Biomedical subjects

A Tubaro

Publications and source records attributed to A Tubaro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Anti-inflammatory activity of Maytenus senegalensis root extracts and of maytenoic acid.

Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Excell (Celastraceae) root extracts were investigated for their topical anti-inflammatory properties by measuring the inhibition of the Croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice. The highest anti-inflammatory activity was detected in the chloroform extract, which reduced the oedematous response with a potency similar to that of the NSAID reference drug indomethacin (ID(50)=84 and 93 microg/cm(2), respectively). Fractionation of the chloroform and of the hexane extracts led to the isolation of maytenoic acid (1), which exhibited a dose-dependent antiphlogistic effect (ID(50)=0.11 micromol/cm(2)) twice that of indomethacin (ID(50)=0.26 micromol/cm(2)) and only three times lower than that of hydrocortisone (ID(50)=0.04 micromol/cm(2)).

Animals↗

PubMed2006

New polyhydroxylated triterpenes and anti-inflammatory activity of Salvia hierosolymitana.

Salvia hierosolymitana (Lamiaceae) leaves were investigated for their topical anti-inflammatory properties following a bioassay-guided fractionation. The chloroform extract showed a strong inhibition of the Croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice, comparable to that of indomethacin. Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of this extract led to the isolation of eight anti-inflammatory polyhydroxylated triterpenes of the ursane and oleanane series. Four of them are new compounds, whose structures were elucidated by NMR and mass spectroscopy as 3beta, 6alpha,23-trihydroxyurs-12,19(29)-dien-28-oic acid, 23-( TRANS-P-coumaroyloxy)-3beta, 6alpha,30-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, 2alpha,3beta-dihydroxyolean-28-oic acid and 24-nor-2alpha,3beta-dihydroxyolean-4(23),12-ene.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity of a new class of phenyl-pyrazolone derivatives.

The anti-inflammatory activity of a new class of phenyl-pyrazolone derivatives, structurally related to phenidone, has been evaluated using the Croton oil ear test in mice as model of acute inflammation. Derivative 5h reduces the percentage of oedema similarly to indomethacin and more efficiently than phenylbutazone. The anti-inflammatory activity of these two reference drugs depends on their COX inhibition, but for the synthesized derivatives it has not been demonstrated a significant COX or LOX inhibition, as previously reported. While the anti-inflammatory activity of phenidone is correlated to its anti-oxidant properties, the redox potential of these compounds appears not decisive in the inflammatory process inhibition. In order to investigate the mechanism of action for these compounds, we quantified their anti-oxidant activity and the lipophilicity, and a relationship between the calculated logP and the percentage of oedema reduction was found. We hypothesize that the anti-inflammatory activity, recorded in vivo, could be related to lipophilic parameter of these compounds.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Risk factors for disease progression in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH): a systematic analysis of expert opinion.

Disease progression has become an important issue for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). Although several risk factors have been identified, no specific patient risk profiles have been established that can be useful in the day-to-day management of LUTS/BPH. In this study, an international panel of urologists developed a risk classification based on the attribution of a risk score to 243 unique patient profiles. From the perspective of clinical decision making, it was concluded that postvoid residual, symptom severity and maximum flow rate are the most relevant determinants of the risk of disease progression.

Disease Progression↗

PubMed2005

Integrating risk profiles for disease progression in the treatment choice for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia: a combined analysis of external evidence and clinical expertise.

The RAND appropriateness method was used to explore the relevance of risk factors for disease progression in the treatment choice for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). A total of, 12 international experts assessed the appropriateness of various treatments for 243 risk profiles. Highest appropriateness rates were found for alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists (68% of profiles) and combination therapy (46%). A large prostate volume was the dominant argument in favour of 5alpha-reductase inhibitors and combination therapy, but was irrelevant for the choice of surgery. Considerable postvoid residual, severe symptoms and poor maximum flow rate were the most important factors in favour of surgery.

Disease Progression↗

PubMed2005

Aloeresin I, an anti-inflammatory 5-methylchromone from cape aloe.

A new diglucoside having a 5-methylchromone moiety was isolated from a commercial sample of Cape aloe, the dried exudate from Aloe ferox Miller, and named aloeresin I. Its structure was established as 1 on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. Aloeresin I (1) (1 micromol/cm2) reduces in vivo the oedematous response (39 %) induced by Croton oil in the mouse ear with the same potency as aloesin, one of the most abundant Cape aloe constituents, and to a higher extent than aloeresin H (2). Indomethacin (0.3 micromol/cm2), the reference anti-inflammatory compound, provokes 61 % oedema inhibition.

