AIM: To study the gastroprotective effect and in vivo antioxidant potential of a standardized iridoid fraction from B. prionitis leaves (BPE) against different gastric ulcer models in rats. METHOD: The standardized iridoid fraction from BPE at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight was administered orally, twice daily for 5 days for prevention from aspirin, ethanol, cold-restraint stress (CRS), and pylorus ligation (PL)-induced ulcers. Estimation of the antioxidant enzyme activity was carried out in a CRS-induced ulcer model, and various gastric secretion parameters including volume of gastric juice, acid output, and pH value were estimated in the PL-induced ulcer model. RESULTS: BPE showed a dose-dependent ulcer protective effect in PL (18.67%-66.26% protection), aspirin (24.65%-63.25% protection), CRS (20.77%-59.42% protection), and EtOH (16.93%-77.04% protection)-induced ulcers. BPE treatment in PL-rats showed a decrease in acid-pepsin secretion, and enhanced mucin and mucosal glycoproteins. However, BPE reduced the ulcer index with significant decrease in LPO (P < 0.01-0.001), SOD (P < 0.01-0.001), and an increase in CAT (P < 0.01-0.001), activity in the CRS-induced model. CONCLUSION The data shows that the iridoid fraction from BPE possesses anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant potential.
Acanthaceae ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; administration & dosage ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Iridoids ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stomach Ulcer ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of small dose of dopamine on the intestinal mucosa of scalded rats in shock stage.

METHODSWistar rats inflicted by 30% TBSA of III degree scalding were employed as the model. The rats were pre-placed with cardiac catheter before and were resuscitated intravenously after injury. The scalded rats were treated by routine (control) and small dose of dopamine (3 micro g.kg(-1).min(-1)), respectively. The changes of rat serum levels of diamine oxidase (DAO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactic acid (LA) were observed after treatment. And the pathomorphological changes of the intestine were scored.

RESULTSThe general condition of the rats with dopamine treatment in shock stage was better than that in control group. The rat serum levels of MDA, LA and DAO decreased obviously, especially during 3 to 12 postburn hours (PBHs) after treatment by small dose of dopamine. The pathomorphological scoring of ileum in dopamine treating group was better than that in control.

CONCLUSIONThe intestinal mucosa of severely scalded rats in shock stage could be well protected by small dose of dopamine.

Animals ; Burns ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective: This study aimed to explore the protective effect of procyanidin B2 (PCB2) on acute liver injury induced by aflatoxin B (AFB ) in rats. Methods: Forty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, AFB , AFB + PCB2, and PCB2 groups. The latter two groups were administrated PCB2 intragastrically (30 mg/kg body weight) for 7 d, whereas the control and AFB groups were given the same dose of double distilled water intragastrically. On the sixth day of treatment, the AFB and AFB + PCB2 groups were intraperitoneally injected with AFB (2 mg/kg). The control and PCB2 groups were intraperitoneally administered the same dose of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). On the eighth day, all rats were euthanized: serum and liver tissue were isolated for further examination. Hepatic histological features were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Weight, organ coefficient (liver, spleen, and kidney), liver function (serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin), oxidative index (catalase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine), inflammation factor [hepatic interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression and serum IL-6], and bcl-2/bax ratio were measured. Results: AFB significantly caused hepatic histopathological damage, abnormal liver function, oxidative stress, inflammation, and bcl-2/bax ratio reduction compared with DMSO-treated controls. Our results indicate that PCB2 treatment can partially reverse the adverse liver conditions induced by AFB . Conclusion Our findings indicate that PCB2 exhibits a protective effect on acute liver injury induced by AFB .
Aflatoxin B1 ; toxicity ; Animals ; Biflavonoids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Catechin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Male ; Poisons ; toxicity ; Proanthocyanidins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

protective conditions in children are not well defined and represent the aims of this study.METHODS: We prospectively enrolled inpatient children submitted to antibiotic treatment. Indication, type, dose and duration of treatment, probiotic supplementation and gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded at recruitment, after two and four weeks. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) was defined as the presence of at least 3 loose/liquid stools within 14 days from antibiotic onset.RESULTS: AAD occurred in 59/289 (20.4%) of patients, with increased risk in children younger than 3 years (relative risk [RR]=4.25), in lower respiratory (RR=2.11) and urinary infections (RR=3.67), intravenous administration (RR=1.81) and previous AAD episodes (RR=1.87). Abdominal pain occurred in 27/289 (9.3%), particularly in children >6 years (RR=4.15), with previous abdominal pain (RR=7.2) or constipation (RR=4.06). Constipation was recorded in 23/289 (8.0%), with increased risk in children having surgery (RR=2.56) or previous constipation (RR=7.38). Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.30) and abdominal pain (RR=0.36). Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and L. reuteri significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.37 and 0.35) and abdominal pain (RR=0.37 and 0.24).CONCLUSION: AAD occurred in 20.4% of children, with increased risk at younger age, lower respiratory and urinary tract infections, intravenous treatment and previous AAD. LGG and L. reuteri reduced both AAD and associated abdominal pain.]]>
Abdominal Pain ; Administration, Intravenous ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Constipation ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Lactobacillus reuteri ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Probiotics ; Prospective Studies ; Protective Factors ; Urinary Tract Infections

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of radiation emitted by mobile phones on bone strength and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the changes induced by radiation.

METHODSForty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups. Rats in the control group (first group) were left within the experimental setup for 30 min/day for 28 days without radiation exposure. Nine hundred MHz radiation group was broke down into 2 subgroups (group 1/2). Both subgroups were exposed to radiation for 28 days (30 min/day). The next group was also divided into 2 subgroups (group 3/4). Each was exposed to 1800 MHz of radiation for 28 days (30 min/day). The third and fifth groups were also treated with CAPE for 28 days. Treatment groups received ip caffeic acid phenethyl ester (10 micromol/kg per day) before radiation session. Bone fracture was analyzed.

RESULTSBreaking force, bending strength, and total fracture energy decreased in the irradiated groups but increased in the treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONRadiation and CAPE can significantly improve bone.

Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Density ; Caffeic Acids ; administration & dosage ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Femur ; pathology ; Fractures, Bone ; prevention & control ; Male ; Phenylethyl Alcohol ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; prevention & control ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo study the importance of blood pressure variability in organ protection for long-term treatment with fosinopril in-sinoaortic-denervated (SAD) rats.

METHODSFosinopril (15 mg.kg-1.d-1) was given in rat chow for 16 weeks after SAD surgery. Blood pressure variability (BPV) was recorded during 24 h in conscious state. Histopathological changes were evaluated with light microscope and computer-assisted image analysis.

RESULTSLong-term treatment with fosinopril significantly decreased BPV in SAD rats. The thickness of the left ventricular wall, collagen fraction of the left ventricle and glomerulosclerosis score were all positively related to BPV in untreated and fosinopril-treated SAD rats. Fosinopril markedly prevented the damages of target organs in SAD rats.

CONCLUSIONLong-term treatment with fosinopril showed obvious organ protection in SAD rats. The decrease in BPV may significantly contribute to organ protection.

Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Denervation ; methods ; Fosinopril ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Kidney ; pathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Sinoatrial Node ; innervation ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic efficacy of Dangfei Liganning Tablet (DLT) in the treatment of antipsychotics induced mild hepatic damage.

METHODSTotally 80 mental inpatients with antipsychotics induced mild liver injury were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group (40 cases) and the control group (40 cases). Patients in the treatment group took DLT, two tablets each time, three times per day, while those in the control group took Liver-protecting Tablet (LT), four tablets each time, three times per day. The treatment course was 4 weeks for all. Changes of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST) were observed before treatment, week 1, 2, and 4 after treatment. The therapeutic efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the former time point, ALT and AST gradually decreased in the two groups at week 1, 2, and 4 (P <0. 05). The cured rate was 72. 5% and the total effective rate was 97. 5% in the treatment group. They were 62. 5% and 90. 0% respectively in the control group. There was no statistical difference in the two indices between the two group (P >0.05). No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONDLT could treat antipsychotics induced mild hepatic damage in a safe and effective way.

Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Antipsychotic Agents ; adverse effects ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Tablets ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of procyanidins on cerebral injury in rat model of cerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and it's possible mechanisms. METHEOD: Fifty-four health Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups randomly: sham operation group, model group of intracerebral hemorrhage, treatment group-administrate with procyanidins of low (50 mg x kg(-1)), middle (100 mg x kg(-1)) and high(200 mg x kg(-1)) dose, and positive control group-administrate with nimodipine (10 mg x kg(-1)). Intragastric administration procyanidins to rats of each treatment groups once a day, lasting two weeks and once again at one hour before operation. The sham-operation group and intracerebral hemorrhage group was administrated with Sodium Chloride of the equal volume. On the brain stereotaxic apparatus, the rat intracerebral hemorrhage model was established by injecting collagenase with microinjector into the brain caudate nucleus which was located according to the brain stereotaxic atlas. Symptoms of neurological handicap of rats with ICH was evaluated by measurement of Bederson score at 4, 8, 12, 24 hour after operation respectively. Twenty-four hours after operation, make the blood serum of rats ready to measure the level of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the brain homogenate was prepared to detect the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat's brain tissues. The content of water in rat's brain was observed by Dry-weight method, the brain tissue pathomorphology was observed with electron microscope.

RESULTIn procyanidins groups (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1)), the neurological behavioral score, Brain Water Content (BWC) and the level of CK, LDH were significantly lower than those in ICH group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), whereas the activity of SOD was higher than that in ICH group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, procyanidins (100, 200 mg x kg(-1)) degrade the content of MDA in brain homogenate. In addition, changes of histopathology in procyanidin groups at every doses was better than ICH group.

CONCLUSIONProcyanidins can protect rats with cerebral hemorrhage, and the protective effect may be result from improving lipid peroxidation and reducing free radicals to generate.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Proanthocyanidins ; administration & dosage ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo explore the protective effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB) in adriamycin (ADR)-induced heart failure (HF) and the mechanism of ghrelin peptide.

METHODWistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, HF group and EGB group. ADR was injected in the rats of HF group and EGB group by caudal vein. After the last injection, the rats in EGB group were given intra-gastric administration of EGB solution (100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)). Three weeks later, cardiac function was detected; Ghrelin levels in plasma and myocardium were measured by radio-immunology assay (RIA); High energy phosphates (HEP) contents in myocardium were measured by HPLC; Myocardial gene expression of ghrelin was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTCompared with control group, HF group had obviously decreased index of cardiac function, and these indexes such as +/- dp/dt max in EGB group were higher than those in ADR group. Plasma ghrelin level in HF group was higher than that in control group while myocardial ghrelin level was significantly lower than that in control group. Myocardial ATP content and gene expression of ghrelin mRNA in HF group were significantly lower than those in control group; Plasma ghrelin level in EGB group was significantly increased. Myocardial ATP content and gene expression of ghrelin mRNA in EGB group were significantly higher than those in HF group, and were closed to those of control group.

CONCLUSIONMyocardial energy dysfunction is an important reason of ADR-induced HF. EGB therapy can improve cardiac function and energy metabolism in HF rats, partly because it might increase the expression and production of ghrelin, which can promote positive energy metabolism.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Ghrelin ; metabolism ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Yimucao (Herba leonuri) injection against experimental cerebral ischemia.

METHODSMouse models of cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral carotid artery occlusion or potassium cyanide and rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established to evaluate the protective effect of Yimucao injection by measuring the changes in cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) after the injections.

RESULTSYimucao injection significantly lowered the cerebral index of mice with cerebral ischemia, prolonged the survival time of mice poisoned with potassium cyanide, resulting also in significantly decreased MDA content and increased activities of SOD and LDH in the brain tissue of rats after a 10-min cerebral ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONYimucao injection provides protective effect against experimental cerebral ischemia.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism