Search

Evaluates properties of the radiographic contrast media P760 gadolinium chelate. Diffusion through the vascular endothelium; Structure of the drug; Pharmacokinetics.

JBA Chevallier is first known for his publication in 1850 of his book on falsifications. But he had also a major role for the opening of the pharmacy world to toxicological and Public Health issues, through the founding in 1825, and the management for more than 50 years, of the Journal de chimie médicale, de pharmacie et de toxicologie (Journal of Medical Chemistry, of Pharmacy and of Toxicology). The purpose of the present study has been to look at the evolution of that publication over the years and to compare its content with the reference pharmaceutical journal at that time : the Journal de pharmacie et de chimie (Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry). One can observe that the editorial lines of both journals will progressively diverge from each other, but Chevallier remained strongly connected with pharmacy, his journal merging finally in 1876 with the Répertoire de pharmacie (Index of Pharmacy).

The US Dispensatory first published in 1833 will see several editions and some of them are accessible on Internet. We have evaluated more specifically the 1843 edition, at a time where several similar reference books were published in France, and especially l’Officine of Dorvault, published for the first time in 1844. One can observe that the American book refers very often to French works coming from pharmacists, chemists and biologists who are, at the time, key references. They are particularly mentioned when talking about alkaloids, but also concerning herbs characterization and history of their discovery, as well as drugs or new active principles effects and toxicity. As opposed to Dorvault who try to help pharmacists by very practical information, the authors of the Dispensatory are doing a review of available scientific evidences, as an add on of the recently published American pharmacopeia in 1831. Among the main french authors that are mentioned, we can see Henry and Guibourt, Pelletier and Caventou, but also Soubeiran, Vauquelin, Robiquet, Orfila and many others. If the most consistent chapters are related to Quinquina, Opium and morphin, the American book, as l’Officine of Dorvault pay attention to have an almost exhaustive table of weight and measures that are still very different from one country to another. Globally speaking, the French authors are mentioned close to 700 times in the 1843 edition of the Dispensatory.

When looking at the content of both of them in the middle of the First World War, indeed one can see a number of articles related to the war, but also several other topics : it is the year of the new law on toxic drugs with the creation of A, B and C classification of drugs. The controversy about pharmaceutical specialties and the growing influence of the pharmaceutical industry still remain an important issue in 1916. It is also an eventful year for the history of pharmacy, three years after the creation of the French Society of History of Pharmacy. One can read also several biographies of pharmacists who died in 1916, not only in relation to war, and of famous pharmacists like Gerhardt (not only for the discovery of aspirin) who was born one century ago. macy, three years after the creation of the French Society of History of Pharmacy. One can read also several biographies of pharmacists who died in 1916, not only in relation to war, and of famous pharmacists like Gerhardt (not only for the discovery of aspirin) who was born one century ago.

The life of Moyse Charas has been very stormy, especially after 1680. One can consider three main periods in his carrier : a first one from his birth in Uzès (France), in 1619, to 1680 ; his exile from 1680 to 1689 in various European countries ; and finally, his return to Paris in 1690 until his death in 1698. He decided his return to Paris and confirmed his conversion to Catholicism the 1st of July 1691, being received by Louis XIV and elected as a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1692. Charas dictated his one’s will the 12th of January 1698, a few days before his death. All along his very active life, Charas was noteworthy by two major achievements : his interest and works on viper and, as a consequence, on theriac ; and his book that became a reference for all apothecaries and physicians at the time, the Pharmacopée Royale galénique et chimique (the Galenic and Chemical Royal Pharmacopoeia). The present study examines specifically the influence of Charas’ pharmacopoeia to the Universal Pharmacopeia of Lémery, and the conceptual visible differences between the two authors. He decided his return to Paris and confirmed his conversion to Catholicism the 1st of July 1691, being received by Louis XIV and elected as a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1692. Charas dictated his one’s will the 12th of January 1698, a few days before his death. All along his very active life, Charas was noteworthy by two major achievements : his interest and works on viper and, as a consequence, on theriac ; and his book that became a reference for all apothecaries and physicians at the time, the Pharmacopée Royale galénique et chimique (the Galenic and Chemical Royal Pharmacopoeia). The present study examines specifically the influence of Charas’ pharmacopoeia to the Universal Pharmacopeia of Lémery, and the conceptual visible differences between the two authors.

Pierre Pomet is a Parisian, but as all great botanists, he liked travelling and bringing back sample of drugs that he was ultimately showing during his course at the Jardin des Plantes (Royal Herbs garden in Paris). Member of druggists and groceries storekeepers’ Community, he was not allowed to establish himself as an apothecary in Paris. It is as drug expert that he wrote and published in 1694 his “General History of Drugs, concerning herbs, animals and minerals, book enriched with more than 400 copper-plate engravings designed from nature : with explanations of their various names, their countries of origin, the way to differentiate them from falsified ones, and their properties, where one can see the errors coming from Ancients and modern writers ; the whole being very useful for the public”. This book was translated into English in 1712 and German in 1717. It is part of the reference books of the 17th century for pharmacy. In his introduction, Pierre Pomet explains that his goal is to avoid for drugs errors and falsifications that very frequent at that time. The book is then dedicated not only to physicians, apothecaries or students, etc., but also to all that used drugs.

Poison gas has been the subject of attention from the French army (Grand Quartier General). The 22sd of April 1915, General Joffre decided that the General Direction for Health Service was in charge of the protection of troops against what he called "this new mode of terror, disease, and death". Actions are been launched to found ways for the protection means and to obtain for the army at least equivalent weapons. Pharmacists will have a leading role thanks to their knowledge in chemistry. Research laboratories were working in two areas: individual protection and production of aggressive agents. Paul Lebeau, Gabriel Bertrand, Alexandre Degrez, Charles Moureu were among many others very committed to fight and remains at the top and to react quickly to ennemy's attacks. At the end of the war, Paul Lebeau received the Legion d'Honneur medal for his contribution to war. The school of pharmacy was recognized as faculty of pharmacy, by a decree of May 14th, 1920. The knowledge that were obtained during this period will be used for the second World War, but the chemical weapon was not much used, as opposed to more recent usage in Vietnam, Irak and Syria.

Penicher's pharmacopeia (1695) was part of the Library of the "College de Pharmacie". The inventory of this Library was done in 1780 and is kept by the Library of the BIU Santé, Paris-Descartes University in Paris that digitized it recently. This copy contains handwritten texts that complete the original edition. The first main addition, at the beginning of the document, is three recipes of drugs, in Latin, one of them being well known at the early 18th century, the vulnerary balm of Leonardo Fioraventi (1517-1588), that is also known as Fioraventi's alcoholate. This product will still be present in the French Codex until 1949. The Penicher' book also includes, at the end, three handwritten pages in French which represent the equipment of apothecaries. These drawings are very close to the ones of Charas' Pharmacopeia. One can think that these additions are from the second part of the 18th century, but before the gift of the pharmacopeia to the College de Pharmacie by Fourcy en 1765. The author is unknown but he is probably one of the predecessor of Fourcy in Pharmacie de l'Ours (Bear's pharmacy). This gift done by Fourcy when joining the Community of Parisians pharmacists did not prevent the fact that Fourcy was sentenced by his colleagues pharmacists, a few years later, for the sales of "Chinese specialties" that someone called Jean-Daniel Smith, a physician installed in Paris, asked him to prepare.

The "pharmacopoeia or collection of divine remedies found in the documents of an old rural priest after his death" is a publication of nearly 400 pages including a long list of diseases with their associated treatments, followed by several recipes for the day to day life (such as: how to preserve wine, how to produce Champagne's wine, recipes for filler paste, etc.). A last part, very unique, is dedicated to evil spells, i.e. to diseases that do not have natural explanations and for which Saint Benoit's medal works wonders, according to the author. This pharmacopoeia of 1864 is a typical example of "incoherent collection" mentioned by Tardieu in 1862 concerning clergy and pharmacy. It is, from that point of view, the archetype that pharmacists wanted to see disappearing after the law of germinal year XI (1803), but that persisted until the beginning of the XXth century: the illegal practice of pharmacy by priests and nuns.

For several convergent reasons, 1915 was a key period for the pharmaceutical industry in France. The overall realization that France was dependent on Germany for chemical and pharmaceutical products came from shortages of key drugs but also from massive use of poison gas for which France was not able to face this unexpected event. France's shortage for chemists properly trained to answer the needs of industry, the weak relationship between industry and faculty, the uncomfortable situation of specialty drugs, the regulations on patents and trademarks were many subjects of controversies which will contribute to the analysis of the source of this French dependence to Germany. It will be at the origin of new orientations after the war for the pharmaceutical industry and the French society. The objective was to be independent for drugs and consequently to resolve the identified issues, as well as to have a dynamic industrial research. The creation and development of several pharmaceutical companies after the war was a more or less direct benefit from the considerations starting in 1915.

Eugène Choay, when he created his own company in 1911, had already a large experience in pharmaceutical industry obtained with Maison Frère where he discovered the famous Dentol, well known thank to Poulbot's publicity drawings for this product. But, convinced of the future of biological products and Opotherapy, he decided to invest himself in this area with a totally new process for cold desiccation of organs. The success will be there and several pharmacists from Choay family will take care of the company and bring it to the top of its specialty in Opotherapy. At the beginning of the 1970's, Choay in in full development and has the products, the sites and the human resources for the future. In 1975, 4 therapeutic areas are covered by Choay's products: coagulation, inflammation, dermatology and hepatology. After more than 65 years of independence, Choay group will be finally bought partially and then totally by Sanofi. With the support of Sanofi, Choay created, in 1981, their US subsidiary called Choay Laboratories Inc;, after the NDA approval of sub-cutaneous Calciparine by the FDA. In 1985 Fraxiparine, a low molecular weight heparin discovered by Jean Choay's team, is lauched on the market. All these developments represent an outstanding record a longevity which indicates how perceptive was Eugène Choay and his successors when choosing to invest totally in the therapeutic use of hormones and products acting on coagulation factors.

The portable pharmacy of Reichard, in his 1805 Guide for travelers in Europe is an example among others of a growing determination to answer the needs of the people to have access to drugs even in absence of health care professionals. One can observe the ultimate result by looking at portable pharmacies offered for sale by companies such as Menier and Pharmacie Centrale de France, but also by individual pharmacists. In spite of favorable changes of health care in all countries during the XXe century, portable pharmacy and kits are still widely proposed for sale, on Internet for example, for frequent diseases, including for pets!

Since Antiquity, oyster is a subject of interest and medical use, as indicated by Oribiase and Galien. From the 17th century, this unique drug was proposed by physicians for various diseases, and more often for (la rage). One could think that that drug disappeared at the 20th and 21st centuries. But we can observe that it was still recommended by several authors as drug. Still today, companies offer oyster under various forms for allopathic and homeopathic treatments, as well as for food supplement. Research are ongoing to discover active substances within oyster and their potential medical interests.

While not acutely toxic, chronic hepatic effect of certain gadolinium chelates (GC), used as contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging, might represent a risk in renally-impaired patients due to free gadolinium accumulation in the liver. To answer this question, this study investigated the consequences of the presence of small amounts of either a soluble gadolinium salt ("free" Gd) or low-stability chelating impurity in the pharmaceutical solution of gadoteric acid, a macrocyclic GC with high thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities, were investigated in renally-impaired rats. Renal failure was induced by adding 0.75% adenine in the diet for three weeks. The pharmaceutical and commercial solution of gadoteric acid was administered (5 daily intravenous injections of 2.5 mmol Gd/kg) either alone or after being spiked with either "free" gadolinium (i.e., 0.04% w/v) or low-stability impurity (i.e., 0.06 w/v). Another GC, gadodiamide (low thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities) was given as its commercial solution at a similar dose. Non-chelated gadolinium was tested at two doses (0.005 and 0.01 mmol Gd/kg) as acetate salt. Gadodiamide induced systemic toxicity (mortality, severe epidermal and dermal lesions) and substantial tissue Gd retention. The addition of very low amounts of "free", non-chelated gadolinium or low thermodynamic stability impurity to the pharmaceutical solution of the thermodynamically stable GC gadoteric acid resulted in substantial capture of metal by the liver, similar to what was observed in "free" gadolinium salt-treated rats. Relaxometry studies strongly suggested the presence of free and soluble gadolinium in the liver. Electron microscopy examinations revealed the presence of free and insoluble gadolinium deposits in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells of rats treated with gadoteric acid solution spiked with low-stability impurity, free gadolinium and gadodiamide, but not in rats treated with the pharmaceutical solution of gadoteric acid. The presence of impurities in the GC pharmaceutical solution may have long-term biological consequences., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fraudulent trading often deals with pharmacist, from several viewpoints. Pharmacist had often suffered from it, but he was also sometimes the source of falsification which initiated the need for inspection of pharmacy shops. The scientific knowledge of pharmacists, and particularly his analytical skills, explains their role to detect falsifications for products outside drugs, especially for food and also for drug use in competitive sport. Drug falsification goes back to time immemorial and goes on today very actively with Internet expansion. States and WHO try to fight against this plague with more and more complex tools such as Datamatrix progressively implemented worldwide. Pharmacy and falsifications, two words that will be unfortunately associated during the whole human history.

Thomas-Nicolas Larcheret, teacher in singing, declamation, guitar or lyre and violin, author of music and books, but also inventor of the universal elixir by his name, is a good example of quack of the 19th century. His book Larcheregium ou Dictionnaires spéciaux de mon élixir, ainsi que toute ma doctrine et de mes adhérens (Larcheregium or special Dictionaries of my elixir, as well as all my doctrine and my adherents), published in 1819, deserves a deep study to show the most frequently used arguments by the ones who emphasize the value of their secret remedy. The opportunities are there to present themselves as victims of medical authorities, experts and authorities as a whole, that do not recognize the value of their product. The only acceptable judge for them is the experience reported by the patients who are able to demonstrate the efficacy of the product since they do buy it (probably at a very high price). From this viewpoint, the book of Larcheret is a good example of turning the authorities down and of diatribe against physicians and pharmacists. It is also the demonstration that, even with the Empire's new regulations against secret remedies and quacks, they will still persist for a large part of the 19th century in France.

At the beginning of the 1910's period, several scientists and pharmaceutical companies are working actively on colloids, which were discovered in 1845. The pharmaceutical use of"electrical colloids" was the subject of publications and researches for a therapeutic usage, mainly in infectology and oncology. One hun- dred years later, it is under the name ofnanoparticles that the same subject comes to light-and is the source of new works for a potential use for cancer treatment. The example of selenium, which was introduced under a colloidal form in medicine in 1912, is studied here, but other metals could have given the same result: metallic nanoparticles evaluation in pharmacy is not new!

The influence of the French Pharmacy abroad has been effective through discoveries, reference books, congresses, universal exhibits, but also thanks to French pharmacists and apothecaries leaving France. For several reasons (religion, poverty, interest for adventure...), these pharmacists took with them the French pharmaceutical culture and products that were in their pharmacopeias or coming from their pharmaceutical industry. Consequently, they have influenced some countries by changing the local legislation, reference books, new products and pharmaceutical products quality. The present publication try to examine those pharmacists that have decided, temporarily or definitively to leave France and to live in other countries.

The first part of our study of the activities of Nicolas Lémery and his sons Louis and Jacques at the Académie royale des sciences began with a description of the structure of the Académie as a result of its reformation in 1699. Then we explained how Nicolas Lémery performed his duties at the Académie beginning from 1699 until his death in 1715. In this second part we are concentrating in a similar way on the activities of Nicolas's son Louis for the Académie, where he was a member from 1700 to 1743.

Cadet de Gassicourt wrote a brief Eloge of Fourcroy in January 1810 as he died in December of 1809. Fourcroy had a major role concerning the new ideas on the place of pharmacy at the beginning of the 19th century. Fourcroy has had a key influence for the start of several pharmaceutical journals that wanted to emphasize the link between the new chemistry and pharmacy. None of these journals created with him will survive and one has to wait for 1909 to see the creation, without Fourcroy, of a new pharmaceutical journal, the "Journal de Pharmacie" that will become "Journal de Pharmacie et des Sciences accessoires", then "Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie", before taking the name of"Annales Pharmaceutiques Françaises", the present official journal of the French Academy of Pharmacy. In spite of the essential role of Fourcroy at the start of pharmaceutical journals, Cadet did not even mention it in his Eloge of 1810.

The "Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie" was the official publication of the Société de Pharmacie de Paris which became later on the French Academy of pharmacy. It is consequently the organ that presented scientific publications and independent position papers from pharmacists being part of this assembly and coming from universities, drugstores or pharmaceutical industries. We have analyzed the content of this journal during the last two world wars in order to evaluate to what extent the members of the Société de Pharmacie de Paris were part of the war efforts, and encouraged or criticized the on-going events. We can observe that, in both cases, pharmacists used their expert opinions to better react and manage consequences of the conflicts, but also to express their disagreement with enemy's opinions or actions, the Society doing everything possible to maintain its activities. One can observe also that both conflicts were an opportunity to reconsider the organization of pharmacy in France, especially during the Second World War where took place discussions on pharmacy reform (1941 law) and creation of the Pharmacists' Order which will ultimately occur after the war end.

This first part of our study of the activities of Nicolas Lémery and his sons Louis and Jacques at the Académie Royale des Sciences begins with a description of the structure of the Académie as a result of its reformation in 1699, with an emphasis on the roles of its members as defined in its règlement. Then we concentrate on how Nicolas Lémery performed his duties at the Académie beginning from 1699 until his illness and death in 1715. Nicolas's most important contributions were his study on antimony, published as a treatise, and other memoirs on different subjects, mainly related to chemistry, which was the field in which he excelled and has remained famous. This first part is going to be followed by two parts where the activities of Nicolas's sons Louis and Jacques at the Académie are examined in a similar way.

After centuries of fluctuant usages, the theriac, this kind of universal drug to cure everything, was popular again starting from the XVIIth century and it will remain at the official french pharmacopea up to 1908. Viper was one of the key components, which was an opportunity for several authors to discuss about its real therapeutic value. Amont the tens of constituants of theriac, opium, in large quantities, was also an important part of this "électuaire". Its success was at the origin of many formulations (such as poors' theriac and celestial theriac), and falsifications, the most famous being the "Orvietan", driving pharmacists to produce it themselves. Counterfeiting being frequent, it became usual to prepare theriac publicly up to the french Revolution. Very much criticized, as a symbol of polypharmacy more and more rejected, theriac will progressively disappear during the XIXth century, sometime replaced nowadays by new universal drugs outside the pharmaceutical network.

At the end of the Second World War, L'Officine from Dorvault, 1945 edition, gives the state of the art situation of drugs in France. At the same date, is published New and Non-Official Remedies in Chicago, IL, USA. Tiffeneau in France publishes an other reference book of Pharmacology in 1947 (6th edition). From the comparison of these books appears a mismatch between the French and US remedies at the end of the war: well developed within USA, antibiotics, anti-allergic drugs and contraceptive products are more or less absent in France. Analysis of the differences appears related to technical and economical reasons but also to politic and social ones.

As soon as the end of the XIXth century, the still young pharmaceutical industry wanted to promote their specialties, using various supports. Among them, one can find the so-called "house-organs" or company's journal which were characterized by a unique founding of one given company. The present article objective is to show the position of those journals within the advertising tools of the drug industry and to look at their contents, often more cultural than scientific ones. Some were published for several decades such as "Chanteclair" or "Visages du Monde", or for a short period of time. Those "house-organs" were considered as one of the best advertising tools for drugs, but only companies with large financial capabilities were able to sustain the publications for a while. Those journals disappeared almost totally after a century of presence on the pharmaceutical market.

Between the french landing in Sidi Ferruch (Algeria) in 1830 and the end of the french Algeria (1962), many military, civilian, and university pharmacists were part of the discovery and the valorisation algerian ressources. As soon as the initial landing occured, Maurichon-Baupré, chief surgeon, invited sanitary personal to explore botanical ressources and natural history. All along that period, pharmacists enriched the knowledge on flora and fauna as were as local mineral ressources. Algerian hydrology was at the origin of many scientific investigations, showing the interest of several types of existing mineral waters. Teaching pharmacy at University level in Algeria started in 1859 and did allow for graduation of more than 400 pharmacists over a century. Evian's peace agreements were the cause for the return of most french pharmacists in metropole but a scientific and technical cooperation was maintained between the two countries after 1962.

The French episode in Indochina starts in the beginning of the 1860's with Saigon's capture (1861) and the start of the protectorat for Cambodia. As in the other countries that became part of the french colonial empire, military and civilian pharmacists will be very early on part of the organization of sanitary activities and the valorisation of local resources. Although local pharmacies were maintained through out the entire colonial period, occidental pharmacies were installed very soon, Lourdeau's pharmacy being implemented as early as 1865 in Saigon where he was the mayor. Military pharmacists will also be present, their activities being often far from pharmacist activities, as for example Victor-Alphonse Massie in Laos, or Joseph Forestier who became indegen affairs administrator in Saigon from 1874 (at the age of 24) up to 1896. Military pharmacists were also a major resource as teachers of pharmacy in Indochine. The abundance of valuable medicinal herbs in the region was an opportunity for pharmacists to enrich pharmacopea. Roux, a military pharmacist, was also the one that sucessfully introduced hevea in Indochine, allowing the development of what remains a valuable industry in Vietnam.

Background: Because of its cellular uptake pattern, ferumoxtran-10 may be potentially useful for the imaging of a variety of diseases (eg, atheroma, multiple sclerosis, stroke, renal graft rejection, glomerulonephritis and brain tumors, in addition to differentiation of metastatic and nonmetastatic lymph nodes). The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive review of the safety and tolerability of ferumoxtran-10 as reported during clinical development of the compound as an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging., Materials and Methods: The safety profile of ferumoxtran-10 was assessed using pooled data from 37 phase I to III clinical studies in 1777 adults (1663 received the contrast agent [1527 patients and 136 healthy volunteers], 75 received placebo, and 39 patients were enrolled but did not receive study medication)., Results: At least one adverse event was reported in 23.2% of patients who received ferumoxtran-10. Adverse events were of mild-to-moderate severity in 86.3% of patients in the ferumoxtran-10 group. At least 1 event considered by the investigator to be related to study treatment was reported in 18.2% of patients in the ferumoxtran-10 group. The most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were back pain, pruritus, headache, and urticaria. A total of 44 patients (2.6%) in the ferumoxtran-10 group reported 76 serious adverse event (SAE). Only 7 SAEs (0.42%) were considered to be treatment-related (anaphylactic shock, chest pain, dyspnea, skin rash, oxygen saturation decreased, and 2 cases of hypotension). There were 12 deaths, only one of which (anaphylactic shock) was considered to be related to ferumoxtran-10 which was administered by bolus injection of undiluted product, a mode of administration that is no longer recommended. Results in high-risk groups of patients including the elderly and those with hepatic, renal or cardiovascular disease seemed to show no cause for special clinical concern in these groups., Conclusions: Clinical experience to date therefore shows ferumoxtran-10 to be a well tolerated contrast agent.

E. Perrot, at that time young professor of Pharmacy in Paris, realizes in 1907 the interest of the valorization of the french colonial empire. He is then part, during 7 years, of the authors for the journal "La Quinzaine coloniale" where he is among the ones that publish in a new section related to scientific and technical publications with the objective to emphatize colonial ressources. Perrot approaches many subjects from rubber to medicinal herbs (especially quinquina) as well as babanas and botanic gardens. In doing it, it is an opportunity for Perrot to give some ideas on how to improve the valorization of french colonies, ideas that will be at least partially applied after the 1st World War when he became vice-president of the "Comité Interministeriel des Plantes Médicinales" created in 1918. The 300 articles that was published at the time by Perrot is an opportunity to better assess the role of E. Perrot later on, during the period 1918-1939.

At the end of the XIXth century and at the beginning XXth century, various types of pharmacists: civilian pharmacists, military pharmacists, explorers, hospital pharmacists, according to their personal motivations and military expeditions in the region during the French Revolution and the Empire. Among the reasons for the colonisation started by the European countries was the botanic exploration which was a key reason at that period of time and several pharmacists were part of it: Fusée-Aublet, Lherminier, Gaudichaud, for example. Beside this last one, other military pharmacists were part of the "Saint-Domingue" military expedition, the island becoming independant as soon as 1803 against the wish of Bonaparte. The expedition appeared to be a military and sanitary disaster and several pharmacists died. Several civilian pharmacists were also present in Antilles during this period, such as Pierre-Daniel Beauperthuy, a guadeloupean pharmacists around 1805. All pharmacists then took an active participation to the first phase of the french colonisation history which will then expand, all along XIXth century outside of Antilles area.

From 1830 to 1962, France has tremendously increased its colonial empire. After the colonization, pharmacists, civilan or military, botanists, chemists, teachers, and pharmacists from the industry will serve the colonial project that was emphatized after 1870 and even more after the First World War. Military pharmacists will play a key role for the valorization of colonies, as well as botanists such as E. Perrot, typical character of the colonial scientist. From 1906 Colonial Exhibit, he looked for the development of colonial herbs and more especially medicinal ones. Being a major political and economical issue between the two World Wars, the colonial project will end up with the 1931 Colonial Exhibit where E. Perrot was in charge of the pharmaceutical section. Other pharmacists will contribute to the colonial history: drugstore pharmacists, teachers and professionals coming from the industry. Several had in mind to bring civilisation.

Pharmaceutical advertising during the XXth century was related to many subjects, the objective being to amuse physicians. One of the subject was the physician himself and its image throughout history. What can be found is the idea that the physician inherits a long tradition, but he is also able to laugh at himself doing his art.

The military campaign in Tunisia, conducted by the French army from 1881, under the respective governments of Jules Ferry and Gambetta, induced the presence of military pharmacists; especially two friends: P.-L. Roeser and C. Gessard, both trained at Val-de-Grace hospital in Paris. The present paper reviews the military pharmacists that were part of this campaign in 1881 and 1882, and looks at their biography. These pharmacists prefigure what will be the so called "pharmacien-chimiste" of the French army and the pharmacists of the "Corps de Santé special aux Colonies et aux pays du Protectorat" (Special healthcare troups for colonies and Protectorats), for which specific statuts will appear a few years later.

Joseph Willot was pharmacist (PhD), professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the Catholic University of Lille (France), but also pharmacist in town and industrial pharmacist. Born in 1876, he was invited by Firmin Dubar, business man from Roubaix, and Mr Pinte, priest and teacher of chemistry at the technical Institute in the same town, to joint them in 1914, under the German Occupation, in order to diffuse information from the free part of France. This diffusion is going very soon to be under the format of an underground journal which had several successive names (L'Oiseau de France, La Patience...) until the network was discovered in 1916. Joseph Willot and his two partners were then deported in Germany. The present article wants to remind the history of this pharmacist from the professional viewpoint as well as for his fighter activities and his influence later on.

The journal Les Annales, under the direction of Adolphe Brisson, was deeply modified by Pierre (Adolphe's son) who decided to publish in 1927 the first issue of Les Annales with a green cover, so called Les Annales vertes. This journal contained a lot of pharmaceutical as well as parapharmaceutical advertising. It is the useful to make an analysis of it at a period which is just preceding the 1929 financial krasch and which is characterized by large advertising budgets in the pharmaceutical industry. Directed toward the general population, advertising was mainly targeting women and patients suffering from anaemia, intestinal transit diseases, or corn. It is also an opportunity to observe the dynamism of some pharmaceutical companies, most of which have disappeared since then. This very large amount of advertising, indeed in excess, will drive ultimately to change the law a few years later in order to control more and more tightly this activity of advertising that targeted the general population as well as medical doctors and pharmacists.

The anniversary of Bouchardat two centuries ago (1806) is a opportunity to reanalyse his book Nouveau Formulaire Magistral, published during more than 90 years (1840-1932), and to emphasize its interest for historians. This book, addressed to physicians and pharmacists, is a huge source of information on health care during the XIXth century. One can find data on Paris' hospitals, as well as usual pharmaceutical formulas or information on spa. Bouchardat and its formulary reflect also the main opinions during this century where pharmaceutical specialties are not well accepted by health care professionals who considered that it was a way for the patients to take care of their diseases without the control of a physician. Bouchardat is also a precursor if one consider that a number of similar books were published after the late phase of the XIXth century to help doctors to prescribe properly the drugs. Some of them will be published on several years, as for the Bouchardat's formulary. Finally, Bouchardat appears as an encyclopaedist of pharmacy and medicine. He succeeded to give a unique synthesis of state of the art information for his time, using his double training of pharmacist and physician. It is probably why this book survived more than 40 years after the death of the initial author.

The Second World War actually separated France into two regions and isolate France from the rest of the world. Communications, however, was still mandatory between pharmaceutical industry and its partners and clients. André Guerbet, CEO of his company, had the idea as soon as 1940 to use the so-called inter-zones postcards, the only authorized post documents to be send between occupied zone and free zone for several years, to communicate with his saleswoman from Marseilles, who will become the centre of activities with customers from the free zone and from other countries. It is also from Marseilles that active communications took place with foreign countries, especially the USA. These 219 exchanged inter-zones postcards will be useful until Paris's liberation and will allow Guerbet laboratories to continue to produce and to sell its products during the war. It is also what made possible the American partner of Guerbet in the USA. Fougera, to start producing Lipiodol in America to guarantee product delivery to many countries that could not be reached from France.

Objectives: Gadolinium complexes are not considered to be a drug class at high risk for prolonging cardiac repolarization, which can lead to potentially life-threatening arrhythmias such as torsade de pointes. However, only limited robust data are available on these compounds despite their extensive use as contrast enhancers in magnetic resonance imaging. We present an overview of recent cardiovascular safety data obtained on gadoterate meglumine (Gd-DOTA)., Materials and Methods: Cardiovascular safety was evaluated by "state-of-the-art" nonclinical ex vitro (dog Purkinje fibers) and in vivo studies in both normal (dogs) and sensitized animal models (rabbits) and in patients with various diseases in a specific clinical trial., Results: In all of these studies, Gd-DOTA did not show any direct deleterious effect on cardiac electrophysiology and especially on ventricular repolarization., Conclusion: These results confirmed the good safety profile of Gd-DOTA derived from postmarketing evaluations. Nonspecific gadolinium complexes used for magnetic resonance contrast enhancement do not constitute a class-at-risk for drug-related arrhythmias.

Jacquemaire laboratories' history started in 1881 with Léon Jacquemaire (1850-1907). He was associated with drug manufacturing since he met Dr Robin during the 1870 war. Dr Robin asked him to produce phosphates. This product, as well as glycerophosphates and B1édine, made the financial success of Jacquemaire before he died in 1907. Shortly before, Jacquemaire's assistant filed the trademark hich was later on sold to Fumouze and became a great success. But the name of Jacquemaire first remains associated with Blédine, which explains that many have forgotten that he was first a pharmacist!

Pharmaceutical publicity material is a inexhaustible source of ressources and marvel. Imagination of publicists in order to get the attention on those "ephemera" was unlimited, especially in the 1960-1970 period where regulations were still limited and techniques were able to produce relatively cheap well printed documents. Pierre Lordez, Maurice Bouvet's son-in-law and general practitionner, collected a large part of those documents sent by pharmaceutical firms to promote the features of their products and mainly to help physicians memorizing the name of their drug specialities. This sampling allows us to discover a few aspects of those often unique creations used to bring the attention of physicians. Very different subjects were considered that can be gathered in three groups: sightseeing and geography; works of art; and finally general knowledge that is a way to know more about "the writing through out history" as well as "piece of period taps", as exemples. Those advertising documents were considered at that time as essentiel by industry but were more or less well accepted by physicians that received it. Such documents were probably efficient to help sell some products and are in any event a good account of the bygone days where it was still feasible to send huge amount of "information" documents to physicians for the promotion of pharmaceutical products.