OBJECTIVETo study regulative action of mica monomer granule preparation on gastrin (GAS), somatostatin (SS) and G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa in experimental chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) rat.

METHODCAG rats were treated with mica monomer granule preparation with three different dosages--high, moderate and low level respectively. Changes of blood serum GAS, blood plasma SS and G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa in CAG rats were observed and detected with ELISA method, RIA method and immunocytochemistry method.

RESULTMica monomer granule of three different dosages could increase the quantity of G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa and the concentration of blood serum GAS and decrease the content of blood plasma SS in CAG rat at different level respectively. It was more effective in high and moderate dosage groups.

CONCLUSIONMica has the pharmacological action of protecting gastric mucosa, promoting the palingenesis of gastric gland and enhancing blood stream of gastric mucosa consequently to abate the inflammation reaction of gastric mucosa. Its effective mechanism is associated with the neuroendocrine regulative mechanism of promoting the secretion of gastric acid and gastric pepsin by increasing the amount of G cells as well as D cells and the concentration of blood serum GAS, and reducing inhibiting action on GAS secretion and enhancing the secretion of GAS by decreasing the content of SS.

Aluminum Silicates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gastrin-Secreting Cells ; drug effects ; Gastrins ; blood ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; blood ; pathology ; Materia Medica ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Somatostatin ; blood ; Somatostatin-Secreting Cells ; drug effects

PURPOSE: Growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs) possess the ability to release growth hormone (GH) in the body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MK-677, an orally active GHS, on somatic growth in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serum levels of GH were measured after oral administration of MK-677 to confirm GH stimulatory effects. Body weight, body length, tibia length, epiphyseal plate width, and serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I were measured after oral administration of 4 mg/kg of MK-677 for 6 weeks to investigate growth-promoting effects. RESULTS: Oral administration of MK-677 at 4 mg/kg increased peak GH concentrations by 1.8-fold, compared to baseline. However, oral administration of MK-677 for 6 weeks did not increase body growth or serum levels of IGF-I. At 6 weeks after treatment, the GH response to MK-677 was abolished. Pituitary GH mRNA and hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone mRNA, and GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR) mRNA expression in the pituitary and hypothalamus did not differ between the control and treatment group. Somatostatin (SST) mRNA expression in the hypothalamus was markedly increased in the treatment group, whereas SST receptor (SSTR)-2 mRNA expression in the pituitary gland was decreased. Protein expression of hypothalamic GHSR, SST, and pituitary SSTR-2 showed patterns similar to those for mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that prolonged administration of MK-677 in rats does not promote growth despite the GH stimulatory effect of MK-677, which may be related to increased expression of SST in the hypothalamus. Further studies are needed to overcome the observed desensitization to GHS.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Growth Hormone* ; Growth Plate ; Hypothalamus ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Pituitary Gland ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Somatostatin ; Tibia

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of the combination of octreotide and aspirin on the growth of gastric cancer.

METHODSProliferation of gastric cancer cell lines treated with octreotide or aspirin was determined by (3)H-thymidine incorporation. After xenografts of human gastric cancer were implanted orthotopically in the stomach of nude mice, they were administered octreotide plus aspirin for 8 weeks. The mRNA of somatostatin receptor in the tissues of gastric carcinoma was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cyclooxygenase-2 in gastric cancer tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSBoth octreotide and aspirin significantly reduced the (3)H-thymidine incorporation of gastric cancer cells. Xenografts in situ were found in all stomachs of nude mice except for two in the combination group. Either size or weight of tumors treated by octreotide, aspirin or in combination was significantly reduced as compared with that of controls. The inhibition rate for tumor was 60.6% (octreotide), 39.3% (aspirin), and 85.6% (in combination) respectively. No severe side effects were observed in any treated groups. Somatostatin receptor-2 and -3 were expressed in the transplanted gastric adenocarcinomas. Aspirin could down-regulate the strong expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in the tissue of gastric adenocarcinomas of nude mice.

CONCLUSIONA combination of octreotide and aspirin significantly inhibited proliferation of gastric cancer through mediation of somatostatin receptors and suppression of cyclooxygenase-2.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Aspirin ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Octreotide ; administration & dosage ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; genetics ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Transplantation, Heterologous

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects of transcutaneous electrical point stimulation and medication on functional dyspepsia.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 125 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation and oral administration of placebo, transcutaneous electrical stimulated at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21), Taichong (LR 3) etc. The control group was treated with oral administration of Mosapride citrate dispersible tablets, Domperidone and Omeprazole and the placebo treatment of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, the stimulated position was 3-4 cm to the selected points of the observation group, the amount of the stimulation did not reach the treatment amount. The symptom score, the plasma motilin (MTL) concentration and the somatostatin (SS) concentration were observed before and after treatment of 3 courses.

