces microgravity environment the escape velocity which is independent of the mass of the object escaping and the effects of microgravity on bones, muscles, blood flow, proprioceptive system and re distribution of fluid in relation to the impact of the affected parts to the reproductive organs. Since the human reproductive organs components include bones, muscles, blood and fluids tissues. From previous work, it was discovered that penis, virginal, and uterus activities are negatively affected. Jaiyeola O. Paul | Oluwafemi A. Funmilola | Abdullahi S. Ayegba "Effects of Microgravity on Sexual Organs" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-6 , October 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29407.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/other/29407/effects-of-microgravity-on-sexual-organs/jaiyeola-o-paul
The human body is uniquely designed to live in Earth’s gravity. In space, the body begins to adapt to the microgravity environment.
When an astronaut goes into space, his or her body will immediately begin to experience a multitude of changes that cause the astronaut to feel different and even look slightly different!
Much more research needs to be done to develop countermeasures to the body’s changes in microgravity.
Space Medicine establishes the countermeasures to overcome the physiological effects of space.
The results will help to improve the health of astronauts and pave the way for long-term space exploration, such as a trip to Mars. Space medicine and space physiology are often viewed as two aspects of space life sciences, with the former being more operational, and the latter being more investigational. Space medicine tries to solve medical problems encountered during space missions. These problems include some adaptive changes to the space environment, including weightlessness, radiation, the absence of the 24-hour day/night cycle; as well as some non-pathologic changes that become maladaptive on return to Earth, such as muscle atrophy and bone demineralization. Space physiology tries to characterize body responses to space, especially weightlessness, reduced activity, and stress. It provides the necessary knowledge required for an efficient space medicine.
Similar to Space Pharmacology An Overview - venugopalan santhosh kumar (Autosaved) (20)
Space Pharmacology An Overview - venugopalan santhosh kumar (Autosaved)
1. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
www.ijfstonline.org
Research Article
ISSN 2321 – 0494
Indexed in CAS, OPEN J-gate and GOOGLE SCHOLAR
Received on: 10.10.15, Revised and Accepted on:2.11.2015
Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 228
Space Pharmacology: An Overview
Venugopalan Santhosh Kumar*
, Abhijeet Kumar, Neelam Kumari, Sundar Sri,
Shanmugarajan T, Shanmugasundaram P
1
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vels University,
Pallavaram, Chennai, India
Abstract
Space Pharmacology is the study of use of pharmaceutical drugs during spaceflights Space flight
can alter administered drug act on the body. Pharmacology scientists are conducting research to
improve crew health and well-being. Astronauts are not the only ones who benefit from space
medicine research. Space pharmacology research will benefit health care on Earth. Several
medical products have been developed that are space spinoffs, that is practical applications for
the field of medicine arising out of the space program. It is difficult to conclude the optimal drug
regimens in microgravity to ensure safe, effective, and definitive treatment of space travellers.
This study is mainly focused on the health issues in space, space medicine for astronauts,
pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics in space and medicine spinoffs.
Keywords: Microgravity, space suits, spinoffs
Corresponding Author: Venugopalan Santhosh Kumar E-mail: natu_sea@hotmail.com
Introduction
Pharmacology plays a crucial role in the treatment of many diseases on earth. Space
Pharmacology uses pharmaceuticals during spaceflights. Space Pharmacology plays a major role
in the health care system of astronauts.Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly in
space. Alan B. Shepard launched from Cape Canaveral on a Mercury Redstone 3 rocket to
become the first NASA astronaut to fly in space. Medical support needed for prolonged space
flights missions. Space medicine mainly focussed on the practice of medicine on astronauts.
Space Medicine deals with the medical problems experienced by humans during space flight. 1
The ultimate aim is to adopt for the microgravity environment and also can adapt to the Earth's
2. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 229
environment after returning from their voyage. Manned mission leads to blindness and bone
loss.Extreme care with drug treatment will be given to humans during their frequent
interplanetary exploration and also who experience severe injury and illness. Long term space
flight medical consequences are countered by pharmacologic treatment. This provides a
overview of the influence of microgravity on pharmacotherapeutics. 2, 3
Space flight affects
biological systems. Exposure to microgravity can alter the musculoskeletal,neurosensory and
cardiovascular systems. 4
Radiation exposure injuries continue for the duration of the mission
and may have implications in the post-flight period 5, 6, 7
. A serious group of risks which includes
the loss of consciousness occurs during re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere.
