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Animal medicine (AM), as a kind of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used for thousands of years. However, sometimes AM can cause a variety of side effects similar to those caused by biogenic amines (BAs). So far, there has been no information about the type and content of BAs in AMs. Thus, an HPLC method with precolumn derivatization was developed for the characterization of ten kinds of BAs in seven commonly used AMs to provide referential data for the safety profile of AMs. The described method has good repeatability and reproducibility for the quantification of BAs in seven kinds of AMs. Among the ten selected BAs, histamine in Scolopendra was found to be 96 ± 4 mg/kg, exceeding the limit regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Although the levels of BAs in Scorpio, Hirudo, Bombyx Batryticatus, Gecko, Pheretima, and Eupolyphaga Steleophaga are below the amine toxicity level currently regulated and are safe to use individually, AMs are often used in combination with other TCMs containing BAs. This would lead to the overdose of toxic BAs. Therefore, it is necessary to propose limit standards for BAs in AMs and their polypharmacy to ensure their safety profiles and improve the quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The cardiovascular efficacy of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are well documented; however, the differences in cardiovascular efficacy among subpopulations remain unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the differences in cardiovascular efficacy of long-acting GLP-1RAs among subpopulations of patients with T2DM and to assess the drug safety. Methods: Relevant studies up to March 31, 2020 were searched for in six electronic databases, namely PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Clinical Trials, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The primary outcome was three-point major adverse cardiovascular events (including cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke). Subpopulations were defined using ten selected influential factors, and the differences in cardiovascular efficacy in subpopulations stratified by different influential factors were accessed by synthesizing studies with random-effects models one by one. Results: A total of six cardiovascular outcome trials of long-acting GLP-1RAs, comprising 49,936 participants, were included. Among stratified subpopulations, no significant differences in the cardiovascular efficacy of long-acting GLP-1RAs were observed across the ten characteristics of subjects (all P for interaction > 0.05). Favorable trends were observed in the subpopulation with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to that without (P = 0.171). With regards to safety, long-acting GLP-1RAs did not significantly increase the risk of retinopathy (OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.92–1.29; P = 0.316), but increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal events (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.02–1.83; P = 0.037). Long-acting GLP-1RAs did not significantly increase the risk of serious adverse events (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.85–1.00; P = 0.039). Conclusions: Our analysis suggested no subpopulation differences in the cardiovascular efficacy of long-acting GLP-1RAs among stratified subpopulations, and favorable trends were only observed in the subpopulation with established CVD. These findings may have implications for the management of long-acting GLP-1RAs across subpopulations of patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]