Stress and emotion are associated with several illnesses from headaches to heart diseases and immune deficiencies to central nervous system. Terminalia arjuna has been referred as traditional Indian medicine for several ailments. The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of T. arjuna bark extract (TA) against picrotoxin-induced anxiety. Forty two male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into six experimental groups (n = 7): control, diazepam (1.5 mg·kg), picrotoxin (1 mg·kg) and three TA treatemt groups (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg). Behavioral paradigms and PCR studies were performed to determine the effect of TA against picrotoxin-induced anxiety. The results showed that TA supplementation increased locomotion towards open arm (EPM) and illuminated area (light-dark box test), and increased rearing frequency (open field test) in a dose dependent manner, compared to picrotoxin (P < 0.05). Furthermore, TA increased number of licks and shocks in Vogel's conflict. PCR studies showed an up-regulation of several genes, such as BDNF, IP, DL, CREB, GABA, SOD, GPx, and GR in TA administered groups. In conclusion, alcoholic extract of TA bark showed protective activity against picrotoxin in mice by modulation of genes related to synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitters, and antioxidant enzymes.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Anxiety Disorders ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; psychology ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dopamine Agents ; administration & dosage ; GABA Agents ; administration & dosage ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neuronal Plasticity ; drug effects ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Picrotoxin ; adverse effects ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Serotonin Agents ; administration & dosage ; Superoxide Dismutase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Terminalia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of the patient with tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency, and investigate it's molecular mechanism.

METHODThe clinical characteristics of a patient with tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency were summarized and analyzed, his and his family's peripheral blood specimens were collected after informed consent was signed. All exons and the intron-exon boundaries of guanosine triphosphate hydroxylase I gene, tyrosine hydroxylase gene and sepiapterin reductase gene were examined by DNA-PCR, bi-directional sequencing.

RESULTThe patient was a 3-year-old boy, presented with unexplained dystonia for 3 years, without significant impairment of intelligence. Physical examination showed limb muscle strength grade V, rigidity of extremities, hypertonicity, brisk deep tendon reflexes in limbs, without obvious abnormalities in auxiliary examination, such as brain MRI, hepatic biochemical panel, creatine kinase, and ceruloplasmin. He dramatically responded to small doses of levodopa in the follow-up for half a year. A homozygous missense change in exon 5 of TH gene, c.605G > A (p.R202H), which was a known pathogenic mutation, was found in the patient. His parents were heterozygous for the R202H mutation.

CONCLUSIONThe age of onset in tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency patients is usually within the first year of life. Unexplained dystonia and hypokinesia were the main clinical features of tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency. The dopa-responsive effects for some patients are so obvious that we should strengthen awareness of the disease. TH gene c.605G > A (p.R202H) may be a common type of causative mutations for the mild form at home and abroad.

Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Catecholamines ; biosynthesis ; Child, Preschool ; DNA ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Dopamine Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dystonic Disorders ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Levodopa ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Muscle Rigidity ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation, Missense ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; deficiency ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of dopamine and phenylephrine for treatment of hypotension during cesarean section under combined spinal epidural anesthesia (CSEA) on the stereology of the placenta.

METHODSForty puerperants undergoing cesarean section under CSEA were randomly divided into dopamine group and phenylephrine group. Ropivacaine (16 mg) was administered immediately after spinal anethesia. Blood pressure was maintained near the baseline by adjusting the drug infusion rate. Fetal blood gas, Apgar score, and placental villus microvascular stereological changes were observed during the operation.

RESULTSThe microvascular density was significantly lower in dopamine group than in phenylephrine group (P<0.05). Phenylephrine group showed significantly lower umbilical artery blood pH than dopamine group (P<0.05). The Apgar score and blood pressure were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared to the baseline, both of the two groups showed significantly lowered heart rate during the operation (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONDopamine is associated with the risk of fetal acidosis. Phenylephrine is helpful for preventing hypotension by increasing placental blood flow and improving oxygen supply to ensure maternal and fetal safety during cesarean section.

Amides ; administration & dosage ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Apgar Score ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Cesarean Section ; Dopamine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension ; drug therapy ; Infant, Newborn ; Oxygen ; Phenylephrine ; administration & dosage ; Placenta ; drug effects ; physiology ; Pregnancy ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; administration & dosage

PURPOSE: Levodopa is the most effective anti-Parkinsonian agent. It has also been known to exhibit analgesic properties in laboratory and clinical settings. However, studies evaluating its effects on neuropathic pain are limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the anti-allodynic effects of levodopa in neuropathic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats underwent the surgical procedure for L5 and L6 spinal nerves ligation. Sixty neuropathic rats were randomly divided into 6 groups for the oral administration of distilled water and levodopa at 10, 30, 50, 70, and 100 mg/kg, respectively. We co-administered carbidopa with levodopa to prevent peripheral synthesis of dopamine from levodopa, and observed tactile, cold, and heat allodynia pre-administration, and at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 240 min after drug administration. We also measured locomotor function of neuropathic rats using rotarod test to examine whether levodopa caused side effects or not. RESULTS: Distilled water group didn't show any difference in all allodynia. For the levodopa groups (10-100 mg/kg), tactile and heat withdrawal thresholds were increased, and cold withdrawal frequency was decreased dose-dependently (p<0.01). In addition, levodopa induced biphasic analgesia. Different dosage of levodopa did not impact on the rotarod time (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Levodopa reversed tactile, cold and heat allodynia in neuropathic rat without any side effects.
Animals ; Carbidopa/administration & dosage/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Dopamine Agents/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Hyperalgesia/*drug therapy ; Levodopa/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Neuralgia/*drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rotarod Performance Test

This study is to offer a clinical pain-depression dyad therapy of ferulic acid, the pain-depression dyad induced by reserpine was established and the dose-effect relationship of ferulic acid on ameliorating pain-depression dyad was explored. Mice were randomly divided into control group, reserpine + vechile and reserpine + ferulic acid (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg x kg(-1)) groups. The reserpine treated mice were tested with thermal hyperalgesia, mechanicial allodynia and forced swimming tests, and the SOD and NO levels of hippocampus and frontal cortex were measured. Moreover, the HPLC-ECD was used to detect the changes of central monoamines concentrations. Compared with control group, reserpine can induce a significant decrease in the nociceptive threshold and increase in the immobility time of the forced swimming test. The results suggested that reserpine significantly increased the level of nitrite in hippocampus and frontal cortex and reduced the levels of SOD, 5-HT and NE in these two brain regions. However, these indexes can be a dose-dependently reversed by ferulic acid (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg x kg(-1)). Ferulic acid can reverse pain-depression dyad, especially at the dose of 80 mg x kg(-1). In addition, it can influence oxidative stress and monoamine level.
Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Coumaric Acids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Depression ; chemically induced ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Frontal Lobe ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hyperalgesia ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Pain ; chemically induced ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Pain Measurement ; Random Allocation ; Reserpine ; adverse effects ; Serotonin ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Swimming ; physiology

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the combination of green tea extract (GTE) and L-theanine has an anxiolytic effect by oral administration through behavioral tests and neurtransmitters (or hormone) anaylses. Four week oral administration of GTE (24 mg/kg), L-theanine (4 mg/kg) or their combination showed anxiety-reducing effects determined by increasing numbers of head-dips in a hole board test and reducing retention time in a rota-rod test without changing spontaneous locomotor activity. Biochemical analyses indicated that the test materials decreased dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA), corticosterone (CS) and increased serotonin (5-HT) levels in brain cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, which suggests a possible mechanism of previous behavioral tests. Although the synergistic effects of GTE and L-theanine combination were not observed on the behavioral test, its effects on neurotransmitters (NA, CS) were synergistic and comparable to diazepam (2 mg/kg i.p.) with much less muscle relaxation side effect. Therefore, a combination of GTE and L-theanine may be useful as a functional food ingredient having an anxiolytic effect.
Administration, Oral ; Anti-Anxiety Agents ; Brain ; Corticosterone ; Diazepam ; Dopamine ; Functional Food ; Hippocampus ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Relaxation ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine ; Retention (Psychology) ; Serotonin ; Tea

OBJECTIVETo investigate the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of Chunxiong Chatiao pulvis (CXCT) on the MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurodegneration in mice model of PD.

METHODThree to five months old male mice were randomly divided into following six treatment groups (NS + NS, 50 mg x kg(-1) CXCT + NS, 25 mg x kg(-1) CXCT + MPTP, 50 mg x kg(-1) CXCT + MPTP, 75 mg x kg(-1) CXCT + MPTP, NS + MPTP) (n = 8/group). For behavioral measurement, the mice were evaluated for their motor coordination by pole-test; Striatal dopamine content of mice was measured using standard reverse-phase HPLC; Number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells in the substantia nigra of mice was detected by immunohistochemistry; SOD activity in the substantia nigra of mice were measured by fluorimetry.

RESULTThe score of pole test (25, 50, 75 mg x kg(-1)), the striatal dopamine contents (75 mg x kg-1), the residual DA contents (75 mg x kg(-1)) and the SOD activity in substantia nigra (50, 75 mg x kg(-1)) all showed that, the CXCT-pretreated groups significantly higher than that of the group NS + MPTP (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONChuanxiong Chatiao pulvis improved the motor deficit in MPTP-induced mice, and attenuate MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice. Importantly, the neuroprotective effect of Chuanxiong Chatiao pulvis against dopaminergic neurodegeneration may be associated with its strong antioxidant capacity in vivo.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of dopamine and norepinephrine on the renal function in the patients with septic shock.

METHODSEighty-seven patients with septic shock were divided into three groups (group A, B, C) according to the biggest infusing rate of norepinephrine, with the infusing rate of 0.5 - 0.9, 1.0 - 1.5, 1.6 - 2.0 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), urine output, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), urine albumin (U-ALB) and urine beta(2)-microglobulin (Ubeta(2)-MG) as well as APACHE III score in all the patients were detected.

RESULTSBefore anti-shock therapy was given, hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria occurred in all the 87 patients, and CRE, BUN, U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG and APACHE III score were abnormal in most cases. With the anti-shock therapy, MAP, HR, urine output and BUN, CRE in all patients returned to normal levels gradually, and U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG levels and APACHE III score also restored but still remained abnormal.

CONCLUSIONSThe first aim of treating septic shock should be restoring the organ blood supply, and based on volume resuscitation, dopamine, noradrenaline and other vasoactive drugs could be combined to maintain circulatory stability.

APACHE ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Transfusion ; Cardiotonic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dopamine ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Norepinephrine ; administration & dosage ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; administration & dosage

PURPOSE: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been known as psychiatric disorder in childhood associated with dopamine dysregulation. In present study, we investigated changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) density of the basal ganglias using I-123 N- (3-iodopropen-2-yl) -2-carbomethoxy-3beta- (4-chlorophenyl) tropane [I-123 IPT] SPECT in children with ADHD before and after methylphenidate treatment. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Nine drug-naive children with ADHD and seven normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPECT two hours after the intravenous administration of I-123 IPT and made both quantitative and qualitative analyses using the obtained SPECT data, which were reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratios in the basal ganglia. All children with ADHD reperformed [123I]IPT SPECT after treatment with methylphenidate (0.7mg/kg/d) during about 8 weeks. SPECT data reconstructed for the assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were compared between before and after treatment methylphenidate. We investigated correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of basal ganglia. RESULTS: Children with ADHD had a significantly greater specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia comparing to normal children (Right: z = 2.057, p = 0.041; Left: z = 2.096, p = 0.032). Under treatment with methylphenidate in all children with ADHD, specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both basal ganglia decreased significantly greater than before treatment with methylphenidate (Right: t = 3.239, p = 0.018; Left: t = 3.133, p = 0.020). However, no significant correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity scores and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were found. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD.
Administration, Intravenous ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Basal Ganglia* ; Brain ; Child* ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Methylphenidate ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

OBJECTIVES: ADHD has been known as psychiatric disorder in childhood associated with dopamine dysregulation. The symptoms of ADHD can be treated with methylphenidate, a potent blocker of the dopamine transporter (DAT). In present study, we investigated DAT density using I-123N-(3-iodopropen-2-yl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane ([123I]IPT SPECT) in children with ADHD before and after treatment with methylphenidate. METHODS: Seven drug-naive children with ADHD and eight normal children were included in the study and performed SPECT 2 hours after an intravenous administration of [123I]IPT. All children with ADHD reperformed [123I]IPT SPECT after treatment with methylphenidate (0.7 mg/kg/d) during about 8 weeks. SPECT data reconstructed for the assessment of specific/ nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were compared between before and after treatment methylphenidate. We investigated correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity assessed with ADHD rating scale-IV and specific/ nonspecific DAT binding ratio of basal ganglia. RESULTS: Children with ADHD had a significantly greater increase of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of right basal ganglia than normal children (Right:z=2.085, p=0.037;Left:z=1.506, p=0.132). Under treatment with methylphenidate in all children with ADHD, specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both basal ganglia decreased significantly greater than before treatment with methylphenidate (Right:t=3.239, p=0.018;Left:t=3.133, p=0.020). However, no significant correlation between the change of ADHD symptom severity scores and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia were found. CONCLUSIONS: The data of this study using methylphenidate in children with ADHD support the complex dysregulation of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system in children with ADHD.
Administration, Intravenous ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Basal Ganglia* ; Child* ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Methylphenidate* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*