Search results for "toxin"
showing 10 items of 1434 documents
Intrinsic activation of GABAA receptors suppresses epileptiform activity in the cerebral cortex of immature mice
2010
SUMMARY Purpose: Activation of ionotropic c-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors induces in immature neocortical neurons a membrane depolarization that may contribute to the higher epilepsy susceptibility in newborns. To elucidate whether depolarizing GABAergic responses enhance or attenuate epileptiform activity in the immature neocortex, we investigated the effect of agonists, antagonists, and positive modulators of GABAA receptors on epileptiform activity. Methods: We performed in vitro field potential recordings on isolated whole neocortex preparations and whole cell recordings of identified pyramidal neurons in 400-lm slices of immature (postnatal day 1–7) mice. Epileptiform acti…
Behavioural responsiveness to picrotoxin and desipramine in adult rats prenatally exposed to different benzodiazepine receptor agonists
1995
The behavioural responsiveness to picrotoxin and desipramine was investigated in adult rats prenatally exposed to different benzodiazepine receptor agonists such as diazepam, alprazolam and zolpidem. Prenatal exposure to diazepam and alprazolam similarly potentiated the anti-immobility effect on the forced swimming test and the inhibitory effect on spontaneous motor activity of picrotoxin and desipramine and increased the seizure sensitivity to picrotoxin. Prenatal zolpidem seems to be ineffective. These data suggest that, despite the differences in their pharmacodynamic profile, prenatal exposure to diazepam and alprazolam, but not zolpidem, may have similar permanent consequences on the b…
Botulinum toxin associated with fissurectomy and anoplasty for hypertonic chronic anal fissure: A case-control study.
2021
BACKGROUND Lateral internal sphincterotomy is still the approach of choice for the treatment of chronic anal fissure (CAF) with internal anal sphincter (IAS) hypertonia, but it is burdened by high-risk postoperative faecal incontinence (FI). Sphincter saving procedures have recently been reconsidered as treatments to overcome this risk. The most employed procedure is fissurectomy with anoplasty, eventually associated with pharmacological sphincterotomy. AIM To evaluate whether fissurectomy and anoplasty with botulinum toxin injection improves the results of fissurectomy and anoplasty alone. METHODS We conducted a case-control study involving 30 male patients affected by CAF with hypertonic …
Optic neuropathy caused by type A botulinic toxin
2014
Purpose To report the development of an optical neuropathy after injection of type A botulinic toxin in a subject with blepharospasm. Methods Optical neuropathy was evaluated through a complete ophthalmologic examination consisting of bio-microscopy, tonometry and study of visual sharpness, colour test, visual field, OCT, fluorangiography and determination of VEPs. Results Intravenous therapy was begun with Metilprednisolone (20 mg/Kg/day) and Vitamin B6 associated with oral Citicoline, and there was a clear improvement down to normalization of the symptoms. After 6 months the Humphrey computerized visual field with central 30-2 program threshold test emphasised in ODx an upper half-field a…
Preoperative Botulinum Toxin and Progressive Pneumoperitoneum in Loss of Domain Hernias-Our First 100 Cases
2020
Objectives: Preoperative botulinum toxin type A (BT) and progressive pneumoperitoneum (PPP) are useful tools in the preparation of patients with loss of domain hernias (LODH). The purpose of our retrospective study is to report our experience in the treatment of 100 consecutive patients with LODH, with the combined use of these techniques. Methods: Of the 753 patients operated on for ventral incisional hernia between June 2010 and December 2018 in our hospital, 100 patients with LODH were analyzed retrospectively. Diameters of abdominal cavity and hernia sac, and volumes of incisional hernia (VIH) and abdominal cavity (VAC) were calculated from CT scan, based on the index of Tanaka. Results…
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in COVID-19 patients at 3 months follow-up☆
2021
Abstract Background Long-term effects of Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) are of utmost relevance. We aimed to determine: 1) the functional capacity of COVID-19 survivors by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET); 2) the characteristics associated with cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) performance; 3) the safety and tolerability of CPET. Methods We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from Azienda Sanitaria Locale 3, Genoa. Three months after hospital discharge a complete clinical evaluation, trans-thoracic echocardiography, CPET, pulmonary function tests, and dominant leg extension (DLE) maximal strength measurement were performed. Res…
INHIBITION OF CELLULAR GROWTH AND STEROID 11β-HYDROXYLATION INRAS-TRANSFORMED ADRENOCORTICAL CELLS BY THE FUNGAL TOXINS BETICOLINS
1996
Abstract The proliferation of GM16 and 4CDTras-transformed newborn rat adrenocortical (RTAC) cells and Y1 mouse adrenal tumor cells was inhibited by beticolins, the fungal toxins extracted fromCercospora beticola, at submicromolar concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibitory concentrations for half the maximum inhibition were 150, 75 and 25 n M for beticolin-1 and 230, 150 and 50 n M for beticolin-2 in GM16, 4CDT and Y1 cells respectively. Beticolins strongly inhibited the production of 11β-hydroxysteroids on the second and third days of treatment in a dose-dependent manner between 0.1 and 1 μ M . Beticolins were shown by confocal microscopy to be localized in cytoplasmic organelle…
Nitric oxide and sensory afferent neurones modulate the protective effects of low-dose endotoxin on rat gastric mucosal damage
1995
Pretreatment (1 h) with low doses (5-40 micrograms/kg i.p.) of Escherichia coli endotoxin dose dependently reduced the gastric mucosal damage induced by a 10 min challenge with 1 ml ethanol (50% and 100%) in conscious rats. Treatment with the nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.), significantly inhibited the protective effects of endotoxin (40 micrograms/kg i.p.). The actions of L-NAME were reversed by the prior administration of L-arginine (100 mg/kg i.p.). The protective effects of endotoxin were not influenced by pretreatment with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg s.c. twice) or indomethacin (5 mg/kg s.c.). However, ablation of sensory affe…
Regulation of cytochrome P450 IID by acute phase mediators in C3H/HeJ mice.
1992
Abstract Cytochrome P450 IID6 is a drug metabolizing enzyme and the major target antigen in LKM-1 antibody positive chronic active hepatitis. The histological hallmark of chronic active hepatitis is a lymphocytic infiltrate in the liver. It is unknown whether and how cytokines produced and secreted by these tissue infiltrating mononuclear cells regulate the cellular expression of cytochrome P450 IID6. To study the effect of interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 on the hepatocellular RNA expression of cytochrome P450 IID, we injected each of the cytokines in C3H HeJ mice. We found a time-dependent suppression of the cytochrome in the liver. Six hours after the intraperitonea…
Intrarectal immunization with rotavirus 2/6 virus-like particles induces an antirotavirus immune response localized in the intestinal mucosa and prot…
2006
ABSTRACTRotavirus (RV) is the main etiological agent of severe gastroenteritis in infants, and vaccination seems the most effective way to control the disease. Recombinant rotavirus-like particles composed of the viral protein 6 (VP6) and VP2 (2/6-VLPs) have been reported to induce protective immunity in mice when administered by the intranasal (i.n.) route. In this study, we show that administration of 2/6-VLPs by the intrarectal (i.r.) route together with either cholera toxin (CT) or a CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotide as the adjuvant protects adult mice against RV infection. Moreover, when CT is used, RV shedding in animals immunized by the i.r. route is even reduced in comparison with…