PURPOSE: The ketogenic diet (KD) remains a therapy in search of explanation although it is an established treatment for patients with intractable seizures. It was designed to mimic the biochemical changes seen upon fasting, specifically the formation of ketone bodies: acetoacetate (ACA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and to a lesser extent, acetone. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of BHB on flurothyl-induced seizures in rats. METHODS: Thirty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two equal groups. Experimental rats (n=17) were injected intraperitoneally with BHB (20 mmol/kg), while control animals (n=17) with normal saline. Fifteen minutes later, seizures were chemically induced by flurothyl infusion (40 mL/min). Seizure susceptibility was defined as the latency from the start of flurothyl infusion to the onset of a generalized seizure. Shorter latencies reflected greater seizure susceptibility. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SEM) latency to the onset of a generalized seizure in the experimental animals treated with BHB was 476.5 +/- 13.9 seconds, which was significantly longer (P < 0.05) than the control (438.0 +/- 10.5 seconds). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the significant decrease in flurothyl-induced seizure susceptibility in rats treated with BHB. Our results suggest that BHB may be directly anticonvulsant.
3-Hydroxybutyric Acid ; Acetoacetates ; Acetone ; Animals ; Fasting ; Flurothyl ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Ketogenic Diet ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures

To investigate the inhibitory effect of acetoacetate extract from Celastrus orbiculatus Thumb (COT) on the growth of red fluorescent protein (RFP)-xenografted human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a nude mouse model. Human HCC HepG2 cells were transduced with RFP and inoculated into the liver of BALB/c nude mice. The tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group (G1), oxaliplatin positive control group (G2; 25 mg/kg), COT low-dose group (G3; 20 mg/kg), COT high-dose group (G4; 40 mg/kg), and COT early treatment group (G5; 20 mg/kg). The early treatment group received oral COT from day 2 post-tumor implantation. All other mice were treated from day 20 post-tumor implantation. Growth of xenografted tumors was monitored weekly by in vivo real-time fluorescence imaging technology. At the end of the four-week treatment period, all mice were sacrificed and tumor tissues were collected and weighed. The two-sided t-test was used to evaluate intergroup differences in tumor volumes, final tumor weights, and final body weights. Mice treated with COT had significantly smaller xenografted tumors. On day 45 post-implantation, the mean tumor volumes (mm3) in the different groups were: G1, 803.1+/-512.3 ; G2, 83.8+/-23.5; G3, 852.7+/-502.6; G4, 410.0+/-231.6; and G5, 120.5+/-60.1. The mean tumor weights (g) were: G1, 0.95+/-0.49; G2, 0.36+/-0.09; G3, 0.67+/-0.29; G4, 0.48+/-0.15; and G5, 0.38+/-0.11. The differences in tumor weights from G2, G4 and G5 were significantly less than the weight in G1 (P less than 0.05); however, there was no significant differences between the tumor weights in G2, G4 and G5 (P more than 0.05). The tumor weight from the G2 group was significantly less than that of the G3 group (P less than 0.05). COT significantly inhibited the proliferation of human HCC in a nude mouse model. Early treatment with COT produced a more robust inhibitory effect, which was very similar to that achieved with oxaliplatin treatment.
Acetoacetates ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Celastrus ; Female ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo observe different effects of acetoacetate extract of Radix Aconite and Radix Aconite Decoction on the energy metabolism in deficient cold model rats.

METHODSWistar rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (n=10) and the deficient cold model group (n=30). The deficient cold rat model was established using decoction consisting of gypsum, Radix Gentianae, Cortex Phellodendri, and Rhizoma Anemarrhenae. The decoction was given to rats of the deficient cold model group by gastrogavage for 5 days. Then these rats were randomly divided into the acetoacetate extract of Radix Aconite group (n=10), the Radix Aconite Decoction group (n=10), and the model group (n=10). Rats in the model model group were administered with the decoction by gastrogavage. Rats in the other two groups were administered with the acetoacetate extract of Radix Aconite or Radix Aconite Decoction by gastrogavage for 5 days. The contents of lactic acid (LA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pyruvate (PA), glycogen (Gn) and activities of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca(2+) -Mg(2+) -ATPase in the hepatic tissue were detected.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, the PA content, activities of Na(+)-K(+) -ATPase and Ca(2+) -Mg(2+) -ATPase decreased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the PA content increased in the other two groups. Compared with the control group, the contents of LDH and PA, and activities of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase increased in the the acetoacetate extract of Radix Aconite group with statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe febricity of acetoacetate extract of Radix Aconite was slightly higher than that of Radix Aconite Decoction, seemingly generating more energy. But the final conclusions and concrete mechanisms of action need further studies.

Acetoacetates ; Adenosine Triphosphatases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Energy Metabolism ; drug effects ; Female ; Glycogen ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Pyruvic Acid ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The effects of estriol on oxygen uptake, glucose release, lactate and pyruvate production, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate production in perfused rat liver as well as, carbon uptake in rat liver and intracellular calcium in isolated Kupffer cells were investigated. Basal oxygen consumption of perfused liver increased significantly in estriol or ethanol-treated rats. But these increased effects were blocked by gadolinium chloride pretreatment. In a metabolic study, pretreatment with estriol resulted in a decrease in glucose production and in glycolysis while an increase in ketogenesis. A more oxidized redox state of the mitochondria was indicated by increased ratios of perfusate [lactate]/[pyruvate] and decreased ratios of perfusate [beta-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate]. Carbon uptake of Kupffer-cell increased significantly in estriol-treated rats. But these increased uptake were not shown in rats pre-treated by gadolinium chloride blocking phagocytosis. In isolated Kupffer cells from estriol-treated rats, intracellular calcium was more significantly increased after addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than in controls. These findings suggest that the metabolic effects of estriol (two mg per 100 mg body wt) can be summarized to be highly toxic in rat liver, and these findings suggest that oral administration of estrogens may induce hepatic dysfunctions and play a role in the development of liver disease.
3-Hydroxybutyric Acid/metabolism ; Acetoacetates/metabolism ; Animal ; Calcium/metabolism ; Carbohydrates/metabolism ; Carbon/metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Colloids/metabolism ; Estriol/pharmacology* ; Estriol/metabolism ; Ethanol/pharmacology ; Female ; Gadolinium/pharmacology ; Glucose/biosynthesis ; Intracellular Fluid/metabolism ; Kupffer Cells/metabolism ; Kupffer Cells/cytology ; Lactates/metabolism ; Lipids/metabolism ; Liver/metabolism ; Liver/drug effects* ; Oxygen Consumption ; Phagocytosis ; Pyruvic Acid/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley