Biomedical subjects

A Angelo

Publications and source records attributed to A Angelo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

GHB: a home brew.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid is an allegedly benign illicit substance that is gaining increasing recognition and attention among substance abusers and athletes. Alongside foreign-made brands, the compound is also easily available, at low cost because of the facility with which it can be produced in one's kitchen. Named by some "Nature's Quaalude" or sold as a health product, it is often used with a false sense of security as it may cause serious and disabling complications, as illustrated by this clinical vignette.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗

PubMed1994

New aporphine alkaloids from guatteria foliosa.

Four new alkaloids were obtained from Guatteria foliosa, namely, the noraporphines (-)-3-methoxyputerine [1] and (+)-norguattevaline [2], the more highly oxidized (+)-3-methoxyguattescidine [3], and the oxoaporphine 3-methoxyoxoputerine [4]. Among several other known alkaloids also found in this same plant, (-)-3-hydroxynornuciferine, (-)-isoguattouregidine, and argentinine exhibited significant activity against Trypanosoma cruzi.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Biological and chemical studies of Pera benensis, a Bolivian plant used in folk medicine as a treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The stem barks of Pera benensis are employed by the Chimane Indians in the Bolivian Amazonia as treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by the protozoan Leishmania braziliensis. The chloroform extracts containing quinones were found active against the promastigote forms of Leishmania and the epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi at 10 micrograms ml-1. The activity guided fractionation of the extract by chromatography afforded active compounds. Their structures were elucidated, by spectral and chemical studies, as known naphthoquinones, plumbagin, 3,3'-biplumbagin, 8-8'-biplumbagin, and triterpene, lupeol. The activity in vitro of each compound was evaluated against 5 strains of Leishmania (promastigote), 6 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (epimastigote) and the intracellular form (amastigote) of Leishmania amazonensis. The baseline drugs used were Glucantime and pentamidine (Leishmania spp.), nifurtimox and benznidazole (T. cruzi). Plumbagin was the most active compound in vitro. This study has demonstrated that Pera benensis, a medicinal plant used in folk medicine, is an efficient treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

[Active antihelminitic alkaloids: active in vitro against Leishmanic Tropica the protozoa involved in leishmaniasis].

Leishmaniasis caused by protozoan Leishmania ssp., is an endemic parasitic disease in Central and South America. The chemotherapeutic agents against Leishmania ssp. (pentavalent antimony compounds, pentamidine and amphothericine B) are toxic and expensive products. Basing on the Bolivian folk medicine, we tried to find new active principles. Fourteen isoquinoline alkaloids, especially bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids extracted from Annonaceae, Berberidaceae, Hernandiaceae and Menispermaceae, demonstrate highly effective activity against this protozoan. Among them gyrocarpine, daphnandrine and obaberine seem to be of particular interest. The therapeutic effect was studied by biological assays on culture forms in vitro three strains of Leishmania, L. donovani, L. braziliensis (cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis), L. mexicana amazonensis (cutaneous) and L. donovani (visceral leishmaniasis).

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1988

[ Active trypanocidal alkaloids, bisbenzylisoquinoles ii. active in vitro against trypanosoma cruzi the agent responsible for trypanosomiasis, south america].

Chagas disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is an endemic parasitic disease in Central and South America. The chemotherapeutic agents against Trypanosoma cruzi (imidazol compounds, lampit and benznidazol) are not very convenient products. Since it is known that protozoan Trypanosoma are close to Leishmania we studied the action of 14 bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, in vitro, on three strains of T. cruzi (Tulahuen, C8C11, and 1979 CL1). As in the case of Leishmania, gyrocarpine, daphnandrine and obaberine showed an interesting activity and we judge them to be worthy of in vivo assays.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1983

Mechanism of plasma catecholamine increases during coronary artery bypass and valve procedures.

Nineteen patients undergoing coronary revascularization (14 patients) or valve replacement (five patients) were studied to monitor the catecholamine levels following operation and for each of three consecutive postoperative days. A significant (p less than 0.01) elevation was observed in both the serum norepinephrine and epinephrine levels immediately following operation, with both responding in a similar fashion (r = 0.804, p = 0.016). While epinephrine returned to control levels within 3 days of operation, the norepinephrine levels remained above control. The elevation in catecholamines associated with cardiac operation is presumed to be secondary to (1) the stress of surgical trauma and (2) the influence of cardiopulmonary bypass, with its attendant hypothermia and hemodynamic alterations. A comparative analysis was performed of (1) the type of operation, (2) the sex of the patient, (3) the presence of postoperative arrhythmia, (4) the history of receiving propranolol, (5) the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, (6) the duration of operation, and (7) the volume of fluid gradient absorbed during operation. None of these parameters except the sex of the patient was significantly related to the change in either norepinephrine or epinephrine associated with the operation. There was a significantly (p less than 0.05) higher epinephrine level at day 2 and 3 following operation in women than in men. None of the 19 patients had postoperative complications except for arrhythmias, which developed in nine patients and were not associated with the catecholamine responses. It is concluded that peak catecholamine stimulation does not reflect the ease of postoperative recovery. The duration of bypass and operation were also not directly related to the level of stimulation. It is apparent that there are multiple factors which combine to influence catecholamine secretion during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Isolation and synthesis of espintanol, a new antiparasitic monoterpene].

The in vitro leishmanicidal and trypanocidal activities of a petroleum ether extract of Oxandra espintana have been investigated. Four aromatic monoterpenes were isolated, of which two are novel: espintanol [3a], responsible for the antiparasite activity, and O-methylespintanol [4]. Espintanol was tested in vitro on 20 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi and 12 strains of Leishmania spp. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic methods and confirmed by its preparation starting from carvacrol.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Histologic and histochemical study of effects of anabolic steroids on the female larynx.

The larynges of 30 unmated, mature female albino mice were examined histologically and histochemically after injecting them with 19-nandrolone phenylpropionate. Permanent irreversible changes, in the form of parakeratosis and squamous metaplasia of the epithelium, and hypertrophy of the muscle fibers, were observed together with persistence of increased alkaline phosphatase enzyme intensity in the endothelium of capillaries and increased activity of nonspecific esterase in the muscles. Similar changes may be responsible for the alteration in the human female's voice after prolonged treatment with anabolic steroids.

Anabolic Agents↗