Aloe↗

PubMed2005

[Overactive bladder: modulating the effects of antimuscarinic therapy].

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a prevalent pathologic condition affecting millions of young, adult and aging people in the world. Although it is a underestimated disease, it causes a significant negative socio-economic impact and determines a severe deterioration of quality of life (QoL) of sufferers. The epidemiologic data today available regarding OAB incidence, prevalence and burden, have prompted a great interest about it. The effect of this research resulted in the availability of new clinical tools useful to investigate and easier diagnose OAB, such as voiding diary and specific symptomatic questionnaires. The most used drugs in the OAB treatment are the antimuscarinics, whose use is still limited due to their some side effects, mostly dry mouth and constipation. For this reason the pharmacologic research is involved in the development of drugs with a better receptorial selectivity, organ specificity, new extended release formulations or new ways of administration. The new extended release formulation of tolterodine, one of the most used drugs in OAB treatment, present a better tolerability maintaining its efficacy, with a consequent better therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, the recent proposed night-time administration of the drug resulted in a even more lowering of side-effects due to their occurrence during the nocturnal resting.

Humans↗

PubMed2004

Short-term oral toxicity of homoyessotoxins, yessotoxin and okadaic acid in mice.

A short-term toxicity study after 7 days oral daily administration of yessotoxin (YTX; 2 mg/kg/day), homoYTX (1 mg/kg/day), 45-hydroxy-homoYTX (1 mg/kg/day) and of the main diarrhoetic shellfish toxin okadaic acid (OA; 1 mg/kg/day) was carried out in mice. Symptoms, lethality, food consumption, body and organ weights, gross pathology and histopathology of the main organs and tissues, leukocytes formula as well as plasmatic levels of transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine phosphokinase were evaluated. Heart tissue was studied also hystochemically for the presence of apoptotic nuclei and by transmission electron microscopy. No mortality, signs of toxicity or cumulative effects were induced by the repeated oral exposure to YTXs. Only ultrastructural changes in the cardiac muscle cells near the capillaries, such as package of rounded mitochondria and alteration of the cells boundary were observed, without any increase of lactate dehydrogenase, an index of cardiac damage. OA induced diarrhoea, body weight loss, reduced food consumption, and the death of 2/5 mice after 5 days. Necroscopy and/or light microscopy analysis revealed toxic effects mainly at forestomach (ulceration and hyperplasia), liver and, indirectly to body weight loss of mice, atrophic signs in the lymphoid organs and exocrine pancreas. Electron microscopy of heart tissue showed alterations of mitochondria and fibers in myocardiocytes, although no apoptotic change was recorded.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2004

Experience with a bone anchor sling for treating female stress urinary incontinence: outcome at 30 months.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical and video-urodynamic outcome in women with by stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treated with a bone-anchored pubovaginal sling. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 70 women with SUI (as evaluated by a clinical examination, a voiding questionnaire, a short pad-test and video-urodynamics) who had a bone-anchor sling procedure, with or without cystocele repair, from January 1999 to December 2001; they were re-evaluated after a long-term follow-up (mean 30 months). RESULTS: The long-term outcome showed a success rate of > 95%; the clinical and video-urodynamic findings showed good functional and anatomical results, and an improvement in voiding performance in most patients. There was a low incidence of complications during and after surgery (2.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This approach gives, in highly selected patients, a high success rate and low incidence of complications. The technique is easy to learn and the costs to the financing bodies and public healthcare are low, making it a candidate for an alternative procedure to the standard techniques for SUI.

Female↗

PubMed2003

Oral and intraperitoneal acute toxicity studies of yessotoxin and homoyessotoxins in mice.

The acute toxicity of yessotoxin (YTX), homoyessotoxin (homoYTX) and 45-hydroxy-homoyessotoxin (45-OH-homoYTX) has been studied in comparison to that of okadaic acid (OA), the main diarrhogenic toxin, both after intraperitoneal (i.p.) and oral administration. After i.p. administration, homoYTX and YTX showed similar lethality (LD(50)=444 microg/kg and 512 microg/kg), higher than that of OA (LD(50)=225 microg/kg), while 750 microg/kg of 45-OH-homoYTX did not cause death. OA induced the already known toxic signs: before death, mice were motionless and cyanotic; small intestine and liver damage were shown at post-mortem. Mice treated with YTX and homoYTX were restless and jumped before death; necroscopy did not show major changes. After oral treatment, 2 mg/kg of OA induced diarrhoea and body weight loss, causing 4/5 deaths; necroscopy and/or histology revealed degenerative lesions to small intestine, forestomach and liver (confirmed by increased plasma transaminase), but no myocardium alterations. On the contrary, the oral treatment with YTX (1 and 2 mg/kg) and its derivatives (1 mg/kg) did not cause any death or signs of toxicity, except some ultrastructural myocardiocyte alterations, adjacent to capillaries, such as cytoplasmic protrusions (YTX, 1 and 2 mg/kg), fibrillar alteration (YTX, 1 mg/kg) or mitochondria assemblage (45-OH-homoYTX). Altogether, our data show that YTX and its derivatives are less toxic than OA after acute oral and i.p. treatments, at doses which may represent up to 100 times of the possible human daily intake.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2003

Screening of anti-bacterial activity of medicinal plants from Belize (Central America).

Twenty-one extracts from seven herbal drugs, Aristolochia trilobata (Aristolochiaceae) leaves and bark, Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae) bark, Guazuma ulmifolia (Sterculiaceae) bark, Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae) leaves and Syngonium podophyllum (Araceae) leaves and bark, used in traditional medicine of Belize (Central America) as deep and superficial wound healers, were evaluated for their anti-bacterial properties. Activity was tested against standard strains of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. Almost all the extracts were able to inhibit the growth of one or more of the bacterial strains, except that of Enterococcus faecalis. For the first time an anti-microbial activity is reported for Aristolochia trilobata as well as for Syngonium podophyllum. The hexane extracts of Aristolochia trilobata leaves and bark were the most active extracts against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC=0.31 and 0.625mg/ml, respectively).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2002

Incidence and prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia in primary care--the Triumph project.

OBJECTIVE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common conditions associated with ageing in men. BPH often presents as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to difficulties in voiding and irritability of the bladder. We conducted a retrospective cohort study within the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) database, a general practitioners database in The Netherlands, to assess the incidence of LUTS suggestive of BPH (LUTS/BPH) in the general population. MATERIALS: Our study population comprised all males, 45 years or older who were registered for at least 6 months prior to start of follow-up. The study period lasted from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. Cases of LUTS/BPH were defined as persons with a diagnosis of BPH, treatment or surgery for BPH, or urinary symptoms suggestive of BPH that could not be explained by other co-morbidity. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 80,774 males who contributed 141,035 person-years of follow-up. We identified 2181 incident and 5605 prevalent LUTS/BPH cases. The overall incidence rate of LUTS/BPH was 15 per 1000 man-years (95% CI: 14.8-16.1). The incidence increased linearly (r(2) = 0.99) with age from three cases per 1000 man-years at the age of 45-49 years (95% CI: 2.4-3.6) to a maximum of 38 cases per 1000 man-years at the age of 75-79 years (95% CI: 34.1-42.9). After the age of 80 years, the incidence rate remained constant. For a symptom-free man of 46 years, the risk to develop LUTS/BPH over the coming 30 years, if he survives, is 45%. The overall prevalence of LUTS/BPH was 10.3% (95% CI: 10.2-10.5). The prevalence rate was lowest among males 45-49 years of age (2.7%) and increased with age until a maximum at the age of 80 years (24%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of LUTS/BPH increases linearly with age and reaches its maximum at the age of 79 years.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2002

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of Bauhinia tarapotensis leaves.

The topical anti-inflammatory properties of Bauhinia tarapotensis Benth. (Leguminosae) leaves have been studied by the inhibition of the croton oil-induced ear edema in mice. A bioassay-guided fractionation showed an interesting anti-inflammatory activity of the chloroform extract, that justifies the activity of the whole herbal drug. The main anti-inflammatory principles of B. tarapotensis leaves are triterpenic acids of ursane and oleanane series. The antiphlogistic activity of mixtures constituted of two ursane and oleanane isomers with different hydroxylation pattern, in the ratio 2:1, is comparable to that of indomethacin (ID50 ranging from 95 to 147 microg/cm2 and 93 microg/cm2, respectively).