2. Microgravity
Microgravity is also termed as weightlessness or free-fall and zero-G. Microgravity alters the
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drug in the body. After reaching orbit in the space
flight, astronauts experience much lower gravity than on Earth. This is known as
microgravity.Many people mistakenly think that gravity does not exist in space. Earth's
gravitational field at about 250 miles above the surface is 88.8 percent of its strength at the
surface. Sir Isaac Newton described the nature of gravity more than 300 years ago. Gravity is the
attraction between any two masses, most apparent when one mass is very large (like Earth).
2.1 Effect of microgravity
Microgravity condition affects human body causing bone loss, immunosuppression,enlargement
of bones, muscle loss and movement of body fluids towards head, spaceflight osteopenia,
decrease in the function of cardiovascular system functions, decreased production of red blood
cells, balance disorders, and also weaken the human immune system. Effects of sex and gender
on adaptation to space were also studied. 9
Lesser symptoms include fluid redistribution ("moon-
face"), loss of body mass, nasal congestion, sleep disturbance, and excess flatulence. Most of
these effects begin to reverse quickly upon return to Earth.
2.2 Fluid distribution in microgravity
An astronaut’s circulatory system receives a different set of signals and stimuli in microgravity
and adapts to the new environment. The heart does not need to work as hard to send blood to the
upper body as it does when it working against gravity. This causes blood volume to increase in
the upper body. 10
3. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 230
2.3 Absence of gravity
A "stationary" micro-g environment would require travelling far enough into deep space so as to
reduce the effect of gravity by attenuation almost zero but it is impractical. To reduce the gravity
to one thousandth of that on Earth's surface, one needs to be at a distance of 200,000 km.
Fig 1: Comparison of the gravitational potential (Credits: Wikipedia).
2.4 Commercial application of microgravity
2.4.1 High quality crystals
Space scientists are helping find out how to grow the best quality crystals with protein crystals,
like insulin (used to help people with diabetes). Protein crystals made in space are a great
opportunity to design new medicines in the future.
2.5 Effects of spaceflight on astronauts
Life support system plays a crucial role in the manned mission. Breathable air and drinkable
water and a group of devices that allow human beings to survive in outer space. The life support
system supplies air, water and food. It must also maintain temperature and pressure within
acceptable limits and relates with waste products of body. Shielding against harmful external
influences such as radiation and micro-meteorites is also necessary.Microgravity environment
impacts the body such as loss of proprioception, changes in fluid distribution, and deterioration
of the musculoskeletal system. 11
Direct exposure to the extreme environment of space includes
extreme variations in temperature and increased radiation levels. Physiological effects of
4. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 231
spaceflight includes space motion sickness, fluid redistribution, cardiac rhythms, decompression
sickness, decompression illness in spaceflight, barotraumas, decreased immune system
functioning, loss of balance, loss of bone density, wasting of muscles, loss of eyesight, disruption
of taste, decrease metal health, orthostatic intolerance, sleep disorders, renal function
impairment, impaired protein metabolism, lowering of plasma protein synthesis, body weight
loss, changes in skin physiology and blood pressure variation. Dysregulation of immune system
of astronauts were reported in the space flight mission. 12
Increased oxidative damage post flight
in humans is that the increase is due to a combination of the consequences of the loss of protein
secondary to the in-flight reductive remodelling of skeletal muscle from the decreased work load
on the antigravity muscles.
2.6 Space medicine for astronauts
Space medicine is the practice of medicine on astronauts and it deals with the prevention or
control of exposure to the hazards that may cause astronaut ill health.
2.6.1 History of medication carried by astronauts
Medications have been carried aboard US spacecraft since the inception of the Mercury program
in the early 1960s. On the first 4 Mercury flights (May 1961 to May 1962), injector systems were
developed to allow an astronaut to deliver medication through his spacesuit and directly into the
thigh muscle. Three medications were carried via an injector such as Epinephrine (1:1000),
Cyclizine for motion sickness (45 mg/0.9 mL), and Meperidine for pain (90 mg/0.9 mL).On the
fifth Mercury flight (October 1962), only Cyclizine and Meperidine was carried. For the sixth
flight (May 1963), Cyclizine and Meperidine injections and Dextroamphetamine tablets were
supplied. For Project Gemini (April 1964 to November 1966) astronauts were instructed to take
Dextroamphetamine with a decongestant before reentry, and Diphenoxylate was prescribed to
prevent defecation during flight. Anti-motion sickness medication was prescribed in 1 instance
before atmospheric re-entry to reduce the possibility of motion sickness after splashdown.
During Project Apollo, medical kits consists of Oral doses of aspirin or Acetaminophen,
Triprolidine, Cyclizine, Secobarbital, and Diphenoxylate, Oxymetazoline nasal spray. During the
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975, Quinidine, and Dipyridamole were added to the medical kit.
Pharmaceutical use in the shuttle program found that at least 75% of astronauts had taken
medication for similar nonemergency indications during their missions.Medications are routinely
available to astronauts primarily in oral dosage forms (tablets and capsules), but intramuscular
5. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 232
injections, rectal suppositories, ocular preparations, and topical agents are also available in the
on-board medical kit.
2.6.2 Pharmaceuticals for astronauts
Modafinil helps ISS crew members optimize their performances. Zoledronate showed promise
by slowing the bone-mass loss. Astronauts sometimes turn to ScopeDex, Scopolamine and
Dexedrine to prevent and treat nausea. Fifty percent of space shuttle astronauts take sleeping
pills and still get two hours or less of sleep.
2.7 Space blanket
A space blanket reduces the heat loss in a person's body which would otherwise occur due to
thermal radiation, water evaporation, or convection. They may be included in first aid kits and
also in camping equipment.The space blankets are waterproof and windproof. In first aid the
blankets are used to prevent/counter hypothermia. The airtight foil reduces convection, heat loss
caused by evaporation of perspiration, moisture or blood is minimized by the same mechanism,
limited extent the reflective surface inhibits losses caused by radiation.
2.8 NASA medical kits
Since the dawn of human space exploration medicine has had to evolve quickly to support the
presence of human beings in space. Life support, safety, and health were addressed on an a priori
basis and were mainly founded on aviation medicine.
2.9 Project Mercury
Auto injectors carried on the Mercury-Atlas 9 flight. The injectors provide the astronaut with
injection tubes of Tigan, for preventing motion sickness and Demerol, for relieving pain.
3.0 Route of administration
Different routes of administration have been used during spaceflight including intravenous,
intramuscular, subcutaneous, intranasal, inhaled, oral, topical, and rectal. Crew medical officers
are trained on drug administration through all of these routes, though oral and intramuscular are
the routes most commonly used. Additional research into the efficacy and bioavailability of each
of these routes is needed. Prior to flight, many drugs are tested by crewmembers. This is done in
an attempt to prevent atypical reactions during the mission.
3.1 Pharmacokinetics changes in space
The pharmacokinetic of drugs may alter in the environment of space. 13
Pharmacokinetic
changes will affect the drug concentrations produced by a certain dosage regimen.Physiological
6. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 233
changes due to free fall may induce changes in pharmacokinetic behaviour of drugs and
influence their dosage regimen. Pharmacokinetics studies in humans, one has generally only
access to drug concentrations in plasma and urine which are the results of several concurrent
mechanisms. During free fall, different changes may occur in each step of the drug disposition
process.
3.1.1 Change in absorption
Pre-flight and in-flight salivary levels of acetaminophen where shown to differ, probably due to
changes in gastrointestinal transit time. In-flight salivary concentration-time curves of
scopolamine/ dextroamphetamine, given as conventional oral tablets, also were shown to be
erratic and exhibited higher intra and inter-individual variability compared to those of pre-flight
data. Gastric emptying in microgravity can also be altered due to changes in particle size
discrimination by the stomach, which is strongly dependent on the force of gravity. Also,
particles are not restricted by gravity to the lower pyloric region of the stomach anymore but
move throughout all regions of the stomach. This array of factors can lead to variability in drug
plasma levels. Intestinal transit rate in a gravity environment is highly dependent on the motility
state of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract either fasted or fed, partly due to the higher viscosity of
chyme in the fed state. In space, the absence of gravity may tend to increase the transit rate along
the small intestine by decreasing the dimensionless ratio of gravitational forces to viscous
forces. In zero gravity, therefore, these alterations in GI emptying and intestinal transit rate
could lead to inefficient absorption and erratic plasma levels.
