Antioxidant defense of pycnogenol against glycerol induced acute renal failure in mice

The present study aims to demonstrate the efficiency of pycnogenol as a protector in male mice against hazards effect in kidney functions induced by glycerol. Mice were received i.m. injection 50% glycerol [8ml/ kg b.wt] 30 minutes prior to glycerol administration, other group received orally pycnogenol [400mg/ kg b.wt] over a period of 12 hours. Lipid peroxidation products [MDA, PC], non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant [GSH, CAT, SOD] were estimated, in addition serum protein, urea, createnine concentration as well as serum Na, K levels were determined. It seems that rhabdomyolysis effect caused by glycerol can be controlled to some extent by pycnogenol administration

Pre and post-operative evaluation of patients with prosthetic cardiac valves, clinical and echocardiographic study

This study included 108 patients, in whom 120 mechanical valve prosthesis were implanted in mitral aortic positions or both. They were survived the open heart procedure and followed up for at least 6 months. Clinically, there is dramatic improvement in functional class [Fc] preoperatively; none of the patients were in Fc I, 22 patients were in Fc II [20.3%]. 66 patients [61.1%] were in Fc III and 20 patients [18.5%] were in Fc IV. Postoperatively, 28 patients [25.9%] became in Fc I, 74 patients [68.5%] in Fc II, 6 patients [5.55%] in Fc III and none of the patients became in Fc IV. This clinical improvement is not accompanied by improvement in postoperative left ventricular performance, as mean EF% and FS%. Preoperatively were 60.37 +/- 13.22 and 28.27 +/- 9.35, respectively, and became 59.30 +/- 10.01 and 27.97 +/- 8.24 postoperatively. The dramatic clinical improvement in patients underwent valve replacement could be attributed to the increase in forward stroke volume which is reflected on patient's functional class and not due to improvement in left ventricular function as the sudden return of competency by the prosthetic valve results in increased after load which in turn results in adverse effect on left ventricular function