[Uremic myopathy]. / Miopatía urémica.

INTRODUCTION: The neurological features of chronic renal failure are very varied. Uremic myopathy is a controversial condition. In most cases it is related to the secondary hyperparathyroidism which these patients develop, and its characteristics are superimposed on their osteomalacia myopathy. CLINICAL CASES AND CONCLUSIONS: We report two patients with terminal chronic renal failure on hemodialysis who complained on difficulty with walking. The clinical findings, laboratory and neurophysiological investigations and the histopathological report of the muscle biopsy were similar to those of osteomalacia myopathy. The muscle weakness of patients with terminal chronic renal failure is related to many factors. The most important of these is the secondary hyperparathyroidism which leads to osteomalacia myopathy. On muscle biopsy there was isolated fibre necrosis of both types 1 and 2 (case 1) and of type 2 alone (case 2), which is considered to be the commonest finding. Although treatment with high doses of vitamin D3, or its hydroxylated metabolites, has been recommended, it was not effective in our patients.

Miopatía urémica / Uremic myopathy

Introducción. Las manifestaciones neurológicas de la insuficiencia renal crónica son muy variadas. La miopatía urémica es una entidad controvertida, relacionada en la mayoría de los casos con el frecuente hiperparatiroidismo secundario que estos pacientes desarrollan, y sus características son superponibles a la miopatía osteomalácica. Casos clínicos y conclusiones. Se presentan los casos de dos pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica terminal sometidos a hemodiálisis que comenzaron con dificultad para la marcha. Las manifestaciones clínicas, el estudio analítico y neurofisiológico, así como los hallazgos histopatológicos de la biopsia muscular fueron similares a los de la miopatía osteomalácica. La debilidad muscular en los pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica terminal se relaciona con numerosos factores, de los cuales el más importante es el hiperparatiroidismo secundario que condiciona una miopatía osteomalácica. En la biopsia muscular se objetivó necrosis aislada de fibras, tanto del tipo 1 y 2 (caso 1), como del tipo 2 solamente (caso 2), siendo el hallazgo que se considera más frecuente. Aunque se ha preconizado el tratamiento con altas dosis de vitamina D3, o sus metabolitos hidroxilizados, éste no fue eficaz en nuestros pacientes (AU)

[Hypoglycemic activity of Bouvardia terniflora, Brickellia veronicaefolia, and Parmentiera edulis]. / Actividad hipoglucemiante de Bouvardia terniflora, Brickellia veronicaefolia y Parmentiera edulis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of the hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of Bouvardia terniflora, Brickelia veronicaefolia and Parmentiera edulis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Normal and alloxan-induced diabetic mice were administered these plant extracts (intraperitoneal 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg). RESULTS: The administration of 300 mg/kg of chloroform extracts from P. edulis and B. terniflora and hexane from B. veronicaefolia to diabetic mice decreased the blood glucose levels in 43.75, 58.56 and 72.13%, respectively. These extracts administered to normal mice reduced blood glucose levels in 29.61, 33.42 and 39.84%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The hypoglycemic effect of these plant extracts used in traditional medicine for diabetes treatment is confirmed.

Study of the anti-hyperglycemic effect of plants used as antidiabetics.

The purpose of this research was to study the anti-hyperglycemic effect of 28 medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Each plant was processed in the traditional way and intragastrically administered to temporarily hyperglycemic rabbits. The results showed that eight out of the 28 studied plants significantly decrease the hyperglycemic peak and/or the area under the glucose tolerance curve. These plants were: Guazuma ulmifolia, Tournefortia hirsutissima, Lepechinia caulescens, Rhizophora mangle, Musa sapientum, Trigonella foenum graceum, Turnera diffusa, and Euphorbia prostrata. The results suggest the validity of their clinical use in diabetes mellitus control, after their toxicological investigation.