3.1.2 Change in distribution
Physiological changes, such as the decrease in Total Body Water (TBW) and Plasma Volume
(PV), and the muscle loss may alter the volume of distribution of drugs. This will have an impact
on the plasma and tissue concentrations achieved after the administration of a drug in space and,
depending on the magnitude of the change, will require that a completely new dosing scheme be
designed to avoid sub-therapeutic or toxic concentrations. Altered tissue binding is observed as
result of protein loss, muscle atrophy, and decrease in lean body mass.
3.1.3 Change in metabolism and excretion
The amounts of cytochrome P-450 and other enzymes decreased during space flight and
simulated microgravity.Altered nutritional or energy requirements may have effects on urine
excretion of drugs, and dehydration may result in changes in urine excretion of drugs. 14, 15
7. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 234
3.2 Pharmacokinetic parameters in space
3.2.1 Efficacy of medications used during space missions
Some orally administered medications taken during flight were reported to be less effective than
expected. A typical dose of a medication used to treat headache, for example, did not relieve the
headache completely (or at all) when taken during human spaceflight mission.
3.2.2 Bioavailability
Oral bioavailability of medications during spaceflight, several factors, including alterations in
drug dissolution rate in gastric juices, gastric emptying, gastric or intestinal absorption, hepatic
first-pass metabolism, and intestinal blood flow, could all be influenced by microgravity.Other
conditions related to early microgravity exposure could also influence bioavailability, including
space motion sickness or changes in gut micro flora and gut enzymatic release and distribution.
3.2.3 Volume of distribution
Cephalad fluid shifts, redistribution of fluid out of the central compartment, and fluid decreases
due to prelaunch intake restrictions, along with losses due to space motion sickness and diuresis,
produce total body water and plasma volume losses upon entry into space.Tissue binding of
medications can be altered because of protein loss secondary tomuscle and tissue
atrophy, redistribution of plasma proteins out of the central compartment, alterations in blood
lipid levels, or reduced erythrocyte production. Thus, volume losses coupled with reduced tissue
binding could alter the distribution of a medication throughout the body, which could influence
therapeutic and toxic effects.
3.2.4 Absorption rate
In a small study involving 5 astronauts from 3 shuttle missions, acetaminophen was administered
(650 mg as two 325-mg tablets orally). Salivary samples rather than blood sample were analyzed
to determine the pharmacokinetics of the drug during ground-based testing and during flight. A
decrement in absorption of acetaminophen was observed in space compared with ground based
testing, as noted by a consistently lower maximum salivary concentration (Cmax) and greater time
to reach peak concentration (Tmax) in the test group.Moreover, salivary concentrations of
acetaminophen varied greatly among individual astronauts when measured over several flight
days; the reasons for this are unclear, butfactors may include changes in gut motility, gut
absorption, and space motion sickness.
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3.2.5 Clearance
Microgravity could affect drug elimination via the kidneys. As suggested by anti-orthostatic bed
rest studies, it could also affect liver metabolism of drugs owing to changes in perfusion
secondary to the cephalad redistribution of blood.
3.3 Pharmaceutical stability
Altered physiochemical properties cause reduced release/absorption, reduced therapeutic
activity. Proposed radiation-induced effects such as Gamma and nucleon,Radiolabile (space),
reduction in therapeutic content, exposure may generate potentially toxic species
3.3.1 Drug formulation (dosage form) stability
Humidity, temperature, pH, and radiation exposure can affect the stability of a medication.
When medications are exposed to any or all of these factors, they are prone to degradation.
3.4 Pharmacodynamic changes in space
Many drugs act by altering the function of specific ion channels either directly or indirectly. Ion
channels are gravity sensitive. Gravity directly influences the integral open-state probability of
native ion channels (porins) Pharmacodynamic changes will affect the response that is produced
by a given drug concentration. They can be caused by changes in drug-receptor interaction or
changes in disease characteristics. During crew medical debriefings, astronauts observed that
promethazine was less. likely to produce sedation in flight than when used on the
ground, suggesting that altered bioavailability, pharmacodynamics was at play during
spaceflight. Another pharmacodynamic issue in space may relate to microgravity induced
changes in microorganism growth, as opposed to physiologic changes to the body that influence
drug response. 16
Clinical assessment includes altered pharmcodynamics (PD), frequent use of
hypnotics/sedatives, oral drug treatment may be ineffective or less effective(anecdotal reports).
