Clinical-grade Garcinia cambogia extract dissolves calcium oxalate crystals in Drosophila kidney stone models.

OBJECTIVE: Kidney stone formers have a high rate of stone recurrence after kidney stone removal surgery and there is no effective medication for treatment. Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is the major component of Garcinia cambogia extract, can dissolve calcium oxalate crystals in vitro, suggesting that Garcinia cambogia could be used to treat calcium oxalate kidney stone. In this study, we used the Drosophila kidney disease model to evaluate the effect of Garcinia cambogia on the prevention and removal of calcium oxalate stones in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Flies were reared in fly food containing different concentrations of GCE for one week. The effect of GCE on preventing the formation of calcium oxalate stone was examined. WT and v-ATPase gene RNAi knockdown flies were reared in fly food with 0.3% NaOx for one week, then fed different concentrations of GCE for one week. The effect of GCE on the removal of calcium oxalate stone was examined. RESULTS: Garcinia cambogia extract dissolves calcium oxalate crystals from Malpighian tubules in both genetic and non-genetic Drosophila kidney stone models compared to citric acid. Hydroxycitric acid also directly dissolves calcium oxalate crystals in Drosophila Malpighian tubules ex vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Garcinia cambogia extract removes calcium oxalate kidney stones from Drosophila Malpighian tubules via directly dissolving calcium oxalate stones by HCA. Our study strongly suggests that clinical-grade Garcinia cambogia extract could be used to treat patients with nephrolithiasis in the future.

[Laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter implantation in peritoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis].

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter implantation in peritoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. Methods: From January 2019 to June 2019, the clinical data of 6 patients diagnosed as gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis were retrospectively analyzed in the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine. Five were male and 1 was female. The median age was 69.5 (28-77) years. The median body mass index (BMI) was 22.8 (19.6-23.5). All procedures were performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. The patient's body position and facility layout in the operating room were consistent with those of laparoscopic gastrectomy. The operator's position: the main surgeon was located on the right side of the patient, the first assistant stood on the left side of the patient, and the scopist stood between the patient's legs. Surgical procedure: (1) trocar location: three abdominal trocars was adopted, with one 12 mm umbilical port for the 30° laparoscope (point A). Location of the other two trocars was dependent on the procedure of exploration or biopsy as well as the two polyester cuff position of the peritoneal dialysis catheter: Usually one 5 mm port in the anterior midline 5 cm inferior to the umbilicus point was selected as point B to ensure that the distal end of the catheter could reach the Douglas pouch. The other 5 mm port was located in the right lower quadrant lateral to the umbilicus to establish the subcutaneous tunnel tract, and the proximal cuff was situated 2 cm away from the desired exit site (point C).(2) exploration of the abdominal cavity: a 30° laparoscope was inserted from 12 mm trocar below the umbilicus to explore the entire peritoneal cavity. The uterus and adnexa should be explored additionally for women. Once peritoneal metastasis was investigated and identified, primary laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter implantation was performed so as to facilitate subsequent peritoneal chemotherapy. Ascites were collected for cytology in patients with ascites. (3) peritoneal dialysis catheter placement: the peritoneal dialysis catheter was introduced into the abdominal cavity from point A. Under the direct vision of laparoscopy, 2-0 absorbable ligature was reserved at the expected fixation point of the proximal cuff (point B) for the final knot closure. Non-traumatic graspers were used to pull the distal cuff of peritoneal dialysis catheter out of the abdominal cavity through point B. The 5-mm trocar was removed simultaneously, and the distal cuff was fixed between bilateral rectus sheaths at the anterior midline port site preperitoneally. To prevent subsequent ascites and chemotherapy fluid extravasation, the reserved crocheted wire was knotted. From point C the subcutaneous tunnel tract was created before the peritoneal steath towards the port site lateral to the umbilicus. Satisfactory catheter irrigation and outflow were then confirmed. Chemotherapy regimen after peritoneal dialysis catheterization: all patients began intraperitoneal chemotherapy on the second day after surgery. On the 1st and 8th day of each 3-weeks cycle, paclitaxel (20 mg/m(2)) was administered through peritoneal dialysis catheter, and paclitaxel (50 mg/m(2)) was injected intravenously. Meanwhile, S-1 was orally administered twice daily at a dose of 80 mg·m(-2)·d(-1) for 14 consecutive days followed by 7-days rest. To observe the patients' intraoperative and postoperative conditions. Results: All the procedures were performed successfully without intraoperative complications or conversion to laparotomy. No 30 day postoperative complications were observed. The median operative time was 33.5 (23-38) min. The median time to first flatus was 1(1-2) days, and the median postoperative hospital stay was 3 (3-4) days, without short-term complications within 30 days postoperatively. The last follow-up was up to July 10, 2019, and the patients were followed for 4(1-6) months. No ascites extravasation was observed and no death occurred in the 6 patients. There was no catheter obstruction or peritoneal fluid extravasation during and after chemotherapy. Conclusion: Laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter implantation was safe and feasible for patients with peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. The abdominal exploration, tumor staging and the abdominal chemotherapy device implantation can be completed simultaneously, which could simplify the surgical approach, improve the quality of life for patients and further propose a new direction for the development of abdominal chemotherapy.

[The effect of a new cholinolytic-[3H] tricyclopinate on human brain muscarinic receptors].

The binding characteristics of the novel cholinergic antagonist [3H] tricyclopinate with muscarinic receptors from human cerebral cortex were investigated in comparison with [3H] QNB by performing radioligand binding assays. As revealed by saturation experiments, the binding parameters of [3H] tricyclopinate (Kd = 0.044 nmol.L-1, Bmax = 514 fmol.mg-1) were almost identical with those of [3H]QNB (Kd = 0.040 nmol.L-1, Bmax = 508 fmol.mg-1). Both ligands fit a one site model of receptor-ligand interaction. Tricyclopinate showed a potency comparable to QNB on muscarinic receptors in inhibition experiments. However, some differences also existed between tricyclopinate and QNB. Kinetic experiments showed that both the association and dissociation of tricyclopinate (K1 = 1.40 (nmol.L-1)-1.min-1, K2 = 0.39 min-1) with muscarinic receptors were quicker than QNB (K1 = 0.65 (nmol.L-1)-1.min-1, K2 = 0.005 min-1). In addition, tricyclopinate behaved differently from QNB in the response of the dissociation profile to the allosteric modulation of gallamine. These results demonstrated that tricyclopinate has comparable affinity to muscarinic receptors with QNB but might interact with them in a different way. The introduction of [3H] tricyclopinate might complement the use of [3H] QNB in the study of central muscarinic receptors.

[Infection of acid-fast bacterial L-forms].

One hundred and fifty five cases which pathological diagnosis were chronic lymphadenitis were studied in order to detect infection of acid-fast bacterial L-forms by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), intensified kinyoun (IK) and immunohistochemical staining (PAP). The results showed that the expression of M-tuberculosis antibody was positive in 106 cases (68.4%). Among them, 94 cases (60.6%) were positive in IK staining. The positive rate of acid-fast bacillus was 0.6% (1 case), of L-forms was 60% (93 cases). L-forms are higher pleomorphic, spherical bodies, giant bodies or long filaments were shown. The L-forms mostly localised within macrophages, only a few distributed sporadically. The possible causes of misdiagnosis physician and pathologist were discussed. The prognostic value was also suggested.