Erdosteine treatment attenuates oxidative stress and fibrosis in experimental biliary obstruction

Oxidative stress, in particular lipid peroxidation, induces collagen synthesis and causes fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess the antioxidant and antifibrotic effects of erdosteine on liver fibrosis induced by biliary obstruction in rats. Liver fibrosis was induced in Wistar albino rats by bile duct ligation (BDL). Erdosteine (10 mg/kg, orally) or saline was administered for 28 days. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were determined to assess liver functions and tissue damage, respectively. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and antioxidant capacity (AOC) were assayed in plasma samples. Liver tissues were taken for determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and collagen content. Production of reactive oxidants was monitored by chemiluminescence assay. Serum AST, ALT, LDH, and plasma cytokines were elevated in the BDL group as compared to controls and were significantly decreased by erdosteine treatment. Hepatic GSH level and plasma AOC, depressed by BDL, were elevated back to control level with erdosteine treatment. Furthermore, hepatic luminol and lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL), MDA level, MPO activity and collagen content in BDL group increased dramatically compared to control and reduced by erdosteine treatment. Since erdosteine administration alleviated the BDL-induced oxidative injury of the liver and improved the hepatic functions, it seems likely that erdosteine with its antioxidant and antifibrotic properties, may be of potential therapeutic value in protecting the liver fibrosis and oxidative injury due to biliary obstruction.     

吸入性损伤气管切开问题的临床讨论

目的：为了进一步探讨吸入性损伤病人的气管切开时机与指征。方法：回顾性总结分析了１９８１～１９９８年１７３例吸入性损伤的处理方法。他们中轻、中、重度吸入性损伤分别为９４．５３和２７例,行气管切开５７例。结果：全组死亡５６例,病死率与烧伤情有一定关系,但主要死罪仍为吸入性损伤程度,２４小时之内行气管切开病死率偏低。结论：中、重度吸入性损伤宜尽早衽气管切开治疗,并有预防意义。     

Is combined therapy more effective than growth hormone or hyperbaric oxygen alone in the healing of left ischemic and non-ischemic colonic anastomoses?

OBJECTIVE:

Our aim was to investigate the effects of growth hormone (GH), hyperbaric oxygen and combined therapy on normal and ischemic colonic anastomoses in rats.

METHODS:

Eighty male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups (n = 10). In the first four groups, non-ischemic colonic anastomosis was performed, whereas in the remaining four groups, ischemic colonic anastomosis was performed. In groups 5, 6, 7, and 8, colonic ischemia was established by ligating 2 cm of the mesocolon on either side of the anastomosis. The control groups (1 and 5) received no treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was initiated immediately after surgery and continued for 4 days in groups 3 and 4. Groups 2 and 6 received recombinant human growth hormone, whereas groups 4 and 8 received GH and hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Relaparotomy was performed on postoperative day 4, and a perianastomotic colon segment 2 cm in length was excised for the detection of biochemical and mechanical parameters of anastomotic healing and histopathological evaluation.

RESULTS:

Combined treatment with hyperbaric oxygen and GH increased the mean bursting pressure values in all of the groups, and a statistically significant increase was noted in the ischemic groups compared to the controls (p<0.05). This improvement was more evident in the ischemic and normal groups treated with combined therapy. In addition, a histopathological evaluation of anastomotic neovascularization and collagen deposition showed significant differences among the groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Combined treatment with recombinant human growth hormone and hyperbaric oxygen resulted in a favorable therapeutic effect on the healing of ischemic colonic anastomoses.     

Serum hepatitis B surface antigen correlates with fibrosis and necroinflammation: A multicentre perspective in China

The kinetics of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) during the natural history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been studied, but the factors affecting them remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the factors affecting HBsAg titres, using data from multicentre, large‐sized clinical trials in China. The baseline data of 1795 patients in 3 multicentre trials were studied, and the patients were classified into 3 groups: hepatitis B early antigen (HBeAg)‐positive chronic HBV infection (n = 588), HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B (n = 596), and HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B (n = 611). HBsAg titres in the different phases were compared, and multiple linear progression analyses were performed to investigate the implicated factors. HBsAg titres varied significantly in different phases (P = .000), with the highest (4.60 log10 IU/mL [10%‐90% confidence interval: 3.52 log10 IU/mL‐4.99 log10 IU/mL]) in patients with HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV infection. In all phases, age and HBV DNA were correlated with serum HBsAg level. In HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B patients, a negative correlation between HBsAg titres and fibrosis stage was observed. Alanine amonitransferase or necroinflammatory activity was also correlated with HBsAg titres in HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B patients. In conclusion, decreased HBsAg titres may be associated with advancing fibrosis in HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B patients or increased necroinflammation in those with HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B. Our findings may help clinicians better understand the kinetics of HBsAg and provide useful insights into the management of this disease.     

