Jane Alcorn

University of Saskatchewan | U of S · Division of Pharmacy

Objective To quantify and characterize plasma cannabinoid concentrations in cases of suspected cannabis toxicity in dogs, identify potential correlations between clinical signs and plasma concentrations, and assess the specificity of cannabis toxicity diagnosis based on clinical signs alone. Design Observational study. Setting Veterinary teaching...

Introduction Cannabis products have been used in the management of headaches in adults and may play a role in pediatric chronic pain. Canadian pediatricians report increasing use of cannabis for the management of chronic headaches, despite no well-controlled studies to inform its dosing, safety, and effectiveness. The aim of our clinical trial is t...

Background Cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and have the potential to act as a therapeutic following mild traumatic brain injury. There is limited evidence available on the pharmacological, physiological and psychological effects of escalating CBD dosages in a healthy, male, university athlete population....

The increasing legalization of Cannabis sativa plant products has sparked growing interest in their therapeutic applications. Prohibition laws established in 1937 hindered formal research on cannabis, a plant with cultural and medicinal roots dating back to 2700 BC in Chinese history. Despite regulatory hurdles, published research on cannabis has e...

Objective To determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of two oral doses of a Cannabis herbal extract (CHE) containing 1:20 THC:CBD in 12 healthy Domestic Shorthair cats. Methods Single-dose PK were assessed after oral administration of CHE at low or high dose (2 mg CBD + 0.1 mg THC, or 5 mg CBD + 0.25 mg THC per kg bw, respectively; n = 6 per group) in...

Purpose Treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in patients with solitary kidneys remains challenging. The purpose of this multicentre cohort study was to explore how renal function is affected by percutaneous image-guided cryoablation in patients with solitary kidneys. Material and Methods Data from the European Registry for Renal Cryoablation da...

Introduction Cannabis products have been used in the management of headaches in adults and may play a role in pediatric chronic pain. Canadian pediatricians report increasing use of cannabis for the management of chronic headaches, despite no well-controlled studies to inform its dosing, safety, and effectiveness. The aim of our clinical trial is t...

Simple Summary Inherited renal cell carcinoma (RCC) typically presents earlier in life with multifocal and bilateral tumours. Treatment of such tumours is often challenging due to their bilateral presentation and high risk of recurrence or development of new disease. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to achieve oncological control while preservin...

Objectives: Implementing medical cannabis (MC) into a child's daily routine can be challenging and there is a lack of guidance for its therapeutic use in schools in Canada. Our objective was to learn about the experiences of caregivers of school-aged children who require MC. Methods: Qualitative description was used and caregivers were interview...

Medical cannabis (MC) may offer therapeutic benefits for children with complex neurological conditions and chronic diseases. In Canada, parents, and caregivers frequently report encountering barriers when accessing MC for their children. These include negative preconceived notions about risks and benefits, challenges connecting with a knowledgeable...

Brain organoids have the potential to improve clinical translation, with the added benefit of reducing any extraneous use of experimental animals. As brain organoids are three‐dimensional in vitro constructs that emulate the human brain, they bridge in vitro and in vivo studies more appropriately than monocultures. Although many factors contribute...

Aim We undertook this systematic review to determine the efficacy and safety of cannabis-based medicine as a treatment for behavioral, psychological, and motor symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorders. Methods We conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review to identify studies using cannabis-based medicine to treat behavioral, psychologica...

Cardiolipin is a mitochondrial phospholipid that is also detected in serum inferring its extracellular release; however, this process has not been directly demonstrated for any of the brain cell types. Nevertheless, extracellular cardiolipin has been shown to modulate several neuroimmune functions of microglia and astrocytes, including upregulation...

Objectives Guidance is lacking for medical cannabis use in Canadian schools in both legislation and approach; the impact of ambiguous policy on patient care is unknown. A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the experiences of clinicians who care for school-aged children who take medical cannabis. Methods Semi-structured interviews were rec...

Cancer will remain a global major health problem unless new diagnostic, prognostic, and management approaches are discovered to address both loss of life and quality of life. Here we summarize the general physiology, pathology, heterogeneity, and evolution of cancer, current status, limitations and challenges associated with prevention, incidence,...

Interest in cannabis as a treatment for various neurological symptoms has been present for some time. However, due to barriers such as perceived stigma on use and legal implications, cannabis has not been considered mainstay treatment. The recent emergence of evidence supporting cannabis use for specific neurologic conditions has brought this to th...

Aim To evaluate the use of pre-cryoablation biopsy for small renal masses (SRMs) and the effects of increasing up take on histological results of treated SMRs. Method From 2015 to 2019, patients with sporadic T1N0M0 SRMs undergoing percutaneous, laparoscopic or open cryoablation from 14 European institutions within the European Registry For Renal...

Simple Summary Breast and prostate cancers are serious public health issues that create considerable burden to both people and healthcare systems worldwide. Cancer is a heterogeneous disease influenced by numerous components, and its diverse intricate pathology challenges disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survival. Although recent stati...

Hyperlipidemia, high levels of blood lipids including cholesterol and triglycerides, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Traditional treatments of hyperlipidemia often include lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy. Recently, flaxseed has been approved as a nutrient that lowers blood lipids. Several metabolites of flaxseed lignan seco...

Apixaban is frequently used off label in transplant recipients. However, a potential drug interaction exists with the calcineurin inhibitors. We conducted an open‐label drug‐drug interaction study to determine the pharmacokinetics of apixaban in lung and kidney transplant recipients who were taking a calcineurin inhibitor. A single dose of apixaban...

The gamma-Pareto type I convolution (GPC type I) distribution, which has a power function tail, was recently shown to describe the disposition kinetics of metformin in dogs precisely and better than sums of exponentials. However, this had very long run times and lost precision for its functional values at long times following intravenous injection....

Objectives To evaluate the use of pre-cryoablation biopsy for small renal masses (SRMs) and the effects of increasing uptake on histological results of treated SRMs. Methods From 2015 to 2019, patients with sporadic T1N0M0 SRMs undergoing percutaneous, laparoscopic, or open cryoablation from 14 European institutions within the European Registry fo...

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurobehavioral disorder that is highly prevalent in children and adults. An increasing number of patients with ADHD are self-medicating with cannabis, despite a lack of evidence on efficacy and safety. This case report describes 3 males (ages 18, 22, and 23) who have integrated cannabis...

Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Conventional treatment methods include lifestyle changes and pharmaceutical interventions, but recently Health Canada approved a health claim for whole ground flaxseed as an alternative treatment for hypercholesterolemia. The literature suggests flaxseed lignans are responsible for t...

The gamma-Pareto type I convolution (GPC type I) distribution, which has a power function tail, was recently shown to describe the disposition kinetics of metformin in dogs precisely and better than sums of exponentials. However, this had very long run times and lost precision for its functional values at long times following intravenous injection....

BACKGROUND Despite the lack of evidence on the use of Cannabis for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the growing perception that Cannabis is safe has led more patients and caregivers to self-medicate. Some psychiatrists now authorize medicinal Cannabis for patients with ADHD with features of Oppositional Defiant Diso...

Background Despite the lack of evidence on the use of cannabis for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the growing perception that cannabis is safe has led more patients and caregivers to self-medicate. Some psychiatrists now authorize medicinal cannabis for patients with ADHD with features of oppositional defiant diso...

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is the principal lignan of flaxseed and precursor of its aglycone, secoisolariciresinol (SECO), and the mammalian lignans enterolactone (EL) and enterodiol (ED), the putative bioactive forms of oral administration of SDG. SDG is present in the seed hull as an ester-linked polymer. Although extraction and purif...

Although a mitochondrial redox-cycling superoxide-generating mechanism for the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin was suggested from experiments with isolated mitochondria, its occurrence and contribution to cytotoxicity in intact cardiomyocytes is not fully established. Therefore, we determined the immediate and delayed effects of doxorubicin on the ge...

Background: Aerobic exercise is recommended for reducing blood pressure; however, recent studies indicate that stretching may also be effective. The authors compared 8 weeks of stretching versus walking exercise in men and women with high-normal blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension (ie, 130/85-159/99 mm Hg). Methods: Forty men and women (61.6...

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of various oral doses of a Cannabis herbal extract (CHE) containing a 1:20 ratio of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC):cannabidiol (CBD) in 13 healthy Beagle-cross dogs. Methods: Single-dose PK was assessed after oral administration of CHE at low, medium, or high doses [2, 5, or 10 mg CBD and...

Background: Because cannabis use in children can have negative consequences, the recent legalization of recreational cannabis for adults in Canada creates an urgent need for youth education. Method: A multidisciplinary clinical rotation was developed wherein nursing and pharmacy students collaborated with youth (grades 7 through 10) to construct...

Cannabis sativa L. is an important yet controversial plant with a long history of recreational, medicinal, industrial, and agricultural use, and together with its sister genus Humulus, it represents a group of plants with a myriad of academic, agricultural, pharmaceutical, industrial, and social interests. We have performed a meta-analysis of poole...

Cannabis sativa L. is an important yet controversial plant with a long history of recreational, medicinal, industrial, and agricultural use, and together with its sister genus Humulus, it represents a group of plants with a myr-iad of academic, agricultural, pharmaceutical, industrial, and social interests. We have performed a meta-analysis of pool...

A model was developed for long term metformin tissue retention based upon temporally inclusive models of serum/plasma concentration (C) having power function tails called the gamma-Pareto type I convolution (GPC) model and was contrasted with biexponential (E2) and noncompartmental (NC) metformin models. GPC models of C have a peripheral venous fir...

Purpose: There is uncertainty regarding the appropriate dose of Cannabidiol (CBD) for childhood epilepsy. We present the preliminary data of seven participants from the Cannabidiol in Children with Refractory Epileptic Encephalopathy (CARE-E) study. Methods: The study is an open-label, prospective, dose-escalation trial. Participants received escal...

Experiential education is a critical component of any pharmacy undergraduate curriculum. Establishing new, high-quality practice sites can be challenging. We designed a new advanced pharmacy practice experiential rotation suitable for implementation in most community pharmacy settings. The aim of this article is to describe the design of this rotat...

Cancer causes considerable morbidity and mortality across the world. Socioeconomic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute to the increasing cancer prevalence, bespeaking a need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. Phytochemicals like plant polyphenols are generally considered to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral,...

Barrier integrity dysfunction and oxidative stress are considered hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. Their mitigation continues to be a drug discovery target in IBD. Natural products may aid treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, but their use in IBD requires a better understanding of whether individual bioactives may...

We performed a scoping review on sought-after complementary therapies for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically diet, physical activity and exercise (PA/E), and psychotherapy. We aim to update patients with IBD on therapies for self-care and provide physicians with guidance on how to direct their patients for the management o...

Background Initial studies suggest pharmaceutical grade cannabidiol (CBD) can reduce the frequency of convulsive seizures and lead to improvements in quality of life in children affected by epileptic encephalopathies. With limited access to pharmaceutical CBD, Cannabis extracts in oil are becoming increasingly available. Physicians show reluctance...

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics and effects on thermal thresholds (TT) of two fentanyl constant rate infusions in awake cats. Study design: A blinded, randomized crossover study. Animals: A group of six healthy female cats, aged 3 ± 1 years, weighing 4.1 ± 0.7 kg. Methods: Skin temperature (TSKIN) and TT were evaluated using a w...

The plant Cannabis sativa produces over 140 known cannabinoids. These chemicals generate considerable interest in the medical research community for their possible application to several intractable disease conditions. Recent reports have prompted parents to strongly consider Cannabis products to treat their children with drug resistant epilepsy. P...

The limitations of anticancer drugs bespeak a need for a multi‐target, yet safe approach that effectively thwarts cell survival adaptations. Tumor cells with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress evoke an adaptive mechanism, the unfolded protein response, for survival. This has become a promising drug target for tumors that upregulate protein synthesis...

Background: Docetaxel is a potent anticancer agent used in various cancer types. Attempts are being made to improve docetaxel’s pharmacokinetics because desirable modifications in disposition and biodistribution characteristics could enhance the therapeutic outcomes of the drug. Quantitative analysis of docetaxel in the body is important to underst...

Systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of metastatic breast cancer; however, prognosis and overall survival is unfavorable due to inadequate treatment response and/or unacceptable toxicity. Natural compounds and their active metabolites receive increasing attention as possible adjuvant therapy with cancer chemotherapeutics to improve...

Objectives: Endoscopy remains the gold standard to diagnose and evaluate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. Current biomarkers or their combinations cannot adequately predict IBD risk, diagnosis, progression or relapse, and response to therapy. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is emerging as a significant mediator of the inflammatory process. We...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the pharmacokinetics of metformin hydrochloride in healthy dogs after IV and oral bolus administrations and determine the oral dose of metformin that yields serum concentrations equivalent to those thought to be effective in humans. ANIMALS 7 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURES Each dog was given a single dose of met...

Objective To map out the current provision of interventional oncology (IO) services in the UK. Design Cross-sectional multicentre study. Setting All National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England and Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland health boards. Participants Interventional radiology (IR) departments in all NHS trusts/health boards in the...

Evidence from the literature suggests that dietary flaxseed lignans have the ability to modulate inflammation, which is recognized as the underlying basis of multiple chronic human diseases in older adults. Our objective was to determine the effects of oral lignan supplementation on biochemical and functional indicators of inflammation as well as s...

The type of blood collection tube may influence the pharmaceutical analysis of bioactive cannabinoids in plasma. In turn, assay interference resulting from blood collection tube components can confound the interpretation of plasma pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies. We compared the new BD Vacutainer® Barricor™ Tube with five other BD bloo...

The acronymously named “ESKAPE” pathogens represent a group of bacteria that continue to pose a serious threat to human health, not only due to their propensity for repeated emergence, but also due to their ability to “eskape” antibiotic treatment1,2. The evolution of multi-drug resistance in these pathogens alone has greatly outpaced the developme...

Background Increased oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with aging, and contribute to an increased risk of chronic disease in older adults. Flaxseed lignans demonstrate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, but their ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation markers in older adult populations has received limited inves...

Evidence from preclinical and animal studies demonstrated an anticancer effect of flaxseed lignans, particularly enterolactone (ENL), against prostate cancer. However, extensive first-pass metabolism following oral lignan consumption results in their systemic availability primarily as glucuronic acid conjugates (ENL-Gluc) and their modest in vivo e...

Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is generated during extraction of bitumen in the surface mining oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada. Studies were performed in vitro by use of Caco-2 cells, and in vivo with larvae of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to determine if organic compounds from the aqueous phase of OSPW inhibit ATP binding casse...

Objective. To determine blood remifentanil concentration in isoflurane-anesthetized horses during and after a one hour remifentanil and dexmedetomidine infusion. Study design. Prospective study. Animals. Six adult mixed breed horses with (mean ± SD) bodyweight of 507 ± 61 kg and 14 ± 4 years of age. Following sedation with xylazine IV, anesth...

The performance characteristics of a newly developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method were validated and demonstrated to be fit for purpose in a pharmacokinetic and tissue depletion study of white-tailed deer and bison. Tulathromycin was extracted from bison and deer sera with acetonitrile or trifluoroacetic acid and K2HPO4 (p...

The chapter presents an overview of the xenobiotic elimination system from the perspective of an oral xenobiotic exposure. It notes the interrelationship of the three elimination organs, liver, kidney, and intestine, and their respective roles in limiting systemic exposures. The polarized epithelia of each elimination organ are highlighted as these...

Respiratory tract infections are common in farmed North American white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Tulathromycin is approved for use in cattle but not deer but is often employed to treat deer. The pharmacokinetic properties and lung and muscle concentrations of tulathromycin in white-tailed deer were investigated. Tulathromycin was admini...

High-resolution computed tomography (CT) imaging of a live animal within a lead-lined synchrotron light hutch presents several unique challenges. In order to confirm that the animal is under a stable plane of anaesthesia, several physiological parameters (e.g. heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation, core body temperature and respiratory rate) must...

Increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that dietary flaxseed lignans may have a role in prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. The lignans enterolactone (ENL) and secoisolariciresinol (SECO) may contribute to the anticancer effect. Our in vitro cytotoxicity studies found that ENL and SECO reduced the IC 50 value...

Tulathromycin is approved for the treatment of respiratory disease in cattle and swine. It is intended for long-acting, single-dose injection therapy (Draxxin), making it particularly desirable for use in bison due to the difficulty in handling and ease of creating stress in these animals. The pharmacokinetic properties of tulathromycin in bison we...

Consumption of flaxseed lignans is associated with various health benefits; however, little is known about the bioavailability of purified lignans in flaxseed. Data on their bioavailability and hence pharmacokinetics (PK) are necessary to better understand their role in putative health benefits. In the present study, we conducted a comparative PK a...

The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of flaxseed lignans could benefit age-related chronic conditions. We aimed to examine the safety of supplementation of the major flaxseed lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) in frail older adults residing in long-term care (LTC) homes. Twenty-six older adults (60-80 years of age) met the...

A number of cytotoxic conjugated unsaturated ketones were screened for their membrane permeability characteristics using Caco-2 and MDCK cells with the view of finding promising leads for in vivo evaluations. 3b-e and 4a-b demonstrated high permeability characteristics. In particular, 4a emerged as a promising lead which showed excellent apparent p...

As part of an effort to search for extracts and compounds with new antimicrobial efficacy to fight against bacterial resistance, the antibacterial activity of Rauvolfia caffra var. caffra (Sond.), a plant of family Apocynaceae used in Traditional Medicine in Tanzania, was investigated. Ethanol, methanol and water extracts from leaf, stem and root b...