ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Radix Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae in treating multiple plantar warts. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with multiple plantar warts on both left and right feet were recruited. Warts on the left feet (treatment group) of all patients were externally treated with moderate ethanol extract of Radix Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae which was made of 30 g Radix Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae putting into 100 mL of medical ethanol (75%). For the control group, moderate dose of 0.1% vitamin A acid ointment was externally applied onto the right-foot warts. The topical application of each treatment was conducted 3 times a day for both groups. After 4 and 8 weeks, the efficacy and side effects including skin erythema and blister were evaluated and observed. RESULTS: Compared with the pre-treatment, warts size of the control group was reduced after 8-week treatment (P<0.05). After 4 and 8 weeks, the average wart size in the treatment group was both significantly reduced respectively (P<0.01). There were significant differences in warts size and total effective rate between the two groups after 4-week treatment respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01). More significant differences in wart size and total effective rate were observed after 8-week treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The percentage reduction in wart size was significantly different between the two groups after 4 and 8-week treatment (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Radix Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae was significantly superior to vitamin A acid ointment in treating multiple plantar warts.
ABSTRACT
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) plays a critical role in oocyte meiotic maturation. However, the source of cAMP surge prior to maturation and the direction of gap junction-dependent cAMP movement are unclear. In this study, inhibition of gap junctional communication (GJC) using carbenoxolone (3.5 h) induced meiotic resumption in ~90% of follicle-enclosed oocytes (FEOs). The concentration of cAMP in a single oocyte was higher than that in a single cumulus cell, suggesting that the movement of cAMP proceeds from the oocyte to cumulus cells under passive diffusion. The mRNAs of adenylyl cyclases and the corresponding proteins were mainly detected in oocytes. Persistent or transient incubation with forskolin induced meiotic resumption in FEOs. The maturation induced by persistent forskolin treatment was inhibited by carbenoxolone. However, carbenoxolone had no effect on the maturation of FEOs transiently treated with forskolin or persistently treated with follicle-stimulating hormone. Oocyte maturation was inhibited by sequential treatment with carbenoxolone followed by forskolin. The carbenoxolone-induced maturation was accompanied by a cAMP surge, increased PDE3A and MAPK activation, and decreased levels of cGMP and cAMP-dependent PKA I activation.