肝纤维化大鼠血清透明质酸、Ⅲ型前胶原、层粘连蛋白及羟脯氨酸水平与丹参、桃仁复方制剂的干预

目的:观察丹参、桃仁复方制剂对肝纤维化大鼠血清透明质酸、Ⅲ型前胶原、层粘连蛋白及羟脯氨酸水平的影响,并与复方鳖甲软肝片进行阳性药物对照。方法:实验于2004-04/12在成都中医药大学药理实验室完成。①70只SD大鼠随机取10只为空白对照组,其余60只大鼠皮下注射CCl4,同时给予高脂饲料和体积分数为0.2的乙醇喂养6周建立肝纤维化大鼠模型,造模成功的50只大鼠按性别、体质量随机分为模型组,丹参和桃仁复方制剂高、中、低剂量组,复方鳖甲软肝片组5组,每组10只。②空白对照组和模型组灌胃给予蒸馏水0.1mL/kg,丹参和桃仁复方制剂高、中、低剂量组灌胃给予6,3,1.5g/kg丹参和桃仁复方制剂(主要成分为丹参、桃仁、白芍、黄芪、柴胡、汉防己、冬虫夏草等),复方鳖甲软肝片组灌胃给予1g/kg复方鳖甲软肝片,1次/d,连续4周。③末次给药后24h,髂外静脉取血,测定血清透明质酸、Ⅲ型前胶原、层粘连蛋白及羟脯氨酸水平。结果:60只大鼠进入结果分析。①透明质酸质量浓度:模型组比空白对照组增高了256.72%,丹参、桃仁复方制剂高剂量组比模型组降低39.46%(P<0.05)。②层粘连蛋白质量浓度:模型组比空白对照组增高了100.73%,丹参、桃仁复方制剂高、低剂量组比模型组降低18.29%,21.99%(P<0.05)。③羟脯氨酸浓度:模型组比空白对照组增高了315.75%,丹参、桃仁复方制剂高、中剂量组比模型组降低34.26%,46.65%(P均<0.01)。④复方鳖甲软肝片组大鼠血清Ⅲ型前胶原、层粘连蛋白和羟脯氨酸浓度比模型组分别降低20.99%,27.50%,22.91%。结论:丹参、桃仁复方制剂能降低CCl4复合因素致纤维化模型大鼠血清透明质酸、层粘连蛋白和羟脯氨酸水平,其效果优于复方鳖甲软肝片。     

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on oxidant and antioxidants levels during liver regeneration in rats

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on oxidant/antioxidant metabolism are controversial and its effects on hepatic regeneration are not known. In this study, we investigated a possible beneficial effect of HBO therapy on oxidant and antioxidants levels during liver regeneration. To conduct this study, seventy percent hepatectomy was performed on forty-eight Spraggue-Dawley rats and the rats were divided into two equal groups: HBO-treated group and untreated group (non-HBO group). We determined the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress marker, and the levels of antioxidant enzymes/reagents, including glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in the remnant liver samples. We also measured mitotic index (MI) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels to assess the degree of liver regeneration. HBO treatment significantly decreased MDA levels, whereas it increased SOD activity, GSH and Zn levels. In contrast, Cu levels were lower in the HBO-treated livers than the levels in the untreated remnant livers. The effect of HBO treatment may be mediated by the suppression of certain enzymes that are responsible for lipid peroxidation. In addition, HBO treatment may induce the production of antioxidant enzymes/reagents by remnant liver tissues. The HBO-treated rats maintained their body weights but the untreated rats lost body weights. HBO treatment also increased MI and PCNA levels, indicating HBO treatment enhances liver regeneration. These results indicate that HBO treatment has beneficial effects on liver regeneration by decreasing MDA and by increasing antioxidant activities. We therefore suggest that HBO therapy may be useful after liver resection.     

Suspected Bacterial Endophthalmitis Following Sustained-release Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant: A Case Report

A 58-year-old man admitted to our opthalmology department with the complaint of branch retinal vein occlusion. He was treated with intravitreal Ozurdex in the right eye. Two days after the injection, the patient presented with ocular pain and the visual acuity was hand movement. A diagnosis of endophthalmitis was made. We performed emergent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and the implant was removed from the vitreous cavity using a retinal forceps. A combination of vancomycin 1.0 mg and amikacin 0.4 mg was injected intravitreally. However, because of the blurring in the vitreus one week after the procedure, phacoemulsification and a repeat PPV was performed. Five days after the last procedure the signs and symptoms of endophthalmitis were resolved. Our case demonstrated that endophthalmitis could develop after intravitreal implantation of Ozurdex. Surgical removal of the implant and immediate vitrectomy seems to be a useful treatment option in these cases.     

Is There Any Association between Hepatitis G Virus (HGV), Other Hepatitis Viruses (HBV,HCV) and Behçet's Disease?

Infectious agents, especially viruses, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD). The aim of this study was to determine whether BD is associated with hepatitis viruses. In this study, the serological markers of hepatitis (HBsAg, anti‐HBs, anti‐HBc and anti‐HCV) and viral nucleic acid (HGV‐RNA) were studied in the sera of 35 patients, all of whom fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the International Study Group for BD, and the results were compared with those of 36 healthy controls. The prevalences of HBsAg, anti‐HBs, anti‐HBc in BD patients were 2.9%, 45.7%, and 31.4%, respectively, which were not significantly different from those in healthy controls. None of the subjects in either group were found to be positive for anti‐HCV. HGV‐RNA was detected in two patients with BD and in none of the healthy controls. In conclusion, BD does not seem to be associated with hepatitis viral infections including hepatitis B, C, or G.     

The effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigella sativa</Emphasis> against oxidative injury in a rat model of subarachnoid hemorrhage

Objective  

The aim of the study was to investigate the putative neuroprotective effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) treatment against subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats.