Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare manifestation of hyperthyroidism characterized by muscle weakness and hypokalemia. All ethnicities can be affected, but TPP typically presents in men of Asian descent. The most common cause of TPP in thyrotoxicosis is Graves' disease. However, TPP can occur with any form of thyrotoxicosis. Up to our knowledge, very few cases ever reported the relationship between TPP and painless thyroiditis. We herein report a 25-yr-old Korean man who suffered from flaccid paralysis of the lower extremities and numbness of hands. The patient was subsequently diagnosed as having TPP associated with transient thyrotoxicosis due to painless thyroiditis. The paralytic attack did not recur after improving the thyroid function. Therefore, it is necessary that early diagnosis of TPP due to transient thyrotoxicosis is made to administer definite treatment and prevent recurrent paralysis.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/etiology ; Male ; Organotechnetium Compounds/chemistry/diagnostic use ; Potassium Chloride/therapeutic use ; Propranolol/therapeutic use ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Thyroiditis/*complications/radiography/ultrasonography ; Thyrotoxicosis/*diagnosis/etiology

The effect of NaCl plus 3% chitosan on the systolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were evaluated and compared with NaCl plus KCl (NaCl, 49.36% + KCl 49.36%) and chitosan or NaCl treatment alone. In SHR, administration of NaCl plus chitosan (44 mM Na/day) for two months significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure greater than of NaCl plus KCl and NaCl alone. NaCl plus chitosan resulted, though not statistically significant, in decreased urinary Na+ excretion and decreased blood urea nitrogen levels. Urinary creatinine of NaCl plus chitosan was slightly decreased compared to 3 treated groups. Serum electrolytes levels, however, remained unchanged. The combination of NaCl and chitosan may be superior to the conventional use of NaCl plus KCl or NaCl alone in the prevention of hypertension. Even though these supplementary diets have demonstrated potential anti-hypertensive effects in the experimental animal model, further research is needed before any recommendations can be made.
Angiotensin I/blood ; Angiotensin II/biosynthesis ; Animals ; Blood Pressure/*drug effects/physiology ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Weight/drug effects ; Chitosan/*administration & dosage ; Chlorides/blood/urine ; Creatinine/urine ; Heart/physiology ; Histocytochemistry ; Hypertension/*prevention & control ; Kidney/physiology ; Male ; Potassium/blood/urine ; Potassium Chloride/administration & dosage ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Sodium/blood/urine ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary/*administration & dosage ; Systole/drug effects/physiology

OBJECTIVE: Morphologic features of the corpse of rabbits died of potassium intoxication were studied in order to elucidate an objective evidence for forensic determination of death caused by potassium intoxication. METHODS: Macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural (by transmission electron microscopy) changes were observed in the heart, brain, and kidney of rabbits killed by intravenous push or continuous infusion at 100 drips per minute with 0.3% and 1% KCl, respectively. Normal rabbits without any treatment killed by bleeding were used as controls. RESULTS: Macroscopically, cardiac dilatation and congestion/stasis as well as ischemic and hypoxic changes in various organs were observed in rabbits died of potassium injection. Microscopically and ultrastructurally, there were destruction of the cardiac fibers with thickening, concentrating, or disappearing of the Z-line, constriction of the glomerular capillaries, enlargement of the Bowman capsule, thinning and fusion of foot processes, as well as apoptosis with phagocytosis in brain observed, particularly in the group infused with 1% KCl. CONCLUSION The morphologic changes observed in the heart and kidney appear to be characteristic, supporting death caused by potassium intoxication.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain/pathology* ; Cadaver ; Capillaries/pathology* ; Forensic Pathology ; Injections, Intravenous/methods* ; Kidney Glomerulus/pathology* ; Male ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Phagocytosis ; Postmortem Changes ; Potassium/poisoning* ; Potassium Chloride/administration & dosage* ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVE: To explore the objective evidence of the corpus biochemical changes in rabbits for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication. METHODS: Rabbits were sacrificed by Infusion of 0.3% KCl at full speed push or 1% KCl at 100 drip/min, respectively, with normal rabbits used as control. Cardiac blood and urine samples were collected before and after potassium infusion to examine the concentrations of various electrolytes (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, and HCO3-) and to observe the antemortem and postmortem biochemical changes. RESULTS: The mean lethal infusion time in the 0.3%KCl group was longer than that in the 1% KCl group (P = 0.006). The serum concentration of K+ increased while the serum concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, and HCO3- decreased after the infusion. There were no statistically significant differences in the whole blood concentration of K+ as well as the serum concentration of Mg2+ between the two groups (P = 0.062). There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of whole blood K+, as well as serum Na+, Mg2+, and Cl-, but not in the serum K+, Ca2+, and HCO3-. There were no statistically significant differences seen in the urine volumes and the concentrations of all the urine electrolytes between the groups. CONCLUSION Examination of the concentrations of K+ both in the whole blood and serum, as well as Mg2+ in the serum may be helpful for postmortem diagnosis of potassium intoxication.
Animals ; Calcium/urine* ; Electrolytes/urine* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Injections, Intravenous/methods* ; Magnesium/urine* ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Potassium/poisoning* ; Potassium Chloride/administration & dosage* ; Rabbits ; Sodium/urine*

