Protective effects of Terminalia arjuna against Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Terminalia arjuna has been marked as a potential cardioprotective agent since vedic period. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of butanolic fraction of Terminalia arjuna bark (TA-05) on Doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity. Male wistar rats were used as in vivo model for the study. TA-05 was administered orally to Wistar rats at different doses (0.42 mg/kg, 0.85 mg/kg, 1.7 mg/kg, 3.4 mg/kg and 6.8 mg/kg) for 6 days/week for 4 weeks. Thereafter, all the animals except saline and TA-05-treated controls were administered 20 mg/kg Dox intraperitonially. There was a significant decrease in myocardial superoxide dismutase (38.94%) and reduced glutathione (23.84%) in animals treated with Dox. Concurrently marked increase in serum creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) activity (48.11%) as well as increase in extent of lipid peroxidation (2.55-fold) was reported. Co-treatment of TA-05 and Dox resulted in an increase in the cardiac antioxidant enzymes, decrease in serum CKMB levels and reduction in lipid peroxidation as compared to Dox-treated animals. Electron microscopic studies in Dox-treated animals revealed mitochondrial swelling, Z-band disarray, focal dilatation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and lipid inclusions, whereas the concurrent administration of TA-05 led to a lesser degree of Dox-induced histological alterations. These findings suggest that butanolic fraction of Terminalia arjuna bark has protective effects against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and may have potential as a cardioprotective agent.     

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor of testis: case report and review of literature

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) of testis is extremely rare in childhood. It is considered a benign entity because metastasis has never been reported. Testicular-sparing surgery is the recommended treatment. We reported this case in a newborn who presented with unilateral scrotal swelling. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed JGCT. Follow-up at 6 months after surgery did not show any recurrence. Even though JGCT is very rare in childhood, it is one of the important differentials of newborn scrotal mass.     

Lymphangiogenesis requires Ang2/Tie/PI3K signaling for VEGFR3 cell-surface expression

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) induces lymphangiogenesis via VEGF receptor 3 (VEGFR3), which is encoded by the most frequently mutated gene in human primary lymphedema. Angiopoietins (Angs) and their Tie receptors regulate lymphatic vessel development, and mutations of the ANGPT2 gene were recently found in human primary lymphedema. However, the mechanistic basis of Ang2 activity in lymphangiogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we used gene deletion, blocking Abs, transgene induction, and gene transfer to study how Ang2, its Tie2 receptor, and Tie1 regulate lymphatic vessels. We discovered that VEGF-C–induced Ang2 secretion from lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) was involved in full Akt activation downstream of phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K). Neonatal deletion of genes encoding the Tie receptors or Ang2 in LECs, or administration of an Ang2-blocking Ab decreased VEGFR3 presentation on LECs and inhibited lymphangiogenesis. A similar effect was observed in LECs upon deletion of the PI3K catalytic p110α subunit or with small-molecule inhibition of a constitutively active PI3K located downstream of Ang2. Deletion of Tie receptors or blockade of Ang2 decreased VEGF-C–induced lymphangiogenesis also in adult mice. Our results reveal an important crosstalk between the VEGF-C and Ang signaling pathways and suggest new avenues for therapeutic manipulation of lymphangiogenesis by targeting Ang2/Tie/PI3K signaling.     

Can lubrication of the eyelid speculum reduce overall pain perception associated with cataract surgery by phacoemulsification performed under topical anesthesia?

Purpose:This study aimed to evaluate the effect of using the lubricated eyelid speculum on the overall pain perception by the subject patients who underwent cataract surgery by phacoemulsification technique under topical anesthesia.Methods:A prospective interventional randomized comparative study was conducted at the tertiary eye care center, wherein adult patients scheduled for bilateral cataract surgery with phacoemulsification techniques under topical anesthesia were randomized to undergo surgery with two different modes of eyelid speculum insertion, either with or without lubrication of the eyelid speculum. Fifty percent of the patients underwent surgery with eyelid speculum without lubrication, and 50% with lubrication of the eyelid speculum. The primary outcome was to compare the level of overall pain perception among the subject patients of the two groups by using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in the immediate postoperative period.Results:The study included 130 patients who underwent bilateral cataract surgery (n = 260 eyes) under topical anesthesia, wherein n = 130 eyes underwent surgery using lubricated eyelid speculum and n = 130 eyes underwent surgery with dry eyelid speculum. Pain perception score assessed on the VAS (0–10 cm) ranged from 0.5 to 6, with a mean ± standard deviation of 2.06 ± 1.12. A significant correlation was found with two different methods of eyelid speculum insertion with reduced overall pain perception in patients with the use of lubricated eyelid speculum compared to the dry eyelid speculum (P = 0.0001).Conclusion:The overall pain perception associated with cataract surgery performed by phacoemulsification technique under topical anesthesia can be further minimized by lubricating the eyelid speculum prior to insertion for exposing the globe.     

Antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of hydroxycinnamic acids from Calamintha Officinalis Moench.

This study was undertaken to investigate the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of crude extracts and pure compounds from the aerial parts of Calamintha officinalis Moench. (Lamiaceae). The aqueous extract showed the promising antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. Based on these findings, the aqueous extract was fractionated on a silica gel column chromatography in a bioassay-guided fractionation affording two known hydroxycinnamic acids showing potent activity (1) rosamarinic acid and (2) caffeic acid. Both rosamarinic acid and caffeic acid exhibited significant activity, even more than the positive control, glibenclamide. The results indicated that Calamintha officinalis aqueous extract and the isolated compounds are potential natural agents for the control of diabetes.