PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H H Berra

Publications and source records attributed to H H Berra.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Blood viscosity changes in experimentally Trypanosoma cruzi-infected rats.

Microcirculatory alterations would explain focal lesions found in Chagas' cardiomyopathy. Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) infection induces host blood properties modifications and defensive responses capable of producing blood hyperviscosity, an ischemic risk factor able to affect microvascular blood flow. We studied whole blood viscosity (eta(b)) and plasmatic and cellular factors influencing it in rats, 7 and 14 days after experimental infection with T. cruzi. Increased plasma viscosity (eta(p)) was found in infected versus control rats and it was correlated with high blood parasite levels at 7 days and enhanced gamma-globulin fraction concentration at 14 days. The hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and eta(b) were higher in 14 days infected rats vs. 7 days and control animals. Also, electron microscopy observation showed morphological changes in red blood cells (RBC) at 7 and 14 days post-infection, with increased proportion of echinocyte and stomatocyte shapes transformation. In our rat model of Chagas' disease, BPL, increased plasmatic protein concentration, enhanced MCV and RBC shapes transformation would determine blood hyperviscosity, cause of microvascular blood flow abnormalities.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Metronomic therapy with cyclophosphamide induces rat lymphoma and sarcoma regression, and is devoid of toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to investigate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of metronomic administration of low-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) in lymphoma and sarcoma rat tumour models. METHODS: Adult inbred rats were challenged with lymphoma TACB and sarcoma E100 s.c. on day 0. Animals were divided into two groups: group I, control, injected with saline three times a week; and group II, treated with Cy 10 mg/kg three times a week, from day 10 until the tumour was non-palpable, or 5 mg/kg three times a week from day 7. Tumours were measured and animals were weighed twice weekly. Periodic blood samples were taken for determination of urea, creatinine, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and haematological parameters. RESULTS: The administration of low-dose Cy eradicated established rat lymphomas and sarcomas; there was neither metastatic growth nor recurrence at primary sites for 100% of the lymphomas and 83% of the sarcomas. In addition, the treatment did not cause weight loss, and was devoid of haematological, cardiac, hepatic and renal toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Metronomic administration of Cy at low doses on a thrice weekly schedule to already grown rat lymphomas and sarcomas demonstrated itself to be a successful antitumour therapy that did not cause weight loss and was devoid of haematological, cardiac, hepatic and renal toxicity.

Animals↗