We investigated dietary effects of prickly pear cactus (Opuntina ficus-indica) on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation (PA), hemolysis, plasma TBARS and liver enzymes. Twenty eight volunteer diving women in Jeju island had daily 20 g cactus tea containing 27% prickly pear cactus (PPC) powder for 4 weeks, and data for the study subjects were analyzed, on the basis of diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP)(> or = 140/90 mmHg), plasma cholesterol (> or = 200 mg/dL) and triglyceride (> or = 150 mg/dL). The subjects with higher BP had higher plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations than those with normal BP. Those with higher TC also had higher TG. Subjects with normal BP or normal TC had higher initial slope of PA than their higher counterpart in BP and TC. PPC intake decreased plasma TG in those with higher BP. PPC intake significantly decreased the elevated initial slope in groups with normal BP, TC, and TG. Hemolysis after PPC intake decreased significantly in all the subjects and plasma TBARS decreased in the subjects with higher plasma TC and higher TG. Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) significantly increased and total bilirubin significantly decreased in all the subjects after PPC intake. The present study with diving women showed that beneficial effects of short term intake of prickly pear cactus might differ depending on the subject conditions in term of blood pressure, and plasma lipids. However, long term usage of prickly pear cactus may provide preventive effects of cardiovascular diseases to all the population, presumably by hypolipidemic, antithrombotic, and antioxidant actions of its bioactive flavonoids and soluble fiber.
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Bilirubin ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Cactaceae ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diving ; Female ; Flavonoids ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Liver ; Opuntia ; Plasma ; Platelet Aggregation ; Tea ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

Uterine myomas are the most common benign tumor of the female genital organ. Uterine artery embolization is well reported of primary treatment of uterine myoma. A 29 year-old nulliparous woman was diagnosed as uterine myoma by ultrasonogram. We embolize both uterine artery after treatment with GnRH analog and then we experience a case of improvement of menorrhagia, with reduction in uterine myoma size. So we report that case with a brief review.
Adult ; Female ; Genitalia ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Menorrhagia ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Artery Embolization* ; Uterine Artery*

Uterine myomas are the most common benign tumor of the female genital organ. Uterine artery embolization is well reported of primary treatment of uterine myoma. A 29 year-old nulliparous woman was diagnosed as uterine myoma by ultrasonogram. We embolize both uterine artery after treatment with GnRH analog and then we experience a case of improvement of menorrhagia, with reduction in uterine myoma size. So we report that case with a brief review.
Adult ; Female ; Genitalia ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Menorrhagia ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Artery Embolization* ; Uterine Artery*

BACKGROUND: The emergence of multi-drug resistant Gram-positive cocci, such as MRSA, VRE, and VRSA, necessitated to develop new antibiotics, which could replace the glycopeptide. As a result, a new antibiotics named linezolid was developed. Linezolid is different line of oxazolidinones with a good oral bioavailability, compared to other antibiotics. Since appropriate oral antibiotics are not presently available for MRSA, which is a major cause of nosocomial and community acquired infections, the introduction of linezolid will have favorable effect on treatment of infections such as pneumonia or skin infections. In this study, we investigated the antibiotic effect of linezolid on MRSA and VRE isolated from patients who were treated in Korea University Guro Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: By using broth microdilution and agar dilution method we measured minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with sixty S. aureus, forty three Enterococcus spp., and twenty five S. pneumoniae isolates from patients who were diagnosed as skin, soft tissue, respiratory, and urinary infections in Korea University Guro Hospital from January, 1998 to December, 2002. RESULTS: All of S. aureus used in this study were MRSA, and MIC90 of linezolid was below 2 microgram/ml (MIC ranged between 1-2 microgram/ml). All of Enterococcus spp. were VRE, and had MIC90 of 2 microgram/ml (MIC ranged between 1 to 4 microgram/ml). One of the VRE showed intermediate susceptibility with MIC of 4 microgram/ml. However, none was resistant with MIC breakpoint above 8 microgram/ml. All of S. pneumoniae were resistant to penicillin, but they were susceptible to linezolid with MIC90 of 1 microgram/ml(MIC range 0.5-1 microgram/ml). CONCLUSION: In conclusions, linezolid has an excellent in vitro antibiotic effect on multi-drug resistant Gram-positive cocci, such as MRSA, PRSP, and VRE.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biological Availability ; Community-Acquired Infections ; Enterococcus ; Gram-Positive Cocci ; Humans ; Korea ; Linezolid ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oxazolidinones ; Penicillins ; Pneumonia ; Skin

BACKGROUND: The emergence of multi-drug resistant Gram-positive cocci, such as MRSA, VRE, and VRSA, necessitated to develop new antibiotics, which could replace the glycopeptide. As a result, a new antibiotics named linezolid was developed. Linezolid is different line of oxazolidinones with a good oral bioavailability, compared to other antibiotics. Since appropriate oral antibiotics are not presently available for MRSA, which is a major cause of nosocomial and community acquired infections, the introduction of linezolid will have favorable effect on treatment of infections such as pneumonia or skin infections. In this study, we investigated the antibiotic effect of linezolid on MRSA and VRE isolated from patients who were treated in Korea University Guro Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: By using broth microdilution and agar dilution method we measured minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with sixty S. aureus, forty three Enterococcus spp., and twenty five S. pneumoniae isolates from patients who were diagnosed as skin, soft tissue, respiratory, and urinary infections in Korea University Guro Hospital from January, 1998 to December, 2002. RESULTS: All of S. aureus used in this study were MRSA, and MIC90 of linezolid was below 2 microgram/ml (MIC ranged between 1-2 microgram/ml). All of Enterococcus spp. were VRE, and had MIC90 of 2 microgram/ml (MIC ranged between 1 to 4 microgram/ml). One of the VRE showed intermediate susceptibility with MIC of 4 microgram/ml. However, none was resistant with MIC breakpoint above 8 microgram/ml. All of S. pneumoniae were resistant to penicillin, but they were susceptible to linezolid with MIC90 of 1 microgram/ml(MIC range 0.5-1 microgram/ml). CONCLUSION: In conclusions, linezolid has an excellent in vitro antibiotic effect on multi-drug resistant Gram-positive cocci, such as MRSA, PRSP, and VRE.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biological Availability ; Community-Acquired Infections ; Enterococcus ; Gram-Positive Cocci ; Humans ; Korea ; Linezolid ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oxazolidinones ; Penicillins ; Pneumonia ; Skin