Pentoxifylline inhibits replication of Japanese encephalitis virus: a comparative study with ribavirin

Several investigations have shown that pentoxifylline possesses broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a range of RNA and DNA viruses. However, its ability to inhibit Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) replication has not yet been studied. The present study was designed to investigate the antiviral activity of pentoxifylline against JEV in vitro and in vivo. The activity of pentoxifylline against JEV was evaluated in vitro using cytopathic effect inhibition and plaque reduction assays. Pentoxifylline was able to inhibit JEV replication in a dose-dependent manner at a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 50.3microg/mL (0.00018microM) and a therapeutic index (TI) of 10. Experiments to study the mechanism of antiviral action of pentoxifylline using in vitro translation of viral mRNA suggested that the drug did not interfere either with early or late protein synthesis but most likely exerted its action on virus assembly and/or release. Furthermore, the in vivo study showed that pentoxifylline at a concentration of 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg body weight was able to protect completely mice challenged with 50 x 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of JEV.     

Antihyperglycemic, ��-glucosidase inhibitory and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and schiff bases

α-Glucosidase inhibition and DPPH free radical scavenging by 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and some Schiff bases have been measured. 5-Bromosalicylaldehyde shows lowest IC₅₀ value (8.80 μM) for α-glucosidase inhibition and also shows good results in in vivo experiments for antihyperglycemic potential.     

A rare disappearing right atrial mass

Cardiac tuberculosis is rare and usually involves the pericardium. Myocardial tuberculoma is a very rare occurrence and only a few cases have been reported. We describe a rare case of cardiac tuberculoma involving the whole of the lateral right atrial wall, extending from the superior vena cava/right atrial junction up to a tricuspid valve. The initial diagnosis of right atrial myxoma was made based on the echocardiography report and surgical excision was planned. Intraoperatively, the excision of the mass was deferred due to the extensive nature of the disease and a high suspicion of malignancy. Cardiac tuberculoma was confirmed by histopathological examination. The patient made a remarkable recovery with the complete disappearance of the mass after anti-tuberculous treatment, as viewed by a postoperative echocardiography during the follow-up.     

Antagonism of diazepam hyperphagia by propranolol in rats

The effects of adrenergic beta-receptor blockers on the hyperphagia produced by diazepam were studied in free-feeding rats. The hyperphagia produced by 1.0 mg/kg subcutaneous (s.c.) diazepam, was antagonised by dl-propranolol (6.0 mg/kg s.c.) and 1-propranolol (6.0 mg/kg s.c.), but not by d-propranolol (6.0 mg/kg s.c.). Intracerebroventricular administration of dl-propranolol (50, 100, and 200 μg) failed to antagonise this hyperphagia. Other specific β₁ and β₂ blockers, metoprolol (10.0 mg/kg s.c.), and butoxamine (10.0 mg/kg s.c.) also did not antagonise this hyperphagia. It is suggested that some intrinsic property other than β-blockade, tranquilising, or local anesthetic activity is responsible for this antagonism caused by s.c. administration of dl- or l-propranolol.     

Post exposure studies with human diploid cell rabies vaccine and purified chick embryo cell vaccine: comparative serological responses in man

Rabies-neutralising antibody responses to human diploid cell strain rabies vaccine (HDCSV) and purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCECV) were studied in 125 patients previously exposed to rabid animals having received 3, 5 and 6 doses on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90. Antibody response was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) with HDCSV than PCECV in all subjects irrespective of their sex and age group. Three doses on day 0, 3, 7 given for post-exposure rabies prophylaxis to class I patients with a negligible risk elicited antibody titres significantly higher than the minimum protective level required (0.5 I.U./ml); the mean response was greater than 15 I.U./ml in the case of PCECV and greater than 32 I.U./ml in the case of HDCSV. The use of PCECV is cost-effective and suggested for use in developing countries.     

Comparative evaluation of a simple indirect immunofluorescence test and mouse neutralization test for assaying rabies antibodies

In this study, we have developed and evaluated a simple indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) to detect rabies antibodies in a two-step immunofluorescence assay. One hundred and eighty five serum samples from people who had taken different rabies vaccines and 8 pairs of serum and CSF samples from confirmed paralytic rabies cases were tested by IIFT and results evaluated in comparison to standard mouse neutralization test (MNT). Though the titres of rabies antibodies obtained with IIFT were 2-4 times lesser in comparison to MNT, a significant correlation was seen between the two tests (R = 0.883). The specificity of this IIFT was found to be 97.9% and the sensitivity was 97.2%. These results indicate that this simple and rapid IIFT can be used to screen large number of serum samples to monitor sero-conversion after pre or post exposure vaccination and may also assist in rapid ante-mortem diagnosis of atypical human rabies.     

The blind men ‘see＇ the elephant-the many faces of fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a group of diseases with excess fat in liver in the absence of a poorly defined limit of alcohol consumption. Most common variety, a universal public health problem, is associated with insulin resistance caused by a host of genetic and epigenetic defects modulated by life style and environmental factors. In fact the term NAFLD is loose to incorporate so many etiologies except alcoholism and few other etiologies, presenting as fat in liver. However as a sign fatty liver is very important in predicting the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cirrhosis and cancer. Abnormal fat accumulation can result from several defects in nuclear receptors associated with lipid sensing, synthesis and oxidation like LXR, FXR, SREBP, ChREBP and PPAR; defects in the lipid influx-efflux channels, insulin signaling, proteins involved in fatty acid catabolism, defects in adipose tissue development and function, inappropriate nutrition and finally defects in neural regulatory mechanisms. The progress of the disease is determined by the basic defects which results in fat accumulation, an individual’s immunological response to the accumulated fat and its derivatives and the oxidant stress response. Congregation of unrelated genetic defects under same diagnosis ‘NAFLD’ can result in inefficient patient management. Further studies are required to understand the molecular basis of fatty liver to enable a personalized management of diseases presenting as fatty liver in the absence of alcohol abuse.