AIMTo examine the changes in the erectile function in diet-induced obese rats and investigate the oral efficacy of DA-8159, a new phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, on penile erection in obese rats.

METHODSThe rats were fed a high-energy diet for 12 weeks and divided into three groups: an obesity-resistant (OR) control group, an obesity-prone (OP) control group, and an OP-DA-8159 treatment (DA-8159) group. The electrostimulation-induced erectile responses were measured in all groups. The body weight, plasma cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose levels were also measured.

RESULTSIn the OP control group, the maximum intracavernous pressure (ICP) and ICP/blood pressure (ICP/BP) ratio after electric stimulation were significantly lower than those in OR control group. The corresponding area under the curve (AUC) of the ICP/BP ratio, the detumescence time and the baseline cavernous pressure were also lower than those in the OR control group, but this difference was not significant. The body weight gain, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride level in the OP group were significantly higher than those in the OR group. After administering the DA-8159, a significant increase in the maximum ICP and the ICP/BP ratio were observed. The corresponding AUCs in the DA-8159 group were also higher than those in the two control groups. Furthermore, the detumescence time was significantly prolonged after treatment with DA-8159.

CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate that diet-induced obesity affects the erectile function in rats and these erectile dysfunction (ED) can be improved by the treatment with DA-8159, indicating DA-8159 might be a treatment option for ED associated with obesity.

Animal Feed ; Animals ; Diet ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Obesity ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; physiology ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Pyrimidines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Sulfonamides

OBJECTIVE: In traditional medicine, Artemisia capillaris has been used for treatment of chronic diarrhea. Previously we found Artemisia capillaris had an effect on rats with TNBS-induced colitis. Eupatilin, a kind of flavonoids, may be a probable effective component. To evaluate the effect of a eupatilin derivative compound DA-6034 on the rat with TNBS-induced colitis, we perfomed this study. METHODS: Colitis was induced with 1ml of 50 mg/ml TNBS mixed with 60 % ethanol (vol/vol) in Sprague- Dawley rats. From the next day, 1ml methylcellulose, 1 mg/kg prednisolone, 0.3 or 3 mg/kg of DA-6017 and DA-6034 were administered through rectum once daily for 2 weeks. At 2days, 1week, and 2weeks later, we evaluated the effect by gross damage score (0-10) and measured myeloperoxidase, PGE2, and LTB4 from the damaged mucosa. RESULTS: The mean gross damage scores of prednisolone and 3 mg/kg of DA-6034 groups were significantly lower than that of a placebo group at 2weeks (0.8, 0.9 vs. 4.0, p<0.05). Myeloperoxidase activities also seemed to be lower in those effective groups but were not statistically significant. LTB4 levels were lower in prednisolone and, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg of DA-6034 groups than in a placebo group at 2weeks (7.91, 7.23, and 7.13 vs. 13.90 ng/mg protein, p<0.05). PGE2 levels were decreased in prednisolone and 0.3 mg/kg of DA-6034 groups at 2days. DA-6017 showed no effects. CONCLUSIONS: Eupatilin derivative compound, DA- 6034 was effective in rats with TNBS-induced colitis. In that LTB4 level is lowered with some decrease of PGE2 level, this agent probably has an inhibitory effect on arachidonic acid metabolism.
Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Artemisia ; Colitis* ; Diarrhea ; Dinoprostone ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids* ; Leukotriene B4 ; Medicine, Traditional ; Metabolism ; Methylcellulose ; Mucous Membrane ; Peroxidase ; Prednisolone ; Rats* ; Rectum

BACKGROUND: A high proportion of currently isolated gram-negative bacilli are resistant to beta-lactams by producing beta-lactamases. beta-lactam and beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations have been successfully used to overcome the resistance. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity of a new combination, cefatrizine-clavulanic acid, was determined against gram-negative bacilli isolated from community-acquired urinary track infections. METHODS: Nonduplicate strains of Enterobacteriaceae, isolated in 2003 from urine specimens of outpatients and inpatients of less than 3 hospital days at Severance Hospital, were tested by the NCCLS agar dilution method. RESULTS: Of a total of 204 isolates, 144 (71%) were Escherichia coli and 30 (15%) were Klebsiella spp. MIC50 and MIC90 of cefatrizine for E. coli were 2 microgram/mL and 16 microgram/mL, respectively. MIC90s of both cefaclor and cefoxitin were also 16 g/mL. MIC50 and MIC90 of cefatrizine-clavulanic acid for E. coli were 1 microgram/mL and 4 microgram/mL, respectively, which were 1/2-1/4 of those of cefaclor and cefoxitin. For Klebsiella spp., MIC90 of cefatrizine was 4 microgram/mL with an MIC range of 1->128 microgram/mL, whereas that of cefatrizine-clavulanic acid was 2 microgram/mL with an MIC range of 0.5-32 microgram/mL. In vitro activity of cefatrizine-clavulanic acid was higher than that of cefatrizine. CONCLUSIONS: Improved in vitro activity of cefatrizine-clavulanic acid against isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella spp. from community-acquired urinary track infection suggested that the combination is useful for an empirical treatment of the infection.
Agar ; beta-Lactamases ; beta-Lactams ; Cefaclor ; Cefatrizine ; Cefoxitin ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Klebsiella ; Outpatients