Suppressive activity of RGX-365 on HMGB1-mediated septic responses

Abstract RGX-365 is the main fraction of black ginseng conmprising protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type rare ginsenosides (ginsenosides Rg4, Rg6, Rh4, Rh1, and Rg2). No studies on the antiseptic activity of RGX-365 have been reported. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is recognized as a late mediator of sepsis, and the inhibition of HMGB1 release and recovery of vascular barrier integrity have emerged as attractive therapeutic strategies for the management of sepsis. In this study, we examined the effects of RGX-365 on HMGB1-mediated septic responses and survival rate in a mouse sepsis model. RGX-365 was administered to the mice after HMGB1 challenge. The antiseptic activity of RGX-365 was assessed based on the production of HMGB1, measurement of permeability, and septic mouse mortality using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis mouse model and HMGB1-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that RGX-365 significantly reduced HMGB1 release from LPS- activated HUVECs and CLP-induced release of HMGB1 in mice. RGX-365 also restored HMGB1-mediated vascular disruption and inhibited hyperpermeability in the mice. In addition, treatment with RGX-365 reduced sepsis-related mortality in vivo. Our results suggest that RGX- 365 reduces HMGB1 release and septic mortality in vivo, indicating that it is useful in the treatment of sepsis.

Ethanol Sclerotherapy for the Management of Craniofacial Venous Malformations: the Interim Results

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to evaluate the safety and feasibility of ethanol sclerotherapy for treating craniofacial venous malformations (CVMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 1998 to April 2007, 87 patients (40 men and 47 women; age range, 2-68 years) with CVMs underwent staged ethanol sclerotherapy (range, 1-21 sessions; median number of sessions, 2) by the direct puncture technique. Clinical follow up (range, 0-120 months; mean follow up, 35 months; median follow up, 28 months) was performed for all the patients. Therapeutic outcomes were established by evaluating the clinical outcome of the signs and symptoms in all patients, as well as the degree of devascularization, which was determined on the follow-up imaging, in 71 patients. RESULTS: A total of 305 procedures with the use of ethanol were performed in 87 patients. Follow-up imaging studies were performed for 71 of 87 patients. Twenty-three (32%) of the 71 patients showed excellent outcomes, 37 patients (52%) showed good outcomes and 11 patients (16%) showed poor outcomes. Ethanol sclerotherapy was considered effective for 60 patients. All the minor complications such as bulla (n = 5) healed with only wound dressing and observation. Any major complication such as skin necrosis did not develop. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy is an effective, safe treatment for CVMs.

Thimerosal allergy and clinical relevance in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Thimerosal or merthiolate is used as an antiseptic and a preservative in topical medicaments, cosmetics, and vaccines. Thimerosal is known to cause delayed type hypersensitivity. However, there is argument about the clinical relevance and risk of using thimerosal-preserved products in thimerosal allergic individuals. OBJECTIVE: Retrospective review of patch test results from the Ramathibodi Hospital patch test clinic to determine the prevalence and relevance of allergic reactions to thimerosal in Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD: During a 5-year period, thimerosal was patch tested in all patients tested for possible allergic contact dermatitis. Thimerosal was the second most common allergen causing a positive patch test reaction. RESULTS: Of the 433 patients tested, 46 (10.62%) were positive to thimerosal. However, despite the high prevalence of positive reactions none was clinically relevant to their present dermatitis, none of the patients reported reactions to vaccination or cross-reaction to piroxicam. CONCLUSION: There was a high rate of sensitization to thimerosal in Thai patients, but were of little clinical relevance. The author does not advise thimerosal allergic individuals to avoid vaccination, although the small risk of local dermatitis should be pointed out. The topical use of thimerosal containing antiseptics should be avoided.

Estudo comparativo in vitro da atividade antibacteriana de produtos fitoterápicos sobre bactérias cariogênicas / Comparative study in vitro of the antibacterial activity from phytotherapeutic products against cariogenic bacterias

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antibacteriana deprodutos fitoterápicos comerciais frente aos microrganismoscariogênicos: S. mutans (ATCC 2575); S. sobrinus (ATCC27607); S. sanguis (ATCC 10557) e L. casei (ATCC 4646). Osprodutos utilizados foram: Água Rabelo« - (A); Malvatricin« - (B);Mel Rosado« - (C); Apis Flora« - (D); Fitogargarejo« - (E )e Óleode Copahyba« - (F). Empregou-se a técnica de Concentração inibitória mínima (CIM); cada linhagem bacteriana foi reativada em caldo Tryptic Soy Broth, incubada a 370C por 24 horas em microaerofilia e semeadas em meio de cultura Ágar Mueller Hintõn pela técnica de inundação. Os produtos fitoterápicos foram empregados em concentrações de 100 por cento à 0,19 por cento e os halos de inibição mensurados. Verificou-se para a linhagem S.mutans as CIMs de 0,19 por cento; 12,5 por cento; 1,56 por cento; 3,12 por cento e 0,78 por cento para os produtos B, C, D, E e F respectivamente. Para a linhagem S.sanguis as CIMs observadas foram de 0,39 por cento; 25 por cento; 1,56 por cento;6,25 por cento e 0,78 por cento em B, C, D, E e F respectivamente. Sobre o S.sobrinus apenas o produto B mostrou atividade antibacterianana concentração de 0,19 porcento. Em relação ao L. casei os produtos B, D, E e F apresentaram respectivamente CIMs de 0,19 por cento;0,78 por cento; 0,78 por cento e 6,25 por cento. O produto B apresentou os maiores halos frente a todas as linhagens. Concluiu-se que os produtos tiveram desempenhos variados, tendo o Malvatricin« obtido amelhor CIM frente a todas as linhagens, bem como os maiores espectros de inibição e Água Rabelo« não apresentou atividade antibacteriana

Anaphylaxis Caused by Benzalkonium in a Nebulizer Solution

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is commonly used as a bactericidal preservative in nebulizer solutions, and can cause paradoxical onchoconstriction following nebulizing therapy in some asthmatics. We describe a case of anaphylactic shock in a 23-yr-old asthmatic woman following an intradermal skin test with a salbutamol solution containing BAC. Since she complained of cough and dyspnea after inhalation therapy with a nebulizer solution, we conducted an intradermal skin test using the same solution, which contained BAC. About 10 min later, the patient reported dizziness, palpitations, and dyspnea. On examination, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypotension were found. She was resuscitated with a subcutaneous injection of epinephrine and an infusion of saline. One month later, we conducted a bronchial provocation test with BAC, and she showed a positive response.

Effect of dental adhesives on the exudative phase of the inflammatory process in subcutaneous tissue of rats

The vascular changes in the subcutaneous connective tissue of rats induced by dentin bonding systems (one step) was studied and compared to those induced by saline solution (negative control) and Furacin (positive control), during the exudative phase of the inflammatory process. Twenty mg/kg of Evan's blue were injected intravenously in the vein of the rats' penises; 0.1 ml of each substance tested was inoculated in the subcutaneous tissue. After a 3 hour period the animals were sacrificed and their skins were excised and punched out with a standard steel 2.5 cm in diameter. The specimens were immediately immersed in 8 ml of formamide and taken to a double boiler for 72 hours at 37ºC, to remove the dye. The liquid containing the overflowed dye was filtered, analyzed in the spectrophotometer (620 nm) and classified according to the criteria established by Nagem-Filho, Pereira (1976). After statistical analysis, the irritative potential of the substances was ranked as follows: Furacin (severe) > Single Bond and Bond 1 (moderate - no significant differences between the dentin bonding systems tested) > saline solution (not significant as regards the irritation degree)

Hipersensibilidad cutánea secundaria a cloramfenicol oftálmico / Cutaneous hypersensibility secondary to ophthalmic chloramphenicol in a newborn