RESULTSAll symptom scores after treatment were lower than that before treatment in the two groups, the scores of the upper abdominal pain, acid regurgitation, belching and abdominal distention in the observation group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the treatments of both two groups can increase the plasma MTL concentration and decrease the SS concentration (both P < 0.001), and the plasma MTL concentration in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01), and the SS concentration was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTranscutaneous electrical point stimulation can more reduce the symptoms of upper abdominal pain, acid regurgitation, belching and abdominal distention, etc. in the functional dyspepsia patients than medication treatment, and can increase the concentration of the plasma MTL and decrease the SS concentration, thus to improve the gastrointestinal motility.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Benzamides ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Domperidone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dyspepsia ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Morpholines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Motilin ; blood ; Omeprazole ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Somatostatin ; blood ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

Chylothorax is a rare but serious postoperative condition with a high rate of morbidity that may lead to death of children with congenital heart disease. Here we reviewed nine consecutive cases with chylothorax in infants and children following cardiac surgery from March 2002 to February 2003. Somatostatin was added to conservative treatment proctocol to increase effectiveness of therapy in all cases. The duration of somatostatin therapy varied from 7 to 32 days. All cases of chylothorax were successfully treated with intravenous infusion of somatostatin as an adjunctive treatment. Even though two cases showed rebound phenomena, we avoided any surgical procedure in the nine patients who treated with conservative management combined with somatostatin. No significant side effects of somatostatin were observed. It seems that somatostatin is effective, noninvasive and safe therapeutic modality. It can be used as an adjunctive treatment to conservative management to control postoperative chylothorax in children with congenital heart disease.
Child, Preschool ; Chylothorax/*drug therapy/*etiology ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital/complications/*surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Postoperative Complications/*drug therapy/*etiology ; Somatostatin/administration and dosage/*therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of SOM230, a new somatostatin analogue, on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line HepG2 in vitro and in vivo, and explore the mechanism underline the necrosis of tumors.

METHODSMTT, TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay (TUNEL) and flow cytometric assay were used to measure the effects of SOM230 on the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC HepG2 cells. Nude mice bearing HCC xenografts of the HepG2 cell line were treated with SOM230 (100 microg/kg/d subcutaneously injection) and saline as a control for eight weeks. The mass and percentage of necrotic volume of the HCC xenografts in nude mice were determined. Western blot was used to detect SSTR2 in HCC xenografts. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression sites of SSTR2 and VEGF in HCC xenografts. ELISA was used to detect the levels of TNFalpha.

RESULTSNo proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 cells were induced by SOM230 in vitro (F = 0.16, P more than 0.05). The percentage of necrotic volume in SOM230 were significantly higher than that of control group (73.4%+/-7.0% vs 30.2%+/-14.0%, t = -8.02, P more than 0.01). SSTR2 was expressed in blood sinus of HCC xenografts in nude mice. There was no significance difference in the level of SSTR2 expression between SOM230 group and saline treated group. VEGF expression in xenografts was down-regulated by SOM230 treatment. SOM230 treatment did not affect the level of TNFalpha in HCC xenografts (t = -0.24, P more than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSOM230 can induce massive necrosis of HCC xenografts only after the blockage of blood flow through down-regulation of VEGF mediated by SSTR2.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; metabolism ; Somatostatin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

BACKGROUND: Acute variceal bleeding is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis, which has an attendant mortality of approximately 60% over two years, and a variety of treatments, such as balloon tamponade, endoscopic varix ligation, sclerotherapy, histoacryl injection and vasoactive drugs, have been used. The aims of the present trial were to compare the effectiveness and complications of somatostatin and vasopressin in the treatment of acute variceal bleeding. METHODS: Forty-three cirrhotic patients, with endoscopically proven acute variceal bleeding, were included in this trial. Both drugs were given as continuous intravenous infusions for 48 hours. Twenty patients received the somatostatin (250 mcg per hr after a bolus of 50 mcg) and twenty-three the vasopressin (0.4 units per min). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to age, sex, etiology of cirrhosis, Child-Pugh classification, characteristics of bleeding episode, laboratory findings before randomization and units of transfused blood during therapy. Rebleeding, within 6 hours after beginning of therapy, was regarded as failure to control initial bleeding, and was observed in 3 (13.0%) of the patients who received vasopressin and in 1 (5.0%) treated with somatostatin (p> 0.05). Five patients in both the somatostatin (25.0%) and vasopressin (21.7%) groups rebled during the first 5 days following the initial therapy (p> 0.05). Meaningful complications related to the use of vasopressin were observed in 5 patients (chest pain or abdominal pain requiring nitroglycerin), but no complications were associated with the use of somatostatin (p< 0.05). The mortalities during hospitalization were similar in both the treatment groups. Two of the vasopressin and 1 of the somatostatin group died due to the uncontrolled rebleeding, and 1 of the vasopressin group died due to hepatic failure (2 weeks later after theropy). CONCLUSION: This study showed no differences in the effectiveness of somatostatin and vasopressin, but the somatostatin group had a lower risk of the complications.
Comparative Study ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/*drug therapy/etiology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/*drug therapy/etiology ; Hemostatics/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Human ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications/mortality/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Somatostatin/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vasopressins/*administration & dosage/adverse effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Terlipressin and somatostatin decrease portal venous pressure and they are used for the treatment of variceal bleeding. However, only a few studies have compared the efficacy of these drugs in combination with other procedures for hemostasis. Therefore, we performed a prospective study to compare the efficacy of terlipressin and somatostatin for controlling acute variceal bleeding when used in combination with other procedures for hemostasis. METHODS: A total of 98 patients, who presented with variceal bleeding from September 2003 to May 2005, were randomly divided into the somatostatin group or terlipressin group. We compared the 5-day failure rate (defined as failure to control bleeding, rebleeding or death within 5 days of admission) and the 6-week mortality. The prognostic factors for 5-day failure and 6-week mortality were also evaluated. RESULTS: There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The overall 5-day failure rate and the cumulative 6-week mortality were 16.3% and 15.8%, respectively. The five-day failure rate and the cumulative 6-week mortality were not significantly different between the somatostatin and terlipressin groups. Hepatocellular carcinoma, the baseline serum creatinine level and endoscopic treatment for hemostasis were the significant predictors of 5-day failure; the baseline serum creatinine level was the predictor of 6-week mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Both somatostatin and terlipressin were effective and showed comparable efficacy for the control of the acute variceal bleeding in the setting of a combined therapeutic approach. The baseline serum creatinine level may be a significant predictor for patient failure at 5 days and the 6-week mortality.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/complications/*drug therapy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/complications/*drug therapy ; Hemorrhage/complications/drug therapy ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Humans ; Liver/*blood supply ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications ; Liver Diseases/drug therapy ; Liver Neoplasms/complications ; Lysine Vasopressin/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Somatostatin/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Varicose Veins/complications/drug therapy ; Vasoconstrictor Agents/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of high-fat (HF) diet on the body weight and the mRNA expression of melanin concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1) and leptin receptor (OB-Rb) in the adipose tissue in rats, the two important and opposite factors in regulating the body weight. METHODS: Post-weaning rats were divided into 3 groups: the NC group were fed a normal-chow diet (NC) (13% calories from fat), the HF group with a HF-diet (47% calories from fat) and the PHF group pair-fed a HF-diet (47% calories from fat). At the end of 8th week, the gained bodyweight, the plasma melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) and leptin, and the expression levels of MCHR1 and OB-Rb in the adipose tissue were measured. RESULTS: Both the HF-diet and pair-fed HF-diet enhanced the body weight (P<0.01), plasma MCH (P<0.01) and leptin concentrations (P<0.05). In the adipose tissue, HF-diet resulted in significant increase in MCHR1 (PHF group,P<0.05) and decrease in OB-Rb mRNA levels (HF group,P<0.01; PHF group,P<0.05). No statistical difference was found between the HF group and the PHF group in terms of the aforementioned data (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Chronic intake of iso-caloric HF-diet and ad libitum HF-diet obviously results in increase in the body weight, serum leptin, and MCH concentration. Diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders are possibly correlated with up-regulated expression of MCHR1 and down-regulated expression of OB-Rb in the adipose tissue.
Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Dietary Fats ; administration & dosage ; Hypothalamic Hormones ; blood ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Melanins ; blood ; Obesity ; etiology ; metabolism ; Pituitary Hormones ; blood ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Leptin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; genetics ; metabolism