ABSTRACT
Chunghyul-dan has inhibitory effects on HMG-CoA reductase and pancreatic lipase. We investigated whether Chunghyul-dan has therapeutic effects on humans with hypercholesterolemia. This study was a case-control, open-labeled clinical study. Subjects were treated with Chunghyul-dan (600 mg/day) or Atorvastatin (10 mg/day) for 8 weeks. Serum lipids were checked at baseline after 4 and 8 weeks of medication. While, Chunghyul-dan showed significant lipid-lowering effects, it was less effective than Atorvastatin. In comparison with the histological controls, Chunghyul-dan's effects were superior to placebo. On safety assessment, there was no adverse effect with the use of Chunghyul-dan in hepatic or renal toxicity. In conclusion, we suggest that Chunghyul-dan is a useful herbal medicine for hypercholesterolemia.
Subject(s)
Anticholesteremic Agents/adverse effects , Anticholesteremic Agents/therapeutic use , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Heptanoic Acids/adverse effects , Heptanoic Acids/therapeutic use , Hypercholesterolemia/drug therapy , Pyrroles/adverse effects , Pyrroles/therapeutic use , Adult , Aged , Anticholesteremic Agents/pharmacology , Atorvastatin , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Female , Heptanoic Acids/pharmacology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebos , Pyrroles/pharmacology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A 55-year-old man presented with a case of postoperative enterocutaneous fistula with anastomotic stenosis after a Billroth I operation that was resistant to conservative treatment. This fistula was successfully treated with the placement of a covered metallic stent under fluoroscopic guidance. To our knowledge, this is the first report of postoperative enterocutaneous fistula that was successfully treated with a covered metallic stent.
Subject(s)
Intestinal Fistula/surgery , Postoperative Complications/surgery , Stents , Anastomosis, Surgical/adverse effects , Contrast Media , Fluoroscopy , Humans , Intestinal Fistula/diagnosis , Intestinal Fistula/etiology , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Radiography, Interventional , Stomach Neoplasms/surgery , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Ultrasonography, InterventionalABSTRACT
Cell cycle arrest is essential for initiation of muscle differentiation in myoblasts. Given the previously described essential role for p38 MAPK in myogenesis, we undertook the present study to investigate the role of p38 MAPK in the cell cycle arrest that initiates muscle differentiation. p38 MAPK activity increased during, and was required for, muscle differentiation. Inhibition of p38 MAPK stimulated Raf and ERK activities, and induced cell proliferation in differentiation medium. The concomitant inhibition of p38 MAPK and ERK, however, failed to induce differentiation or proliferation. In conclusion, inhibition of the Raf/ERK pathway and the consequent cell cycle arrest is one of the major functions of p38 MAPK during muscle differentiation.
Subject(s)
Cell Cycle/physiology , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases/genetics , Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism , Cell Differentiation , Cell Line , Culture Media , Enzyme Activation , Imidazoles/pharmacology , MAP Kinase Kinase 6 , Myocardium/cytology , Myocardium/enzymology , Pyridines/pharmacology , Rats , Transfection , p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein KinasesABSTRACT
We report two cases of hepatic metastases from choriocarcinoma in women of childbearing age in whom imaging studies performed at presentation revealed the presence of liver masses, and who had clinically progressive anemia or intraabdominal hemorrhage. CT demonstrated heterogeneously enhanced liver masses. Characteristic angiographic findings included hypervascular hepatic masses with aneurysmal dilatations of the peripheral hepatic arteries at the arterial phase and persistent vascular lakes at the venous phase.
