Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Centaurea aladagensis

Composition of the water-distilled oil of the aerial parts of Centaurea aladagensis, endemic in Turkey, was analysed by GC-MS. Hexadecanoic acid (39.3%), caryophyllene oxide (6.6%) and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (4.3%) were found as main constituents in the oil. The oil was tested against 7 human pathogenic microorganisms.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Turkish adults

OBJECTIVE

To determine prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in a sample representing Turkish population using United States Adult Treatment Panel-3 guidelines.

DESIGN

The study included random samples from both urban and rural populations in the seven geographical regions of Turkey. The population for this analysis were 2108 men (1372 in urban and 736 in rural areas) and 2151 women (1423 in urban and 728 in rural areas) with a mean age of 40.9+/-14.9 years (range 20-90).

RESULTS

The prevalence of the MS diagnosed using the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria was 33.9% (1442 of 4259) and differed significantly in men (28%) and women (39.6%). The prevalence of syndrome increased with age in men, from 10.7% in subjects aged 20-29 years to 49% in those aged over 70 years. The prevalence increased with age in women, from 9.6% in subjects aged 20-29 years to 74.6% in those aged 60-69 years, and decreased to 68.6% in those over 70 years of age. The prevalence of the syndrome was similar in urban (33.8%) and rural (33.9%) population. We found 26.8, 26.4, 19.3, 10.9 and 3.6% of the population had at least 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 components, respectively. We found 57.2, 32.3 and 10.6% of the subjects with MS had 3, 4 and 5 components, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of the MS in the adult Turkish population is very high, especially in women. Our findings have important implications for public health in Turkey.

Elevated cAMP levels reverse Brucella melitensis-induced lipid peroxidation and stimulate IL-10 transcription in rats

Brucella species are able to survive and replicate within the phagocytic vacuole of macrophages that induce chronic infection in humans and domestic animals. The activation of oxidative bactericidal activity is one of the defense systems which protect the host from the toxic effects of pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate lipid peroxidation, NO production, antioxidative system and inflammation during a period of brucella infection in a rat model; in addition to investigate the role of elevated intracellular cyclic AMP on Brucella-induced events. Brucella significantly induced lipid peroxidation in plasma, liver and spleen by 3-5-fold at 7 days postinfection. NO concentration was significantly elevated in the liver and spleen while unchanged in plasma. Cyclic AMP elevating agent, rolipram, administration (1mg/kg/day i.p., 3 days) gradually suppressed lipid peroxidation and NO formation to the basal level in plasma and spleen whilst only a slight decrease was observed in liver. Brucella considerably decreased SOD activity in the liver and spleen, with rolipram restoring the enzyme activity in liver and activity in spleen being unchanged. Reverse transcriptase PCR analyses showed that Brucella melitensis does not alter TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma transcriptions in liver and spleen. The pathogen did not consistently induce nitric oxide synthase mRNA transcriptions in animals; even in those housed in the same group. IL-10 transcription was induced by rolipram in spleen but not in liver. Our results suggest that activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway suppressed lipid peroxidation and the elevated NO concentrations caused by B. melitensis. Moreover, rolipram induced anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 transcription and SOD activity, albeit in a tissue dependent manner.

Treatment options in colchicine resistant familial Mediterranean fever patients: thalidomide and etanercept as adjunctive agents

OBJECTIVE

Regular colchicine treatment cannot control the typical febrile attacks of FMF in about 5-10% of the compliant patients. Here we report the effect of thalidomide and etanercept in 5 colchicine-resistant cases.

METHODS

Five (4M/ 1F) FMF patients between April 2005 and March 2006, who were experiencing at least 2 attacks per month, despite regular colchicine were included to the study. Four male patients were given thalidomide 100 mg/d initially. Two of these patients unresponsive to thalidomide were prescribed subcutaneous injections of etanercept 25 mg, twice a week. The female patient received etanercept as the first choice due to potential side effects. She then had to be converted to thalidomide due to a severe injection site reaction.

