Composites of yeast glucan particles and curcumin lead to improvement of dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute bowel inflammation in rats.

The goal of this work was to assess the usability of yeast glucan particles (GPs) as carriers for curcumin and determine the beneficial effect of a pharmacological composite of curcumin in GPs on dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis in rats. The assessment of the anti-inflammatory effect of particular substances was evaluated on the basis of the calculated disease activity index and by assessment of cytokines and enzymes from the gut tissue - tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor ß1, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, catalase, superoxide dismutase 2, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and matrix metalloproteinase 9. Composites of GPs with incorporated curcumin showed promising results with the capability to lower symptoms of colitis and significantly decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and the activity of MPO, as well. The anti-inflammatory effect of the composites was greater than those of pure GPs or curcumin.

[In vivo testing of new ultrashort-acting ß-blockers with the effect on systolic blood pressure and heart rate]. / In vivo testovanie nových ultrakrátko pôsobiacich ß-blokátorov s efektom na systolický krvný tlak a tepovú frekvenciu.

In this experiment, newly synthesized ultrashort-acting blockers of ß-adrenergic receptors were tested. Compounds were synthesized at the Department of Chemical Drugs of Pharmaceutical Faculty VFU Brno as esters of aryloxyaminopropanol, thereby gaining a very short half-life in blood plasma. Experiment was conducted in vivo in a rat model. Changes in systolic blood pressure and heart rate were monitored by invasive method in normotensive rats. The values ​​of blood pressure and heart rate were recorded for 20 minutes following the i.v. administration of tested substances or placebo into the jugular vein. In the experiment was tested a series of four substances (2MC2, 2MC2b, 2MC2c, 2MC2d) with different alkyl chain length at a dose of 3.0 mg·kg⁻¹. After evaluation of results was carried out the second part of the experiment, i.e. testing of substances 2MC2c and 2MC2d at a lower dose of 1.0 mg·kg⁻¹. The results show the best effect of 2MC2d, asubstance with longest alkyl chain and highest lipophilicity.