(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in Camellia sinensis leaves from Himalayan region of Sikkim: inhibitory effects against biochemical events and tumor initiation in Sencar mouse skin.

Recently, we and others showed that the components of green tea may be useful cancer chemopreventive agents. It has been suggested that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major constituent in green tea, may possess antitumor-promoting and/or anticarcinogenic effects in rodent tumor bioassay systems. During the chemical analysis of various green tea products, we found a traditionally preserved preparation of green tea used by tribes in the Himalayan region of Sikkim, India that was rich in EGCG. EGCG was isolated from this tea product, and its inhibitory effects were evaluated against the binding of topically applied 3H-labeled polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to epidermal DNA and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) caused induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in Sencar mice, the short-term markers of tumor initiation and tumor promotion, respectively. Preapplication of EGCG resulted in significant inhibition (p less than 0.05) in the binding of [3H]PAH to epidermal DNA. Similarly, the topical application of EGCG resulted in significant inhibition (p less than 0.005) in TPA-caused induction of epidermal ODC activity. In further studies, we assessed the anti-skin tumor-initiating effect of EGCG in Sencar mice in an initiation-promotion protocol. The application of EGCG before challenge with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as tumor initiator resulted in significant reduction both in percentage of mice with tumors and number of tumors per mouse compared with a non-EGCG-pretreated group of animals. The results of the present study suggest that the green tea preparation from Sikkim may be a good source for the isolation of EGCG and that this compound may have significant potential as a cancer chemopreventive agent.     

A case of Sturge-Weber syndrome in association with phacomatosis pigmentovascularis and developmental glaucoma.

Sturge-Weber syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder characterized by a facial nevus flammeus and extensive angiomatous changes involving the leptomeninges, the dura, and vessels of the gray and white matter. Oculodermal melanocytosis is characterized by hyperpigmentation of the facial skin in the distribution of the ophthalmic, maxillary, and occasionally mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.     

Antilymphoproliferative activity of ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa roots

Extracts of plants have been widely evaluated for possible antiproliferative and anticarcinogenic properties. The antiproliferative activity of ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa, a plant used in traditional medicine, was evaluated in several cells. It inhibited T cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A-stimulated proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). It also inhibited purified protein derivative antigen-stimulated PBMC proliferation and human mixed lymphocyte culture. In addition, B. diffusa extract inhibited the growth of several cell lines of mouse and human origin, such as mouse macrophage cells (RAW 264.7), human macrophage cells (U937), human monocytic cells (THP-1), mouse fibroblast cells (L929), human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293), mouse liver cells (BNLCL.2), African green monkey kidney cells (COS-1), mouse lymphoma cells (EL-4), human erythroleukemic cells (K562), and human T cells (Jurkat). The present study has demonstrated the antiproliferative potential of ethanolic extract of B. diffusa in vitro.     

Herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia--a clinical trial of aspirin in chloroform for anodyne

Pain associated with Herpes Zoster (HZ) and Post-herpetic Neuralgia (PHN) has been a challenging task to manage with ease. Topical aspirin dissolved in chloroform is an effective means of reducing pain due to HZ and PHN in most patients. The locus of pain origin and analgesia induced by topical aspirin is supposed to be at cutaneous free nerve ending pain receptors. The present study was conduced in fifty two patients of HZ and PHN. Pain intensity before and after the application of drug was measured with help of Sort Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SE-MPQ). Most of the patients experienced relief of pain within 1-5 minutes after the aspirin-chloroform application. Maximum relief was achieved in about 30-40 minutes and persisted for 5-6 hrs. In the beginning 3-4 applications were required but frequency decreased gradually as the pain abated.     

Incidence and determinants of moderate COPD (GOLD II) in male smokers aged 40–65 years: 5-year follow up

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem with an estimated prevalence of 10-15% among smokers. The incidence of moderate COPD, as defined by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), is largely unknown. AIM: To determine the cumulative incidence of moderate COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio [FEV1/FVC] <0.7 and FEV1 <80% predicted) and its association with patient characteristics in a cohort of male smokers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The city of IJsselstein, a small town in the Netherlands. METHOD: Smokers aged 40-65 years who were registered with local GPs, participated in a study to identify undetected COPD. Baseline measurements were taken in 1998 of 399 smokers with normal spirometry (n = 292) or mild COPD (FEV1/FVC <0.7 and FEV1 >or=80% predicted, n = 107) and follow-up measurements were conducted in 2003. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 5.2 years, 33 participants developed moderate COPD (GOLD II). This showed an estimated cumulative incidence of 8.3% (95% CI = 5.8 to 11.4) and a mean annual incidence of 1.6%. No participant developed severe airflow obstruction. The risk of developing moderate COPD in smokers with baseline mild COPD (GOLD I) was five times higher than in those with baseline normal spirometry (one in five versus one in 25). CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of middle-aged male smokers, the estimated cumulative incidence of moderate COPD (GOLD II) over 5 years was relatively high (8.3%). Age, childhood smoking, cough, and one or more GP contacts for lower respiratory tract problems were independently associated with incident moderate COPD.     

Progression and regression of cervical lesions: Review of smears from women followed without initial biopsy or treatment

Cervical smears were reviewed from patients in whom a cytological abnormality was followed, after an interval without interference, either by regression to `negative' or else by progression to invasive carcinoma. Twenty-eight cases were from a previously analysed series with positive smears and an interval of at least two years before investigation, resulting from refusal or failure to trace. Slides were also reviewed from 25 cases in which `positive' smears had regressed to negative without escaping from surveillance, and from 10 patients subsequently developing invasive carcinoma whose previous slides, taken several years earlier, showed abnormalities on review. None of these 63 patients had any biopsy or other surgical procedure to the cervix between the initial smear and the outcome.

Slides showing `superficial cell dyskaryosis' and/or well-differentiated `parabasal cell dyskaryosis' were found only among the groups with subsequent regression. Those showing dissociated poorly differentiated dyskaryotic parabasal cells regressed to negative in two cases and progressed to invasion in nine. This suggests that many examples of spontaneous regression correspond to mild dysplasias which are not precancerous, and overdiagnosis must often have resulted in unnecessary surgical procedures in the past.

`Regressing' and `progressing' groups both included cases in which the spatula had removed coherent pieces of undifferentiated epithelium. These are difficult to interpret cytologically. In nine of them (including four which regressed) the cytological picture was that of carcinoma in situ. The remainder (14 cases) were probably examples of reserve cell hyperplasia, and it is noteworthy that, of the 21 cases subsequently progressing to invasive carcinoma, five were preceded by appearances of this type. It is concluded that cell aggregates suggesting an unusual degree of reserve cell hyperplasia are a danger signal and require careful surveillance.