RESULTS

The median follow up period with thalidomide and etanercept was 8 months. Both thalidomide and etanercept lowered the number of the abdominal attacks.

CONCLUSION

Thalidomide and etanercept might be effective as additional treatment in colchicine-resistant cases of FMF.

Two acylated flavonoid glycosides from Stachys bombycina, and their free radical scavenging activity

Preparative reversed-phase HPLC analysis of the methanol extract of the aerial parts of Stachys bombycina (Lamiaceae) afforded two acylated flavonoids glycosides, chrysoeriol 7-O-[6-O-acetyl-beta-D-allopyranosyl]-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and apigenin 7-O-beta-D-(6-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside (2), the former being a new natural product. The structures of these compounds were elucidated unambiguously by UV spectroscopic analyses using shift reagents, ESIMS, and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. The free radical scavenging activity of 1 and 2 compounds were assessed by DPPH assay, and the RC50 values were 1.25 x 10(-2) and 7.69 x 10(-4) mg/mL, respectively.

Relation between aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate aortic function and its relation to left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both, without coronary artery disease.

METHODS

Study groups were composed of 27 healthy participants and 25 patients with hypertension, 24 with diabetes, and 18 with hypertension and diabetes. Coronary artery disease was excluded in all of the study participants. Aortic strain and distensibility were calculated from the aortic diameters measured by echocardiography and blood pressure obtained by sphygmomanometry.

RESULTS

There were significant differences between the control and the patient groups (hypertensive, diabetic, and diabetic-hypertensive) in aortic strain (mean (SD) 18 (8)% v 11 (7)%, 9 (3)%, and 8 (3)%, respectively, p < 0.001) and distensibility (10 (5.1) v 3.1 (1.5), 5.1 (2.8), and 2 (0.9) cm2/dyn/10(3), respectively, p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the parameter most closely related to the deceleration time in the control group was aortic distensibility (standardised beta coefficient -0.50, p = 0.002, overall R2 = 0.25). In the patient group, the parameter most closely related to deceleration time was also aortic distensibility (standardised beta coefficient -0.36, p = 0.009, overall R2 = 0.13). Even though the study group variable was entered in to the multivariate model, aortic distensibility was found to be the parameter most closely related to deceleration time (standardised beta coefficient -0.48, p < 0.001, overall R2 = 0.22).

CONCLUSION

Aortic stiffness is increased in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both even after the exclusion of coronary artery disease. Aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction are also associated in these patients.

Experimental hyperkalaemia in rabbits: effects of salbutamol and norepinephrine treatments on blood biochemistry and electrocardiography

The effects of salbutamol and norepinephrine on the electrocardiogram (ECG), serum potassium level and enzyme activities were studied in rabbits with hyperkalaemia; norepinephrine and salbutamol may be therapeutically useful. For induction of hyperkalaemia, 300 mM KCl solution was used and then isotonic saline solution containing 6 microg salbutamol and 3.9 microg norepinephrine per ml were administered. Norepinephrine and salbutamol decreased the serum potassium from 7.36 +/- 0.26 and 7.21 +/- 0.31 mmol/L to 5.62 +/- 0.27 and 4.35 +/- 0.33 mmol/L, respectively, and caused the ECG changes (flatness of P wave, widening of QRS complex and bradycardia) to return to the control conditions (time 0). Norepinephrine, but not salbutamol, decreased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to the control levels. These results suggest that monitoring of the enzyme activities might be useful as it yields indexes suitable for evaluating the therapeutic approach with norepinephrine in hyperkalaemia.

Congestive heart failure associated with chronic venous insufficiency and leg ulcers secondary to an arteriovenous fistula caused by a shotgun wound 15 years ago

We present a 65-year-old man who had a significant arteriovenous fistula between the right arteria profunda femoralis and vena profunda femoralis. He had evidence of chronic venous insufficiency and chronic leg ulcers on his right leg, and he had clinical findings of congestive heart failure. An arteriovenous fistula was responsible for all of clinical situation that had been caused by a shotgun wound 15 years ago. Using ultrasonography, after palpating a marked thrill and mass during physical examination, established the diagnosis of arteriovenous fistula. Angiography was performed both to delineate the suspected vascular anatomy and to show the coronary arteries. The patient was operated on and no complication was experienced during or after the procedure. Dramatic improvement was seen in the clinical picture just after surgery, and heart size markedly reduced both on chest X-ray and echocardiographic examination.

