STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISATION OF AN IMMUNOMODULATING POLYSACCHARIDE ISOLATED FROM AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PLEUROTUS FLORIDA FRUIT-BODIES

The water-soluble glucan was obtained from Pleurotus florida fruit bodies by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, DEAE cellulose dialysis and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The structural information of the glucan was achieved by chemical (hydrolysis, methylation, periodate oxidation) and spectroscopic (¹H and ¹³C) analyses, indicated a repeating unit built up of (1→6)-linked D-glucose. The following structure has been determined for the repeating unit: →6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ This fraction exhibited significant macrophage activity through the release of nitric oxide     

Day-case local anaesthetic radiofrequency thermal ablation of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a four-year follow-up

OBJECTIVE: This study reports long-term (median 4 years) clinical effectiveness, safety and patient acceptance of transurethral ablation prostatectomy (TURAPY) for symptomatic benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) using a radiofrequency technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 25 men were treated as day-case procedures under local anaesthesia for 1 h. The age range was 55-88 years (mean age 65.5 years) and all were suffering from symptomatic BPE with urinary flow rates of 12 ml/s or less. The treatment was carried out with a computer-based device using a special heating element mounted on a Foley-like catheter for prostatic ablation and the temperatures were monitored continuously in the prostatic region, sphincteric area and rectum for safety purposes. RESULTS: TURAPY was carried out in all patients with temperatures ranging from 70 to 82 degrees C depending on the tolerance of the patient. The post-treatment mortality was nil and only 19 patients complained of mild dysuria, passing of some debris and/or minor bleeding on voiding which settled spontaneously in 2-3 weeks, except in two patients who had proven urinary infection requiring antibiotic therapy. At 4 years the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) improved from a mean value of 16.0 to 7.2 (p < 0.01) with quality-of-life score falling from 4 to 1.9 (p < 0.05); mean flow rate increased from 8.5 to 11.7 ml/s and mean residual volume decreased from 185.04 to 52.8 ml (p < 0.05). Post-treatment pressure flow studies in 14 patients showed normal pressure voiding in one, with four being in an equivocal range, but the rest were obstructed. Prostate ultrasound scanning before and after treatment in 15 patients showed a mean reduction of volume of 16.7 ml suggesting cavitation of prostate following TURAPY. CONCLUSIONS: TURAPY provides lasting subjective but modest objective benefits in symptomatic BPE patients. It is worthy of consideration in elderly patients, or in those who are unfit for surgery or who do not wish to undergo surgery. It is a safe procedure with little transient morbidity but no mortality.     

Real-world effectiveness of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine: a meta-analysis of large observational studies

Inflammopharmacology - This paper aims to summarize through meta-analyses the overall vaccine effectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine from observational studies. A systematic literature search...     

The risk of mortality in patients with COVID-19 with pre-diagnosis use of NSAIDs: a meta-analysis

Inflammopharmacology - The notion that the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may lead to adverse outcomes upon acquisition of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be...     

Dose-dependent effect of histamine on liver function markers in immunized rabbits

ObjectiveThe present study was designed to delineate the hepatotoxicological roles of histamine dose-dependently in immunized rabbits.MethodsThe cohort comprised of three groups (II, III and IV), containing 18 rabbits each, and received subcutaneous histamine 50 μg/kg, 100 μg/kg and 200 μg/kg, respectively for 10 days (b.i.d., starting from 3 days prior to immunization until 7 days after immunization). Group I (control, n = 18) received subcutaneous sterile distilled water for 10 days. They were subsequently immunized at day 3 with intravenous injection of SRBC (1 × 10⁹ cells/ml). Blood samples were collected on pre-immunization (pre-I) day 0, as well as on days 7-, 14-, 21-, 28- and 58-post-immunization (post-I). Biochemical parameters aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin [total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB) and indirect bilirubin (IB)] were determined.ResultsGroups II and IV revealed a significant decrease (on day 0-pre-I) and a significant increase (on days 7-, 14-, 21-, 28- and 58-post-I) in ALT and AST levels, when compared with the corresponding values of groups I and III while group II showed a significant increase in ALT and AST levels as compared to group IV. ALP levels in groups II, III and IV showed a significant enhancement when compared with group I. Moreover, results of TB, DB and IB demonstrated increased levels in group III when compared with groups I, II and IV. The results were found statistically significant (p < 0.05).ConclusionShort-term treatment of histamine produces dose-dependent differential patterns of hepatic dysfunctions suggestive mild liver degeneration warranting further long-term studies.     

Shifting balance from neurodegeneration to regeneration of the brain： a novel therapeutic approach to Alzheimer＇s disease and related neurodegenerative conditions

<正>Neurodegeneration is one of the biggest public health problems in modern society.Age-associated neurodegeneration,which is accelerated several-fold in Alzheimer’s disease(AD)alone,is not only an enormous social and economic burden to the affected individuals and their families,but is also a great scientific challenge.