Antibiotic screening of medicinal plants of the British Columbian native peoples.

One hundred methanolic plant extracts, 96 of which had documented medicinal uses by British Columbian native peoples, were screened for antibiotic activity against 11 bacterial strains. Eighty-five percent were found to have significant antibiotic activity against at least two of the bacteria tested. Ninety-five percent of the plants categorized as potential antibiotics based on their ethnobotanical usage were found to exhibit significant antibiotic activity. Seventy-five were found to be active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 46 were active against an antibiotic supersusceptible strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 18 of these were also active against a wild type strain. The extracts with the broadest spectra of activity were prepared from: Alnus rubra bark and catkins, Fragaria chiloensis leaves, Moneses uniflora aerial parts, and Rhus glabra branches.     

Panfacial fractures: analysis of 33 cases treated late.

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the characteristics of delayed panfacial fractures and evaluate treatment results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with delayed panfacial fractures were treated in the Maxillofacial Trauma Center of Peking University, School and Hospital of Stomatology between 1998 and 2004. Each patient was examined by computed tomography (CT) scans before operation. For those who had no severe opening restriction, dental impressions were taken to fabricate dental casts. For those with severely comminuted fractures, 3-dimensional (3D) models of the facial skeleton were used. Re-establishing the continuity of the mandible was the first step and then used as a platform to reconstruct the maxillary fractures via maxillomandibular fixation after Le Fort I osteotomy. The third step was to restore the mid- and upper-facial width and projection by coronal approach to expose the zygomatic complex and frontal bone/sinus and/or naso-orbito-ethmoid (NOE) fractures. RESULTS: There were 3 types of mandibular fractures that affected the treatment plan: 1) type I, mandibular body/symphysis fracture(s) (17/33, 51.52%); 2) type II, mandibular angle and/or condylar fracture(s) (6/33, 18.18%); and 3) type III, both mandibular body/symphysis and angle/condylar fractures (10/33, 30.30%). Fourteen cases were associated with NOE fractures (42.42%) and 3 cases had frontal sinus fractures (9.1%). Twelve cases had enophthalmos (36.36%) and 3 lost 1 eyeball. The order of treatment was dependent on the mandibular fracture type. For type I fractures, reconstructing the mandibular arch was the first step. For type II fractures, repairing the angle, ascending rami, and condylar areas was the first step. For type III fractures, when both mandibular height and arch were disrupted, freeing the malunited angle or condyle was the first step before restoring the mandibular arch form. Reconstruction of the mandibular height and projection was then carried out. For all 3 types, the second step was to restore the mid- and upper facial width and projection by reducing the zygomatic complex and frontal bone/sinus or NOE fractures. Maxillary fixation across the Le Fort I level was the last step. Le Fort I osteotomy was used for all 33 cases. Bone grafts and soft tissue suspension also were used. Twenty-one cases (63.64%) had good results, 7 (21.21%) cases were acceptable, and 5 (15.15%) were not good. There were 7 cases (21.21%) that still had soft tissue problems that needed secondary operations. CONCLUSIONS: Reconstruction of the mandible first with Le Fort I osteotomy is a good way to treat delayed panfacial fractures. Computed tomography and 3D CT, model surgery, and occasionally 3D models are necessary aids for diagnosis and treatment. Soft tissue problems, including lacerations and asymmetries, were often the factors that caused an unfavorable outcome.     

Thrombelastographic measures of clot propagation: a comparison of alpha with the maximum rate of thrombus generation.

The alpha angle alpha (degrees) is a thrombelastographic measure of clot propagation. A parametric measurement of clot propagation [maximum rate of thrombus generation (MRTG), dynes/cm2 per s], however, has recently been utilized. Thus, the relationship of changes in alpha with changes in MRTG were determined. alpha and MRTG values obtained from 859 thrombelastograms was collected from nine studies. Data were analyzed and the relationship between alpha and MRTG defined with commercially available software. Additional comparisons were made retrospectively from whole-blood and plasma data obtained from 33 normal individuals. Data from the nine studies demonstrated that MRTG increased in an exponential fashion compared with increases in alpha (R2 = 0.88, P < 0.001). Whole-blood alpha values were in the range 66.7-74.7 whereas MRTG values were 5.5-10.8, and plasma alpha values were 65.1-77.9 with corresponding MRTG values of 3.5-12.0. Assessment of clot propagation utilizing MRTG provides a more parametric evaluation than the determination of alpha. While normal alpha values may vary by only 12-20%, MRTG values vary by approximately 200-300%. The MRTG should be progressively utilized to a greater extent in both laboratory and clinical settings to parametrically quantify clot growth kinetics with thrombelastography.     

Minocycline is a useful adjuvant therapy for pemphigus

Pemphigus is an autoimmune blistering disease with high mortality if untreated. The cases of 10 patients who had minocycline 100 mg daily added as adjuvant therapy are reported. Prior to the use of minocycline, all patients had active disease, nine were on prednisolone (10–40 mg) and five were on azathioprine (100–200 mg). The response was assessed on clinical improvement and reduction of immunosuppressive (IS) drugs. It was graded into four categories: major, minor, equivocal and no significant response. A major response was seen in four patients, minor in two, equivocal in one and no improvement in three patients. The prednisolone dose in the six responders was reduced to 0–6 mg (0 mg in three patients), with an average decrease of 21 mg. The average time to respond was 8 months. Of the six responders, three were on azathioprine, which was ceased in two patients and reduced by two-thirds in the other patient. No patient ceased minocycline because of side effects. In conclusion, minocycline 100 mg daily is a simple, safe and well tolerated treatment that should be tried in patients with pemphigus to reduce disease activity and/or the dose of potent IS agents.     

Postantibiotic effect of clarithromycin alone and combined with ethambutol against Mycobacterium avium complex.

The postantibiotic effect (PAE) of clarithromycin alone and in combination with ethambutol was determined for two clinical blood isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex. An average PAE, ranging from 5.5 to 18.0 h, was noted for each isolate at each clarithromycin concentration except when isolate B was exposed to clarithromycin at the MIC. The addition of ethambutol did not enhance the PAE observed with clarithromycin alone. The clinical implications of the PAE of clarithromycin for M. avium complex remain to be determined.