In vivo antiarthritic activity of the ethanol extracts of stem bark and seeds of Calophyllum inophyllum in Freund’s complete adjuvant induced arthritis

Context: Calophyllum inophyllum Linn. (Clusiaceae) (CI) is traditionally used to treat pain, inflammation, eye disorders and rheumatism.

Objective: The present study evaluates the antiarthritic activity of the ethanol extract of the stem bark (ESBCI) and seeds (ESCI) of Calophyllum inophyllum in Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritic Wistar albino rat model.

Materials and methods: ESBCI and ESCI were screened for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by proteinase inhibition and membrane stabilization assays. Acute oral toxicity studies were conducted according to OECD-425 guidelines. Antiarthritic activity of ESBCI and ESCI at the dose of 250?mg/kg/p.o. was evaluated by Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritic rat model.

Results: ESBCI and ESCI have shown maximum inhibition at 250?μg/mL in proteinase inhibition and haemolysis assays. The LD₅₀ of ESBCI and ESCI was found to be greater than 5000 and 2000?mg/kg/p.o., respectively. In Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritic rat model ESBCI, ESCI and Diclofenac treatment have shown 28.57, 36.36, and 43.51% as maximum reduction in rat paw oedema volume respectively when compared with the arthritic control rats. ESBCI and ESCI treatment at the dose level of 250?mg/kg/p.o. normalized the altered haematological and biochemical parameters of arthritic control rats. Histological and radiological evaluation confirmed the antiarthritic effect of ESBCI and ESCI.

Discussion: ESBCI and ESCI were found to show significant antiarthritic activity evidenced with clinical, biochemical, histological and radiological evaluations.

Conclusion: The present study indicates the antiarthritic activity of ESBCI and ESCI, however its mechanism of action has to be studied in the future.     

Hematopoietic tumors of the female genital system: imaging features with pathologic correlation

Various hematopoietic neoplasms can involve the female genital system. The most common hematological malignancy that involves the female genital system is lymphoma and secondary involvement is more common than primary genital lymphoma. Rarely, leukemic infiltration and extramedullary plasmacytomas of the female genital tract may also occur. Being infrequent, these lesions are commonly misdiagnosed radiologically. Therefore, understanding these malignancies of the female genital system and recognizing their imaging features are of utmost clinical importance. Although definitive diagnosis can be made only by histological analysis, imaging of these tumors plays an important role in detecting lesion extensions, guiding biopsies, staging disease, planning therapy, and detecting recurrence.     

Short-term weight loss reverses obesity-induced microvascular endothelial dysfunction

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and its prevalence is increasing in all age groups, with the biggest impact observed in middle-aged and older adults. A critical mechanism by which obesity promotes vascular pathologies in these patients involves impairment of endothelial function. While endothelial dysfunction in large vessels promotes atherogenesis, obesity-induced microvascular endothelial dysfunction impairs organ perfusion and thereby is causally related to the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, intermittent claudication, exercise intolerance, and exacerbates cognitive decline in aging. Reduction of weight via calorie-based diet and exercise in animal models of obesity results in significant improvement of endothelial function both in large vessels and in the microcirculation, primarily due to attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation. Clinical data on the protective effects of weight loss on endothelial function is limited to studies of flow-mediated dilation assessed in brachial arteries. Currently, there is no guideline on testing the effects of different weight management strategies on microvascular endothelial function in obese patients. Here, we provide proof-of-concept that weight loss-induced improvement of microvascular endothelial function can be reliably assessed in the setting of a geriatric outpatient clinic using a fast, reproducible, non-invasive method: laser speckle contrast imaging-based measurement of endothelium-dependent microvascular responses during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia tests. Our study also provides initial evidence that short-term weight loss induced by consumption of a low-carbohydrate low-calorie diet can reverse microvascular endothelial dysfunction associated with obesity.     

Endovascular Management of Extra-cranial Supra-aortic Vascular Injuries

Supra-aortic vessel injuries are uncommon but can be life-threatening and surgically challenging. Trauma to these vessels may be blunt or penetrating, including iatrogenic trauma following the insertion of central venous lines, which may be preventable. Recent advances in technology have resulted in endovascular therapy becoming a common first-line treatment, and interventional radiologists now play a major role in the management of these vascular injuries. We review the literature on the endovascular management of these types of injuries and describe a spectrum of case-based extra-cranial supra-aortic vascular injuries managed at our institution and the range of imaging appearances, including active contrast extravasation, traumatic vessel occlusion, true aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and arteriovenous fistulae.