3.5 Pharmacotherapeutics changes in space
Pharmacotherapeutics in space is the study of the therapeutic uses and effects of drugs in space.
The goal of pharmacotherapeutics research at the Johnson Space Center is to enable successful
space medical operation to deliver Safe and effective diagnostic and products, procedures, and
strategies to support successful space medical operations. 17
Highlights of the
pharmacotherapeutic research reviewed include development and validation of methods for
pharmacologic research, in-flight pharmacokinetics and alternative drug delivery methods in
space.Pharmacotherapeutics for Space Exploration includes Pharmaceutical stability of dosages
9. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 236
forms, Evidence Based Medical practice, PK/PD changes, Therapeutic monitoring Systematic
evaluation, enabling technologies for drug treatment, monitoring and management.
3.6 Use of medicines in space
Medications are used for a wide variety of indications during space flight. Astronauts have taken
drugs in flight to ameliorate or prevent symptoms of space motion sickness, headache,
sleeplessness, backache, nasal congestion. Although the discomfort associated with some acute
responses to microgravity (e.g.,space motion sickness) is expected to diminish with length of
time in flight, other responses that have delayed onset (e.g., maintaining nutritional status, bone
and muscle strength, and perhaps immune response) may affect health and quality of life during
longer missions. 18
Therefore, as the duration of space flights increases, the need for treatment
with medications is expected to increase accordingly.Higher antibiotic resistance were reported
in the bacterial samples collected on the crew Apollo-Soyouz 425. Test Project Mission. 19
Oral
route may not be ideal for those suffering motion-sickness symptoms,intramuscular and
intranasal preparations are being tested. Intramuscular administration of promethazine
hydrochloride has been reported to be more effective in alleviating motion-sickness symptoms.
Data currently available suggest that space flight affects absorption of orally administered
medications and stability of drug formulations. These findings support the need for the
development of novel drug delivery systems for acute and chronic treatment in space.
3.7 NASA pharmacotherapeutic laboratory
The goal of the Pharmacotherapeutics Laboratory is to mitigate pharmacotherapeutic risk by
identifying and providing safe and effective diagnostics tools, pharmaceutical preparations,
therapeutic procedures and intervention strategies.The Pharmacology Laboratory in close
collaboration with the Space and Clinical Operations Division, supports medical requirements
for the International Space Station, and space exploration programs. Activities include clinical
pharmacy services, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics research, therapeutic drug
monitoring, specialized therapeutic monitoring for spaceflight-related pathophysiology, novel
dosage form development, and pharmaceutical stability assessment. 20
3.8 Space flight challenges and risk factor
Environmental extremes, Time and distance in which clinical care and monitoring of
medicinals will be impacted. Space flight challenges includes physiologicalresponses to
microgravity such as Bone, muscle, and cardiovascular changes, neurovestibular alterations,
10. Jully-Sep-2015 Volume 3 Issue 3 Page 237
decreased immune function, variations in endocrine system. Risk Factors includes GI, hepatic
and renal function changes, pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic alterations and therapeutic
implications, adverse drug reactions, stability and shelf-life of pharmaceuticals.
3.9 Medicine spinoffs
Spinoffs that improve fitness, treat disease, and save lives. NASA medicine spinoffs such as
Thermometer pill helps athletes beat the heat, non-invasive test detects cardiovascular disease,
circulation-enhancing device improves CPR, rocket enginetechnology keeps heart’s pumping,
polymer coating aids heart failure treatment, LEDs (Tiny light-emitting diode), alleviate pain,
speed rehabilitation, robotics offer new surgical capabilities, CCDs (Charge coupled devices)
enable clearer, more efficient biopsies, corrosive space gas scrubs surgical implants, inline filter
purifies dental water plays a crucial role in health care system in earth.
Conclusion
This research plays a major role in understanding the importance of space pharmacology in
astronauts during the space mission.In conclusion, optimization of therapeutics for space
exploration requires research and development of enabling technologies and methods for the
diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic ailments encountered by astronauts while in space
and upon return to Earth. Space spinoffs will benefit health care on Earth.
Conflicts of interest
We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Dr. Virginia Wotring, Senior Scientist, Space Pharmacology, National Space
Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), NASA, USA.
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