Therapy of corneal erosions and 'dry eye' with Solcoseryl and Vitasic eye drops.

A comparative study of Solcoseryl eye drops versus Vitasic eye drops has been carried out under controlled conditions (randomized and double-blind) on a total of 94 patients. 52 had corneal erosion, 30 had dry eye syndrome, 8 cases could not be evaluated. In addition, 2 eyes with photophthalmia were treated with Vitasic and 2 showing keratitis with Solcoseryl. There were no adverse reactions other than 2 instances of stinging with Solcoseryl and 1 case of severe irritation after Vitasic. The patients were examined on days 0, 1, 3 and 7. Results showed a consistent superiority of Solcoseryl eye drops in respect to speed of healing of corneal erosions and moistening of the cornea in the 'dry eye' syndrome which reached statistical significance in some parameters.

Ciamexon in the low dose streptozotocin induced diabetes of mice.

This article is concerned with suppression of the development of diabetes experimentally induced by multiple injections of subdiabetogenic doses of streptozotocin (4 x 45 mg/kg/d) in mice (CD 1 and C57B16). Streptozotocin injections were followed by hyperglycemia and mononuclear cell infiltration of islets (insulitis). Ciamexon is a new immuno-modulating agent with promising effects in experimental models of autoimmune diseases and practically no toxic side effects. When Ciamexon was given before streptozotocin treatment blood glucose levels in the parenteral glucose tolerance test were suppressed in a dose dependent way. 60 days after streptozotocin application the percentage of islets showing insulitis or even necrosis was reduced in the Ciamexon treated group compared to the streptozotocin only group. In contrast, Cyclosporin A had a detrimental effect on diabetes in this model although blood levels were proved to be in the therapeutic range. From these results we conclude that Ciamexon should be tested for its effect in human type I diabetes.

Different effect of two immunomodulating agents cyclosporin A and ciamexon on the insulin metabolism of cultured mouse islets.

Ciamexon is a new immunomodulating agent with promising effects in treatment of newly-diagnosed insulin dependent diabetic patients. Ciamexon seems to have fewer adverse toxic properties than Cyclosporin A. Therefore, the effects of both substances on islet cell function were studied. Collagenase-isolated mouse islets were cultured free-floating for 3 or 7 days in medium RPMI 1640 plus 10% fetal calf serum in the presence of Cyclosporin A or Ciamexon (0.1 microgram/ml, 1 microgram/ml). Culture of the islets in the presence of 0.1 microgram/ml Ciamexon neither reduced the number of viable islets nor impaired insulin secretion as was found in Cyclosporin A. These results should be taken into account when treating early Type 1 diabetes or when transplanting islet cells.

Our experience with Solcoseryl Eye-Gel in the treatment of corneal lesions. A randomised double-blind study (with 1 color plate).

A comparative study of Solcoseryl Eye-Gel versus a 2.4% cysteine eye-gel was carried out under controlled conditions (randomised and double-blind) on a total of 61 patients with corneal lesions (52 foreign body injuries, 9 corneal erosions). The results showed a marked superiority of Solcoseryl Eye-Gel with respect to more rapid healing and also with respect to the possible subsequent development of a corneal macula.

Morphology of corneocytes from human nail plates.

A technique is described which permits the isolation of individual corneocytes from the superficial layers of the human nail plates. Tesa-film D is used to strip off the cells. The tape is mounted on a glass slide, stained with a mixture of methylene blue and rhodamine B. The parameters were size (surface mu2), shape (regular, irregular), nuclear inclusions and trabeculae. Specimens were obtained from 3 groups of patients (finger- and toe nails): (1) 60 healthy subjects with normal nails, males and females, in 3 age-groups (babies, adults, aged); (2) 10 patients with fast growing nails with psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic nail involvement; (3) 9 patients with slow growing nails with lichen planus with nail involvement including one patient with Zinser-Engman-Cole-syndrome (dyskeratosis congenita). The nail growth rate was determined with a dissecting microscope-technique. Corneocytes of the dorsal nail plates of normal nails are of irregular polyedrical shape, not nucleated and show distinct but irregular trabecular network. Within each age-group, corneocytes are of rather uniform size but increase significantly (p less than or equal to .001) with age (e.g., thumbin males: 597 vs. 920 vs. 1008 mu2). Accelerated nail plate growth results in smaller corneocytes, and slowed down nail plate growth in larger corneocytes. It is concluded that cell proliferation (and abnormal keratinization) has a measurable effect on the size of corneocytes from the nail plates.