Activité antidiarrhéique de Zygophyllum gaetulum

Résumé  La diarrhée représente un problème de santé publique dont la fréquence de la mortalitéet de la morbidité est très élevée, spécialement chez les enfants dans les pays en voie de développement. Au Maroc, la médecine traditionnelle décrit plusieurs plantes, dans le traitement des troubles digestifs comme la diarrhée, dont Zygophyllum gaetulum. Cette plante est utilisée traditionnellement comme antiinflammatoire, antidiabétique, antispasmodique et antidiar-rhéique, il est propos’e dans la présente étude d’en évaluer et d’en confirmer l’activitéantidiarrhéique chez l’animal. L’extrait a été préparé selon les méthodes traditionnelles, l’étude a été réalisée in vitro a` l’aide de la chambre d’Ussing.      

Absence of a relationship between obesity and asthma in prepubertal Moroccan children

Obesity and asthma are both public health problems that have been increasing for several years. This increase suggests that there may be a connection between these two pathologies. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between obesity and asthma by measuring the prevalence of obesity in asthmatic children compared with a control population, by analysing the impact of obesity on the severity of the asthma, and by examining the relationship between obesity and atopy. The study was based on 100 children aged from 4 to 16 years in whom the diagnosis of asthma was confirmed; obesity being defined as a body mass index greater than the 97th percentile. The prevalence of obesity in these patients was 14%. Obesity was not a factor in the severity of the asthma as 14.5% of the severe asthmatics were obese compared with 18.75% of the mild and moderate asthmatics. 13% of the atopic subjects were obese compared with 13% of the non-atopics. Obesity does not constitute, therefore, a risk factor for asthma and does not contribute to the severity of the disease. In addition there is no relationship between obesity and atopy.     

Treatment of ovarian cysts by laparoscopic surgery: a retrospective study of 40 cases

The ovarian cysts treatment has taken advantage of the improvement made on the operating laparoscopy, that gives progressively better results than those of the laparotomy. On the one hand, laparoscopic surgery reduces the traditional surgery constraints by giving an exact histologic diagnosis and a radical cyst treatment. On the other hand, it prevents against inherent recurrence related to a sample puncture, and en the same time diminish adhesion risks. The laparoscopy can treat all kind of histologic benign ovarian cysts. We report the first experience of the Maternité Universitaire des Orangers in treating ovarian cysts by laparoscopic surgery.     

Neurokinin A-induced guinea pig gallbladder contraction: Potential mechanism of action

The present study was performed to examine the mechanism of action of neurokinin A (NKA) on guinea pig gallbaldder smooth muscle. Muscle strips were prepared and mounted in 10 mL tissue bath containing Krebs' solution under 1 g tension. NKA induced a concentration-dependent increase in gallbladder muscle tension and reached a maximal response at 1 μM. The EC₅₀ value was approximately 30nM. Preincubation of the muscle strips with neurotoxins, tetrodotoxin (1 μM), or omega-conotoxin (0.1 μM) had no effect on the NKA contractile response. NKA-induced gallbladder contractions were insensitive to cyclooxygenase inhibitors (5 μM) piroxicam and indomethacin. In contrast, the calcium channel blockers verapamil and diltiazem (0.1–1 μM) significantly blocked the contractile response to NKA. The intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA/AM had no significant effect on NKA activity. The removal of extracellular calcium, however, completely abolished the contractile response of NKA. These data suggest that NKA has a direct contractile effect on guinea pig gallbladder smooth muscle, which is independent of prostaglandin release. The primary source of calcium involved in mediating the NKA contractile response is the extracellular pool, suggesting that NKA might act via activation of L-type voltage-operated calcium channels to mediate its action. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The discovery of a new structural class of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines

The protein kinase family represents an enormous opportunity for drug development. However, the current limitation in structural diversity of kinase inhibitors has complicated efforts to identify effective treatments of diseases that involve protein kinase signaling pathways. We have identified a new structural class of protein serine/threonine kinase inhibitors comprising an aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine nucleus. In this report, we describe the first successful use of this class of aza-heterocycles to generate potent inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases that compete with ATP for binding to a catalytic subunit of the protein. Co-crystal structures of CDK2 in complex with lead compounds reveal a unique mode of binding. Using this knowledge, a structure-based design approach directed this chemical scaffold toward generating potent and selective CDK2 inhibitors, which selectively inhibited the CDK2-dependent phosphorylation of Rb and induced caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in HCT 116 tumor cells. The discovery of this new class of ATP-site-directed protein kinase inhibitors, aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, provides the basis for a new medicinal chemistry tool to be used in the search for effective treatments of cancer and other diseases that involve protein kinase signaling pathways.     

Mycoplasma pneumoniae encephalitis associated with basal ganglia necrosis

IntroductionSevere central nervous system diseases, such as encephalitis, have been reported in association with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.Case reportA previously healthy 5-year-old boy presented with an atypical pneumonia; he rapidly developed encephalitis revealed by lethargy, generalized status epilepticus. MRI showed abnormal signals in the basal ganglia, typical of bilateral striatal necrosis. Serologic tests for M. pneumoniae were positive, the child recovered almost completely.ConclusionM. pneumoniae infection should be considered in all cases of acute encephalopathy; yet the pathogenesis of the disorder is unknown and the treatment uncertain.