Action of heparin and acetylcholine modulators on the neurotoxicity of the toad Rhinella schneideri (Anura: Bufonidae) in Brazil / Acción de la heparina y moduladores de acetilcolina en la neurotoxicidad del sapo Rhinella schneideri (Anura: Bufonidae) en Brasil

Abstract Introduction: Rhinella schneideri is a toad widely distributed in South America and its poison is characterized by inducing cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Objective: In this work, we investigated pharmacological strategies to attenuate the peripheral neurotoxicity induced by R. schneideri poison in avian neuromuscular preparation. Methods: The experiments were carried out using isolated chick biventer cervicis preparation subjected to field stimulation for muscle twitches recordings or exposed to acetylcholine and potassium chloride for contracture responses. Results: Poison (10 μg/ml) produced complete neuromuscular blockade in chick biventer cervicis preparation within approximately 70 min incubation (times for 50 and 90 % blockade: 15 ± 3 min and 40 ± 2 min, respectively; P < 0.05, N= 5); contracture responses to exogenous acetylcholine and KCl were unaffected by poison indicating no specificity with postsynaptic receptors or myotoxicity, respectively. Poison (10 μg/ml)-induced neuromuscular blockade was not prevented by heparin (5 and 150 IU/ml) under pre- or post-treatment conditions. Incubation at low temperature (23-25 °C) abolished the neuromuscular blockade; after raising the temperature to 37 °C, the complete neuromuscular blockade was slightly slower than that seen in preparations directly incubated at 37 °C (times for 50 and 90 % blockade: 23 ± 2 min and 60 ± 2.5 min, respectively; P < 0.05, N= 4). Neostigmine (3.3 μM) did not reverse the neuromuscular blockade in BC preparation whereas 3,4-diaminopyridine (91.6 μM) produced a partial and sustained reversal of the twitch responses (29 ± 7.8 % of maximal reversal reached in approximately 40 min incubation; P < 0.05, N= 4). Conclusions: R. schneideri poison induces potent peripheral neurotoxicity in vitro which can be partially reversible by 3,4-diaminopyridine.

Resumen Introducción: Rhinella schneideri está ampliamente distribuida en Suramérica y su veneno es caracterizado por inducir cardiotoxicidad y neurotoxicidad. Objetivo: En este trabajo, investigamos estrategias farmacológicas para atenuar la neurotoxicidad periférica inducida por el veneno de R. schneideri en preparaciones neuromusculares de aves. Métodos: Los experimentos fueron realizados usando preparaciones de biventer cervicis de pollos sometidas a estimulación de campo para el registro de las contracciones musculares o expuestas a la acetilcolina y al cloruro de potasio para la respuesta contractural. Resultados: El veneno (10 µg/ml) provocó un bloqueo neuromuscular completo en las preparaciones después de aproximadamente 70 min de incubación (tiempos para 50 y 90 % de bloqueo: 15 ± 3 min y 40 ± 2 min, respectivamente; P < 0.05, N = 5); las contracturas en respuesta a la acetilcolina y el KCl exógenos no fueron afectadas por el veneno, indicando que no hay una interacción especifica con receptores postsinápticos o miotoxicidad respectivamente. El bloqueo neuromuscular causado por el veneno (10 µg/ml) no fue prevenido por la heparina (5 y 150 UI/ml) bajo condiciones pre y post-tratamiento. La incubación a bajas temperaturas (23-25 ºC) abolió el bloqueo neuromuscular; después de aumentar la temperatura a 37 ºC, el bloqueo neuromuscular total fue levemente más lento que el visto en preparaciones directamente incubadas a 37 ºC (tiempos para 50 y 90 % de bloqueo: 23 ± 2 min y 60 ± 2.5 min, respectivamente; P < 0.05, N= 4). Neostigmina (3.3 µM) no revirtió el bloqueo neuromuscular, mientras que 3.4-diaminopiridina (91.6 µM) produjo una reversión parcial y sostenida de las respuestas neuromusculares (29 ± 7.8 % de la reversión máxima alcanzada en aproximadamente 40 min de incubación; P < 0.05, N = 4). Conclusiones: El veneno de R. schneideri indujo neurotoxicidad periférica potente in vitro, el cual puede ser revertido por 3.4-diaminopiridina.

Evaluation of the efficacy of cevimeline in improving the clinical symptoms of patients with primary Sjögren′s syndrome / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@# To investigate the clinical efficacy of cevimeline as a pharmacotherapeutic approach to stimulating gland activity in improving the symptoms and signs of primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS).@*Methods@#Sixty-three patients diagnosed with pSS who attended the Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2018 to September 2019 were included in this trial. They were randomly assigned to the therapeutic group and control group. All patients were recalled at baseline and after 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Measurement of salivary and lacrimal flow as well as evaluation of subjective symptoms was performed at the follow-up. @*Results@# Fifty-eight patients completed the trial and were included in the statistical analysis. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the measurement of salivary and lacrimal flow at the second week and third month (P < 0.05). Improvement in subjective symptoms of oral, ocular and gland was detected at the third month (P < 0.05). At the sixth month, compared with the control group, only the salivary gland symptom score of the treatment group was statistically significant (P < 0.05). @*Conclusion@#Cevimeline has good specificity and safety and can increase salivary and lacrimal flow and improve subjective symptoms of pSS in a short time.

