AIM: To study antiasthmatic effect of citral from aqueous extract of fruit of cubeb litsea tree and its mechanism.METHODS: By inducing asthma with Ach-histamine method in guinea pig,cough with ammonia in mice and the output quantity of phenol red from the trachea in mice,the antiasthmatic was observed,preventing cough and eliminating phlegm effect of citral. By measuring the tension of guinea-pig isolated tracheal rings,the both influence of citral was observed on isolated guinea pig tracheal rings and inhibition's effects of citral on contraction induced by Ach.RESULTS: Citral prolonged apparently the incubation period of asthma due to Ach-histamine solution in guinea pig and the coughing incubation period,reduced coughing frequency induced by ammonia in mice,increased excretion of phenol red from the respiratory tract in mice,inhibited the constrictions induced by Ach,and shifted the dose-effect curves of Ach to the right.CONCLUSION: Citral has functions of expelling phlegm,relieving cough and resisting asthma,satisfactory bronchi spasmolysis.

BACKGROUND: Adipocytes produce several adipokines that modulate insulin action as well as glucose and lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum adiponectin concentrations and metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This study included 127 type 2 diabetic patients (males 63, females 64). The subjects were divided into two groups as with or without metabolic syndrome (MS(+) or MS(-)). The MS was diagnosed by International Diabetes Federation. Serum adiponectin, leptin, fasting plasma insulin, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, lipid profile, white blood corpuscle (WBC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid and C-reactive protein (CRP) were examined. RESULTS: Serum adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower in MS(+) than MS(-) (4.8 +/- 2.4 microgram/mL vs 7.6 +/- 5.8 microgram/mL, 7.6 +/- 3.7 microgram/mL vs 11.5 +/- 7.2 microgram/mL, P < 0.05 in males and females). After adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI), in MS (+), the serum levels of adiponectin correlated positively with high density lipoprotein - cholesterol (HDL-C) and negatively with height, body weight, ALT and CRP. In MS(-), the serum levels of adiponectin correlated positively with HDL-C and negatively with diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglyceride and CRP. By multiple regression analysis, no parameters were independently correlated with serum adiponectin concentrations in MS(+), while DBP and HDL-C were independently related to serum adiponectin concentrations in MS(-). CONCLUSION: Serum adiponectin concentrations were lower in type 2 diabetic patients with MS than without MS. There were no significant parameters related to decrease serum adiponectin concentrations in MS. But further study is needed to confirm this result.
Adipocytes ; Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Blood Pressure ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholesterol ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Leukocytes ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Plasma ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the cardio-metabolic parameters and surrogate markers of insulin resistance in a discordant group of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) subjects who satisfy the Adults Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria, but not the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, for metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: We assessed the prevalence of MetS in T2DM subjects (n=167) who were selected from subjects registered at the diabetes center of Dong-A University Medical Center. We used the ATP III criteria and the IDF criteria for the diagnosis of MetS and sorted the subjects into 2 MetS groups: one group diagnosed per ATP III criteria (MetSa) and one diagnosed per IDF criteria (MetSi). We then compared the clinical characteristics, metabolic parameters (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and uric acid values) and co-morbidities (prevalence of microalbuminuria, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease) between the MetSa, MetSi, and discordant MetS groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS in the MetSa group (73.6%) was higher than in the MetSi group (62.2%). The MetS prevalence in the discordant group was 11.4%. The discordant group showed no significant differences in clinical characteristics (except waist circumference and body mass index), metabolic parameters, or prevalence of co-morbidities, as compared with subjects with MetS by both criteria. CONCLUSION: In this study, cardio-metabolic features of the subjects diagnosed with MetS using ATP III criteria, but not IDF criteria, are not significantly different from those of subjects diagnosed with MetS using both criteria.
Academic Medical Centers ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biomarkers ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Enkephalin, Methionine ; Fatty Liver ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Prevalence ; Uric Acid ; Waist Circumference

Background/Aims: Hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (HMII-pH) technology incorporating 2 trans-upper esophageal sphincter impedance channels has been developed to detect pharyngeal reflux. We used the HMII-pH technique to validate the candidate pharyngeal acid reflux (PAR) episodes based on the dual-pH tracings and determined the interobserver reproducibility. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in tertiary centers in Taiwan. Ninety patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux and 28 healthy volunteers underwent HMII-pH test when off acid suppressants. Candidate PAR episodes were characterized by pharyngeal pH drops of at least 2 units and reaching a nadir pH of 5 within 30 seconds during esophageal acidification. Two experts manually independently identified candidate PAR episodes based on the dual-pH tracings. By reviewing the HMII-pH tracings, HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes were subsequently confirmed. The consensus reviews of HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes were considered to be the reference standard diagnosis. The interobserver reproducibility was assessed. Results: A total of 105 candidate PAR episodes were identified. Among them 84 (80.0%; 95% CI, 71.0-87.0%) were HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes (82 in 16 patients and 2 in 1 healthy subject). Patients tended to have more HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes than healthy controls (median and percentile values [25th, 75th, and 95th percentiles]: 0 [0, 0, 3] vs 0 [0, 0, 0], P = 0.067). The concordance rate in diagnosing HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes between 2 independent observers was 92.2%. Conclusion Our preliminary data showed that 80.0% (71.0-87.0%) of the proposed candidate PAR episodes were HMII-pH-proven PAR episodes, among which the interobserver reproducibility was good.

Background/Aims: Diagnosis of isolated laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (ILPRS), ie, without concomitant typical reflux symptoms (CTRS), remains difficult. Mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) reflects impaired mucosal integrity. We determined whether esophageal MNBI could predict pathological esophagopharyngeal reflux (pH+) in patients with ILPRS. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in Taiwan, non-erosive or low-grade esophagitis patients with predominant laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms underwent combined hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring when off acid suppressants. Participants were divided into the ILPRS (n = 94) and CTRS (n = 63) groups. Asymptomatic subjects without esophagitis (n = 25) served as healthy controls. The MNBI values at 3 cm and 5 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and the proximal esophagus were measured. Results: Distal but not proximal esophageal median MNBI values were significantly lower in patients with pH+ than in those with pH– (ILPRS in pH+ vs pH–: 1607 Ω vs 2709 Ω and 1885 Ω vs 2563 Ω at 3 cm and 5 cm above LES, respectively; CTRS in pH+ vs pH–: 1476 vs 2307 Ω and 1500 vs 2301 Ω at 3 cm and 5 cm above LES, respectively, P < 0.05 for all). No significant differences of any MNBI exist between any pH– subgroups and healthy controls. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the ILPRS group were 0.75 and 0.80, compared to the pH– subgroup and healthy controls (P < 0.001 for both), respectively. Interobserver reproducibility was good (Spearman correlation 0.93, P < 0.0001). Conclusion Distal esophageal MNBI predicts pathological reflux in patients with ILPRS.