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calcium polycarbophil (Polyful / Colonel)

✓ Approved

Astellas Pharma · Small Molecule · Small Molecule

What is calcium polycarbophil?

calcium polycarbophil is a small molecule developed by Astellas Pharma. It is approved for therapeutic indications via oral (po).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesPolyful, Colonel
CompanyAstellas Pharma
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Astellas Pharma

Therapeutic Indications

calcium polycarbophil is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Gastrointestinal disordersIrritable bowel syndrome✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedFrontiers in medicine2026-10-15

Partial attenuated PTH suppression of calcimimetics may be due to the resulting hypocalcemia or a significant decrease in serum calcium levels within the normal reference range without adequate calcium supplementation.

Kong De-Ru DR, Kong De-Ya DY, Mu Li-Yuan LY, Qu Xiu-Quan XQ et al.

Certain dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) show partial insensitivity to calcimimetics. These agents are allosteric activators of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and enhance their sensitivity to extracellular calcium, thereby inhibiting parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion and eliciting a decrease in serum calcium levels. We hypothesize that the partial attenuated PTH suppression of calcimimetics may be due to the resulting hypocalcemia or a significant decrease in serum calcium levels within the normal range without adequate calcium supplementation. Effective suppression of PTH by calcimimetics inevitably lowers serum calcium levels, which may be further aggravated by ongoing bone mineralization following PTH suppression. This hypocalcemic state or decreased extracellular ionized calcium, if not adequately corrected, acts as a strong trigger for excessive PTH secretion through reducing CaSR activation and stimulating parathyroid chief cells and causing hypertrophy and hyperplasia of parathyroid glands, and then establishing a counter-regulatory feedback circuit that diminishes the therapeutic effect of calcimimetics. High incidence of hypocalcemia, observed in clinical trials of calcimimetics, also bolsters the validity of this hypothesis. Such adverse outcomes may be partially alleviated by timely and adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

PMID 42876689
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PubMedJournal of the science of food and agriculture2026-10-15

Cerasus humilis proanthocyanidins alleviate osteoporosis by regulating renal calcium metabolism.

Li Xinran X, Shu Yanxia Y, Yu Chao C, Feng Weiran W et al.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with disturbed calcium homeostasis and renal calcium handling. Although Cerasus humilis proanthocyanidins (PA) show anti-osteoporotic activity, their effects on renal calcium metabolism remain unclear. We hypothesized that C. humilis PA could alleviate ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss by improving renal calcium reabsorption. Compared with untreated OVX rats, 12 weeks of PA treatment increased bone mineral density from 125.5 to 232.8 mg cm-3 and improved trabecular microarchitecture (P < 0.05). PA reduced β-C-terminal telopeptide and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b levels, increased bone-specific alkaline phosphatase levels, decreased 24 h urinary calcium excretion, and increased apparent calcium absorption from 50.4% to 87.8% (all P < 0.05). Renal histopathological alterations were attenuated, with increased renal bone morphogenetic protein-7 and urinary Klotho levels and decreased serum fibroblast growth factor 23 levels. Renal protein expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 5 (TRPV5) and Calbindin-D28k increased by 53.0% and 45.6%, respectively (P < 0.05), with corresponding mRNA upregulation. C. humilis PA alleviated OVX-induced bone loss and calcium metabolic disturbances. The effects were associated with reduced urinary calcium loss and increased renal TRPV5 and Calbindin-D28k expression. Renal calcium handling may therefore contribute to the anti-osteoporotic effect of C. humilis PA in OVX rats, and the potential as a dietary ingredient for bone health warrants further investigation. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID 42875697
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PubMedEuropean psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists2026-10-15

Shared genetic architecture between premenstrual disorder symptoms and major psychiatric disorders suggests a role for calcium signaling.

Jaholkowski Piotr P, Hysaj Elgeta E, Parker Nadine N, Wiström Erik David ED et al.

Major psychiatric disorders (MPDs) and premenstrual disorders (PMDs) are often comorbid, with indications of shared genetic architecture. However, the specific genetic variants underlying this comorbidity remain elusive. The aim of this study was to identify genomic loci shared between MPDs and PMDs, and to assess the functional characteristics of genes mapped to these loci. We used genome-wide association data for symptoms of PMDs (S-PMD, n = 67 068) from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), and for MPDs (schizophrenia, n = 130 644; bipolar disorder, n = 827 335; major depression, n = 1 918 432) from the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium. Shared genetic loci were identified with the conjunctional false discovery rate (conjFDR). Genes mapped to the identified loci were included in functional and pharmacological gene-set enrichment analyses (GSEAs). We identified 20 loci shared between S-PMD and the MPDs, including 19 novel loci for S-PMD (conjFDR<0.05). GSEA revealed genes involved in calcium signaling and neuronal projection pathways. The drug enrichment analysis identified 36 drugs, including riluzole and mianserin, significantly associated with the identified molecular pathways. We identified 20 genetic loci shared between the S-PMD and MPDs, implicating calcium transmission in the pathogenesis of PMDs. Together with the drug enrichment results, this provides a biological basis for repurposing existing drugs in the treatment of PMD.

PMID 42876217
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PubMedAustralian endodontic journal : the journal of the Australian Society of Endodontology Inc2026-10-15

Hydraulic Calcium Silicate Cement-Root Dentine Interfacial Layer.

Lee Yoon Seon YS, Heo Soojin S, Perinpanayagam Hiran H, Gu Yu Y et al.

Understanding the interfacial layer (IFL) between hydraulic calcium silicate cements (CSCs) and root dentine is essential for optimising CSC performance and developing next-generation biomaterials. This scholarly review summarises current evidence on IFL composition, formation, structure, and clinical significance. An electronic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus identified relevant studies using 15 keywords, including 'interfacial layer.' A total of 115 articles were classified into three areas: CSC hydration, IFL formation and structure, and clinical implications. Evidence indicates that the IFL forms through hydration-driven reactions and intratubular mineralisation, creating mechanical interlocking and chemical bonding that improve interfacial integrity and sealing ability. These interactions may reinforce dentine, reduce microleakage, and maintain antibacterial activity against intracanal microorganisms, thereby enhancing endodontic outcomes. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify the IFL's long-term behaviour under clinical conditions and optimise interfacial stability while preserving dentine integrity.

PMID 42875935
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PubMedFrontiers in endocrinology2026-10-15

Prediction of early postoperative hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma: dual-outcome prediction models.

Zhou Cuiping C, Chen Qian Q, Liu Shuyan S, Niu Nuoxuan N et al.

Postoperative hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism are two common complications after total or subtotal/near-total for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study aimed to identify significant predictors of early postoperative hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism and develop prediction nomograms for risk stratification in PTC patients. A total of 1036 PTC patients who underwent total or subtotal/near-total thyroidectomy were retrospectively enrolled. Multivariable logistic regression with prespecified variables was performed to identify independent predictors for two outcomes: (1) early postoperative hypocalcemia, and (2) hypoparathyroidism. Nomograms were constructed for each outcome. Model performance was assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA). Bootstrap internal validation (500 resamples) was used to correct for optimism. Among 1,036 patients, 325 (31.4%) developed early postoperative hypocalcemia, and 228 (22.0%) met criteria for hypoparathyroidism. For hypocalcemia, independent predictors were preoperative calcium (per 0.1 mmol/L: OR 0.298, 95% CI 0.234-0.374, P < 0.001), thyroidectomy extent (subtotal vs. total: OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.025-0.709, P = 0.033), lateral neck dissection (LND) (OR 3.197, 95% CI 1.742-5.852, P < 0.001), and ultrasound risk score (central lymph node involvement: OR 4.013, 95% CI 2.559-6.323, P < 0.001; lateral lymph node involvement: OR 3.387, 95% CI 1.700-6.825, P < 0.001; primary nodule only: OR 1.899, 95% CI 1.119-3.198, P = 0.016). For hypoparathyroidism, independent predictors were preoperative calcium (per 0.1 mmol/L: OR 0.417, 95% CI 0.330-0.519, P < 0.001) and ultrasound risk score (central lymph node involvement: OR 3.388, 95% CI 2.137-5.360, P < 0.001; lateral lymph node involvement: OR 3.468, 95% CI 1.712-7.218, P<0.001; primary nodule only: OR 1.677, 95% CI 0.942-2.926, P = 0.073). The hypocalcemia model showed good discrimination (AUC 0.836, 95% CI 0.810-0.861), as did the hypoparathyroidism model (AUC 0.768, 95% CI 0.752-0.816). Simple models integrating preoperative calcium, surgical extent, and ultrasound findings effectively predict early postoperative hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism in PTC patients undergoing total or subtotal/near-total, which may assist in preoperative risk stratification and guide prophylactic management.

PMID 42876525
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PubMedBrain and behavior2026-10-15

Dexmedetomidine Inhibition of GABA Neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area Attenuates the Depth of Sedation in Mice.

Rao Jin J, Qiu Gaolin G, Wang Jiansheng J, Li Yuanhai Y

Dexmedetomidine is a sedative anesthetic with a unique ability to produce an arousable state of sedation. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this arousable sedation remain incompletely understood. Previous studies have implicated dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in mediating this effect, but the upstream neural circuit mechanisms remain unclear. Furthermore, although VTA GABAergic neurons exert robust inhibitory effects on dopaminergic neurons, their specific role in dexmedetomidine-induced arousable sedation remains unclear. Vgat-Cre transgenic mice were used to investigate the role of VTA GABAergic neurons in dexmedetomidine-induced arousable sedation. Electroencephalography (EEG), fiber photometry, calcium imaging, GABA neurotransmitter sensing, chemogenetic manipulation, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess neuronal activity, GABAergic signaling, and behavioral responses to dexmedetomidine. Fiber photometry using the calcium indicator GCaMP6m revealed that dexmedetomidine inhibited VTA GABAergic neurons. Fiber photometry with the GABA neurotransmitter sensor iGABASnFR demonstrated that dexmedetomidine increased GABAergic input to VTA GABAergic neurons. Chemogenetic manipulation combined with EEG demonstrated that activating VTA GABAergic neurons deepened dexmedetomidine-induced sedation, whereas inhibiting these neurons attenuated sedation. These findings suggest that dexmedetomidine increases GABAergic input to VTA GABAergic neurons and suppresses their activity, potentially contributing to its arousable sedative effects. Further studies are needed to establish the causal role of this neural circuit mechanism.

PMID 42876152
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