[Pulmonary mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporus]. / Plicní mukormykóza vyvolaná Rhizopus microsporus.

We report a case of mycotic pneumonia in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia. Rhizopus microsporus was identified as an agent of mucormycosis and proven by microscopy and culture. The determination of the isolate was supported by molecular methods. Combined treatment with surgery (right-sided pneumonectomy) and systemic amphotericin B and posaconazole antifungal therapy was chosen. In this case, amphotericin B Neo-Sensitabs tablets gave false "resistant" results on Mueller-Hinton agar when using the disk diffusion test. There was a good correlation between the Etest (16 h) and the Sensititre YeastOne microplate (24 h) for amphotericin B.

[CADISO (Cardiovascular Diseases and Stability of the Organism): 10 years of integrated research on natural substances at the Charles University Pharmacy School in Hradec Králové]. / CADISO: 10 let integrovaného výzkumu prírodních látek na Farmaceutické fakulte UK v Hradci Králové.

The research project CADISO (Cardiovascular Diseases and Stability of the Organism--Phytotherapeutical Possibilities) is an alliance board associating approximately 20 professional institutions, its centre and coordinating laboratory being the Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Ecology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Králové. It aims at the prevention (additives in food industry) and therapy of diseases of the circulatory apparatus using phytotherapeutic agents and substances isolated from higher plants and fungi. The project is divided into three systems of investigation: ADAPRETE, i.e. the substances increasing the nonspecific resistance of the organism (adaptogenes of plant origin, immunostimulants), DIACORD, dealing with the substances acting on the cardiovascular system in a mediated way, i.e. treating the diseases the eventual action of which alters the heart and vessels (antihypercholesterolemics, antihyperlipidemics, antidiabetics, anti-oxidants and quenchers of free radicals, hepatoprotectives, anti-aggregating agents), and CORCORAN studying the taxons and substances isolated from them which act directly on the circulatory system (cardiotonic, anti-arrhythmic and vasodilating agents). To achieve a real purpose of the project, the linking-up of the phytochemical, pharmacological-toxicological, pharmaceutical-technological fields, production of raw materials and legislation is ensured.

[Phytotherapeutic aspects of diseases of the circulatory system. III. Cardiotonic and cardiotoxic effects of hyrcanoside and deglucohyrcanoside isolated from Coronilla varia L]. / Fytoterapeutické aspekty onemocnení obehového systému. III. Kardiotonický a kardiotoxický úcinek hyrkanosidu a deglukohyrkanosidu izolovaných z Coronilla varia L.

The Cardiotonic and cardiotoxic effects of two cardiac glycosides-hyrcanoside and deglucohyrcanoside-isolated from the seeds of Coronilla varia L. were evaluated in the paper--in comparison with the effect and toxicity of digoxin and ouabain. Evaluation of the cardiotonic effect using the methods of heart "in situ" and the isolated heart (Langendorff) proved that deglucohyrcanoside is more effective than hyrcanoside and that its effect is equal to that of digoxin as well as ouabain. The efficacy of deglucohyrcanoside et least to that of digoxin, while the toxicity of the former is several times lower, makes the glycoside a potential candidate for therapeutic use.

Cardiovascular effects of diazepam and nitrazepam in combination with ethanol.

As little attention has been given to cardiovascular effects of a combination of benzodiazepines with ethanol up till now, this paper describes some studies of arterial blood pressure and heart rate in anaesthetized rats treated with diazepam or nitrazepam 5 mg X kg-1 and ethanol 2 g X kg-1. It was observed, that ethanol enhanced the mild hypotensive effect of both benzodiazepines and alone reduced arterial blood pressure in proportion to the rate of its absorption and actual plasma level. This effect may be supposed a synergistic effect caused by a changed biotransformation of benzodiazepines or by intensified central sedative action. The heart rate was not substantially influenced by this drug combination.