Antidiarrheal activity of extracts and compound from Trilepisium madagascariense stem bark

Objective:

The present study was performed to evaluate the preventive and curative antidiarrheal effects of the methanol extract, fractions and compound from the stem bark of Trilepisium madagascariense in rats.

Materials and Methods:

The methanol extract from the stem bark of T. madagascariense, its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous residue) and compound (obtained from further column chromatography of the ethyl acetate fraction) were evaluated for the antidiarrheal activity in rats. These test samples (at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for the extract and fractions and 2.5 mg/kg for compound) were assayed on the latent periods, purging indices and fecal frequencies in castor oil-induced diarrhea. Gastrointestinal transit and castor oil-induced enteropooling assays were conducted. Shigella-induced diarrhea was assayed. Blood chemistry and fecal Shigella load were examined.

Results:

The fractionation of the ethyl acetate fraction from the methanol extract of T. madagascariense afforded a known compound [isoliquiritigenin (1)]. Compound 1 increased the latent period of diarrhea induction (179.40 min) compared to the saline control (60.80 min). The purging indices, fecal frequencies and intestinal enteropooling decreased with an increase in the dose of test samples. The blood cell counts, sera creatinine and fecal Shigella load decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the plant extract-treated rats compared to the saline control.

Conclusion:

The results of our study, being reported for the first time, provide clear evidence that the methanol extract, fractions and isoliquiritigenin from T. madagascariense stem bark possess antidiarrheal activities.     

Feasibility of high-resolution, intravascular ultrasonic imaging catheters

A small-aperture, prototype ultrasonic imaging system, typical of the size necessary to be embedded in a catheter, was developed to evaluate the feasibility of intravascular ultrasonic imaging catheters (UICs). The evaluation included in vitro imaging of postmortem samples of human femoral and iliac arteries with the UIC prototype and a high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) proton imager. Excellent correlations between results from the UIC images, MR images, and tissue specimens were demonstrated. Although the current prototype is too large to be useful in examination of smaller vessels such as coronary arteries, the signal-to-noise ratio and resolution obtained indicate that imaging with intravascular UICs is feasible and may have significant diagnostic value.     

核因子κB血管增殖性疾病的中枢性信号分子

目的:综合分析核因子κB在血管增殖性疾病中的作用。资料来源:应用计算机检索highwire 1995-01/2004-12有关核因子κB对血管增殖性疾病影响的文献,检索词“nuclearfactor-Kappa B,vascular smooth muscle cell,proliferation,signal pathway”,并限定文章语言种类为English。资料选择:对检索到的有关核因子κB对血管增殖性疾病影响方面的信息进行整理,选取针对性强的文章。同一领域的文献则选择近期发表或权威杂志的文章。资料提炼:从检索到的203篇文献中初选符合要求的相关文献43篇。经过仔细研读,选择其中15篇文章作为参考。资料综合:核因子κB或单独或与其他细胞因子协同作用,经过特定的信号转导途径,既可直接促进血管平滑肌细胞增殖也可通过抑制细胞凋亡而间接促进血管平滑肌细胞的增殖。选用能作用于核因子κB信号转导通路各个环节的抑制剂设法阻断导致核因子κB激活相关因子的表达,已经成为防治血管增殖性疾病的重要手段之一。结论:核因子κB的激活确可通过不同途径促进血管增殖性疾病的发生,所以,如何适度有效地抑制核因子κB的激活将成为防治血管增殖性疾病面临的关键问题。     

Concomitant leukoplakia in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: There is an ongoing debate on the prevalence of premalignant lesions, in particular leukoplakia, at the time of diagnosis of an oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of concomitant leukoplakia in 100 patients with OSCC, and to evaluate possible differences in clinical and histopathological parameters of the OSCC between those with or without concomitant leukoplakia.PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients, 61 men and 39 women, with a histologically proven OSCC were screened on the presence of leukoplakia. Four groups were distinguished: (I) leukoplakia adjacent to the OSCC, (II) combination of leukoplakia adjacent to the OSCC, and leukoplakia at another oral site, (III) leukoplakia present at another oral site, but not adjacent to the OSCC, and (IV) no leukoplakia present.RESULTS: In 47 (47%) patients with OSCC the presence of concomitant leukoplakia was observed. Thirty-six (36%) patients had a leukoplakia adjacent to the OSCC (groups I and II), of which eight (8%) patients (group II) also had a leukoplakia present at another oral site. Eleven (11%) patients (group III) had no leukoplakia adjacent to the OSCC, but a leukoplakia present at another oral site. Fifty-three (53%) patients (group IV) with OSCC had no concomitant leukoplakia present. No differences were noted between men and women, nor was there any preference for an oral subsite with regard to the carcinoma. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical and histopathological presentation of OSCC's between those with or without concomitant leukoplakia.CONCLUSION: Almost 50% of oral squamous cell carcinomas are presumably associated with or preceded by leukoplakia. Early detection and active management of patients with oral leukoplakia may prevent the true development of a number of oral squamous cell carcinomas.