Evaluation of the efficacy of 99mTc-labeled ascorbic acid on common cold–cough drugs in rats

Multiple-drug therapy is common in current clinical practice. Because of this, people have been ready to embrace simplistic approaches to cold treatment, such as vitamin C and zinc. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is mostly administrated together with cough–cold drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cough–cold drugs on the uptake of ascorbic acid using ^99mTc-ascorbic acid (^99mTc-AA) in male albino Wistar rats. Ascorbic acid was labeled with Tc-99m and the distribution of ^99mTc-AA was investigated. The uptake of ^99mTc-AA was evaluated when administrated alone (group I), with chlorpheniramine maleate (CPR) (group II), with phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride (PPA) (group III), and with acetaminophen (APAP) (group IV). In some organs (apart from kidneys, intestinal system, and stomach) the uptake of ^99mTc-AA was not significantly affected by the administration of ^99mTc with CPR or ^99mTc with APAP at 120 min. On the other hand, there was significant difference in the uptake of ^99mTc-AA between groups I and III. The administration of ^99mTc-AA with PPA in rats caused an increase of the uptake of ^99mTc-AA at 120 min in the investigated organs compared to the administration of ^99mTc-AA alone. The present data show that vitamin C might be more effective for the treatment of common cold when coadministered with PPA compared to with CPR, with APAP, or alone.     

The efficacy of 2.5% phenylephrine and flurbiprofen combined in inducing and maintaining pupillary dilatation during cataract surgery

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of phenylephrine 2.5% and flurbiprofen 0.03% combined in inducing and maintaining mydriasis during extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). METHODS: One hundred patients undergoing ECCE + intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was given phenylphrine 10%, the second group phenylephrine 10% + flurbiprofen, the third group phenylephrine 2.5% and fourth group phenylephrine 2.5% + flurbiprofen. Cyclopentolate 1% was used in all patients. Phenylephrine and cyclopentolate were instilled preoperatively four times during 1 hour and flurbiprofen was given four times the day before surgery and twice with an hour's interval before operation. Pre-operative and post-cortex aspiration horizontal pupil diameters were measured with callipers viewed through the operating microscope. RESULTS: Pupil diameters in pre-operative and post-cortex aspiration were no different in the 2.5% and 10% phenylephrine groups (p>0.05). Both diameters were larger and pupillary constriction was smaller in the flurbiprofen groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 2.5% phenylephrine was as effective as 10% phenylephrine, with and without flurbiprofen, in inducing and maintaining pupil dilatation during ECCE surgery.     

The effects of cyclosporine on antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde levels in rabbit hepatic tissues

Possible molecular mechanisms leading to cyclosporine-induced hepatotoxicity has not been cleared yet. Therefore, investigation of antioxidant status of hepatic tissues exposed to cyclosporine A (CsA) and of free radical involvement in the CsA-induced hepatotoxicity seems of importance. For this aim, 20 rabbits were used in the study. In each group (control, CsA, CsA plus vitamin and, vitamin only) there were 5 animals. CsA was given orally (25 mg/kg/day) for 10 days. Vitamins E (100 mg/kg/ day) and C (200 mg/kg/day) combination was injected intramuscularly. After 10th day, animals were killed, and livers were prepared for the enzymatic assays. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) and, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in the supernatant fractions. Lowered SOD, unchanged GSH-Px and, increased CAT activities and MDA levels were detected in hepatic tissues of rabbits treated with CsA as compared with controls. In the CsA plus vitamin group, SOD activity was found to be higher, GSH-Px and CAT activities unchanged and MDA levels lower than the CsA group. In the vitamin-treated group, all of the enzyme activities were higher than the controls but MDA levels were unchanged. Correlation analysis revealed some significant differences between the groups. Results suggest that cyclosporine impairs the antioxidant defense system and thus, leads to oxidant stress and peroxidation in rabbit hepatic tissues. It has been established that this process can be prevented by antioxidant vitamin supplementation.     

Role of G(s) proteins in hypoxic constriction of sheep pulmonary artery rings

The introduction of hypoxia is well known to cause contraction of pulmonary artery rings in vitro. Despite intensive studies, the cellular mechanisms of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction are still not well defined. In this study, we aimed to determine the contribution of G(S) proteins in hypoxia-induced vasoconstriction in large-diameter sheep pulmonary arteries using cholera toxin (CT). Hypoxia caused further contractions in serotonin but not in NaF-precontracted pulmonary artery rings. However, hypoxic vasoconstriction due to lowering of pO(2) from 97 to 5 mm Hg was totally abolished by preincubation with CT in serotonin-precontracted arteries. These preliminary results indicate that signal transduction mediated by G(s) proteins may be an important mechanism in the hypoxic vasoconstriction of isolated pulmonary arteries of sheep.     

Cisplatin induces acute renal failure by impairing antioxidant system in guinea pigs: effects of antioxidant supplementation on the cisplatin nephrotoxicity

This study aims to investigate the role of oxidants in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) in a single dose (5 mg/kg) and guinea pigs were killed either after 24 h or 7 days. The same experiment was performed using animals treated with vitamins C and E combination and a natural antioxidant extract (SARMEX). The kidneys were then removed to be used in the analyses. Blood samples were also obtained from the animals to be used in routine biochemical assays. Twenty-four hours after treatment there was a significant decrease in the renal activities of total superoxide scavenger activity (TSSA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) accompanied by a rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. After 7 days, the fall in kidney enzymatic activities was far greater, while the increase in blood urea (BUN) and creatinine (CRE) was marked. Treatment with antioxidants causes significant increases in renal TSSA (7 day), non-enzymatic superoxide scavenger activity (NSSA) (24 h and 7 day) and SOD (7 day) activities, does not change glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and decreases renal MDA (24 h and 7 day), blood BUN (7 day) and CRE (7 day) levels. Our results suggest that cisplatin treatment impairs both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems and causes peroxidation in the renal tissue, which leads to kidney failure. Antioxidant supplementation strengthens the renal antioxidant system, eliminates oxidation reactions, and prevents cisplatin-induced kidney failure.     

Comparison of the factors that influence obesity prevalence in three district municipalities of the same city with different socioeconomical status: a survey analysis in an urban Turkish population

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the obesity status, factors and comorbidities related to it in three district municipalities (DM) that compose city center of Bursa with inhabitants of different socioeconomic status. METHODS: A total of 1632 inhabitants >/=18 years of age were interviewed. The number of sample in each DM was obtained proportional to their populations by stratified sampling method. Among 1632, a total of 1543 subjects were included by random sampling and a questionnaire was filled in including demographic, social and behavioral features. RESULTS: The participants living in DM with the highest socioeconomical status (SES) score and level of education had the lowest body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (%BF) compared to other DMs. The lowest obesity prevalence (30.8% vs. 36.4% and 39.3%) in that DM was possibly due to younger age, lower female ratio, more active professional, higher percentage of smoking, more consumption of vegetables, olive or corn oil, and less carbohydrate. For the evaluation of the factors that may influence obesity risk, we investigated the effects of these factors in men and women separately with logistic regression model. Sedentary life style and dyslipidemia (DL) in men, being unemployed, having lower level of education and having hypertension (HT) in women and familial obesity in both gender were found to be related to increased obesity risk. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of obesity in Bursa is increasing although inhabitants are taking some precautions parallel to their socioeconomical and educational levels. Obesity is becoming a more alarming public health problem in Bursa and Turkey like in most other parts of the world, which forces us to invent new prevention policies. Besides, the results of our study highlight the fact that especially female education requires more attention for decreasing obesity prevalence in coming generations.     

Nocturnal enuresis and allergy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an interaction exists between nocturnal enuresis and allergy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-seven (20 boys, 17 girls) children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis were recruited. We studied an allergy panel that included total IgE, 10 examples of inhalant-specific IgE, 10 examples of food-specific IgE, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and Phadiotop. The same panel was studied in a control group of 18 children without monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. RESULTS: We did not determine statistically significant differences between the enuretic group and the control group in terms of levels of total IgE, the 10 examples of inhalant-specific IgE and Phadiotop. However, two (soybean and hazelnut) of the 10 food-specific IgE and ECP levels did differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This first specific IgE study showed that there may be a relationship between nocturnal enuresis and soybean and hazelnut food allergens. Our findings may explain some cases of nocturnal enuresis. However, further studies are necessary to explain the underlying mechanisms and management of this disorder.