[The mechanism of the action of laser therapy in rheumatoid arthritis]. / K mekhanizmu deistviia lazernoi terapii pri revmatoidnom artrite.

48 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were exposed to He-Ne laser radiation. Due to the course of the above laser therapy the patients displayed reduced levels of E and F2 alpha prostaglandins, a trend to a decrease of lipid peroxidation products, glycosaminoglycans and collagen-peptidase activity. This evidences for suppression of the inflammation and destruction in the connective tissue. Catalase activity in red cells enhanced. The authors point to high efficacy of low-intensity He-Ne laser in moderate rheumatoid inflammation.

[The effect of intra-articular emoxipin injections on the course of immune arthritis in rabbits]. / Vliianie vnutrisustavnykh in''ektsii émoksipina na techenie immunnogo artrita u krolikov.

Immune arthritis in sensitized rabbits was induced by intraarticular injection of bovine serum albumin. The development of the arthritis was accompanied by an increase in ESR, a rise of the level of serum CRP, caeruloplasmin and CIC. A chemiluminescent response of the whole blood phagocytes to stimulation by barium sulfate crystals, serum beta-glucuronidase and red cell superoxide dismutase activity enhanced, plasma malone dialdehyde content rose, serum SH groups diminished.

[Effect of 1-hour administration of dimethyl sulfoxide on the levels of prostaglandins, products of lipid peroxidation and beta-glucuronidase activity in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Vliianie chasovoi applikatsii dimetilsulfoksida na urove'n prosta- glandinov, produktov perekisnogo okisleniia lipidov i na aktivnos't beta-gliukuronidazy krovi bo'lnykh revmatoidnym artritom.

The effect of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on the level of prostaglandins (PGE and PGF2 alpha), the intensity of peroxide oxidation of lipids (POL), activity of beta-glucuronidase (BGU) prior to and 5 and 24 hours after application made to the patients' hands was studied by a double blind method in 20 patients with genuine rheumatoid arthritis (RA) against the background of therapy with nonsteroid antiphlogistic preparations. Of 20 patients 10 received one-hour application of a 50 per cent DMSO gel, 10 patients received placebo (glycerol instead of DMSO). The authors revealed a significant suppression of PS production against the background of an increased level of POL in four patients who had been given DMSO. The activity of BGU increased five hours after application of DMSO and in 24 hours returned to the initial levels. Changes in the levels of inflammation mediators proved to be statistically insignificant in the group of patients given placebo. Thus, one-hour application of DMSO produced a substantial effect on the system of mediators and their interrelationship in patients with RA.