An Overview of Curcumin in Neurological Disorders

Curcumin, the principal curcuminoid found in spice turmeric, has recently been studied for its active role in the treatment of various central nervous system disorders. Curcumin demonstrates neuroprotective action in Alzheimer''s disease, tardive dyskinesia, major depression, epilepsy, and other related neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. The mechanism of its neuroprotective action is not completely understood. However, it has been hypothesized to act majorly through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Also, it is a potent inhibitor of reactive astrocyte expression and thus prevents cell death. Curcumin also modulates various neurotransmitter levels in the brain. The present review attempts to discuss some of the potential protective role of curcumin in animal models of major depression, tardive dyskinesia and diabetic neuropathy. These studies call for well planned clinical studies on curcumin for its potential use in neurological disorders.     

Cervical internal carotid artery dissecting hemorrhage: diagnosis using MR

Two men underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the internal carotid artery (ICA) 12 and 16 days after spontaneous dissection of this vessel. One underwent follow-up MR imaging 7 weeks later. T1-weighted images were obtained in both cases, and T2-weighted images were obtained in one patient. In both cases, the MR findings corresponded to the angiographic abnormalities. On both the T1- and T2-weighted images, there was a hyperintense lesion expanding the wall and narrowing the lumen of the ICAs. Follow-up MR imaging showed complete resolution of the mural lesion. Axial images best demonstrated the anatomic and MR signal alterations. The hyperintensity of the lesion on both T1- and T2-weighted images indicated a short T1 and a long T2 as expected in a subacute hematoma. High-resolution MR imaging, therefore, can specifically demonstrate a thrombosed carotid dissection noninvasively at least as early as 12 days. The potential to diagnose carotid dissection in the acute phase using high-field-strength MR imaging and its importance for the prevention of embolic strokes are also discussed.     

Renal artery stenosis: evaluation with intravenous digital subtraction angiography

The ability of diagnostic intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IVDSA) to demonstrate the degree of renal artery stenosis was compared with that of intraarterial angiography in 45 patients with 92 arteries. Stenotic lesions on both IVDSA and intraarterial studies were classified as normal (0% stenosis), minor (less than 50%), low grade (50%-80%), and high grade (80%-99%). There was agreement about the degree of stenosis in 90% of the cases. IVDSA grading was correct in 94% of atheromatous lesions and in 56% of the fibromuscular dysplastic lesions. In the high-grade atheromatous lesions, the degree of stenosis was slightly overestimated on IVDSA studies in 22.5% of the cases. In fibromuscular dysplasia, stenosis was underestimated in 33% of the cases.     

Association of immunological features with clinical manifestations in primary Sjogren’s syndrome: a single-center cross-sectional study

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - The objectives of this study were to describe the clinical features and evaluate the utility of immunological features as predictors of organ involvement and...     

Efficacy of Methylprednisolone Acetate Versus Triamcinolone Acetonide Intra-articular Knee Injection in Patients With Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis: A 24-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

Triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH), triamcinolone acetonide (TA), and methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) are commonly used intra-articular steroid preparations. Studies suggest that intra-articular TH is more efficacious than MPA and TA in chronic inflammatory arthritis. However, it is unclear which of the latter two preparations has better efficacy. Thus, we compared intra-articular knee injections of MPA and TA in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis.

Prevention of latently expressed CYP2C11, CYP3A2, and growth hormone defects in neonatally monosodium glutamate-treated male rats by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist dizocilpine maleate

Neonatal administration of monosodium glutamate (MSG) can produce latently expressed defects in drug metabolism and growth hormone secretion as well as stunted growth and obesity. Instead of secreting growth hormone in the masculine episodic profile, plasma hormone levels are generally undetectable in affected adult male rats. Moreover, male-specific isoforms of cytochrome P450 (P450; e.g., CYP2C11 and CYP3A2), whose combined levels comprise the bulk of the total hepatic P450 in adult male rats, are similarly undetectable in these animals. Since "signaling elements" in the masculine episodic growth hormone profile are solely responsible for the elevated characteristic male-like expression levels of CYP2C11 and CYP3A2, suppression of the isoforms in the MSG-treated rats appeared to be caused by the simple absence of the hormone from the circulation. However, the reported failures of restored physiologic masculine growth hormone profiles to correct the P450 defects suggested the occurrence of direct MSG-induced liver damage independent of the well known hypothalamic lesions produced by the amino acid. Concurrent administration of dizocilpine maleate (MK-801), a selective and highly potent noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist of glutamate, completely prevented the adverse effects of neonatal MSG treatment on P450 expression, growth hormone secretion, and growth parameters, indicating that the amino acid-induced defects are solely a result of neuronal (i.e., hypothalamic) damage produced at the time of MSG exposure. The irreversibility of the P450 damage is described as resulting from secondary defects initially induced by the neuronal lesions.