Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Buddleja globosa, Buddlejaceae

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Buddleja globosa, known as "matico", is employed in Chile for wound healing. AIM OF THE STUDY: To validate the traditional use of the crude drug through in vivo and in vitro evaluation of the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of its extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sequential hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and total methanol extracts were studied using bioguided fractionation. The following activities were investigated: analgesic (writhing test), oral and topic anti-inflammatory (paw- and ear-induced edema), free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH, superoxide anion, lipid peroxidation and xanthine oxidase inhibition). Sodium naproxen, nimesulide, indomethacin were used as reference drugs for in vivo, quercetin and allopurinol for in vitro assays. RESULTS: A mixture of alpha- and beta-amyrins was isolated from the hexane extract that showed 41.2% of analgesic effect at 600 mg/kg, inhibited by 47.7 and 79.0% the arachidonic acid (AA) and 12-deoxyphorbol-13-decanoate (TPA)-induced inflammation at 3mg/20 microL/ear, respectively. A mixture of beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, stigmastenol, stigmastanol and campesterol was isolated from the fraction CD4-N and beta-sitosterol-glycoside from the fraction CD5-N, reducing TPA-induced inflammation by 78.2 and 83.7% at 1mg/20 microL/ear, respectively. The fraction CD4-N at 300 mg/kg also showed analgesic activity (38.7%). The methanol extract at 600mg/kg per os showed anti-inflammatory effect (61.4%), topic anti-inflammatory (56.7% on TPA) and analgesic activity (38.5%). Verbascoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were the major components of the methanol extract; apigenin 7-O-glucoside was also detected. Inhibition of superoxide anion, lipoperoxidation, and DPPH bleaching effect was found in the methanol serial and global extracts. CONCLUSIONS: The present report demonstrate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of Buddleja globosa and validate its use in Chilean traditional medicine.     

Anti-inflammatory effects of hydroalcoholic extract and two biflavonoids from Garcinia gardneriana leaves in mouse paw oedema

Garcinia gardneriana (Planch. & Triana) Zappi (Clusiaceae) is widely distributed in Brazil and used in folk medicine to treat inflammation, pain, and urinary tract and other infections. However, very few studies have analyzed these therapeutic effects. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts from Garcinia gardneriana (HEGG) and some of its isolated biflavonoids were evaluated. The results showed that HEGG from the leaves, bark and seeds reduced carrageenan-induced mouse paw inflammation, in addition to diminishing the myeloperoxidase activity in the stimulated tissues. The reduction of neutrophil infiltration by treatment with the HEGG from leaves was confirmed by histology. The leaf extract also reduced the paw oedema evoked by bradykinin, histamine, prostaglandin E2 and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate. However, it partially decreased substance P and compound 48/80-caused paw oedema, without any influence on the arachidonic acid-induced oedema. Both of the isolated compounds, fukugetin and GB-2a, prevented the carrageenan-induced paw oedema. In conclusion, this study showed important anti-inflammatory effects of HEGG through its interaction with different intracellular signaling pathways, without interfering with the formation of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites. These characteristics, in addition to the wide distribution and culturing ease of the plant, confirm its popular use and highlight its promise in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.     

Autonomic nervous system mediates the cardiovascular effects of Rhodiola sacra radix in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Rhodiola sacra (Crassulaceae) exhibits cardiovascular bioactivities and is used in Tibetan medicine for promoting circulation and preventing hypertension. However, the underlying mechanisms of its cardiovascular effects are poorly understood. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the cardiovascular activity of water-soluble fraction (WtF) and n-butanol-soluble fraction (BtF) of Rhodiola sacra radix and to explore its mechanism of action in propofol anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The changes of blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac contractility after systemic administration of the extracts (10-75mg/kg) were examined for at least 40min. Different antagonists were used to evaluate the mechanisms of cardiovascular effects of the extracts. RESULTS: Intravenous injection of the WtF (10, 25, 35, 50 or 75mg/kg) exhibited dose-dependent hypotension and increases in heart rate and cardiac contractility. In contrast, mild alterations in the same cardiovascular parameters were detected only at high dose (75mg/kg) BtF. The WtF-induced hypotensive, positive inotropic and chronotropic effects were significantly abolished by pretreatment with hexamethonium (30mg/kg, i.v.) or reserpine (5mg/kg, i.v.), whereas the hypotensive, but not the positive inotropic or chronotropic effect was potentiated by captopril (2.5mg/kg, i.v.). Pretreatment with methylatropine (1mg/kg, i.v.), on the other hand, reversed the positive inotropic and chronotropic but not the hypotensive effects of WtF. The WtF-induced cardiovascular responses were not affected in rats pretreated with N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (20mg/kg, i.v.). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that systemic administration of the WtF of Rhodiola sacra radix elicited a potent hypotensive effect that was mediated by the withdrawal of sympathetic vasomotor tone and interaction with the circulatory angiotensin system. The positive inotropic and chronotropic effects of WtF may result from a direct vagal inhibition on the heart.     

Temporal effect of Guanxin No. 2 on cardiac function, blood viscosity and angiogenesis in rats after long-term occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery

AIM: Cardiac infarction is one of the main causes of death in both developing and developed countries over past decades. Currently available approaches for treating patients with this disease are not satisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicines have been increasingly paid attention to. The aim of this study was to characterize the dynamic protective effects of Guanxin No. 2 decoction (GX II) on cardiac dysfunction combined with the blood viscosity and myocardial hypertrophy parameters in myocardial infarction (MI) rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-200 g) were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated, coronary artery ligation (CAL), and CAL plus GX II (GX II, 10.0 g raw materials/kg/d, bid, p.o.). The experiment was carried out at 4 time points as the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th day after ligation. RESULT: It was found that on the one hand, GX II could significantly improve the heart function, and remarkably decrease infarct size and inhibit ventricular remodeling. On the other hand, GX II showed some unique effects such as angiogenesis which was induced in the left ventricular tissue. This result was consistent with the finding of an augmented vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in this area. CONCLUSIONS: The studies demonstrated that GX II exerted extensively beneficial cardioprotective effect on CAL rats, it might stimulate angiogenesis of ischemic region to compensate blood supply to the heart via upregulated VEGF expression.     

Adenocarcinoma arising from respiratory ciliated epithelium in benign cystic teratoma of the ovary: a case report with analyzes of the CT, MRI, and pathological findings

The malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma is rare, thus occurring in only 1-2% of all cases. The most common malignancy arising in mature cystic teratoma is squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma occurs with less frequency. We herein present a patient with an ovarian mature cystic teratoma who demonstrated a malignant transformation to well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Malignant transformation was diagnosed preoperatively by contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Microscopically and immunohistochemically, the adenocarcinoma was considered to have arisen from the ciliated respiratory epithelium. After a 28-month of follow-up period, she remains free of the disease. This is the third reported case of adenocarcinoma arising in the respiratory epithelium of an ovarian mature cystic teratoma. Contrast enhanced CT and MRI are useful for making a preoperative diagnosis and an immunohistochemical study is helpful for defining its origin.     

Cumulative exposure to high estradiol levels during the follicular phase of IVF cycles negatively affects implantation

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the cumulative exposure to estradiol (E₂) during the follicular phase on IVF outcome. Methods: Patients were stimulated with recombinant FSH after GnRH agonist suppression and had a day 3-embryo transfer. Estrogen exposure was determined as the area under the curve (AUC) for serum E₂ levels measured from the first day of stimulation through the day after hCG administration. Results: E₂ AUC thresholds for 10th and 90th percentiles were 4704 pg/ml and 16338 pg/ml, respectively. The pregnancy and implantation rates were highest in the 10th–90th percentile group, and were statistically higher in this group than in the >90th percentile group (54.6% vs. 33.3% and 24.8% and 12.9%, respectively, for pregnancy and implantation rates, P < 0.05). Recovered mature oocytes, fertilization, and number and mean score of transferred embryos were similar. Conclusions: High cumulative E₂ exposure during the follicular phase of IVF cycles has detrimental effects on implantation.     

Definitive diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix by laparoscopic appendectomy

We report a 62-year-old woman with a primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix mimicking ovarian tumor. We had diagnosed it definitively by laparoscopic appendectomy, and additional surgery was required in this case. However, the present case suggests that, in some cases, if cancer of the appendix can be diagnosed early, laparotomy can be avoided and the cancer treated with minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery alone.     

Length of the third stage of labor at term pregnancies is shorter if placenta is located at fundus: prospective study

AIM: To investigate how the location of the placenta at term pregnancies affects the duration of the third stage of labor and to discuss the possible mechanisms affecting the duration of the third stage. We believe that this is the first prospective study comparing the duration of the third stage of labor according to placental location. METHODS: The placental implantation was determined as anterior (n = 78), posterior (n = 59), or fundal (n = 64) by ultrasound, in 201 women with singleton pregnancies. After delivery of the newborn, oxytocin infusion was routinely given. Duration of the third stage of labor was compared by anova. P < 0.05 was determined as significant. RESULTS: The duration of the third stage of labor was 10.36 +/- 5.94 min, 10.44 +/- 5.35 min, and 8.12 +/- 4.25 min with placentas located anteriorly, posteriorly, and fundal, respectively. The length of the third stage was significantly shorter in the fundal placenta group. CONCLUSION: In this study, the length of the third stage of labor was approximately 2 min shorter with placentas located at the fundus compared to the other two groups. The mechanism responsible for shorter duration may be the bipolar separation of fundal placentas in contrast to usual unipolar down-up separation of anterior or posterior placentas. Another contributing factor may be the use of oxytocin infusion for the management of the third stage, however this should be investigated by further studies by using real time ultrasonography.     

International breastfeeding initiatives and their relevance to the current state of breastfeeding in the United States

Exclusive breastfeeding is becoming an endangered practice. Breastfeeding has fallen from the foundation of public health to something that is nice but not necessary in the minds of many consumers and health care professionals. Numerous international initiatives have been created to improve the initiation, duration, and exclusivity of breastfeeding throughout the world. These include the International Code of Marketing Breast-milk Substitutes, the Innocenti Declaration, and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. In the United States, the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (NABA), the US Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), and Baby-Friendly USA have played important roles in improving breastfeeding. We begin with a brief history of these initiatives and organizations and move on to discuss some of the progress and programs that can help return breastfeeding to its rightful place as the initial and most basic act of health protection.