Comparison of the chemopreventive potentials of melatonin and vitamin E plus selenium on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced inhibition of mouse liver antioxidant enzymes

Chemoprevention is a rapidly growing area of oncology that is identifying agents with a potentially preventive role in cancer. In this study, it was our goal to compare the chemopreventive effects of vitamin E plus selenium, and melatonin. Forty female mice were divided into four equal groups. The first group served as control. The second group had i.p. injections of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) (20 mg/kg body weight) in corn oil for 21 days. The third group had the same procedure of DMBA injections as the second group and received vitamin E + selenium (90 microg + 1.8 microg/day), simultaneously. The fourth group had DMBA injections and melatonin (4.2 mg/kg body weight), simultaneously. DMBA alone caused significant inhibition of hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the second group. In the third group, vitamin E + selenium restored DMBA-induced GSHPx inhibition significantly whereas CAT and SOD inhibition remained essentially unchanged. In the fourth group, melatonin not only significantly decreased DMBA-induced GSHPx inhibition but also fully reversed CAT and SOD inhibitions caused by DMBA. We speculate that melatonin alone provides better chemoprevention against DMBA-induced oxidative stress than the vitamin E+selenium combination.

[Effects of factor V Leiden mutations on prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction]

OBJECTIVE

Factor V Leiden mutation, the genetic defect underlying resistance to activated protein C, is the most common risk factor for venous thrombosis. Factor V Leiden mutation and its relation to post-myocardial infarction (MI) complications including angina pectoris, heart failure, reinfarction and cardiac mortality has not been investigated. We aimed to investigate this relation.

METHODS

The prevalence of factor V Leiden mutation was investigated in 122 patients with first acute myocardial infarction (aged 56 +/- 11, 82 men/40 women). These patients were divided into two groups according to whether the patients had factor V Leiden mutation (Group I) or not (Group II). Post MI complications were evaluated during 18 months. Blood samples from the patients were analyzed for factor V Leiden mutation by DNA analysis, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

Factor V Leiden was detected in 11 (9%) patients (aged; 54 +/- 10, 5 women/men) and was not detected in 111(90%) patients (aged; 56 +/- 11; 35 women/76 men) of the 122 patients. There were no significant differences between Group I and Group II in terms of post MI complications, including reinfarction (27% vs. 29%; p > 0.05, respectively), angina pectoris (45% vs. 38%; p > 0.05, respectively), heart failure (27% vs. 23%; p > 0.05, respectively) and cardiac mortality (18% vs. 14%; p > 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Post MI complications, including reinfarction, heart failure, angina pectoris and cardiac mortality were not increased in patients with factor V Leiden.

Patent ductus arteriozus associated with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery: a case report

Patent ductus arteriozus (PDA) is the most common type of extracardiac shunt and it usually closes within 2 or 3 days of birth, but it may remain patent for one's lifetime. In this paper, we report a 65-year-old woman with PDA associated with a right coronary arising anomaly. To our knowledge, the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery associated with PDA has not been published to date. In this case report, we used only the standard Judkins type of a left coronary catheter for cannulation of both left and right coronary arteries and as well as PDA.

Echocardiographic evaluation in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

OBJECTIVE

To assess cardiac function in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

STUDY DESIGN

We studied heart structure and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function by echocardiography in 38 patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (34 men and 4 women, mean age 24 +/- 4 years) and in 30 healthy subjects (25 men and 5 women, mean age 22 +/- 3 years). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, end-systolic diameter, left ventricular septal wall thickness, posterior wall thickness and ejection fractions were measured by M-mode echocardiography. Parameters of mitral flow were measured by pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography.

RESULTS

Between patients with and without hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, there were no significant differences in echocardiographic measurements.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac function is normal in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.