The effects of glucocorticoid therapy on glucocorticoid receptors in leukemia and lymphoma

Measurement of glucocorticoid receptors appears to be useful for selecting which patients with leukemia and lymphoma should receive glucocorticoid therapy. To determine the effect of recent or concurrent glucocorticoid therapy on the number of measured tumor glucocorticoid receptor sites, 18 patients with leukemia and lymphoma were studied. Baseline determinations of numbers of glucocorticoid receptors were performed on the malignant cells circulating in the patients' peripheral blood. Glucocorticoid therapy was then instituted consisting of dexamethasone 4 mg p.o. every 6 hr. Repeat determinations of the number of glucocorticoid receptor sites were performed within 24 hr and at various subsequent times from the start of therapy. When compared to baseline receptor numbers, 16 of 18 patients demonstrated a decrease in receptor number (median decrease 1651 sites/cell) after the start of glucocorticoid therapy. The magnitude of the change in receptor number was independent on the initial number of receptors. Our results suggest that in order accurately interpret glucocorticoid receptor numbers in patients with leukemia and lymphoma, glucocorticoid should not be administered for 3 wk prior to determinations of receptor levels.     

The Determinants of Early Nephropathy in Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Study Based on the Urinary Excretion of Albumin

A four-year prospective study of the factors predicting albuminuriawas carried out in 172 normotensive, insulin-dependent diabeticpatients without overt nephropathy. Urinary albumin excretionwas estimated as the urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (U_A/U_C)in an early morning sample. Multivariate analysis showed thatU_A/U_C on the return visit was positively associated with theU_A/U_C (p<0.001) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA₁; p<0.001) at initial examination; weaker associations were foundwith a history of hospital admission (p<0.05) and smoking(p<0.05), and with treatment of blood pressure (p<0.05).Neither initial blood pressure, heart rate, nor creatinine clearancewere significant predictors of the U_A/U_C. Two patients diedfrom coronary heart disease, both of whom had raised albuminexcretion at initial examination. Eleven (6.8 per cent) of the160 patients who were studied repeatedly developed macroalbuminuria(U_A/U_C >45.5 mg/mmol): they had a significantly higher initialU_A/U_C (p<0.005), HbA₁ (p<0.05) and a greater frequencyof retinopathy (p<0.05) than patients matched for age, sexand duration of diabetes who did not develop macroalbuminuria.Simultaneous measurements of the U_A/U_C and HbA₁ should be usedwhen screening for microalbuminuria in diabetets mellitus: patientswith a high U_A/U_C(e.g. >3.5 mg/mmol) and HbA₁ (e.g. >13 per cent) should be closely monitored even when blood pressureis normal.     

Postoperative adhesion formation and reproductive outcome using Interceed after ovarian surgery: a randomized trial in the rabbit model

The efficacy of an oxidized regenerated cellulose barrier (Interceed) in reducing postoperative adhesion formation and improving reproductive outcome after ovarian surgery was evaluated in a prospective randomized trial. Twenty-nine New Zealand White female rabbits were submitted to a mid-line laparotomy and a standardized surgical incision was made on both ovaries. At random, one ovary was entirely wrapped in a sheet of Interceed, whereas the contralateral ovary was left uncovered. Four weeks following surgery, the rabbits were mated with a male of proven fertility. Two weeks later, a second-look laparotomy was performed by a blinded observer who evaluated the incidence and score of adhesions, the number of corpora lutea in each ovary, the number of embryos in the ipsilateral uterine horn and also calculated the nidation index for each side. Adhesions were observed in 66% of Interceed-covered and in 97% of control ovaries (P < 0.0001). The adhesion score on the Interceed side was significantly lower than on the control side. The nidation index for the Interceed side was significantly higher than for the control side. The authors conclude that, in the rabbit model, Interceed significantly reduces the incidence and score of postoperative ovarian adhesions and significantly improves reproductive outcome.      

Effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllanthus niruri</Emphasis> and its isolated compounds on cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in mouse

The effects of Phyllanthus niruri hydroalcoholic extract and the isolated compounds quercetin, rutin, and gallic acid were examined in the mouse model of cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced hemorrhagic cystitis (HC). HC was induced by a single CYP injection (300 mg/kg, IP), and the animals were evaluated 4 and 6 h after. Some animals were orally treated with the reference compound 2-mercaptoethane sodium sulfonate (Mesna) 80 mg/kg (30 min before CYP) and 160 mg/kg (2 h after CYP). Other groups were treated with P. niruri extract (30 and 50 mg/kg), or quercetin, rutin, and gallic acid (10 and 20 mg/kg), given orally, at the same intervals described for Mesna. P. niruri extract and its active components produced a significant attenuation of the nociception, edema, and hemorrhage evoked by CYP, which was similar to that seen for Mesna. Gallic acid and rutin displayed greater anti-inflammatory effects, whereas quercetin presented superior antinociceptive activities. Noteworthy is that P. niruri extract and compounds significantly reduced CYP-induced liver lipid peroxidation. Our results shed new light on the beneficial effects of P. niruri extract and its active compounds in attenuating the collateral effects elicited by the chemotherapeutic agent CYP.     

褶合曲线分析法测定复方茶碱片中六种主要成分

应用柱分配色谱,将复方茶碱片分离出各含三个组分的两组混合物,然后分别应用褶合曲线分析法,同时定量测定了两组混合物。六个被测成分的平均百分回收率和相对标准差分别为:咖啡因101.6,1.46%;非那西丁99.7,0.10%;苯巴比妥100.9,1.31%;可可碱99.9,0.81%;茶碱100.2,0.81%;氨基比林100.8,0.48%。     

麝香的药理研究 Ⅱ.麝香及其有效成分的抗炎作用

麝香水提物对小鼠巴豆油耳部炎症,大鼠琼脂性关节肿、酵母性关节肿、佐剂型多发性关节炎均具非常显著的抑制作用。对大鼠烫伤性血管渗透性增加、羧甲基纤维素引起的腹腔白细胞游走亦具非常明显的抑制作用。静脉注射麝香1号对巴豆油小鼠耳炎症的50%抑制剂量为0.63 mg/kg,为氢化可的松作用强度的36倍,如以克分子剂量相比,则为氢化可的松的500倍以上。静脉注射麝香水提物对小鼠的LD_(50)及95%可信限为848±104 mg/kg。     

OLTIPRAZ对小鼠日本血吸虫病的初步治疗

Oltipraz is a new drug against Schistosomiasis mansoni and was used to treat mice Schistosorniasis japonica in our laboratory. The results showed that 48 h after oral administraction of oltipraz at a single dose of 900 mg/kg, 97% Schistosomes in mice infected with Schistosomiasis japonica schifted to the liver of the host. About half of these worms returned to the mesenteric veins in 96 h. Infected mice was given oltipraz orally at the dose of 900 mg/kg.d for 3～5 days, and killed in 28 days after the last dose. Over 95% total worm reduction rate was found.Schistosomes in infected mice treated with oltipraz were collected for histological observation. The results showed that the tegument of schistosomes were damaged and host cells invaded into the worm body; and granuloma formation of dead worm was observed.During the treatment, food uptake and body weight of the infected mice were decreased, but regained soon after the cessation of the treatment.