Actions of mefenamic acid on pregnant albino rats

Misuse and abuse of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic mefenamic acid among pregnant women in developing coutries constitute a matter of medical concern, mainly as a function of the potentially serious side effects of that drug, notably at the digestive system level. Female rats were treated during the entire pregnancy period (from day 0 up to day 20) with 5, 15, or 45 mg/kg of mefenamic acid (MA) once daily, by gavage. Controls received the drug vehicle. We observed that there was a slight yet significant impairment of maternal body weight gain of the animals treated with the two highest doses of MA. Although the drug was proven to exert deleterious effects on kidney and liver metabolic functions, no gross signs of renal or hepatic toxicity were detected in our animals and in their concepts. The digestive effects would be presumably caused by the inhibitory actions of MA on the luminal fluid movement and are accounted for by the observed body weight loss during pregnancy.

Systemic effects of fluoridated water on rats

The biological effects of fluoride were investigated on rats fed pure spring water (natural F- concentration=0.2 ppm) or spring water enriched with NaF to result 0.8, 1.1 or 2.2 ppm F- during 180 days. The main effects of fluoride have been: 1. electrocardiographic recordings showed a significant reduction of the electrical systole (QTc). 2. body weight gain was unaffected by the treatment. 3. bivalent cations (Ca²+, Mg²+ and Zn²+) were importantly reduced in adrenals, ventricular myocardium, and bone. 4. Na+ concentration was strikingly increased in aorta, lung and joint of treated animals. 5. in testis, we observed Ca²+ and Na+ retention. 6. Zinc ions were depleted in most tissues, except kidney and submandibular salivary gland. Our results revealed that chronic administration of fluoridated water does influence systemic biochemical homeostasis in rats, without evoking any overt sign of fluorosis. Moreover, the definition of a "safe" concentration of F- in public water must consider that the dosis at which beneficial effects as caries reduction are attained is not far away from that one which causes chronic yet subclinical toxic effects

Xerostomia: gama-câmara computadorizada no diagnóstico e avaliaçäo do tratamento: relato de caso / Xerostomia: computerized gamma-camera in the diagnosis and evaluation of treatment: case report

Uma mulher, com 36 anos, branca, casada, é portadora de xerostomia há 4 anos. Relatou que há 7 anos teve episódio de parotidite epidêmica e recentemente lhe surgiu um nódulo de cerca de 4 cm no pólo inferior da parótida esquerda. Realizou-se exame de fluxo sangüíneo regional, com obtençäo de imagens dinâmicas e estáticas em gama-câmara computadorizada ("GCC") após administraçäo intravenosa de pertecnetato radiativo de sódio (Na99mTC) como traçador. A perfusäo das glândulas salivares foi normal, sendo um pouco aumentada na regiäo do nódulo; as imagens estáticas mostraram ausência de capacidade de concentraçäo do traçador. A doente foi tratada com sucos cítricos, massagens locais, manuais e com auxílio de vibrador, e betametasona em formulaçäo de liberaçäo lenta ( 5 mg/ampola, 1 ampola cada 3 dias durante 21 dias). Após esse tempo, notou-se, em novo exame, que o nódulo havia desaparecido e já havia razoável concentraçäo do traçador nas glândulas salivares. O diagnóstico clínico foi de processo inflamatório crônico das glândulas salivares. O resultado do tratamento instituído nessa 3 semanas foi considerado excelente

Avaliaçäo dos efeitos hemodinâmicos da associaçäo metipranolol e butizida em hipertensos, através do uso de gama-câmara computadorizada / Computerized gamma-camera evaluation of hemodynamic efects of metipranolol and butizide in hypertensive subjects

Foram estudados 20 indivíduos hipertensos leves e moderados, adminsitrando-se aos mesmos 1 comprimido ao dia da associaçäo de 20 mg de metipranolol e 2,5 mg de butizida. O estudo prosseguiu por 8 semanas, fazendo-se as medidas de pulso, das pressöes, e o estudo hemodinâmico em gama-câmara computadorizada. Com esta técnica mediu-se o tempo médio de circulaçäo pulmonar (TMCP) e a fraçäo de ejeçäo do ventrículo esquerdo (FE). Obteve-se a diminuiçäo das pressöes sistólicas e diastólica (P < 0,01), do pulso (P < 0,05) e do TM (P < 0,05) e aumento de FE (P < 0,05). Estes dados sugerem que a associaçäo usada mostrou efeitos hemodinâmicos favoráveis, permitindo melhor perfusäo pulmonar e aumentando a eficiência dos batimentos cardíacos

Age-reletad changes in the diabetic alterations of the hypohysis-thyroid-testicular axis in male rat

The effects of streptozotocin diabetes on the male reproductive tract were studied in young rats in different ages (25 to 60 days old). The data showed that diabetes caused atrophy of pituitary, testes and sexual accessory glands as well as testicular and pituitary functions, as evaluated by the circulating levels of LH and testosterone. In addition, an impairment of thyroidal function was detected since thyroxine serum levels were decreased. It is also seen that prolactin levels were reduced as a consequence of streptozotocin treated rats. Since younger animals were more drasticaly affected, we conclude that hypothyroidism that follows after the onset of diabetes could contribute to the picture on the basis of the importance of thyroidal function in the developing animal. Also it seems that reduction of prolactin levels due to hypothalamic TRH impairment would bring about a lack of the so important sinergistic action of this hormone and androgens in maintenance of androgen targetorgans.