Healing process of duodenal ulcers induced by indomethacin plus histamine in rats

Healing of duodenal ulcers induced by indomethacin + histamine was investigated in rats. Animals were treated with indomethacin (5 mg/kg, s.c., once daily) and histamine (40 mg/kg, s.c., 3 times every 2.5 h after indomethacin treatment) for 2 days under fasting conditions, and they were fed normally thereafter. The duodenal ulcers so induced were confined to the proximal part of the duodenum and penetrated to the muscular mucosa with an incidence of over 80% when determined 32 h after the first injection of indomethacin (day 1). The ulcers became smaller and shallower within 7 days with granulation from the ulcer base, the mucosa grew in from the edges over the surface of granulation tissue, and they had healed almost completely after 15 days with epithelial regeneration from the edge of the ulcers. The healing of ulcers was significantly promoted by a 5-day treatment with an antacid (Al(OH)3) as well as antisecretory agents (omeprazole, cimetidine, propantheline bromide) and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 at the dose which produced a potent inhibition of acid output and a marked increase in duodenal alkaline secretion. These results suggest that the duodenal ulcers induced in rats by indomethacin + histamine may provide a useful model for studying the healing process of duodenal ulcers and for the evaluation of the drugs with possible effects on ulcer healing.     

Clinical studies on the effect of imipenem/cilastatin sodium on infections in obstetrics and gynecology. Tissue concentrations and clinical effects

Tissue transfer and clinical effects of imipenem/cilastatin sodium (MK-0787/MK-0791), a new carbapenem antibiotic, were studied and the following results were obtained. Penetrations of MK-0787 into uterine arterial blood and into pelvic dead space exudate were good. When MK-0787/MK-0791 was administered at a dose of 500 mg/500 mg by a 30-minute intravenous drip infusion, the peak level of MK-0787 in uterine arterial blood was 22.2 micrograms/ml, 30 minutes after the completion of the drip infusion. The peak level of MK-0787 in pelvic dead space exudate was 12.9 micrograms/ml at 2 hours and it dropped to 2.6 micrograms/ml at 6 hours. MK-0791 levels were similar to those of MK-0787. Penetrations of MK-0787 into tissues were also good. When MK-0787/MK-0791 was administered at a dose of 500 mg/500 mg by a 30-minute intravenous drip infusion, the level of MK-0787 was 2.2 +/- 1.1 micrograms/g in the oviduct, 2.7 +/- 2.1 micrograms/g in the ovary, 2.5 +/- 1.2 micrograms/g in the endometrium, 3.0 +/- 1.6 micrograms/g in the myometrium, 3.1 +/- 1.9 micrograms/g in the cervix uteri and 3.8 +/- 2.0 micrograms/g in the portio vaginalis at 1 hour after administration. These levels were reduced to halves, respectively, in approximately 2 hours. Four patients with intrauterine infections and 2 with vaginal stump infections were treated with MK-0787/MK-0791 at a daily dose of 1 g/1 g (500 mg/500 mg X 2). Good clinical and bacteriological responses were observed in 5 patients and causative organisms were eradicated in 2 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Therapeutic effects of combined treatment using tetracycline-immobilized collagen film and root planing in periodontal furcation pockets

46 upper and lower molars with furcation grade II involvement were selected from 16 patients with periodontal disease. The teeth were randomly allocated to the following groups according to treatment; (1) 4 consecutive administrations of tetracycline-immobilized cross-linked collagen film (TC film) at intervals of 1 week (TC group); (2) 1 root planing treatment (RP group); (3) combination treatment (TC + RP group); (4) no treatment (control group). The therapeutic effects of each treatment were compared both clinically and microbiologically. Records of plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, probing attachment level and microscopic counts were obtained at 0, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The results showed marked decreases in probing depth and density of micro-organisms in both the RP and TC + RP groups. In particular, the TC + RP group was characterized by a decreased rate of bleeding on pocket probing and an increased probing attachment gain. The above findings demonstrated that root planning is effective in the treatment of furcation involvement and that the effects are enhanced by the local administration of TC films.     

Pneumatosis intestinalis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphocytic leukemia]

A 45-year-old man was diagnosed as having acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in February 1997. Complete remission was achieved by chemotherapy, and allogeneic BMT from his HLA-identical sister was performed on November 13, 1997. He developed acute GVHD (grade II), but quickly recovered after methyl-PSL pulse therapy. On June 5, 1998--day 202 after BMT--abdominal pain developed. X-ray and CT examinations showed pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum and abdominal free air. We performed oxygen administration and methyl-PSL pulse therapy, and this quickly improved the symptoms. Corticosteroid and chronic GVHD were thought to be the causative factors of pneumatosis intestinalis in this case. Although pneumatosis intestinalis is relatively rare, it is one of the important potential complications that can occur after allogeneic BMT.     

Effects of ouabain on blood pressure regulation in rats

In order to test the hypothesis that a circulating inhibitor of the sodium-potassium ATPase pump may cause a concomitant rise in blood pressure and increased sodium excretion, we studied chronic effects of continuous infusion of ouabain, an inhibitor of sodium-potassium ATPase, for up to 6 days on systolic blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion in conscious rats. We also evaluated the effect of this substance in rats with hypertension induced by chronic infusion of norepinephrine. Continuous infusion of ouabain (1.2 mg/kg per day) into the jugular vein by an osmotic minipump did not induce any changes in systolic blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion in intact rats on regular diets. Furthermore it did not cause a change in systolic blood pressure in rats drinking 1% NaCl, and in unilaterally nephrectomized rats drinking 1% NaCl, when compared with vehicle-infused animals. When the same dose of ouabain was administered simultaneously with 1.8 mg/kg per day norepinephrine infused intraperitoneally by another osmotic minipump in conscious rats, systolic blood pressure rose on day 1 to only 129.3 +/- 2.8 mmHg compared with the rist to 145.0 +/- 2.0 mmHg when norepinephrine alone was infused (P less than 0.01). The antihypertensive effect of ouabain was sustained for the entire experimental period lasting for 6 days and was not associated with any changes in urinary sodium excretion. The administration of ouabain to rats made hypertensive by a 3-day infusion of norepinephrine, returned the blood pressure to control levels, and the antihypertensive effect was sustained throughout the experimental period lasting a further 3 days and was not associated with any changes in urinary sodium excretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Myocardial protection of the pressure overload hypertrophied heart in human cardiac surgery by acceleration of anaerobic glycolysis.

BACKGROUND: Because of the decreased tolerance to ischemia and increased reperfusion injury in hypertrophied myocardium, myocardial hypertrophy is a well known risk factor for cardiac surgery. We have previously demonstrated in a left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) model that a highly buffered cardioplegic solution (HBS) that provided glucose as a substrate and promoted anaerobic glycolysis during ischemia afforded superior myocardial protection when compared to standard formulations. And we reported the superiority of this cardioplegia in human cardiac surgery. METHODS: In this study, 16 patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and LVH receiving HBS were reviewed and compared to another patient group with AS and LVH who received either cold blood cardioplegia (CBC; n=5) or glucose insulin potassium (GIK; n=6). RESULTS: Postoperative cardiac index was better in the HBS group than the other two groups with similar or lower catecholamine. CK-MB was lower in HBS group than GIK group, but this was not significant. Only one DC cardioversion was required in the HBS group, whereas 2 DC in the CBC group and total 7 DC in the GIK group. CONCLUSIONS: We found that histidine buffered cardioplegic solution provided comparable or better pump performance after surgery with relatively lower inotropic requirement, less DC cardioversion and homologous blood requirements for left ventricular hypertrophied heart associated with aortic stenosis.