Chemical constituents from fermented Noni juice / 中国中药杂志

The present work was launched to study the chemical constituents from fermented Noni juice. Ten compounds were isolated by using silicagel,Sephadex LH-20 and pre-HPLC. The structures of these compounds were identified by 1D and 2D NMR. Their structures were established as norimester( 1),cyclo( R-Pro-S-Phe)( 2),cyclo-( L-Pro-L-Leu)( 3),trans-cyclo-( D-tryptophanyl-Ltyrosyl)( 4),cyclo( L-Trp-N-methyl-L-Ala-)( 5),4-allyl-2-hydroxyphenyl 1-O-β-D-apiosyl-( 1 → 6)-β-D-glucopyranoside( 6),2-methoxy-4-vinylphenyl β-D-apiofuranosyl-( 1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside( 7),( +)-lirioresinol A( 8),( ±)-syringaresinol( 9),and2-formyl-1 H-pyrrole-1-butanoic acid( 10). All compounds were tested for their antibacterial activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Compound 1 was a new compound. All compounds were isolated from fermented Noni juice for the first time. Compound 1 showed significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase [IC50 value of( 4. 22±0. 03) μmol·L-1].

Short-term Treatment with Angiotensin II Antagonist in Essential Hypertension:Effects of Losartan on Left Ventricular Diastolic Function, Left Ventricular Mass, and Aortic Stiffness

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Even short-term treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in essential hypertension has been known to improve left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, LV hypertrophy (LVH), and aortic stiffness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonist (Losartan) on LV diastolic function, LVH, and aortic stiffness in essential hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three hypertensive patients who were aged over 50 years, previously untreated, and without cardiac, renal, neurologic disease, or diabetes, were studied. Before and 12 weeks after monotherapy with Losartan 50 mg q.d., (1) supine arterial blood pressure by sphygmomanometry, (2) interventricular septum and LV posterior wall thickness, and LV end-diastolic dimension by M-mode echocardiography, (3) mitral peak E and A wave velocity by doppler echocardiography, (4) pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the descending aorta from aortic arch to the bifurcation by doppler echocardiography, were done. RESULTS: Twelve weeks after treatment, systolic blood pressure was lowered from 168.2+/-3.5 mmHg to 142.9+/-2.9 mmHg (p0.05), compliance (from 1.31+/-0.04 to 1.34+/-0.12, p>0.05), and compliance index (from 0.16+/-0.01 to 0.15+/-0.01, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with Losartan decreases blood pressure, improves LV diastolic function and LVH, but not aortic stiffness.

A Case of Tsutsugamushi Disease Complicated by Meningoencephalitis / 감염

Scrub typhus can invade central nervous system. The most common findings of CNS involvement are those of low grade meningitis, however, meningoencephalitis with coma and generalized seizure are also reported to occur in scrub typhus but only rarely. A 47-year old male was admitted to our hospital because of consciousness disturbance. The patient had a fever and rash for seven days before admission. He had been treated for diabetes mellitus for three years. Generalized seizure occurred six times after admission. CSF revealed increase of leukocytes (648/mm3) and protein level, and diffuse slow wave was found on electroencephaolography. The magnetic resonance image of the brain showed dural thickening. We diagnosed his illness as tsutsugamushi disease complicated by meningoencephalitis. After treatment with clarithromycin and an anticonvulsant, he recovered without neurological sequelae. O. tsutsugamushi should be considered as one of the causes of meningoencephalitis in endemic areas.

A Case of Cerebral Infarction Caused by Tumor Emboli from the Site of

Multiple cerebral infarction developed in a 36-year-old woman with adenocarcinoma of the right lung with direct cardiac invasion. Neurological examination and brain MRI showed findings of ordinary infarction. Transesophageal echocardiography showed left atrial pedunculated mass which was the potential source of embolism. We report a rare case who had such multiple spontaneous tumor emboli large enough to result in clinically detectable cerebral infarction.

A case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis with positive precipitin antibody to Trichosporon cutaneum / 천식및알레르기

A 25-year-old woman complaining of dyspnea on exertion, coughing, fever and chills was admitted in January, 1998. Her clinical, radiological, and pathological findings were compatible with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and precipitin antibody to Trichosporon cutaneum was detected in her serum. Although some cases of T. cutaneum-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis developed during the winter season were reported in Japan, there had been no report of such a case in Korea. This case suggests that T. cutaneum-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis can develop beyond the summer season in certain environments.

The Comparison of Histo-pathologic Findings and Pit Patterns of Colorectal Tumors / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the morphological and histopathological associations between an individual pit seen on stereomicroscopy or magnifying colonoscopy and an individual crypt seen in histological sections of colorectal tumors. METHODS: Fifty two colorectal lesions were examined by colonoscopy. The mucosal pits of the lesions were observed using a magnifying colonoscopy with a zoom 1 to 100 magnification after administering indigo carmine spray. The pits of the excised specimens were observed by using a stereomicroscopy after 0.2% cresyl violet stain. The pit patterns were classified into six types: normal round pit (I); asteroid pit (II); small round pit (IIIs); large tubular pit (IIIL); gyrus-like pit (IV); and non-structural pattern or amorphysm (V). Histologic diagnoses were determined by H&E staining under light microscopy. RESULTS: The histologic findings according to the pit patterns were 1 chronic nonspecific inflammation and 1 submucosal tumor in 2 cases with type I pit pattern; 4 hyperplastic polyps in 4 cases with type II; 1 hyperplastic polyp, 16 adenomas with low-grade dysplasia, 3 adenomas with high-grade dysplasia, and 1 carcinoma in situ in 21 cases with type IIIL; 4 adenomas with low-grade dysplasia, 3 adenomas with high-grade dysplasia, and 4 carcinoma in situ in 11 cases with type IV; 1 adenoma with low-grade dysplasia in 1 case with type II IIIL; 3 adenomas with low-grade dysplasia, 4 adenomas with high-grade dysplasia, and 2 carcinoma in situ in 9 cases with type IIIL IV; 1 adenoma with high-grade dysplasia, 2 carcinoma in situ, and 1 adenocarcinoma in 4 cases with type IV V. In assessing the histologic findings according to pit pattern by stereomicroscopy, the overall diagnostic predictive value was 82.6% (43/52), and the diagnostic accuracy in differential diagnosis between nonneoplastic and neoplastic lesions was 98% (51/52). The ratio of agreement of the pit pattern between the magnifying colonoscopy and the stereomicroscopy was 68% (17/25). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there was a close correlation between the pit patterns and the histologic findings of colorectal tumors, and that the observation of pit patterns of colorectal lesions provides a differential diagnosis between neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions.