rheum week 11

Vocabulary flashcards covering calcium salt formulations and percentages, vitamin D metabolism, protein drug formulation excipients, and rheumatoid arthritis biologics.

Calcium Carbonate

A calcium salt containing $40\%$ elemental calcium, requiring $1250\,\text{mg}$ of product to provide $500\,\text{mg}$ of calcium.

Calcium Phosphate

A calcium supplement salt that provides $30\text{--}40\%$ elemental calcium.

Calcium Citrate

A calcium salt containing $24\%$ elemental calcium ($2000\,\text{mg}$ provides $500\,\text{mg}$ of calcium) that is absorbed with or without food.

Calcium Citrate Malate

A formulation of calcium salt providing $24\%$ elemental calcium.

Calcium Lactate

A calcium supplement salt containing $13\%$ elemental calcium.

Calcium Gluconate

A calcium salt preparation that contains $9\%$ elemental calcium.

Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)

A form of vitamin D formed naturally by sunlight on skin or manufactured by irradiating wool sources of 7-dehydrocholesterol.

Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2)

A form of vitamin D formed by UV irradiation of the plant steroid ergosterol, which may have lower potency and a shorter duration of activity than cholecalciferol.

25-hydroxy vitamin D

The metabolite formed in the liver from vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 that is measured clinically to assess vitamin D status.

1-25 (OH)2D

The active form of vitamin D produced in the body by further hydroxylation of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

Buffers (in protein formulations)

Formulation excipients used to maintain optimal pH for protein drugs.

Serum albumin (in protein formulations)

An excipient added to protein formulations specifically to reduce protein adsorption.

Surfactants (e.g., polysorbates, poloxamers)

Agents added to protein formulations to reduce adsorption, requiring caution so they do not alter protein pharmacology or cause toxicological effects.

Co-solvents (e.g., PEGs, glycerol)

Formulation additives used to minimise protein denaturation through their effects on solvation.

Cryoprotectant (e.g., glycine)

An agent often added to freeze-dried protein formulations to protect the protein structure during the freeze-drying process.

Anti-TNF drugs

A category of biologic drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis that includes adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, and infliximab.

Abatacept

A drug used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis that acts by exerting an effect on T-lymphocytes.

Rituximab

A therapeutic agent used in rheumatoid arthritis that produces a B-lymphocyte effect.

Tocilizumab

A targeted rheumatoid arthritis drug that works by blocking the IL-6 receptor.

Tofacitinib

A targeted small molecule drug used in rheumatoid arthritis that functions as a Janus kinase inhibitor.