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M Gjurasin

Publications and source records attributed to M Gjurasin.

64 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Portal hypertension and liver lesions in chronically alcohol drinking rats prevented and reversed by stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL-10, PLD-116), and propranolol, but not ranitidine.

Liver lesions and portal hypertension in rats, following chronic alcohol administration, are a particular target for therapy. Portal hypertension (mm Hg) assessed directly into the portal vein, and liver lesions induced by 7.28 g/kg b.w. of alcohol given in drinking water for 3 months, were counteracted by a stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157, GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, M.W. 1419, known to have a beneficial effect in a variety of models of gastrointestinal or liver lesions (10 microg or 10 ng/kg b.w. i.p. or i.g.) and propranolol (10 mg/kg b.w. i.g.), but not ranitidine (10 mg/kg b.w. i.g.) or saline (5 ml/kg b.w. i.p./i.g.; control). The medication (once daily) was throughout either the whole 3 months period (1) or the last month only (2) (last application 24 h before sacrifice). In the background of 7.28 g/kg/daily alcohol regimen similar lesions values were assessed in control rats following alcohol consumption, after 2 or 3 months of drinking. Both prophylactic and therapeutic effects were shown. After a period of 2 or 3 months, in all control saline [intragastrically (i.g.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.)] treated rats, the applied alcohol regimen consistently induced a significant rise of portal blood pressure values over values noted in healthy rats. In rats that received gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 or propranolol the otherwise raised portal pressure was reduced to the values noted in healthy rats. Besides, a raised surface area (microm(2)) and increased circumference (microm) of hepatocyte or hepatocyte nucleus [HE staining, measured using PC-compatible program ISSA (VAMS, Zagreb, Croatia)] and an advanced steatosis [scored (0-4), Oil Red staining] (on 100 randomly assigned hepatocytes per each liver), an increased liver weight, all together parallel a raised portal pressure in controls. Some of them were completely eliminated (not different from healthy rats, i.e. portal pressure, the circumference and area of hepatocytes, liver weight), while others were markedly attenuated (values less than in drinking controls, still higher than in healthy rats, i.e. circumference and area of hepatocytes nucleus). On the other hand, ranitidine application attenuated only steatosis development. In summary, despite continuous chronic alcohol drinking, pentadecapeptide BPC 157, and propranolol may prevent portal hypertension as well as reverse already established portal hypertension along with related liver disturbances.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 positively affects both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent-induced gastrointestinal lesions and adjuvant arthritis in rats.

Besides a superior protection of the pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (an essential fragment of an organoprotective gastric juice peptide BPC) against different gastrointestinal and liver lesions, an acute anti-inflammatory and analgetic activity was also noted. Consequently, its effect on chronic inflammation lesions, such as adjuvant arthritis, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIAs)-induced gastrointestinal lesions was simultaneously studied in rats. In gastrointestinal lesions (indomethacin (30 mg/kg s.c.), aspirin (400 mg/kg i.g.) and diclofenac (125 mg/kg i.p.) studies, BPC 157 (10 micrograms or 10 ng/kg i.p.) was regularly given simultaneously and/or 1 h prior to drug application (indomethacin). In the adjuvant arthritis (tail-application of 0.2 mL of Freund's adjuvant) studies (14 days, 30 days, 1 year) BPC 157 (10 micrograms or 10 ng/kg i.p.), it was given as a single application (at 1 h either before or following the application of Freund's adjuvant) or in a once daily regimen (0-14th day, 14-30th day, 14th day-1 year). Given with the investigated NSAIAs, BPC 157 consistently reduced the otherwise prominent lesions in the stomach of the control rats, as well as the lesions in the small intestine in the indomethacin groups. In the adjuvant arthritis studies, the lesion's development seems to be considerably reduced after single pentadecapeptide medication, and even more attenuated in rats daily treated with BPC 157. As a therapy of already established adjuvant arthritis, its salutary effect consistently appeared already after 2 weeks of medication and it could be clearly seen also after 1 year of application. Taking together all these results, the data likely point to a special anti-inflammatory and mucosal integrity protective effect.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Ultrasound in the diagnosis and therapy of collections of fluid in the abdomen].

The procedure of percutaneous, echosonographicaly guided puncture and drainage of localized abdominal fluid collections by use of fine-needle and catheter is described in this review. The care prior to and after the puncture is also reported. This diagnostic as well as therapeutic modality can delay or make unnecessary surgical intervention resulting in a complete improvement. Twenty patients were treated with this procedure and we describe three cases in whom this treatment was successfully applied.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mushroom poisoning with a long period of development].

A group of 87 patients with the signs of poisoning with mushrooms with along period of incubation (t = 12.4 +/- 6.2 h) has been reported. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea dominate in the clinical picture in the first phase and hepatic and/or renal insufficiency in the second phase. Forty-one patients (47.1%) had "only" clinical symptoms without severe parenchymatous impairments. Forty-six (54.9%) had evidence of a hepatic lesion and 8 patients (10.8%) had renal function impaired, 6 of which needed hemodialysis. There was a significant correlation between elevation of serum transaminases and prolongation of prothrombin complex, resulting from the decreased synthetic liver function (SGPT1/PV1r = -0.424, p = 0.00; SGOT1/PV1r = -0.448, p = 0.000) during the first days after poisoning. Hepatic and renal damage was not identical in all the cases, and there was no correlation between the elevation of serum transaminases and retention of nitrogen substances. When analysing the effect of therapy on elevation of serum transaminases and prolongation of prothrombin complex, a significant difference between elevation of serum transaminases and prolongation of prothrombin time was found in patients on competitive inhibition with penicillin or silibinin, as compared to the patients only on plasmapheresis (p = 0.004 for SGOT, p = 0.000 for SGPT). These data unquestionably suggest the efficacy of competitive inhibition in the treatment of poisoning with mushrooms of a long period of incubation. In favour of this therapy also speaks the group of seriously ill patients who were simultaneously on plasmapheresis and competitive inhibition and who had better improvement than those "only" on plasmapheresis (p = 0.004 for SGOT).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of long-term use of lithium on kidney function].

The effect of lithium and other antipsychotic drugs on the renal function in patients with manic-depressive disorders has been investigated. Thirty-four patients (5 males and 29 females) treated with lithium and 21 patients (6 males and 15 females) on other antipsychotic drugs were studied. A control group of 10 persons consisting of healthy subjects, all of whom were taking no medication was also studied. No significant differences in the treatment duration were present between the patients investigated. Although few patients on lithium had glomerular filtration reduced, no statistically significant difference in creatinine clearance was found between the groups. None of the patients had a disturbance in the reabsorption of glucose, amino acids (histidine, lysine, valine, glutamine, glycine, serine, taurine, threonine, alanine, isoleucine) and beta 2-microglobulin. Patients treated with lithium had a significantly reduced urine concentration and higher daily diuresis than did the other two studied groups. A significantly higher overnight elimination of alkaline phosphatase was found in a group of patients taking other antipsychotic drugs. The attained results suggest tubular lesions in patients with manic-depressive psychosis occurring in the association with the prophylactic use of lithium and, at same time, the possibility of the other in association with the other antipsychotic drugs.

Amino Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Modern diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytoma in children].

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of chromaffin tissue of the adrenal gland that synthesizes, stores and releases cathecolamines. In 10% of the patients it arises outside the adrenal gland, and has been called paraganglioma. The following study describes our experience in the diagnostic process and treatment of pheochromocytoma in two children, a 8-year-old boy with the right ureteral paraganglioma, and a 8-year-old girl with pheo-chromocytoma of the leftsuprarenal gland. Characteristic clinical features with predominant signs of hypertension, as well as the diagnostic flow diagram, have been presented. We have analysed recent diagnostic possibilities, sensitivity of diagnostic methods (ultrasonography, CT, selective angiography and J131 MIBG scintigraphy), indications for their use, and the importance of appropriate preoperative management. The major role of the J131-metaiodobenzilguanidine scintigraphy in diagnostic assessment, especially in precise preoperative localization and postoperative verification of tumour removal, has been stressed.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute renal failure in heart transplantation].

In this study the incidence and the development of acute renal failure (ARF) in heart transplant recipients is presented. Among the thirteen heart transplant recipients eight of them developed oliguric or nonoliguric ARF. Besides the known factors such as actual condition of the patient, kidney function, peri and post-operative compromised circulation, our results demonstrate the significance of postoperative cyclosporin concentration in combination with the use of other drugs. The results also show the importance of the way cyclosporin has been administrated. The parenteral route of appliance is connected with the greater risk of higher drug concentration in the plasma than the peroral one. In connection with this is the higher incidence of adverse reactions to cyclosporin given parenterally. In addition to ranitidine and captopril, which have been mentioned earlier, the findings of our study indicate that greater attention has to be paid to the treatment with ketoconazol given in combination with cyclosporin, since it results in decreased cyclosporin clearance. Other nephrotoxic drugs like amphotericin also increase the possibility of renal lesions. The incidence of acute renal failure in this group of patients is high. Our data suggest that the reasons for the development of ARF are multifactorial. These data further suggest that a reasonable way to solve nonoliguric form of acute renal failure is to maintain the "internal balance" and that it is not necessary to perform extracorporeal elimination of nitrogen substances, if there are no additional complications (i.e. gastrointestinal bleeding).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Kidney Injury↗