Clinical observation of dry eye syndrome treated with acupuncture / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the therapeutic effect between acupuncture and hyaluronic acid sodium eye drops for dry eye syndrome.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with dry eye were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, acupoints around the eyes, abdomen and limbs were selected, such as Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Fengchi (GB 20), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and Hegu (LI 4), once 2 days for 1 month, 15 times in total. In the western medication group, hyaluronic acid sodium eye drops was applied, 3 times a day, one drop every time, for 1 month. The tear meniscus height (TMH), tear break-up time (BUT) and conjunctival congestion scores were observed before and after treatment in the two groups, and the clinical effects of the two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#The total effective rate in the acupuncture group was 68.3% (41/60), which was superior to 30.0% (18/60) in the western medication group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the TMH was increased, BUT was prolonged and conjunctival congestion score was reduced after treatment in the acupuncture group (<0.05, <0.01). After treatment, the TMH and BUT in the acupuncture group were higher (<0.05, <0.01), and the conjunctival congestion score was lower than those in the western medication group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The therapeutic effect of acupuncture is superior to hyaluronic acid sodium eye drops. Acupuncture can promote lacrimal gland secretion and increase the tear film stability.

Clinical features of eyelid demodex infection in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM:To analyze the clinical features of ectopic demodex infection in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction. <p>METHODS: A retrospective study. Totally 220 patients(440 eyes)with meibomian gland dysfunction were selected from November 2016 to June 2018. They were divided into uninfected group and infected group according to the concurrence of eyelash demodex infection. 110 patients(220 eyes)in each group. The ocular function indexes of the two groups were tested and compared, and the clinical characteristics of eyelash demodex infection were evaluated.<p>RESULTS: The incidence of itching, foreign body sensation, eye pain, dryness and astringency in the infected group was significantly higher than that in the non-infected group(<i>P</i><0.05), and there was no significant difference in the incidence of symptoms such as redness, secretion increase, fatigue and photophobia(<i>P</i>>0.05); the average tear film rupture time and basic tear secretion in the two groups were significantly lower than that in the normal level, and the infected group was significantly lower than that in the non-infected group(<i>P</i><0.05). Corneal staining score and tarsal gland secretion function score in non-infected group were significantly lower than those in infected group(<i>P</i><0.05).<p>CONCLUSION: Patients with tarsal gland dysfunction are more likely to suffer from itching, dryness, eye pain and other symptoms after eyelash demodex infection, which increases the damage of corneal and conjunctival epithelium. It is of great significance to pay attention to demodex infection examination for patients with tarsal gland dysfunction.

The functional diversity of leech salivary gland secretions and its application / 中国生化药物杂志

Secretion of the salivary glands of leeches contains more than 100 bioactive substances,in recent years it has become the focus of many researchers'attention, which was the most extensive and in-depth study of the salivary glands of leeches anticoagulant and inhibit the biological activity of platelet aggregation substance, and some species have been successfully applied to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.in addition, a growing number of studies have found that leech salivary gland secretion also has antibacterial, antitumor, analgesic, vasodilator, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and other biological functions.Thus, leech salivary gland secretion with functions of biological diversity.Moreover, the leech is not just for the treatment of human diseases, but also applied to the treatment of several diseases of animals.This review expatiating the functional diversity of leech salivary secretions by consulting a large number of iterature , that the use of leech salivary gland secretion and other blood-sucking animal salivary gland secretions functions provide a useful reference.

Effect of pre injection of penehyclidine hydrochloride on the airway gland secretion of children with laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery under general anesthesia / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of pre injection of penehyclidine hydrochloride on the airway gland secretion of children with laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery under general anesthesia.Methods 72 cases of children undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery under general anesthesia in pediatric surgery department in our hospital were selected and divided into two groups,grouped by random number table method,control group of 36 cases were treated with preoperative injection of atropine,the experiment group of 36 cases were treated with preoperative injection of penehyclidine hydrochloride.Heart rate on pre injection(T0),before induction of anesthesia(T1),five min after induction(T2),ten min after induction(T3)and extubation(T4),the airway gland secretion,respiratory function related indexes,and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared.Results Compared with the control group,re fixed rate of tracheal tube during operation and the incidence of choking tube at T4 time were lower,the levels of PIP、Raw were lower and the level of CL was higher on five min after intubation,the HR at T1,T2,T3,T4 time was lower,with statistical significance(P<0.05);the incidence of adverse reactions in the control group 30.56％was higher than the experiment group 11.11％,with statistical significance(P<0.05).Conclusion Pre injection of penehyclidine hydrochloride can inhibit airway gland secretion in children with laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery under general anesthesia,protect the respiratory function,and does not increase heart rate,the safety was higher.