Composition and cardioprotective effects of Primula veris L. solid herbal extract in experimental chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: High interest in chronic heart failure (CHF) is accounted for by its high incidence, poor prognosis, growing number of hospital admissions due to the heart failure relapse, and inadequate treatment. These facts necessitate a search for new pharmacological agents for the CHF correction. Herbal medicinal products appear to be very promising as they have a noticeable therapeutic effect and tend to be more harmless in comparison to the most of synthesized medications. PURPOSE: Our aim was to study the composition of the Primula veris L. solid herbal extract (PVSHE) and its effects on the myocardial contractile function in animals with experimental CHF. STUDY DESIGN: The study design involved the identification of the raw material composition of the P. veris L. extract. For the experimental part of our research, we used the model of CHF to elucidate the cardioprotective properties of PVSHE. METHODS: The active extract constituents were isolated by thin-layer chromatography and column chromatography; the extract components were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, ultraviolet spectroscopy (UVS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS). To model CHF, L-isoproterenol at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected to the experimental rats twice a day for 21 days. Cardiac output was assessed with the loading test, adrenoreactivity test, and maximum isometric loading test; CHF markers adrenomedullin and copeptin were detected in blood plasma with ELISA kit for adrenomedullin and copeptin (Coud-Clone Corp., USA). RESULTS: P. veris L. solid herbal extract contains flavonoid aglycons (apigenin, quercetine, kaemferol), flavonoid glycosides (cinarozid, rutin, hyperozid), as well as polymethoxylated flavonoids acting as chemotaxonomic markers for the genus Primula (8-methoxy-flavone; 3',4'methylenedioxy-5'-methoxyflavone). The substance 3',4'methylenedioxy-5'-methoxyflavone has been isolated from the primrose herb for the first time. We showed that the PVSHE has a cardioprotective effect when it was administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg in the experimental CHF, as evidenced by a lower number of animal death, lower level of CHF markers in the blood plasma of the experimental animals, the higher increase in rate of myocardial contraction and relaxation, the higher level of left ventricular pressure (LVP) and of maximum intensity of structural performance (MISP), as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: P. veris L. solid herbal extract contains flavonoid aglycons, flavonoid glycosides, and polymethoxylated flavonoids. The herbal agent increases the myocardial contractility in experimental CHF.

[The methodological approach to the group formation of pharmacological drugs for the primary prevention of ischemic stroke].

The paper is devoted to the development of a drug list, so called "marker baskets", which can be recommended for the primary prevention of ischemic stroke in patients with high cardio-vascular risk. The authors reviewed various combinations of pharmacological drugs with similar treatment effects and different availability of prices.

[Assessment of berlition effectiveness in ischemic stroke with CT perfusion imaging of the brain].

Berlition, an alpha-lipoic acid preparation, is a natural regulator of the free-radical processes. It was used as an add-on therapy in the management of patients in the acute period of ischemic stroke during 10 days. A main group included 15 patients treated with berlition and a comparison group - 11 patients who received a basic therapy. Patients' age was 30-60 years. A complete clinical study of patients was conducted during 21 days of treatment. CT perfusion imaging of the brain with contrast material was carried out on 1st, 5th and 15th days. The higher therapeutic effectiveness was found in the main group of patients, with complete functional rehabilitation in 33% of cases and significant regress of neurologic symptoms in 67%. These changes were correlated with positive shifts of different hemodynamic parameters to the 15th day of treatment.

[CT perfusion for assessment of brain stem ischemic lesions].

Modern neurovisualization modalities - CT and MRI with cerebral circulation assessment was used for diagnosis of cerebrovascular disturbances in patients admitted to the Emergency Care Hospital of Ufa. CT and MRI perfusion methods appeared to be highly effective both in diagnosis and treatment efficacy monitoring of acute stroke.