ABSTRACT
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death. Gemcitabine is widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, but the prognosis is still poor. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from a variety of natural herbs, possesses a variety of pharmacological properties including anticancer effects. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of berberine and compared its use with that of gemcitabine in the pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2. Berberine inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. After berberine treatment, the G1 phase of PANC-1 cells increased by 10% compared to control cells, and the G1 phase of MIA-PaCa2 cells was increased by 2%. Whereas gemcitabine exerts antiproliferation effects through S-phase arrest, our results showed that berberine inhibited proliferation by inducing G1-phase arrest. Berberine-induced apoptosis of PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2 cells increased by 7 and 2% compared to control cells, respectively. Notably, berberine had a greater apoptotic effect in PANC-1 cells than gemcitabine. Upon treatment of PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa2 with berberine at a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), apoptosis was induced by a mechanism that involved the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than caspase 3/7 activation. Our findings showed that berberine had anti-cancer effects and may be an effective drug for pancreatic cancer chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Child Psychiatry/education , Faculty , Learning Disabilities , Professional Competence/standards , Analysis of Variance , Brazil , Feasibility Studies , Schools , Self Report , Social Adjustment , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the intra- and post-operative risks of myomectomies during cesarean section. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of myomectomy during cesarean section performed from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2000, at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Pochon CHA University, Seoul, Korea. The subjects were 88 pregnant women diagnosed with leiomyoma. The outcome measures were hemoglobin drop, blood loss, need for blood transfusion, intra- and post- operative complications. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 32.5 +/- 4.4 and nulliparas(84.1%) were prevalent. The mean gestational age was 38 +/- 1.19 wks. Single myoma was found in 67% of cases, 50% located in the uterine corpus and 50% of cases were subserosal. type. The mean blood loss was 731.5 +/- 238ml range 400-2500. Twelve patients(13.6%) had blood transfusion. There was one case of re-operation because of post-operative bleeding. But there was no case of severe hemorrhage necessitating hystrectomy. CONCLUSION: Myomectomy during cesarean section is not such a hazardous procedure as many now believe.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Blood Transfusion , Cesarean Section , Gestational Age , Gynecology , Hemorrhage , Korea , Leiomyoma , Methods , Myoma , Obstetrics , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Pregnant Women , Retrospective Studies , SeoulABSTRACT
5% of ovarian neoplasms consist of granulosa cell tumors. 10% of cases coexist with pregnancy2. We report on delivery of normal infant in young woman with granulosa cell tumor diagnosed and treated during pregnancy. At laparotomy a large right ovarian granulosa cell tumor was found and right salpingo- oophorectomy was performed. A normal infant was delivered by cesarean section at full term.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant , Pregnancy , Cesarean Section , Granulosa Cell Tumor , Granulosa Cells , Laparotomy , Ovarian Neoplasms , Ovariectomy , OvaryABSTRACT
Se reportan tres pacientes que presentaron cuadros de micosis profunda de tipo oportunista, asociados a tratamiento inmunosupresor por enfermedad difusa del tejido conectivo de fondo. En dos de los pacientes se diagnosticó aspergilosis. Uno de ellos es portador de artritis reumatoide en tratamiento con metotrexate, presentando un aspergiloma en columna lumbar; y la otra de lupus eritematoso sistémico con manifestaciones severas como hemorragia intraalveolar, compromiso hematológico y psicosis que condicionaron un tratamiento agresivo con ciclofosfamida, metilprednisolona y dosis altas de prednisona; y que en el curso de su evolución presentó un cuadro de aspergilosis retroorbitaria y etmoidal. El tercer caso correspondió a un paciente con diagnóstico de dermatomiositis, en tratamiento con dosis altas de prednisona, quien desarrolló un cuadro de criptococosis meníngea. Cabe resaltar el éxito en el tratamiento antimicótico y la buena evolución de los pacientes.