Introducción. El cloramfenicol oftálmico es un antimicrobiano de amplio espectro que se utiliza muy frecuentemente en salas de expulsión y de urgencias, como profilaxis neonatal y en infecciones superficiales de los ojos; sus efectos adversos son muy raros, uno de ellos es la hipersensibilidad cutánea. Caso clínico. Recién nacido del sexo femenino, sana, obtenida por parto eutócico, sin asfixia y con exploración física normal; que al aplicarle las gotas de cloramfenicol oftálmico como profilaxis neonatal presentó edema y eritema bipalpebral bilateral inmediato y eritema en miembros inferiores, desapareciendo espontáneamente sin complicaciones. Se comenta la absorción sistémica de las gotas oftálmicas; los efectos adversos que se relacionan con la dosis del medicamento, así como la idiosincrasia del paciente. Conclusión. En la literatura se reporta un caso similar que presentó placas eritematosas en todo el cuerpo. Hay que tener presente, que a pesar de que el cloramfenicol oftálmico es un medicamento muy utilizado, puede producir alteraciones dermatológicas, hematológicas y gastrointestinales, las cuales son raras, debiéndose tener la suspicacia clínica necesaria para detectarlas oportunamente.

Metabolic acidosis induced by cetrimide-chlorhexidine solution in hydatid cyst surgery.

A patient with a large hydatid cyst of the left lobe of the liver developed metabolic acidosis following rather liberal use of cetrimide-chlorhexidine solution as a scolicidal agent. The progress and management of this complication are described in the patient is being reported.

Irritabilidad oftalmica de una solucion compuesta por agentes esenciales de cana santa y oregano / Ophthalmic irritability of a solution consisting of esential oils from Cymbopogon citratus (DC) stap and origan

Se realizo el estudio de la irritabilidad oftalmica de una solucion compuesta por aceites esenciales de Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf (cana santa) y Plectrantus amboinicus (Lour) Spreng (oregano frances) en base alcoholica, la que presenta efecto antiseptico y fue identificada como solucion CS201. Se utilizo el metodo de Draize y se determino el indice de irritabilidad oftalmica segun el metodo cubano

Avaliaçäo da funçäo tireoidiana no recém-nascido sob açäo do iodo aplicado no coto umbilical / Evaluation of the thyroid function in the newborn under the action of iodine applied to the umbilical stump

Estudos recentes têm demonstrado que a aplicaçäo de soluçöes iodadas na pele e mucosas em gestantes e recém-nascidos podem ser absorvidas, causando hipotireoidismo transitório e bócio. Näo havendo estudos comprovando que estas soluçöes utilizadas no coto umbilical possam provocar efeitos na funçai tireoidiana, oa autores realizaram um estudo prospectivo e randomizado em 104 recém-nascidos normais, com idade média de 10,8 ñ 2,7 dias no momento da coleta, dos quais 51 usaram álcool iodado a 1% no coto umbilical (grupo I) e 53 utilizaram álcool etílico a 70- gl (grupo II). As variáveis se distribuíram igualmente nos dois grupos. Dosou-se T4 e TSH por radioimunoensaio. O presente estudo demonstrou que o iodo é absorvido pelo coto umbilical, resultando em aumento do TSH (6,6 ñ 4,6 x 4,7 ñ 3,0; p < 0,02) e diminuiçäo da secreçäo de T4 (11,2 ñ 2,4 x 13,4 ñ 2,9; p < 0,0001), em relaçäo ao grupo-controle. Apesar da alteraçäo significativa da funçäo tireoidiana, näo foi observado nenhum caso com quadro clínico de hipotireoidismo ou bócio. Os autores recomendam a retirada de antissépticos iodados do coto umbilical do recém-nasdcido

Efeitos paramonoclorofenol canforado e concentraçöes aquosas implantados com esponja polivinílica sobre o tecido conjuntivo de ratos (estudo bioquímico e histológico) / The effects of camphorated parachlorophenol and varying concentration de aqueous parachlorophenol on rat connective tissues of polyvinil sponge implants

Os autores realizaram uma investigaçäo para determinar os efeitos do paramonoclorofenol canforado e de várias concentraçöes aquosas de paramonoclorofenol (2 por cento, 1 por cento, 0,1 por cento e 0,01 por cento) no tecido conjuntivo subcutâneo de ratos utilizando-se de implantes de esponja polivinílica. Foram realizadas observaçöes bioquímicas e histológicas. De acordo com as observaçöes realizadas pelos autores na presente investigaçäo e com os resultados encontrados na literatura pertinente, pode-se concluir que soluçöes aquosas de paramonoclorofenol a 1 por cento e 2 por cento forneceräo reaçöes texturais mínimas quando desejável o seu uso como medicaçäo intracanal