1
|
Azmy Nabeh O, Ahmed El-Batrawy F, Anwar Khorshid O, Farouk Soliman G. The potential effect of ambrisentan as monotherapy and combined with tadalafil on diabetic erectile dysfunction in rats. Urologia 2024; 91:159-169. [PMID: 37642474 DOI: 10.1177/03915603231192737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study investigated the role of ambrisentan; the selective endothelin type-A receptor (ETAR) blocker on experimental diabetic erectile dysfunction in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-four adult male Sprague Albino rats were divided randomly into 7 groups. Three control groups received 1 mL saline, 0.2 mg/kg/d ambrisentan and 1.5 mg/kg/d tadalafil, respectively orally for 4 weeks. The remaining four groups were fed high fat diet for 14 days. Diabetes was induced by a single intra-peritoneal injection of 40 mg/kg streptozotocin. After 72 h, diabetes was confirmed by plasma glucose level ⩾250 mg/dL. Diabetic rats were divided randomly into four groups, numbered from 4 to 7. The fourth group was the diabetic-control group, while the fifth and sixth groups received ambrisentan and tadalafil respectively. The seventh group received a combination of both drugs. Treatment continued for 4 weeks then, copulatory, intracavernous pressure measurement, and laboratory tests were conducted. RESULTS In diabetic rats, ambrisentan and tadalafil improved fasting glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, testosterone, nitric oxide, and rho kinase (ROCK) values compared to diabetic group with the maximum improvement achieved in ambrisentan/tadalafil group (p < 0.05). Ambrisentan also enhanced ICP and improved latency to erection and number of mounts with a tolerable SBP. Yet, ambrisentan/tadalafil combined therapy resulted in deterioration in SBP with consecutive worsening in ICP and mating indices. CONCLUSION Ambrisentan showed significant therapeutic potential to prevent and improve diabetic ED in rats comparable to tadalafil.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omnia Azmy Nabeh
- Medical Pharmacology, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Omayma Anwar Khorshid
- Medical Pharmacology, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ghada Farouk Soliman
- Medical Pharmacology, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li Q, Wu J, Huang L, Zhao B, Li Q. Ephedrine ameliorates cerebral ischemia injury via inhibiting NOD-like receptor pyrin domain 3 inflammasome activation through the Akt/GSK3β/NRF2 pathway. Hum Exp Toxicol 2021; 40:S540-S552. [PMID: 34715758 DOI: 10.1177/09603271211052981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. The aim of this study is to explore the potential function of ephedrine in ischemic stroke and the underlying molecular mechanism. A middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model was established. The potential effects of ephedrine on MCAO rats and LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells were evaluated. Ephedrine reduced the infarct volume, cell apoptosis, brain water content, neurological score, and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) production in MCAO rats. Ephedrine treatment also suppressed TNF-α and IL-1β production and NOD-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation in BV2 microglial cells. The expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β was suppressed by ephedrine. Moreover, ephedrine treatment increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β and nuclear NRF2 levels in LPS-treated BV2 microglial cells. Meanwhile, LY294002 attenuated the inhibitory effects of ephedrine on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and TNF-α and IL-1β production. In addition, the level of pAkt was increased, while NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β were decreased by ephedrine treatment in MCAO rats. In conclusion, ephedrine ameliorated cerebral ischemia injury via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the Akt/GSK3β/NRF2 pathway. Our results revealed a potential role of ephedrine in ischemic stroke treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qunxian Li
- Department of Encephalopathy, DongZhimen Hospital, 248912Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Encephalopathy, DongZhimen Hospital, 248912Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Lixian Huang
- Department of Encephalopathy, DongZhimen Hospital, 248912Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Encephalopathy, DongZhimen Hospital, 248912Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qingbin Li
- Department of Encephalopathy, DongZhimen Hospital, 248912Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Idazoxan and Efaroxan Potentiate the Endurance Performances and the Antioxidant Activity of Ephedrine in Rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 57:medicina57030194. [PMID: 33668888 PMCID: PMC7996498 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57030194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background and objectives: The connections between the imidazoline system and multiple other neurotransmitter systems in the brain (adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic, glutamatergic, opioid) indicate the complexity of the mechanisms underlying motor activity and behavior. The aim of the present research was to investigate the effects of the combination of ephedrine (EPD) and imidazoline antagonists idazoxan (IDZ) and efaroxan (EFR) on the endurance performance in the treadmill test in rats. Materials and Methods: We used Wistar rats distributed as follows: Group 1 (Control) receiving distilled water 0.3 mL/100 g body weight; Group 2 (EPD) receiving 20 mg/kg ephedrine; Group 3 (EPD + IDZ) receiving 20 mg/kg ephedrine + 3 mg/kg idazoxan; Group 4 (EPD + EFR) receiving 20 mg/kg ephedrine + 1 mg/kg efaroxan. An additional group (C) of animals receiving 0.3 mL/100 g body weight distilled water (but not subjected to effort) was used. Endurance capacity was evaluated using a treadmill running PanLAB assay. The evaluation of the substances’ influence on oxidative stress was performed by spectrophotometric determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. Results: Treatment with EPD-IDZ and EPD-EFR were correlated with a longer distance traveled on the belt and with a decrease in the necessary electric shocks to motivate the animal to continue running in the forced locomotion test. Additionally, an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes was found. Conclusions: Idazoxan and efaroxan potentiated the physical effort-related effects of ephedrine with regard to endurance capacity and antioxidant activity in rats.
