Isolation of two phenylethanoid glycosides from Eremophila gilesii.

The leaves of Eremophila gilesii have been used traditionally to treat colds, headaches, sores, and chest pains. Our previous screening of Australian native plants showed that the methanol extract of the aerial parts of E. gilesii demonstrated notable inhibition of ADP-induced human platelet aggregation and serotonin release. Subsequent fractionation on the methanol extract led to the isolation of two phenylethanoid glycosides, verbascoside (1) and poliumoside (2). This is the first study reporting the presence of phenylethanoid glycosides in E. gilesii.

Colonic J-pouch as a neorectum: functional assessment.

BACKGROUND: Sphincter-saving procedures are now commonly used for low rectal cancer but straight colo-anal anastomosis seemed to produce poor functional outcome. The present study was therefore carried out to compare and contrast the functional outcome of colonic J-pouch and straight colo-anal anastomosis. METHODS: The clinical and functional outcome of 17 patients having a colonic J-pouch-anal anastomosis and 10 patients having a straight colo-anal anastomosis were compared. They were compared in terms of age, sex, distal resection margin, Dukes stage, histological grade, morbidity/mortality and postoperative anal function. RESULTS: There was better bowel function in patients having J-pouch-anal anastomosis, especially in the early period after closure of the covering stoma. Bowel frequency in those patients who had a J-pouch anastomosis was much less compared to those patients in the straight colo-anal group in the 1st and possibly the 2nd year. There was a period of adaptation for the straight colo-anal group which led to a bowel frequency approaching that of the J-pouch group over 1-2 years. Differences in urgency, faecal continence, evacuation function, the use of drugs to slow bowel frequency and ability to discriminate between flatus and faeces were found to favour the J-pouch group in the first postoperative year. The difference between the two groups diminished after that because the straight group improved, especially by the end of the 2nd year. During the study period, there were no constipation problems in the J-pouch group, as noted in some other studies. This was probably associated with the 6-cm length chosen for the pouch. CONCLUSIONS: The use of colonic J-pouch resulted in a significant decrease in stool frequency and more satisfactory anal function for the first postoperative year. This difference lessened during the second postoperative year. There was no demonstrable difficulty with rectal evacuation in the pouch patients.

Concurrent colonic adenocarcinoma and two ileal carcinoids in a 72-year-old male.

A case of synchronous rectal cancer and two small-bowel carcinoid tumours was recently encountered in a 72-year-old man. This will be presented and discussed with a literature review. It emphasizes the importance of the concept of synchronous malignancy within the gastrointestinal tract and that patients presenting with any gastrointestinal neoplasm, especially colonic cancer and carcinoids, should undergo thorough exploration of the peritoneal cavity and its organs at initial surgery.