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and compounds from Thymus broussonettii.

The topical anti-inflammatory activity of four extracts from Thymus broussonetii Boiss (Labiatae) leaves, a herbal drug used in Moroccan traditional medicine, has been studied using the croton oil ear test in mice. A bioassay-oriented fractionation revealed that the pharmacological activity is mainly in the chloroform extract. Fractionation and analysis of this extract allowed the identification of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid as the main anti-inflammatory principles. Some flavonoids (luteolin, eriodictyol, thymonin) and glycosides (luteolin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin-3'-O-glucuronide, eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside) were also isolated from the methanol extract.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2001

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of Salvia officinalis L. leaves: the relevance of ursolic acid.

Salvia officinalis L. leaves, obtained from four plant populations of different origin, were investigated for their topical anti-inflammatory properties. The n-hexane and the chloroform extracts dose-dependently inhibited the Croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice, the chloroform extracts being the most active. By contrast, the methanol extracts showed a very low effect and the essential oil was inactive. Chemical and pharmacological investigation of the most potent chloroform extract, issued from an autochthonous sage population grown in the submediterranean climatic region of Slovenia, revealed ursolic acid as the main component involved in its anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory effect of ursolic acid (ID50 = 0.14 microMoles/cm2) was two fold more potent than that of indomethacin (ID50 = 0.26 microMoles/cm2), which was used as a reference non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The content of ursolic acid in sage and sage-based remedies for the topical treatment of inflammatory diseases is proposed as a parameter for quality control purposes.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2001

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of a new germacrane derivative from Achillea pannonica.

The topical anti-inflammatory activity of a germacrane derivative [1,4-dihydroxy-germacra-5E-10(14)-diene; DHGD] isolated from Achillea pannonica Scheele (Asteraceae) was investigated employing the Croton oil-induced dermatitis in the mouse ear. Its effects on the oedematous response and on leukocytes infiltration are described. The germacrane derivative significantly inhibited ear oedema in a dose-dependent manner, with an ID(50) of 0.40 micromol/cm(2). DHGD (0.75 micromol/cm(2)) provoked a global inhibition of the oedematous response (61 %) higher than that induced by an equimolar dose of indomethacin (43 %) within 24 hours; the reduction induced by hydrocortisone (0.10 micromol/cm(2)) was 68 %. The effect of DHGD (61 % inhibition) was higher than that of the equimolar dose of indomethacin (51 % inhibition) also on granulocytes recruitment at the site of inflammation. Hydrocortisone (0.10 micromol/cm(2)) reduced the cellular infiltrate by 44 %.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2001

Sexual function in patients with LUTS suggestive of BPH.

BACKGROUND: Sexual function has been detected in a large sample of Italian patients affected by LUTS suggestive of BPH, by means of the ICS-Sex questionnaire. RESULTS: A number of 877 questionnaires were returned completely filled and were analyzed. Fifty percent of patients declared that their sexual life was significantly affected by their urinary symptoms. Difficulty in getting erections (58.2% of patients) and ejaculation problems (55.6%) were reported by the majority of patients, but the relevant bother was significantly different (48.3 and 33.4%, respectively). The ICS-Sex score was significantly associated with all the measures of symptoms and QoL employed in the study (IPSS and ICS-BPH). The urinary symptoms most frequently associated with sexual dysfunction were those related to incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The QUIBUS study shows that sexual dysfunctions are commonly complained of by Italian men with LUTS and are significantly associated with urinary symptoms, in particular with urine loss. These findings support the recommendation by the 5th International Consultation on BPH to better evaluate both sexual function and incontinence symptoms in patients affected by LUTS suggestive of BPH.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of Thymus willdenowii.

The topical anti-inflammatory activity of Thymus willdenowii Boiss (Labiatae) leaves, a herbal drug used in Moroccan folk medicine, has been studied using the croton oil ear test in mice. A bioassay-oriented fractionation procedure showed that the activity concentrates in the chloroform extract, which has a potency similar to that of indometacin, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used as reference (ID50 (dose giving 50% oedema inhibition) = 83 microg cm(-2) and 93 microg cm(-2), respectively). The main compounds responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of T. willdenowii are ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. The flavonoids luteolin-3'-O-glucuronide and eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside were found for the first time in the genus Thymus.

Administration, Topical↗