The effects of a novel anti-inflammatory compound (AHI-805) on cyclooxygenase enzymes and the recovery of ischaemia injured equine jejunum ex vivo.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Flunixin meglumine is used for treatment of equine colic despite evidence of inhibited recovery of mucosal barrier function following small intestinal ischaemic injury. This study aimed to characterise an alternative treatment (AHI-805) for abdominal pain in the horse. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of AHI-805, an aza-thia-benzoazulene derivative, on the cyclooxygenase enzymes and the recovery of mucosal barrier function following ischaemic injury. METHODS: Effect of AHI-805 on in vitro COX-1 and COX-2 activity was determined by measuring coagulation-induced thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated prostaglandin E(2) concentrations in equine whole blood. Horses (n = 6) were anaesthetised and jejunum subjected to ischaemia for 2 h. Control and ischaemia injured mucosa was placed in Ussing chambers and treated with Ringer's solution containing control treatment (DMSO), flunixin meglumine (27 µmol/l), or AHI-805 (27 µmol/l). Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), mucosal-to-serosal flux of (3) H-mannitol, and bathing solution TXB(2) and prostaglandin E metabolites (PGEM) were measured over a 4 h recovery period. RESULTS: Treatment with AHI-805 had no significant effect on TXB(2) production but significantly inhibited production of PGE(2) at a concentration of 1 µmol/l or greater. TER of flunixin or AHI-805 treated ischaemia-injured jejunum was significantly lower than control treated injured tissue over the recovery period. Mannitol flux and grade of histological damage were significantly increased by ischaemic injury only. There was a significant increase in PGEM and TXB(2) in control tissues over the 240 min recovery period, but not in flunixin or AHI-805 treated tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Flunixin meglumine and AHI-805 inhibit recovery of barrier function in ischaemic-injured equine jejunum in vitro through inhibition of the COX enzymes. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The novel compound AHI-805 may not be suitable for the treatment of equine colic associated with ischaemic injury.

Comparative trial of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog/human menopausal gonadotropin and clomiphene citrate/human menopausal gonadotropin in an assisted conception program.

To establish the usefulness of a new drug regimen in an assisted conception program, a trial was performed comparing clomiphene citrate (CC) plus human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) with a new regimen of intranasal luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analog plus hMG. One hundred two patient cycles received treatment with CC and hMG and 118 patient cycles received treatment with LH-RH analog and hMG. Fifteen percent of cycles were canceled in the CC group and 8% in the analog group. Four percent of cycles in the CC group were canceled due to premature ovulation. The number of oocytes collected in the analog group was significantly higher than in the CC group (8.5 versus 5.5), as was the number of mature oocytes (3.5 versus 2.7). However, the percentage of mature oocytes was higher in the CC group (54.2% versus 42.3%). The number of embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization as well as the number of cleaving embryos were significantly higher in the analog group (5.2 versus 2.8 and 4.6 versus 2.3, respectively). The pregnancy rate in the analog group was significantly higher than in the CC group (30.6% versus 16.1%), as was the live birth rate (21% versus 8%). Early pregnancy loss was significantly higher in the CC group than in the analog group (35% versus 9%); and the serum level of LH on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration was also significantly elevated in the CC group when compared with the analog group (8.1 versus 4.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The value of IVF-ET in patients undergoing treatment by the GIFT procedure.

In patients undergoing the gamete intra-Fallopian transfer (GIFT) procedure, a prospective study was performed to establish the predictive value of attempting in-vitro fertilization (IVF) using extra oocytes obtained at laparoscopy and also the value of transferring the resulting embryo(s), in conjunction with GIFT, in the same treatment cycle. The GIFT procedure was performed in 50 treatment cycles involving 43 patients, of whom 20 have achieved clinical pregnancy with an overall success rate of 40% per treatment cycle. In 38 of these patients, one or more extra oocytes were available and an attempt was made in each case to fertilize them in vitro. When fertilization failed to occur in vitro, the chances of pregnancy were significantly reduced (9.1%). In patients for whom IVF of extra oocyte(s) was successful, there was no significant difference in the pregnancy rate whether embryo transfer was performed or not (54 and 57.1%, respectively). The success rate was also influenced by the number of oocytes collected rather than the number of oocytes/embryos transferred. Therefore these results suggest that IVF of extra oocytes is a good indicator of in-vivo fertilization and that if extra embryos are obtained they should be cryopreserved.