The combination therapy with daclatasvir and asunaprevir can achieve a high sustained viral response rate against hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, but so far this regimen has not been reported in the treatment of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) genotype 1b. Here we report a case of CHC genotype 1b in a 44-year-old female chinese patient who was treated with this regimen for 24 weeks. The patient showed sustained viral response after the treatment and was clinically cured. During the treatment, the patient experienced a transient elevation of serum total bilirubin accompanied by lowered hemoglobin fluctuating between 100 and 110 g/L.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; therapeutic use ; Isoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use

Mivacurium is mainly metabolized by plasma cholinesterase, whereas atracurium is removed by Hofman elimination. The purpose of this study was to compare the infusion rate of atracurium and mivacurium in maintaining surgical relaxation, and to compare their recovery indices between parturients and non-pregnant women. Muscle relaxation was maintained by the continuous infusion of relaxants to retain the first response of train-of-four (TOF) at 5% of control. When mivacurium was used, Bolus-T5 (duration from the end of mivacurium bolus injection to 5% single twitch recovery) was measured. After discontinuing the infusion, the recovery index was measured. The infusion rate of mivacurium, not atracurium, was significantly lower in parturients and Bolus-T5 of parturients was significantly longer than that of non-pregnant women. There was no significant difference in the recovery indices of both relaxants. The authors concluded that the infusion rate of mivacurium in maintaining muscle relaxation in parturients should be reduced compared to the rate in non-pregnant women and measuring Bolus-T5 may be helpful in determining the infusion rate to maintain muscle relaxation.
Adult ; Atracurium/therapeutic use ; Atracurium/administration & dosage* ; Cesarean Section* ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Isoquinolines/therapeutic use ; Isoquinolines/administration & dosage* ; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents/therapeutic use ; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents/administration & dosage* ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUNDPoly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) has been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of heart ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone (DPQ), a potent PARP inhibitor, has cardiac protective effects. Because the underlying mechanisms are not understood, we investigated the effect of DPQ on heart I/R injury and its mechanisms.

METHODSStudies were performed with I/R rats' hearts. DPQ was used to inhibit the activation of PARP. Cardiac function and cellular apoptosis were assessed. The activation of PARP, transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were evaluated. We also evaluated expression of Akt and two of its downstream targets, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and forkhead transcription factor FOXO3a.

RESULTSAdministration of DPQ significantly decreased the activation of PARP and cellular apoptosis from (35 ± 5)% to (20 ± 4)% and simultaneously improved the cardiac function. DPQ reduced the expressions of NF-κB, ICAM-1, COX-2 and MMP-9 in rat heart and facilitated the activations of phosphor-Akt, phosphor-GSK-3β and phosphor-FOXO3a.

CONCLUSIONThe protective effects of DPQ were associated with the suppression of inflammation and the activation of the Akt signalling pathways suggesting that the inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase reduced heart I/R injury in rats.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Isoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Piperidines ; therapeutic use ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; Czechoslovakia ; History of Medicine ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Isoquinolines ; administration & dosage ; Mental Disorders ; drug therapy ; Psychiatry ; history ; Terbutaline ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Tranquilizing Agents ; history ; therapeutic use ; Tretoquinol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of palonosetron for prevention of vomiting induced by high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

METHODSOne-hundred and twenty-eight patients received tropisetron 5 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg at the first cycle or palonosetron 0.25 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg, respectively, each administered 30 min before the initiation of high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy. To observe the remission rate of acute emetic episodes and delayed emetic episodes, adverse effects and daily food-intake in the patients after the chemotherapy.

RESULTSThe complete response (CR) rates for acute vomiting were not significantly different between the tropisetron and palonosetron cycles (75.8% vs. 79.7%, P>0.05). The complete control rate of delayed vomiting in the palonosetron cycle was significantly higher than that in the tropisetron cycle (70.3% vs. 50.8%, P<0.01). The food-intake decrease rate of palonosetron cycle was 18.8%, significantly lower than the 53.1% of the tropisetron cycle (P<0.05). The toxicity in the two cycles was similar and no grade 3-4 toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONSPalonosetron is superior to tropisetron with a lower remission rate of delayed emesis induced by high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy and with tolerable toxicity. Moreover, the apparent emesis control of palonosetron treatment seems to provide an adequate food-intake in these patients.

Aged ; Antiemetics ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Eating ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Indoles ; therapeutic use ; Isoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Quinuclidines ; therapeutic use ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; prevention & control

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The treatment strategy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been changing rapidly since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals such as daclatasvir (DCV) and asunaprevir (ASV). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of DCV and ASV for HCV in real-life practice. METHODS: Patients were treated with 60 mg of DCV once daily plus 200 mg of ASV twice daily for 24 weeks, and followed for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was a sustained virological response at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) and safety. RESULTS: This retrospective study included eight patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection. All of the enrolled patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and their mean age was 65.75 years. One patient was a nonresponder and two patients relapsed with previous pegylated interferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) treatment. None of the patient showed NS5A mutation. An SVR12 was achieved in 88% of cases by the DCV and ASV combination therapy. The serum transaminase level and the aspartate-aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio were improved after the treatment. DCV and ASV were well tolerated in most of the patients, with treatment discontinuation due to adverse events (elevated liver enzyme and decompensation) occurring in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, combination of DCV and ASV treatment achieved a high sustained virological response with few adverse events even in those with cirrhosis, advanced age, and nonresponse/relapse to previous interferon-based therapy. Close monitoring of safety issues may be necessary when treating chronic HCV patients receiving DCV and ASV, especially in older patient and those with cirrhosis.
Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications/*drug therapy/virology ; Humans ; Imidazoles/*therapeutic use ; Isoquinolines/*therapeutic use ; Liver/diagnostic imaging ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Viral/blood ; Retrospective Studies ; Sulfonamides/*therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

This paper reviewed the phytochemical and pharmacological research progress in Leontopodium medicinal plants, including the resource distribution, the chemical constitutes, the pharmacological activities and clinical application. The review has provided some information for the study and development of Leontopodium medicinal plants in future.
Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Flavanones ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Isoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; Nephritis ; drug therapy ; Oils, Volatile ; isolation & purification ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry