Evaluation of the antiedematogenic activity of artemetin isolated from Cordia curassavica DC.

The species Cordia curassavica (Boraginaceae), known popularly as "erva baleeira", is used in folk medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory processes and as a healing agent. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antiedematogenic activity of crude dichloromethane extracts of Cordia curassavica and of the artemetin-enriched fraction. The crude extract and artemetin fraction were tested in the model of carrageenin-induced paw edema in male Swiss mice (25-30 g). The crude dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) showed significant antiedematogenic activity, reducing the edema by 42, 57 and 45% and 46, 62 and 69%, 3, 4 and 5 h after carrageenin administration, respectively. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, po, N = 6) reduced the edema by 45 and 48%, after 4 and 5 h, but the artemetin-enriched fraction (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, po, N = 6) had no activity. The dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) also showed antinociceptive activity by reducing acetic acid-induced writhing in mice from 37.1 +/- 2.28 (control) to 17.3 +/- 1.34 and 13.2 +/- 1.44, respectively, but had no activity in the hot-plate test.

Evaluation of the antiedematogenic activity of artemetin isolated from Cordia curassavica DC

The species Cordia curassavica (Boraginaceae), known popularly as "erva baleeira", is used in folk medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory processes and as a healing agent. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antiedematogenic activity of crude dichloromethane extracts of Cordia curassavica and of the artemetin-enriched fraction. The crude extract and artemetin fraction were tested in the model of carrageenin-induced paw edema in male Swiss mice (25-30 g). The crude dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) showed significant antiedematogenic activity, reducing the edema by 42, 57 and 45 percent and 46, 62 and 69 percent, 3, 4 and 5 h after carrageenin administration, respectively. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, po, N = 6) reduced the edema by 45 and 48 percent, after 4 and 5 h, but the artemetin-enriched fraction (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, po, N = 6) had no activity. The dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) also showed antinociceptive activity by reducing acetic acid-induced writhing in mice from 37.1 ± 2.28 (control) to 17.3 ± 1.34 and 13.2 ± 1.44, respectively, but had no activity in the hot-plate test

[Rolled atelectasis and asbestosis. Apropos of 26 patients]. / Atélectasie par enroulement et amiante. A propos de 26 patients.

Round atelectasis (AE) is a benign form of respiratory problem which develops due to fixing of the visceral pleura. This lesion for which the principal cause is exposure to asbestos may pose problems of differential diagnosis with bronchopulmonary cancer. In a cohort of 286 patients suffering from benign asbestos related pleural disease the diagnosis of round atelectasis was made on computerized tomography in 26 patients (31 AE) on the following criteria: rounded opacities of less than 7 cm in diameter situated at the periphery of the lung in contact with a thickened pleura with an acute angle linking the pleura and the opacity, a reduction of lung volume on the side of the atelectasis and the presence of a "comet tail sign". These patients were investigated to specify the circumstances of the occurrence, including their symptomatology, the changes in lung function, the topography of the round atelectasis and the associated radiological signs. Intense exposure to asbestos either continuous or discontinuous was found in 19 patients; 20 patients presented with some respiratory symptoms (dyspnoea 15/26, cough 11/26 and chest pain 9/26) but the reduction in lung function was moderate (7 had restrictive ventilatory trouble, 4 obstructive problems and a mixed problem in 1). The preferred localisation for round atelectasis was in the inferior lobes in the posterior basal lateral vertebral area (26/31) which may explain their being frequently missed on the standard radiograph (only one case of round atelectasis was visible on the straight chest radiograph in our study). An understanding of the pathology and the computered tomographic characteristics are now well defined and should enable an unnecessary diagnostic thoracotomy to be avoided which besides has no justification from the functional point of view.

Consequences of occupational asthma on employment and financial status: a follow-up study.

The aim of this study was to describe changes in employment and income following a diagnosis of occupational asthma, and to determine what factors might affect these changes. Two hundred and nine patients with occupational asthma were reviewed on average 3.1 yrs after the diagnosis had been made. They were contacted by telephone or were sent a self-administered questionnaire by post. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to determine which variables were associated with loss of employment after the diagnosis. At the time of review, 44% of patients had left their previous job and 25% were currently unemployed. Remarkably, 32% remained exposed to the offending agents in the same job. Forty six percent of the patients had suffered a reduction of income (84% of those who had left their employer versus 19% of those still employed in the same company (p < 0.001)). Claims for compensation, size of the company, level of education, and age at the time of diagnosis were significantly associated with a risk for becoming unemployed or having a new employer after the diagnosis of occupational asthma. Occupational asthma results in severe socioeconomic consequences. The French compensation system for occupational asthma should be revised, as the criteria currently used to determine compensation for this disease largely underestimate the social and occupational damages.

Cauda equina compression by epidural lipomatosis in obesity. Effectiveness of weight reduction.

Epidural lipomatosis (EL) is characterized by abnormal accumulation of unencapsulated fat in the epidural space, and usually occurs as a complication of longterm steroid therapy. This condition, which may result in devastating neurologic complications, has also been reported without exogenous steroid intake. We describe a case of nonsteroid induced symptomatic EL associated with obesity, and emphasize the possibility of effective medical management of this entity with weight reduction instead of decompressive laminectomy whenever neurologic symptoms are mild and stable.