Acute Disease ; Administration, Intravaginal ; Alprostadil ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Nitroglycerin ; therapeutic use ; Pessaries ; Prostaglandins E, Synthetic ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: To quantify phytochemicals using liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy (LCMS) analysis and explore the therapeutic effect of Aesculus hippocastanum L. (AH) seeds ethanolic extract against gastric ulcers in rats. METHODS: Preliminary phytochemical testing and LCMS analysis were performed according to standard methods. For treatment, the animals were divided into 7 groups including normal control, ulcer control, self-healing, AH seeds low and high doses, ranitidine and per se groups. Rats were orally administered with 10 mg/kg of indomethacin, excluding the normal control group (which received 1% carboxy methyl cellulose) and the per se group (received 200 mg/kg AH seeds extract). The test group rats were then given 2 doses of AH seeds extract (100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively), while the standard group was given ranitidine (50 mg/kg). On the 11th day, rats in all groups were sacrificed, and their stomach was isolated to calculate the ulcer index, and other parameters such as blood prostaglandin (PGE₂), tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH). All isolated stomach tissues were analyzed for histopathological findings. RESULTS: The phytochemical examination shows that the AH seeds contain alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolic components, and glycosides. LCMS analysis confirms the presence of quercetin and rutin. The AH seeds extract showed significant improvement in gastric mucosa conditions after indomethacin-induced gastric lesions (P<0.01). Further marked improvement in blood PGE₂ and antioxidant enzymes, SOD, CAT, MDA and GSH, were observed compared with self-healing and untreated ulcer-induced groups (P<0.01). Histopathology results confirmed that AH seeds extract improved the mucosal layer and gastric epithelial membrane in treated groups compared to untreated ulcer-induced groups. CONCLUSIONS LCMS report confirms the presence of quercetin and rutin in AH seeds ethanolic extract. The therapeutic effect of AH seeds extract against indomethacin-induced ulcer in rat model indicated the regenerated membrane integrity, with improved cellular functions and mucus thickness. Further, improved antioxidant enzyme level would help to reduce PGE₂ biosynthesis.
Rats ; Animals ; Stomach Ulcer/pathology* ; Antioxidants/therapeutic use* ; Ranitidine/adverse effects* ; Aesculus ; Ulcer/drug therapy* ; Quercetin ; Plant Extracts/chemistry* ; Indomethacin/therapeutic use* ; Glutathione ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Rutin/adverse effects* ; Prostaglandins/adverse effects* ; Phytochemicals/therapeutic use*

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of latanoprost, bimatoprost, travoprost and timolol in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open angle glaucoma. METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted at a tertiary-care centre. One hundred and forty patients with newly diagnosed primary open angle glaucoma were randomly assigned to treatment with latanoprost (0.005%), bimatoprost (0.03%), travoprost (0.004%) or timolol gel (0.5%); 35 patients were assigned to each group. All patients were followed for 2, 6, and 12 weeks. The main outcome measure studied was the change in IOP at week 12 from the baseline values. Safety measures included recording of adverse events. RESULTS: The mean IOP reduction from baseline at week 12 was significantly more with bimatoprost (8.8 mmHg, 35.9%) than with latanoprost (7.3 mmHg, 29.9%), travoprost (7.6 mmHg, 30.8%) or timolol (6.7 mmHg, 26.6%) (ANOVA and Student's t-tests, p < 0.001). Among the prostaglandins studied, bimatoprost produced a maximum reduction in IOP (-2.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.25 to -3.18) followed by travoprost (-1.27; 95% CI, -0.81 to -1.27) and latanoprost (-1.25; 95% CI, -0.79 to -1.71); these values were significant when compared to timolol at week 12 (Bonferroni test, p < 0.001). Latanoprost and travoprost were comparable in their ability to reduce IOP at each patient visit. Ocular adverse-events were found in almost equal proportion in patients treated with bimatoprost (41.3%) and travoprost (41.9%), with a higher incidence of conjunctival hyperemia (24.1%) seen in the bimatoprost group. Timolol produced a significant drop in heart rate (p < 0.001) at week 12 when compared to the baseline measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Bimatoprost showed greater efficacy when compared to the other prostaglandins, and timolol was the most efficacious at lowering the IOP. Conjunctional hyperemia was mainly seen with bimatoprost. However, the drug was tolerated well and found to be safe.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Bimatoprost/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure/drug effects ; Female ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Heart Rate/drug effects ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure/drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostaglandins F, Synthetic/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Timolol/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Tonometry, Ocular ; Travoprost/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity/drug effects ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields/drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of seawater exposure on intestinal injury in rabbits with scald burns and explore the mechanisms.

METHODSSixty-three rabbits with scald burns covering 20% total body surface area were randomized equally into scald control group (group A), scald with freshwater exposure group (group B), and scald with seawater exposure group (group C). At 2, 4 and 8 h after scald burns, 7 rabbits from each group were sacrificed for detecting plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxide (LPO) levels and intestinal contents of prostaglandins (PGs) and for examining the intestinal pathologies; immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins in the small intestinal epithelium.

RESULTSThe rabbits in group C showed severer intestinal mucosal and barrier function damages than those in groups A and B. The plasma SOD activity and intestinal PGs contents were significantly lowered in group C than in groups A and B at 2, 4, and 8 h postburn (P<0.01) and reduced as the postburn time extended (P<0.01). In group C, plasma LPO content was the highest among the groups (P<0.01) and increased significantly with the seawater exposure time (P<0.01). The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the intestinal mucosal tissues was also the highest in group C (P<0.01) at 4 h and 8 h postburn and increased significantly with time (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSeawater exposure exacerbates scald burn-induced intestinal mucosal and barrier function damages in rabbits mainly by aggravating intestinal inflammation and structural damage, as evidenced by decreased intestinal PGs contents and plasma SOD activity, increased plasma PLO content, and enhanced Bax and Bcl-2 protein expressions in the intestinal mucosa.

Animals ; Burns ; pathology ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Prostaglandins ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Seawater ; adverse effects ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Herba dendrobii on rats with stomach-heat syndrome and to explore the mechanisms.

METHODRats were fed with decoction of Rhizoma Zingiberis for 15 continuous days to induce the model of stomach-heat syndrome. After modeling, Herba Dendrobii (HD) decoction were given (in the doses of 1.5, 0.75 g x kg(-1) respectively) for 10 days. After treatment, amount of the daily diet, volume and absorbance of urine, pellet number and moistness of excrement, color and coating degree of tongue were recorded; the body thermal effects were detected with thermal texture maps (TTM) system; the biochemical indexes of blood reflecting the physiological function of stomach, including thromboxaneB2 (TXB2), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha(6-keto-PGF1alpha), motilin (MTL), gastrin (Gas), somatostation (SS), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured by radio immunoassay; and the histological changes of gastric mucosa were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain.

RESULTThe model rat had yellow coating and red tongues (P < 0.05). The amount of daily diet were increased (over 10%), urine volume and excrement pellet number were decreased (over 10%). The their urine color became deep (P < 0.01) and their excrement became dry. The temperatures in head, neck, left fore-armpit, chest, up-abdomen, mid-abdomen of the model rats were raised up (difference > 0.5 degrees C or difference > 1.0 degree C ). The content of 6-keto-PGF1alpha in blood of model rats decreased evidently (P < 0.01), and the contents of MTL, Gas and IL-8 increased conspicuously (P < 0.01). The histological changes of gastric mucosa in the model rats were as follows: diffuse congestion, infiltration of neutrophil, less secretion, decrease of the number of chief and parietal cells, etc (P < 0. 05 or P < 0.01). After treatment with HD, except the daily food weight, the temperatures in head, neck and chest, the content of MTL and the number of chief cells, the other indexes observed above were improved noticeably (difference > 0.5 RC or difference > 1.0 degree C, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe reason why HD relieves the general symptom and sign the gastric mucosa of rats with stomach-heat syndrome is that HD can increase 6-keto-PGF1alpha and decrease IL-8, Gas, TXB2 in their blood.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Gastric Dilatation ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Gastrins ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Male ; Motilin ; metabolism ; Prostaglandins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Detection, Psychological ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Stomach Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Syndrome ; Thromboxanes ; metabolism