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Biomedical subjects

S D Somerfield

Publications and source records attributed to S D Somerfield.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Honey and healing.

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Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1986

Mononucleosis-like-syndrome associated with acute AIDS retrovirus infection.

A 47-year-old man developed an acute infectious mononucleosis-like illness with a moderate lymphocytosis and numerous atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. Seroconversion to the AIDS-associated virus occurred between 14 and 20 days following the onset of the acute illness. He was found to have reduction of the T4:T8 ratio, low mitogenic response to PHA and cutaneous anergy when tested at 25 and 136 days. These tests had returned to normal by 262 days.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1986

Bee venom melittin blocks neutrophil O2- production.

Bee venom (BV) is used in folk medicine to treat arthritis. It has antiinflammatory effects in animal models of rheumatic disease. We have studied the effects of BV on human neutrophil production of superoxide (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide, finding potent, nontoxic, dose-dependent production inhibition. Melittin, the major fraction of BV (50-70%) shows high-affinity calmodulin binding (Kd 3 nM). Drugs which bind calmodulin, such as trifluoperazine, inhibit O2- production by human neutrophils. For these reasons we have investigated the effect of melittin and other BV peptides on O2- production by human peripheral blood leukocytes. We show that melittin inhibited O2- production both pre- and poststimulation in contrast to other BV fractions which were without effect. Oxygen radicals and their derivatives from inflammatory cells are implicated in the tissue damage occurring during inflammation. The inhibition is due to a direct effect on cells, and not indicator medium, dismutation, toxic or scavenging effects. We propose that melittin may serve as a prototype small (mol wt 1280), cationic, amphipathic, calmodulin-binding, membrane-active, superoxide-production-inhibiting peptide, providing a model for peptides which could have a role in in vivo regulation of radical production.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1986

Susceptibility of Entamoeba histolytica to oxidants.

The effect of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite on culture forms of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites was examined by using two strains of E. histolytica, virulent (IP:0682:1) and nonvirulent (DKB). The amoebae were incubated with various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite, and their viability was determined at different times after incubation. When the viability of the virulent and nonvirulent strains was compared to different oxidant strengths, it became apparent that the virulent strain was less susceptible than the nonvirulent one to the cytotoxic effect of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite. Our studies further showed that the toxic effect was both time and dose dependent. To confirm that the killing of amoebae in this system was associated with the presence of hydrogen peroxide, amoebae were incubated with hydrogen peroxide and catalase. Catalase reduced the killing effect of hydrogen peroxide to the control level. These data confirmed previous observations of the susceptibility of amoebic trophozoites to hydrogen peroxide and also demonstrated susceptibility to hypochlorite.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

AIDS in New Zealand.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1985

Resurgent yaws in the Solomon Islands.

We report a resurgence of yaws in the Solomon Islands and describe the combined clinico-serological survey and mass penicillin treatment campaign to define and curb it.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Bee venom inhibits superoxide production by human neutrophils.

Investigation of the antiinflammatory properties of bee venom demonstrates that it inhibits production of superoxide anion by human neutrophils in a potent, selective, nontoxic, dose-dependent fashion, both pre- and poststimulation by particulate and soluble activators of the neutrophil oxidative metabolism burst. The effect is not due to receptor competition, superoxide dismutase, and/or catalase activity, scavenging, or indicator media effects. These findings may explain the antiinflammatory effects of whole bee venom in experimental systems, its widespread use in folk medicine, and lead to the development of potent, new antiinflammatory substances for therapeutic use in man.

Bee Venoms↗