0000000000623974
AUTHOR
D D'amico
Theophylline suppresses the release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha by blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of theophylline on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release by human blood monocytes (BMo), and rat BMo and alveolar macrophages (AM). BMo and AM were incubated in the absence or presence of theophylline, and the cell-free supernatants were harvested and tested for TNF-alpha activity by bioassay. Theophylline dose-dependently reduced TNF-alpha release by human BMo: significant inhibition was observed at 100 microns (41 +/- 5.9% of controls) and at 50 microns (59 +/- 4.8% of controls), while the inhibitory activity of theophylline at 10 microns (71 +/- 8.9% of controls) was not statistically significant. This activity was maximal a…
Latent tubercolosis infection in patients with cronic plaque psoriasis: evidence from the Italian Psocare Registry
SummaryBackground The nationwide prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in Italian patients with psoriasis has never been investigated. Objectives To estimate the nationwide prevalence of LTBI in Italian patients with psoriasis who are candidates for systemic treatment. Methods Data were obtained from the Psocare Registry on those patients (n = 4946) with age > 18 years, systemic treatment at entry specified and tuberculin skin test (TST) performed according to the Mantoux method. LTBI diagnosis was based on a positive TST result in the absence of any clinical, radiological or microbiological evidence of active tuberculosis. Results Latent tuberculosis infection was diagnosed in…
Anti-cancer effects of Pleurotus eryngii var. eryngii: an in vitro and in vivo models focusing on Heat Shock Proteins
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are highly expressed in a variety of cancer cells and are essential to their survival contributing to tumor cell propagation, metastasis, and protection against apoptosis]. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The current anti-cancer drugs available in market are not target specific and pose several side-effects and complications in clinical management of various forms of cancer, which highlights the urgent need for novel effective and less-toxic therapeutic approaches. Medicinal mushrooms have emerged as wonderful source of nutraceuticals, anti-oxidants, anticancer, prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, anti-microbial, and anti-diabetic. The ongo…
Erythropoietin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a multicentre, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, phase III study.
Objective To assess the efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods Patients with probable laboratory-supported, probable or definite ALS were enrolled by 25 Italian centres and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive intravenous rhEPO 40 000 IU or placebo fortnightly as add-on treatment to riluzole 100 mg daily for 12 months. The primary composite outcome was survival, tracheotomy or >23 h non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Secondary outcomes were ALSFRS-R, slow vital capacity (sVC) and quality of life (ALSAQ-40) decline. Tolerability was evaluated analysing adverse events (AEs) causing withdrawal. The randomisation sequence was computer-…