In Vitro Study of Cytostatic Activity of Baicalin, Baicalein, and Chlorophyllipt on HeLa-v Cell Line.

Cytostatic activity of baicalin, baicalein, and neogalenical drug Chlorophyllipt was studied in vitro on HeLa-v cells. Standard samples of Eucalimin, baicalin, and baicalein, as well as Chlorophyllipt and paclitaxel (reference drug Taxacad) were used. The cell deaths were determined by MTT assay in a Multiskan FC microplate reader with incubator. The effective inhibition concentration (IC50) of the tested substances were: paclitaxel (4.0±0.4 µM)-baicalein (10.5±1.1 µM)-baicalin (16.5±1.7 µM)-sum of euglobals in Chlorophyllipt (24.1±2.5 µM). Chlorophyllipt was found to exhibit cytostatic activity. Cytostatic activity of baicalein, baicalin, and Chlorophyllipt was lower than cytostatic activity of the reference drug by 2.6, 4.1, and 6 times, respectively. The prospects of further evaluation of the synergetic effect of baicalin, baicalein, and chlorophyllipt used in combinations with different cytostatic agents for finding the most effective combination have been shown.

Expression of RUNX2 and Osterix in Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Culturing in Osteogenic-Conditioned Medium.

We studied the expression of transcription factors RUNX2 and Osterix after addition of a concentrate of osteogenic-conditioned medium to the culture medium for osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The obtained concentrate of osteogenic-conditioned medium containing a complex of bioactive substances with a molecular weight >10 kDa provided MSC differentiation into osteoblasts, which was confirmed by high level of expression of transcription factors RUNX2 and Osterix in comparison with the negative control. The highest expression of transcription factor Osterix was revealed on day 14 of MSC culturing in the presence of osteogenic supplement StemPro (positive control) and the studied concentrate of osteogenic-conditioned medium.

[Lower extremity venous diseases in primary knee osteoarthritis]. / Patologiia ven nizhnikh konechnostei pri pervichnom osteoartroze kolennykh sustavov.

AIM: To establish a possible association between knee osteoarthritis (OA) and lower extremity venous diseases ((LEVDs) on the basis of thorough clinical and instrumental studies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A case-control study recruiting 40-60-year-old women was conducted. A study group included 85 women with knee OA; a control group consisted of 50 women without this condition. The patients of both groups underwent assessment of complaints and goal-directed objective examination to identify joint diseases and chronic LEVDs, knee X-ray study, and duplex scanning of the lower extremity veins. RESULTS: The patients with knee OA were more frequently diagnosed with lower extremity varicose vein disease (VVD) (43% vs 22%; p=0.015) and had signs of chronic venous insufficiency (28% vs 12%; p=0.03). Duplex scanning of the lower extremities showed that knee OA was characterized by generalized LEVD (bilateral valve lesions of the great and small saphenous veins and severe valvular incompetence in the veins) that was detected in 53% of the patients in this group versus 20% of the women in the control group (p = 0.0004). After adjustment for body mass index, the differences in the incidence of VVD between the groups remained clinically and statistically significant (odds ratio (OR), 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-6.7; p=0.036). CONCLUSION: The 40-60-year-old patients with knee OA more commonly develop symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency than their healthy peers. Although obesity is a risk factor for both diseases, there is an independent association between knee OA and lower extremity VVD.

Influence of Implants Surface Properties on Bone Tissue Formation in the Ectopic Osteogenesis Test.

We studied the influence of the characteristics of oxide porous coatings on osteogenesis and integration of new bone tissue and titanium implant surface in the ectopic osteogenesis test. Implants with coating with pore size 2-20 µ exhibit better osteogenic and osteoconductive characteristics than implants with homogenous surface and smooth relief (pore size 0.5-5.0 µ). Physical characteristics of the surface of the material along with chemical composition of the coating are essential for the formation of bone tissue and its integration with the implant.

[Topical immunomodulation in the treatment of herpetic infections in HIV-infected patients].

The efficiency of cycloferon liniment in combined treatment of herpetic infection in patients with latent form of HIV infection has been assess by observations of 40 patients divided into two groups. In the first group, the standard treatment was supplemented with the application of cycloferon liniment twice a day during 7 days; in the second group, the therapy was conducted according to standard recommendations. It was established that the application of cycloferon liniment in combination with standard therapy in patients with relapse of herpetic infection against the background of HIV infection ensures faster disappearance of general infectious syndrome, decreases the period of eruptions and the duration of local inflammations, and accelerates the epithelialization of erosions.

[The use of cytoflavin for the treatment of chronic brucellosis].

Clinical and pathogenetic efficacy of cytoflavin as a component of combined therapy of chronic brucellosis was tested in 50 patients who repeated its beneficial effect on the quality of life. The mechanism of cytoflavin action consists of lowering severity of endogenous intoxication and systemic inflammation.

Relationship between osteoinductive characteristics of biocomposite material and physicochemical characteristics of coating.

The osteoinductive characteristics of hydroxylapatite-based coating with different physicochemical characteristics were studied. The formation of the bone tissue on the studied types of the implant coating differed by the pattern and rate of formation of structural elements of the bone. Clear-cut phase-wise osteogenesis was seen on combined calcium phosphate coating: intense formation of the fibrous interstitial substance (due to cellular structure of hydroxylapatite) and slow maturing of cell elements. Bilayer composite coating provided (during the same period) the formation of more mature connective tissue. This phenomenon can be explained by better bioavailability of the coating material. The properties of combined calcium phosphate coating can be evaluated as mainly osteoconductive, while those of bilayer composite coating as osteoinductive.

[Use of atomic force microscopy for estimation of the morphometric indices of blood cells].

The possibility of using the atomic-force microscopy for the evaluation of the geometrical characteristics of blood cells has been shown. It has been found by comparing the hemocyte morphometric indices obtained at different modes of scanning that noncontact and semicontact methods are adequate for the estimation of the size and geometry of biological objects. The scanning of cells in the semicontact mode leads to the irreversible deformation of samples.

[Comparative study of the "membrane reserve" of blood cells of reptiles and mammals].

Based on the method of hypoosmotic loads, the value of membrane reserve and its use by blood cells of reptiles and mammals have been studied. It has been shown that lymphocytes of the both animal species have the highest reserve of plasmalemma, while frog heterophils - the lowest one. A significantly lower part of the membrane reserve participates in formation of phagosomes by mammalian neutrophils as compared with amphibian erythrocytes.

[Change in the lipid composition of rat tissues in hyperthermia of varying degree]. / Izmenenie lipidnogo sostava tkanei krys pri gipertemii raznoi stepeni.

The most typical alteration of membrane phospholipids in rat tissues in acute hyperthermia was an increase in content of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylinositol. The increase in phosphatidylinositol appears to occur as a result of unspecific effect of hyperthermia on the cells, while the increase of sphingomyelin is apparently important for stabilization of membrane structure. Indirect data were obtained on increase in membrane liquidity during thermic shock.

[Change in the lipid composition of the inner mitochondrial membranes in rat organs during adaptation to heat]. / Izmenenie lipidnogo sostava mitokhondrial'nykh membran vnutrennikh organov krys pri adaptatsii k teplo.

Under conditions of adaptation to heating lipid composition in mitochondrial membranes of rat inner tissues was altered as follows: an increase in relative concentration of plasmalogenous forms of phospholipids (kidney, heart) and in content of saturated fatty acids (liver tissue), a decrease in the index of fatty acids unsaturation and in the ratio of fatty acids omega-3/omega-6. The alterations observed enabled the membranes to keep sufficient amount of liquidity essential for functional activity of mitochondria in heating.