Association of smoking cessation patterns and untreated smoking with glaucoma, cataract, and macular degeneration: a population-based retrospective study.

This study aims to assess the association between nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), varenicline, and untreated smoking with the risk of developing eye disorders. We employed a new-user design to investigate the association between NRT use and the incidence of eye disorders by the Taiwan National Health Insurance program. This study included 8416 smokers who received NRT and 8416 smokers who did not receive NRT (control group) matched using propensity scores between 2007 and 2018. After adjustment for relevant factors, a multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that compared with untreated smokers, NRT use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of macular degeneration (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13-0.87, P = 0.024). When stratified by dose, short-term NRT use (8-28 defined daily doses) was associated with significantly lower risk of glaucoma (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.16-0.80, P = 0.012) and a trend toward reduced risk of cataract (HR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.36-1.01, P = 0.053) compared to no treatment. However, these associations were not observed with long-term NRT use. The results of this real-world observational study indicate that NRT use, particularly short-term use, was associated with a lower risk of certain eye disorders compared to no treatment for smoking cessation. Long-term NRT use did not demonstrate the same benefits. Thus, short-term NRT may be a beneficial treatment strategy for reducing the risk of eye disorders in smokers attempting to quit. However, further evidence is required to verify these findings and determine the optimal duration of NRT use.

Evaluation of the antioxidant and endothelial protective effects of Lysimachia christinae Hance (Jin Qian Cao) extract fractions.

BACKGROUND: Lysimachia christinae Hance is a traditional Chinese medicine with diuretic, detumescent, and detoxifying effects. Our aimed to optimize the extraction protocol to maximize the yield of flavonoids from Lysimachia christinae Hance, and evaluate the pharmacological activities of four fractions, namely, petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA), n-butanol (NB), and aqueous (AQ) fractions, of the ethanolic extract of Lysimachia christinae Hance. METHODS: The flavonoid monomers in the crude extract were characterized via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were used as markers for extract quality control and standardization. The total flavonoid, total phenolic, and total polysaccharide contents of each fraction were determined by spectrophotometry. Further, the in vitro free radical (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals) scavenging activities, and antioxidant capacity in endothelial cells were evaluated for each fraction. RESULTS: After optimizing the extraction protocol to maximize the total flavonoid yield from L. christinae Hance, the NB fractions had the highest total flavonoid (39.4 ± 4.55 mg RE/g), total phenolic (41.1 ± 3.07 mg GAE/g) and total polysaccharide (168.1 ± 7.07 mg GE/g); In addition, the NB fraction of the ethanolic extract of L. christinae Hance reveal the strongest radical-scavenging activity, antioxidant activity and protective effects against H2O2-induced injury in HUVECs. CONCLUSIONS: Among the four fractions of L. christinae Hance, the NB fraction showed the most potent antioxidant and endothelial protective effects, which may be attributed to its high flavonoid, phenolic contents and optimal portfolio of different active ingredients of NB fractions of the ethanolic extract of L. christinae Hance. This study might improve our understanding of the pharmacological activities of L. christinae Hance, thereby facilitating its use in disease prevention and treatment.

[Synthesis and vascular relaxing activity of arecoline derivatives coupled with nitric oxide donors].

AIM: To search for potential anti-atherosclerosis drugs with vascular relaxation activity, a series of agonists of endothelial targets were designed and synthesized. METHODS: Coupling N-methyl-1,2, 3,6-tetrahydrapyridine ring system with 3,4-dibenzenesulfonyl-1,2,5-oxadiazole-2-oxide through esterification or amidation, a series of arecoline derivatives containing NO donors were designed and synthesised. RESULTS: A novel series of compounds structurally related to arecoline have been prepared, the proposed structures of eighteen new compounds were established by IR, 1H NMR, MS spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The effects of the target compounds on the vasodilation activity were tested in the isolated preparation of mice thoratic aorta. CONCLUSION: This preliminary pharmacological tests showed that the candidates have good vasodilation activities and were worthy to be intensively studied.

[Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 3-(5-substituted phenyl-[1,3,4] oxadiazole-2-yl-methylenethio)-5-pyridin-3-yl-[1,2,4] triazole-4-yl-amines].

AIM: To study on synthesis and antibacterial activity evaluation of polyheterocycles. METHODS: The condensation of 4-amino-3-pyridin-3-yl-4H-[1,2,4] triazole-5-thiol with 2-chloromethyl-5-substituted phenyl-[1,3,4] oxadiazoles gave the corresponding title heterocycle amines, and the in vitro antibacterial activity was primarily evaluated by the method of cup-plate diffusion solution. RESULTS: Twelve novel compounds were synthesized, and their structures were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, MS and element analysis. Biological screening results demonstrated that most of the compounds prepared showed good antibacterial activity. CONCLUSION: Oxadiazoles incorporting pyridyl triazole ring may be a pharmacophor structure in the molecule for developing antibacterial candidate drugs.

[Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 2-(3-pyridyl)-5-([(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) methylene]thio)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles].

AIM: Studies on synthesis and antibacterial activity of new heterocycles. METHODS: The cyclocondensation of [(3-pyridyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl] thio acetic acid with various aroyl hydrazines in the presence of POCl3 and xylene gave the corresponding titled compounds, and the in vitro antibacterial activity was primarily evaluated by the method of cupplate diffusion solution. RESULTS: Sixteen novel titled compounds were synthesized, their structures were confirmed by IR, 1HNMR, MS and elemental analysis. Biological screening results demonstrated that most of the compounds prepared displayed potential antibacterial activity. CONCLUSION: Oxadiazoles incorporting pyridyl oxadiazole ring may be usefully antibacterial candidate drugs.