OBJECTIVETo monitor the change of renin, endothelin and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha in canine during left ventricular assist (LVA).

METHODSEight canines were assisted by left assist ventricular device for 9 hours. The level of renin, endothelin and 6-keto-prostaglandin f1alpha in plasma were measured by radioimmunity analysis before assisting (control group) and at 3 hours, at 6 hours, at 9 hours after assisting.

RESULTSThe level of endothelin in plasma didn't dropped remarkably as LVA proceeded in which there was not differency in statistical diffency compared with control group[(51 +/- 11) ng/L, (42 +/- 8) ng/L, t = 0.926, P > 0.05]; The level of renin in plasma reached the summit at 3 hours during LVA compared with control group (3,036 +/- 1,411) ng/L, (1,783 +/- 467) ng/L, t = 5.013, P < 0.01) and later show dropping tendency without statistical differency at 9 hours (1 944 +/- 883) ng/L (t = 0.644, P > 0.05); The level of 6-keto-prostaglandin f1alpha in plasma at 3 hours during assisting increased remarkably [(75 +/- 17) ng/L, t = 1.411, P < 0.05), at 6 hours reached summit [(92 +/- 18)ng/L, t = 3.533, P < 0.01) and at 9 hours show dropping tendency with significant differency compared with control group (90 +/- 22) ng/L, t = 2.516, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDuring 9 hours LVA, endothelin didn't dropped remarkably compared with control group and the endothelium released renin with transient increase, prostaglandin with consistent increase.

Animals ; Dogs ; Endothelins ; blood ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Models, Animal ; Prostaglandins ; blood ; Renin ; blood ; Ventricular Function

OBJECTIVESTo find the relationship between hepatic dysfunction and renal blood flow (RBF).

METHODS49 patients with hepatic cirrhosis were studied via Color-Coded Duplex Ultrasonography detecting the pulsatile index (PI), resistive index (RI), peak systolic velocity (PS), peak diastolic velocity (PD) and peak systolic velocity/peak diastolic velocity (PS/PD) in the interlobar and arcuate arteries. The plasma endothelin (ET) levels were also evaluated.

RESULTSAccording to a modified Child's classification which assesses the severity of liver cirrhosis, we compared different groups and found that the worse the function of liver appeared coincidently with the higher PI and RI, especially RI (0.60+/-0.09, 0.66+/-0.06, 0.72+/-0.07, respectively, P < 0.01); The results also indicated that PI, RI increased obviously followed by the rise of ascites (PI: 1.14+/-0.20, 1.31+/-0.29, 1.42+/-0.36, respectively; RI: 0.61+/-0.09, 0.68+/-0.07, 0.77+/-0.05, respectively). The evaluation of plasma ET level demonstrated that its increment is intimately correlated with PI and RI.

CONCLUSIONIn patients with cirrhosis, RBF is directly correlated with the hepatic function. The correlation between ascites and RBF is also discovered. In patients who have liver cirrhosis, the plasma ET level obviously increased, indicating that ET probably is one of the active factors of renal vascular contraction.

Adult ; Aged ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Circulation ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of dynamic changes in the serum inflammatory cell factors consisting of β-endorphin (β-EP) , endothelins (ET) , tumor necrosis factor (TNF) , and nitric oxide (NO) after acute paraquat poisoning (APP).

METHODSThe 26 patients with APP (as observation group) were treated and the serum levels of plasma β-EP, ET, TNF, and NO were measured simultaneously. The 20 healthy volunteers from relatives of the patients (as control group) were also included in the study and their serum levels of β-EP, ET, TNF, and NO were measured.

RESULTSIn the 26 patients with APP, 10 were cured and 16 died. The serum levels of β-EP, ET, NO, and TNF in the 10 cured patients increased significantly immediately after admission, reached the peak values on day 2, and then decreased gradually and returned to the normal ranges after day 9. The serum levels of β-EP, ET, NO, and TNF in the 16 dead patients increased significantly on admission and kept rising in the course of treatment. The dead patients had significantly increased serum levels of β-EP, ET, NO, and TNF compared with the cured patients (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCompared with those in cured patients with APP, the serum levels of β-EP, ET, NO, and TNF in dead patients with APP are significantly higher, keep rising, and maintain at high levels, indicating a severe condition.

Case-Control Studies ; Endothelins ; blood ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; beta-Endorphin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study thrombosis and its significance after acute experimental pulmonary thromboembolism.

METHODSThe acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) model of rabbits was established by intravenous injection of autologous blood clots (0.04 g/kg) which were stabilized in temperature-controlled (70 degrees C) distilled water for 10 min. The process of thrombosis was observed grossly and microscopically. The Quick's method was used to examine the coagulability of blood and radioimmunoassay was employed to measure the level of plasma thromboxane A(2) and endothelin.

RESULTSThrombotic propensity was observed at 1 h, fresh thrombus started to form and the blood coagulation system was activated at 24 h following clots infusion. Emboli were completely or partly dissolved at 5 d and appeared to organize at both 10 d and 14 d after clots were infused. Venous plasma thromboxane A(2) concentration began to increase at 5 min (2489.59 +/- 714.68 ng/L) and reached its maximum at 15 min (2545.46 +/- 590.58 ng/L) then declined at 60 min after clot infusion (P < 0.001, respectively, vs 626.59 +/- 510.02 ng/L of pre-clot). The level of endothelin in both arterial and venous blood increased at 5 d post-clot infusion (840.74 +/- 154.19 ng/L, 230.35 +/- 52.39 ng/L, respectively) compared to the one before infusion (602.66 +/- 453.26 ng/L, 148.01 +/- 53.28 ng/L, respectively, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThrombosis occurs after autologous-blood-clot-induced PTE. The interactions between thrombus formation, fibrinolysis and organization determines the consequences of emboli. Abnormalities of endothelin metabolism and the increment of thromboxane A(2) may play an important role in PTE.

Animals ; Blood Coagulation ; Endothelins ; blood ; Lung ; pathology ; Pulmonary Embolism ; blood ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Thrombosis ; pathology ; Thromboxane B2 ; blood

The relationship between the hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the balance of nitric oxide/endothelins (NO/ET) was studied. The changes of the ratio of NO/ET and the hepatic injury were observed in a rat hepatic I/R model pretreated with several tool drugs. In the acute phase of hepatic I/R injury, the ratio of plasma NO/ET was reduced from 1.58 +/- 0.20 to 0.29 +/- 0.05 (P < 0.01) and the hepatic damage deteriorated. NO donor L-Arg and ET receptor antagonist TAK-044 could alleviate the hepatic I/R injury to some degree, whereas NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME aggravated the damage. It was concluded that the hepatic I/R injury might be related with the disturbance of the NO/ET balance. Regulation of this balance might have an effect on the I/R injury.
Arginine ; Endothelins/*blood ; Liver/*blood supply ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide/*blood ; Receptors, Endothelin/antagonists & inhibitors ; Reperfusion Injury/*blood

Endothelin(ET) is known as a family of potent hydrophobic, vasoactive peptide. We investigated the effect according to the concentrations of ET on intraocular pressure(IOP), aqueous outflow facility, pupillary diameter and light reflex and iris vessels. Twenty-four hours after injection of 2.5 microgram and 10 microgram of ET-1 into the anteriorvitreous of rabbit eyes, the IOP was reduced by 69% and 80%, respectively and did not return to the level of prefreatment until at least 14 days and 20 days, respectively. But the decrease of IOP was not due to the increased aqueous outflow. The pupillary diameter of ET-1 treated eyes was 1 to 2mm larger than the pretreatment. The time course of the pupillary effects generally ran paralled with the reduction of IOP. The iridial and conjunctival hyperemia was detectable during the pupillary dilatation. Endothelins are therefore potential participants in the local regulation of IOP, ocular blood vessel tone, and iris smooth muscle tone.
Blood Vessels ; Dilatation ; Endothelin-1* ; Endothelins ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Intraocular Pressure ; Iris ; Muscle, Smooth ; Reflex

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of scalp penetration acupuncture treating acute cerebral hemorrhage (ACH).

METHODSThe treatment group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30) were treated with the same basic therapy, but scalp penetration acupuncture was added to the treatment group. Changes of plasma ET and CGRP contents were compared.

RESULTSAfter treatment for 14 days, the content of plasma ET in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Moreover, the content of plasma CGRP was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONScalp penetration acupuncture is able to improve the prognosis of the patient with ACH by means of regulating the contents of plasma ET and CGRP.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Calcitonin ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; therapy ; Endothelins ; blood ; Humans ; Scalp

OBJECTIVETo probe the regulative effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Fenglong" (ST 40) on blood lipids in hyperlipidemia (HLP) rats and the mechanism.

METHODSEighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group (fed with basal forage), a model group (fed with high fat forage), an EA group (fed with high fat forage + EA treatment), a western medicine group (fed with high fat forage + Pravastatin sodium). Contents of serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), endothelin (ET), nitric oxide (NO) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were determined before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, the body weight, levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and ET were significantly elevated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the levels of HDL-C, NO and CGRP were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the model group; compared with the model group, the body weight, levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and the levels of NO and CGRP were significantly increased in the western medicine group and the EA group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); compared with the EA group, HDL-C level significantly increased in the western medicine group (P < 0.01), and ET level decreased in the EA group and the western medicine group with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth EA and Pravastatin sodium have better benign regulative effects on TC, TG, LDL-C, NO and CGRP and can decrease ET level to a certain extent in the rat of hyperlipidemia.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Electroacupuncture ; Endothelins ; blood ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; Endothelins ; blood ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Plasminogen Inactivators ; blood ; Thromboxane B2 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo probe clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic retinopathy and the mechanism.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases of diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into an observed group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. On the basis of routine diabetic treatment, the observation group were treated with the acupoints for regulating the spleen and stomach, and the control group with the acupoints around eye mainly. Clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated by eye fundus condition, blood glucose, blood lipids, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) levels.

RESULTSThe needling method for regulating the spleen and stomach not only can improve the eye fundus condition, but also has benign regulative action on metabolism of blood glucose and blood lipids, and NO and ET levels, with significant differences as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe needling method for regulating the spleen and stomach is an effective therapy for diabetic retinopathy, and the mechanism is possibly related with the regulation of levels of vascular active substances, NO and ET.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Endothelins ; blood ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Spleen ; physiopathology ; Stomach ; physiopathology