ABSTRACT
Background & objectives:Severe sepsis and septic shock are major health problems. Stress dose of hydrocortisone infusion reduces the time of cessation of vasopressor therapy in septic shock. This study was planned to see the role of low dose corticosteroids on duration of vasopressor therapy in patients with septic shock along with their outcome. Methods: The study was carried out in 40 patients of septic shock. The patients were randomized into two groups i.e. treatment (Group A) and the placebo (Group B) groups of 20 each. Both groups received antibiotics, vasopressors i.e. Dopamine and Norepinephrine and IV fluids along with low dose hydrocortisone being administered only to Group A. Mean values were compared statistically using t-test and z-test. Results: The mean time spent in shock (hours) in survivors was 44.00 ± 11.2 (p< 0.001) while in group B was 72.00 ± 0.00 (p< 0.05). Also, the number of survivors in group A was more with cortisol levels of 5-25 mcg/ml. Interpretation & conclusion:Low dose hydrocortisone reduced the time spent in shock in survivors of group A, thereby reducing duration of vasopressor therapy. It also reduced mortality in subgroup of patients with serum cortisol levels of 5-25 mcg/ml proving that moderately low cortisol levels are benefitted more with hydrocortisone therapy than those with relatively high cortisol levels.
ABSTRACT
For understanding of signaling molecules important in lung cancer growth and progression, IL-1 effect was analyzed on iNOS expression and key signaling molecules in human lung carcinoma A549 cells and established the role of specific signaling molecules by using specific chemical inhibitors. IL-1 exposure (10 ng/ml) induced strong iNOS expression in serum starved A549 cells. Detailed molecular analyses showed that IL-1 increased expression of phosphorylated STAT1 (Tyr701 and Ser727) and STAT3 (Tyr705 and Ser727) both in total cell lysates and nuclear lysates. Further, IL-1b exposure strongly activated MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38) and Akt as well as increased nuclear levels of NF-κB and HIF-1 in A549 cells. Use of specific chemical inhibitors for JAK1 kinase (piceatannol), JAK2 kinase (AG-490), MEK1/2 (PD98059) and JNK1/2 (SP600125) revealed that IL-1-induced iNOS expression involved signaling pathways in addition to JAK-STAT and ERK1/2-JNK1/2 activation. Overall, these results suggested that instead of specific pharmacological inhibitors, use of chemopreventive agents with broad spectrum efficacy to inhibit IL-1-induced signaling cascades and iNOS expression would be a better strategy towards lung cancer prevention and/or treatment.
ABSTRACT
Bitter melon ( Momordica charantia Linnaeus) fruit extract was tested against 3,4 benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] induced forestomach papillomagenesis in Swiss albino mice. Extract of M. charantia in two concentrations, 2.5 and 5% of standard mice feed was used for the short-term and long-term studies. A significant decrease in tumour burden was observed in short and long-term treatment. Also, total tumour incidence reduced to 83.33% with 2.5% dose and 90.90% with 5% dose in short term treatment, while in long-term treatment tumor incidence decreased to 76.92% with 2.5% dose and 69.23% with 5% dose of M. charantia. The possible mechanism involved in the cancer chemoprevention has also been discussed.