Genistein: A promising therapeutic agent for obesity and diabetes treatment

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are serious public health problems worldwide. Considerable efforts have highlighted the link between these two diseases. The high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and leptin, secreted by the adipose tissue, contribute actively to the insulin resistance induction; and the high levels of free fatty acids leads to an overproduction of reactive oxygen species that participate in pancreatic β cells failure and apoptosis. These two induced dysfunctions are the fundamental defects that precede type 2 diabetes. Genistein, an isoflavone present in a number of edible plants, has been reported as a potential therapeutic agent with anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoporosis effects and proposed as a promising compound for the treatment of metabolic disorders. The pleiotropic effects of genistein are due to its multiple mechanisms of action and the multitude of cell signaling pathways involved. Here, we review the effects of genistein on obesity and type 2 diabetes and emphasize on its action on adipocyte life-cycle, obesity-related low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress and the protective effects on pancreatic β cells.     

Le vidéolaryngoscope permet une intubation avec un tube à double lumière plus rapide que le laryngoscope standard

Purpose

This study was designed to compare videolaryngoscopy with direct laryngoscopy with respect to ease of intubation when inserting a double lumen tube (DLT).

Methods

In this prospective randomized study 68 patients American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II were included. Patients with criteria indicating possible difficult intubation were excluded. The patients were randomized into two groups, depending on the tool used to facilitate intubation: videolaryngoscope (VL group) or direct laryngoscopy (DL group). The time required for intubation was the primary endpoint. Cormack and Lehane glottic visualization (CL) scores, the need for external laryngeal maneuvers and the number of attempts were measured.

Results

Glottic visualization was better in the VL group than in the DL group. The CL scores were I, II and III in 24, eight and two patients, respectively, in the VL group compared with 13, 11 and eight in the DL group (P = 0.025). Patients in the VL group required fewer attempts than the DL group (P = 0.019). Intubation time was 39.9 ± 4.4 sec in the VL group and 47.9 ± 5.4 sec in the DL group (P < 0.001). No intubation failure was noted in group VL compared with two in the DL group (not significant).

Conclusion

The use of a videolaryngoscope reduces the time required for intubation with a DLT compared with the direct laryngoscopy in elective thoracic surgery.     

Acute hepatitis secondary to parenteral amiodarone does not preclude subsequent oral therapy

Amiodarone chlorhydrate is a diiodated benzofuran derivative used to treat cardiac rhythm abnormalities. Hepatotoxicity is a relatively uncommon side effect of amiodarone and symptomatic hepatic dysfunction occurs in less than 1% to 3% of patients taking amiodarone. We report here on an unusual case of amiodarone-induced hepatotoxicity. A 29 year old woman with normal liver function was given amiodarone intravenously to treat her atrial fibrillation. She developed acute toxic hepatitis after 24 h. The intravenous form of amiodarone was immediately avoided and replaced by the oral form, using conventional loading doses as soon as the deranged liver function tests had normalized, without recurrence of the hepatitis. These observations show that the occurrence of acute hepatic impairment with intravenous amiodarone does not necessarily preclude the use of this drug by mouth and the necessity of monitoring the hepatic function of patients treated with amiodarone.     

Synthesis and in‐vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation of Novel Pyridazin‐4‐one Derivatives

A new series of N‐aryl‐4‐oxo‐1,4‐dihydro‐pyridazine‐3‐carboxylic acids has been synthesized by condensation of aryldiazonium with 4‐hydroxy‐6‐methyl‐2‐pyrone. Some of these compounds exhibited in‐vitro cytotoxic activity with moderate to excellent growth inhibition against the murine P815 mastocytoma cell line. Compound 5b showed an important cytotoxic activity against cell line P815 (IC₅₀ = 0.40 μg/mL).