Collapse
|
4
|
Evidence of TCM Theory in Treating the Same Disease with Different Methods: Treatment of Pneumonia with Ephedra sinica and Scutellariae Radix as an Example. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:8873371. [PMID: 33354223 PMCID: PMC7737398 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8873371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Pneumonia is a serious global health problem and the leading cause of mortality in children. Antibiotics are the main treatment for bacterial pneumonia, but there are serious drug resistance problems. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat diseases for thousands of years and has a unique theory. This article takes the treatment of pneumonia with Ephedra sinica as a representative hot medicine and Scutellariae Radix as a representative cold medicine as an example. We explore and explain the theory of treating the same disease with different TCM treatments. Using transcriptomics and network pharmacology methods, GO, KEGG enrichment, and PPI network construction were carried out, demonstrating that Ephedra sinica plays a therapeutic role through the NF-κB and apoptosis signaling pathways targeting PLAU, CD40LG, BLC2L1, CASP7, and CXCL8. The targets of Scutellariae Radix through the IL-17 signaling pathway are MMP9, CXCL8, and MAPK14. Molecular docking technology was also used to verify the results. In short, our results provide evidence for the theory of treating the same disease with different treatments, and we also discuss future directions for traditional Chinese medicine.
Collapse
|
5
|
Truncated dystrophin ameliorates the dystrophic phenotype of mdx mice by reducing sarcolipin-mediated SERCA inhibition. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 505:51-59. [PMID: 30236982 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the less severe Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are due to mutations in the DMD gene. Previous reports show that in-frame deletion of exons 45-55 produces an internally shorted, but functional, dystrophin protein resulting in a very mild BMD phenotype. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanism leading to this phenotype, we generated exon 45-55 deleted dystrophin transgenic/mdx (Tg/mdx) mice. Muscular function of Tg/mdx mice was restored close to that of wild type (WT) mice but the localization of the neuronal type of nitric oxide synthase was changed from the sarcolemma to the cytosol. This led to hyper-nitrosylation of the ryanodine receptor 1 causing increased Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. On the other hand, Ca2+ reuptake by the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) was restored to the level of WT mice, suggesting that the Ca2+ dysregulation had been compensated by SERCA activation. In line with this, expression of sarcolipin (SLN), a SERCA-inhibitory peptide, was upregulated in mdx mice, but strongly reduced in Tg/mdx mice. Furthermore, knockdown of SLN ameliorated the cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis and the dystrophic phenotype in mdx mice. These findings suggest that SLN may be a novel target for DMD therapy.
Collapse
|
6
|
Faria-Urbina M, Oliveira RKF, Segrera SA, Lawler L, Waxman AB, Systrom DM. Impaired systemic oxygen extraction in treated exercise pulmonary hypertension: a new engine in an old car? Pulm Circ 2018; 8:2045893218755325. [PMID: 29309261 PMCID: PMC5788103 DOI: 10.1177/2045893218755325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ambrisentan in 22 patients with pulmonary hypertension diagnosed during exercise (ePH) improved pulmonary hemodynamics; however, there was only a trend toward increased maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) secondary to decreased maximum exercise systemic oxygen extraction (Ca-vO2). We speculate that improved pulmonary hemodynamics at maximum exercise “unmasked” a pre-existing skeletal muscle abnormality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Faria-Urbina
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rudolf K F Oliveira
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,3 Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Medicine, 28105 Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio A Segrera
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laurie Lawler
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aaron B Waxman
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David M Systrom
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, 1861 Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Schroeder T, Piantadosi CA, Natoli MJ, Autmizguine J, Cohen-Wolkowieczs M, Hamilton KL, Bell C, Klawitter J, Christians U, Irwin DC, Noveck RJ. Safety and Ergogenic Properties of Combined Aminophylline and Ambrisentan in Hypoxia. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2017; 103:888-898. [PMID: 28857147 PMCID: PMC5947522 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
We hypothesized that concomitant pharmacological inhibition of the endothelin and adenosine pathway is safe and improves exercise performance in hypoxic humans, via a mechanism that does not involve augmentation of blood oxygenation. To test this hypothesis, we established safety and drug interactions for aminophylline (500 mg) plus ambrisentan (5 mg) in normoxic volunteers. Subsequently, a placebo-controlled study was employed to test the combination in healthy resting and exercising volunteers at simulated altitude (4,267 m). No serious adverse events occurred. Drug interaction was minimal or absent. Aminophylline alleviated hypoxia-induced headaches. Aminophylline, ambrisentan, and their combination all significantly (P < 0.05 vs. placebo) improved submaximal hypoxic exercise performance (19.5, 20.6, and 19.1% >placebo). Single-dose ambrisentan increased blood oxygenation in resting, hypoxic subjects. We conclude that combined aminophylline and ambrisentan offer promise to safely increase exercise capacity in hypoxemic humans without relying on increasing blood oxygen availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Claude A Piantadosi
- Hyperbaric Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael J Natoli
- Hyperbaric Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julie Autmizguine
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Cohen-Wolkowieczs
- Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Karyn L Hamilton
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Christopher Bell
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jelena Klawitter
- iC42 Integrated Solutions in Clinical Research and Development, University of Colorado, Bioscience East, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Uwe Christians
- iC42 Integrated Solutions in Clinical Research and Development, University of Colorado, Bioscience East, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - David C Irwin
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Robert J Noveck
- Hyperbaric Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Neumann T, Baertschi M, Vilser W, Drinda S, Franz M, Brückmann A, Wolf G, Jung C. Retinal vessel regulation at high altitudes1. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2016; 63:281-92. [DOI: 10.3233/ch-162041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Neumann
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Baertschi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Eyeness AG, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Marcus Franz
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Gunter Wolf
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Jung
- University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Vascular Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|