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of potassium salts on direct induction of microtubers from different explants in Pinellia ternata.

METHODLeaves, petioles and tubers were cut and cultured on the medium with different kinds of potassium salts and plant growth regulators.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONLow concentration of potassium salts, which were lower than 4.02 mmol x L(-1), could promote the microtuber formation in vitro. While high concentration of potassium salts, which were more than 12.06 mmol x L(-1), inhibited the formation of microtubers.

Culture Media ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Nitrites ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Phosphates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Pinellia ; growth & development ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; Plant Tubers ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Potassium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Potassium Compounds ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Tissue Culture Techniques

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relaxative characteristics of resveratrol on thoracic aortic artery in the rat and its mechanism.

METHODWe perfused the isolated rings and observed the response of NA-induced artery contraction to resveratrol under the Ca2+-contained and Ca2+-free bath solutions. In the same way were the effect of reveratrol on the vascular smooth muscle observed by adding two different concentration of KCl (30 and 80 mmol x L(-1)), and the effect on the contraction of the vascular smooth muscle depending on the intracellular calcium and extracellular calcium were also observed by adding NA. We also observed the effect of resveratrol on the contraction of rings induced by NA in the presence of L-NNA and Glibenclamide.

RESULTResveratrol relaxed rat aorta rings precontracted by NA in a dose-dependent manner. The relaxant effect of resveratrol on the rat rings of endothelium-denuded group was reduced compared with that of endothelium-intact group; the relaxant effect of resveratrol on rat rings was higher under the condition of Ca2+-free bath solution than that under the condition of Ca2+-contained bath solution. Resveratrol had a repressive effect on the aorta's contraction induced by intracellular calcium, but had no effect induced by extracellular calcium. Resveratrol relaxed the contractions induced by KCl 30 mmol x L(-1) as well as KCl 80 mmol x L(-1), but the contraction curve of KCl 80 mmol x L(-1) was shifted upward significantly. In the L-NNA group, the relaxant effect was attenuated by (26.0 +/- 4.6) %; but there was no change in the group of Glibenclamide ( P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that resveratrol relaxes vascular smooth muscle in an endothelium dependent manner. The mechanisms for this phenomenon seem to be related with promoting synthesis and release of NO, opening Ca2+ activated K+ channel (KCa channel) as well as the inhibition of Ca2+ influx and release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; physiology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; Female ; Glyburide ; pharmacology ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; physiology ; Norepinephrine ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Potassium Chloride ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stilbenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Vasodilator Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEHypoxia/KCl injury model in the cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (CMs) was established to investigate the protective effect of Lycium barbanun Glycopeptide (LbGp) on calcium overload.

METHODCultured neonatal rat CMs were divided into three groups, namely normal control, hypoxia groups and LbGp-treated group. CMs in LbGp-treated group and hypxia group were cultured in an incubator ventilated with 95% N2 and 5% CO2 with or without LbGP. CMs viability under hypoxia was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetry (MTT). The intracellular free calcium concentration in cardiomyocytes was measured by laser confocal microscope with Fura-3/AM as a calcium indicator. The protective effects of LbGp on the CMs treated by KCl (60 mmol x L(-1)) was observed.

RESULTAs compared with normal controls, the degree of MTT metabolism was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in hypoxic group and slightly reduced in LbGp (P < 0.05). Hypoxia-induced enhancement of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) was attenuated by LbGp significantly (P < 0.01). Moreover, KCl-induced enhancement of [Ca2+]i was also reduced by LbGp at the doses of 25, 50, 100 microg x mL(-1) in a concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONThe result suggested that LbGp is able to increase the survival ratio and inhibit the enhancement of the intracellular free calcium concentration in cardiomyocytes induced by hypoxia and high potassium. One of the mechanisms is that LbGp acts on L-type calcium channels.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Glycopeptides ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Lycium ; chemistry ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Potassium Chloride ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo make a comparatively analysis of the effects of 10% KCl injection into the fatal cardiac area and yolk-sac aspiration on multifetal pregnancy reduction.

METHODSTwenty-three patients with multifetus were selected in the investigation. Eight of the patients accepted 10% KCl injection into the fatal cardiac area, and 15 of them received yolk-sac aspiration. The average number of punctures, average time of reduction operation, failure rate of operation, abortion rate, and infection rate were observed.

RESULTSThe average time of reduction operation[(2.8 +/- 0.7) min] of aspiration was significantly lower than that of 10% KCl injection [(5.11 +/- 1.35) min] (P < 0.05). The infection rate of yolk-sac aspiration was 6.7%, lower than that of 10% KCl injection (37.5%) (P > 0.05). Cardic area injection showed a higher infection rate, and no significant difference was observed in the average number of punctures, failure rate of operation and abortion rate(P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAlthough both yolk-sac aspiration and cardiac area injection were safe and reliable methods for multifetal pregnancy reduction, the former is worth recommending for its shorter operation time heeded and lower infection rate, especially for the multifetal patients within 60 gestation days.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Potassium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

PURPOSE: It has previously been reported that citrate, thiazide, allopurinol and magnesium (CTAM) have inhibitory effects on calcium oxalate crystallization, but the effects of CTAM on the matrix proteins of stones in vivo has not been studied. Using an ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis model, we investigated the effects of CTAM on renal crystallization and the expression of osteopontin (OPN), which is an important stone matrix protein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250gm) were divided randomly into 6 groups of 10 rats. Group 1 was left untreated, and served as a control. Group 2 (CID group) was fed 0.8% ethylene glycol and 1% ammonium chloride (crystal-inducing diet, CID) in drinking water for 4 weeks. Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 (CTAM groups) were fed the same CID as group 2, but were also treated with either potassium citrate or hydrochlorothiazide or allopurinol or magnesium hydroxide, for 4 weeks, respectively. We biochemically analyzed the 24-hour urine and serum samples. The renal calcium content was measured by atomic absorption. The kidneys were histologically examined for crystal deposit with HandE staining, and for OPN expression with immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The grade of calcium oxalate crystal deposits, and renal calcium content, were significantly decreased in the CTAM groups compared to the CID group, which also correlated with the decreased expression of OPN proteins in the kidneys of the CTAM-treated rats. CTAM were all effective in preventing calcium oxalate crystal formation, and decreasing the expression of OPN in rat kidneys. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CTAM are effective in preventing calcium oxalate stone formation, and that OPN plays an important role in calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.
Absorption ; Administration, Oral* ; Adult ; Allopurinol* ; Ammonium Chloride ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Citric Acid* ; Crystallization ; Diet ; Drinking Water ; Ethylene Glycol ; Hand ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; Kidney ; Magnesium Hydroxide ; Magnesium* ; Nephrolithiasis ; Osteopontin* ; Potassium Citrate ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urolithiasis*

AIMTo study sandwiched osmotic pump tablet for delivering water-insoluble drug for 24 hours.

METHODSSandwiched osmotic pump tablet was prepared using nifedipine as the model drug. The effects of various formulation variables and orifice size on drug release were studied. The mechanical properties of cellulose acetate membrane were also investigated.

RESULTSPolyethylene oxide of drug layer and potassium chloride of push layer showed marked positive effects on drug release. In the range of 0.50 mm to 1.40 mm, orifice size hardly affects drug release. Cellulose acetate membrane is strong enough to assure the integrity of osmotic pump tablet and could sustain an internal pressure ranging from 0.34 MPa to 2.85 MPa.

CONCLUSIONSandwiched osmotic pump tablet can deliver water-insoluble drug constantly for 24 hours. Release media and agitation rate scarcely affect drug release. Compared with the commercialized push-pull osmotic pump tablet, sandwiched osmotic pump tablet is easy in preparation with exempting identification of drug layer before drilling.

Cellulose ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Nifedipine ; administration & dosage ; Osmosis ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Potassium Chloride ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods