BACKGROUND Polypharmacy in psychiatry is becoming the rule rather than the exception. Using more drugs at same time usually occurs where single drugs are considered insufficiently effective. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The sample consisted of 216 patients: 85 from Sarajevo, and 44 and 87 respectively from Mostar and Tuzla. All schizophrenic patients who were hospitalised in three University Centers of F/BiH (Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar) on a particular day are included in the study. This included patients of both sexes (131 (60.65%) males and 85 females (39.35%)), 20-60 ages, who were on antipsychotic treatment with an established diagnosis of schizophrenia by the treating psychiatrist. The research was performed in the year 2004. The census of patients was conducted simultaneously in all three Centers, using a questionnaire in which all routine prescribed antipsychotics were registered, as the common method of the administration, and the doses as well saving as data for other medications that were simultaneously prescribed to the patients that day. RESULTS Within the total sample the most frequently applied classical antipsychotics were haloperidol, promazine and from the group of new antipsychotics clozapine. The most frequently used other medications were biperidine and diazepam. The administration of all medication was followed through recording of individual doses, daily doses and frequency of administration. There are statistically significant differences regarding the frequency of biperidine use between the centers (p=0.008). CONCLUSION In three University Clinical Centers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar), the applied rule is that more drugs in the treatment of schizophrenic psychosis and doing polypharmacy is the inevitable approach to treatment. The concept behind the polypharmacy is based on the fact that antipsychotic drugs do not cover all the symptoms of schizophrenic psychosis, and that additional medications may correct iatrogenic side effects caused by antipsychotic drugs. It is expected that the new atypical antipsychotics will treat much broader symptoms of psychosis and will not cause extrapyramidal side effects, as do the typical antipsychotics.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairment in social, communication skills and stereotype behaviors. While autism may be uniquely human, there are behavioral characteristics in ASDs that can be mimicked using animal models. We used the BTBR T+tf/J mice that have been shown to exhibit autism-like behavioral phenotypes to 1). Evaluate cannabinoid-induced behavioral changes using forced swim test (FST) and spontaneous wheel running (SWR) activity and 2). Determine the behavioral and neurochemical changes after the administration of MDMA (20 mg/kg), methamphetamine (10 mg/kg) or MPTP (20 mg/kg). We found that the BTBR mice exhibited an enhanced basal spontaneous locomotor behavior in the SWR test and a reduced depressogenic profile. These responses appeared to be enhanced by the prototypic cannabinoid, Δ9-THC. MDMA and MPTP at the doses used did not modify SWR behavior in the BTBR mice whereas MPTP reduced SWR activity in the control CB57BL/6J mice. In the hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex, the levels of DA and 5-HT and their metabolites were differentially altered in the BTBR and C57BL/6J mice. Our data provides a basis for further studies in evaluating the role of the cannabinoid and monoaminergic systems in the etiology of ASDs.

Nail lacquers represent new drug form specifically designed to treat infected nail plate. They are complex organic solutions with specific assaying problems due to the high content of the polymer and plasticizer. Furthermore, there is a lack of assaying methods of active substances from this type of formulations in scientific literature. We developed derivative UV-spectrophotometric method for determination of fluconazole content in antifungal nail lacquer formulations. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, precision (repeatability), intermediate precision and accuracy (recovery). The method is specific, linear in the range of 99.53 - 497.65 μg/ml, precise and showed good recovery (98.79% - 101.77% from all six developed formulations). Besides, it is inexpensive, simple and nontoxic, i.e. ecologically acceptable. This method can be used for assaying fluconazole from this type of formulations.