Dual Mechanism of Action of Curcumin in Experimental Models of Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a combination of inflammatory and demyelination processes in the spinal cord and brain. Conventional drugs generally target the autoimmune response, without any curative effect. For that reason, there is a great interest in identifying novel agents with anti-inflammatory and myelinating effects, to counter the inflammation and cell death distinctive of the disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: An in vitro assay showed that curcumin (Cur) at 10 µM enhanced the proliferation of C8-D1A cells and modulated the production of Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines in the cells stimulated by LPS. Furthermore, two in vivo pathophysiological experimental models were used to assess the effect of curcumin (100 mg/kg). The cuprizone model mimics the de/re-myelination aspect in MS, and the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model (EAE) reflects immune-mediated events. We found that Cur alleviated the neurological symptomatology in EAE and modulated the expression of lymphocytes CD3 and CD4 in the spinal cord. Interestingly, Cur restored motor and behavioral deficiencies, as well as myelination, in demyelinated mice, as indicated by the higher index of luxol fast blue (LFB) and the myelin basic protein (MBP) intensity in the corpus callosum. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin is a potential therapeutic agent that can diminish the MS neuroimmune imbalance and demyelination through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Hysteroscopy after conservative surgical treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony: A systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of intrauterine anomalies, primarily intrauterine adhesions (IUAd), after conservative surgical treatment of severe postpartum hemorrhage with uterine atony (SPPH-UA) and determine patient eligibility for hysteroscopy. METHODS: PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched by combining keywords "postpartum hemorrhage", "uterine atony", and "hysteroscopy" to perform a literature review. Articles in French and English with more than five cases of hysteroscopy following SPPH-UA were selected. All cases that had hysteroscopy after conservative surgical treatment of SPPH-UA were collected. A blinded statistical analysis revealed IUAd risk factors. RESULTS: In all, 83% of patients agreed to hysteroscopy and 38% of 71 cases had an IUAd. Age was not a risk factor (P = 0.950). Other factors included multiparity (odds ratio [OR] 1.93, P = 0.039), cesarean delivery (OR 3.58, P = 0.584) and postpartum infection (OR 3.33, P = 0.04). Risk was at 57% after uterine padding with multiple transfixing square stitches (Cho-technique) (P = 0.001), 6% after non-transfixing uterine folding brace suture (B-Lynch technique) when used alone, 29% after uterine artery embolization and after internal iliac artery ligation (OR 0.98, P = 0.645); uterine vascular ligation (OR 0.69, P = 0.253) and more than two procedures (OR 0.69, P = 2.53). Disparity between authors was observed (P = 0.015) and concerned only the surgical techniques used. CONCLUSION: A classification is proposed for deciding post-SPPH hysteroscopy. Further studies are required to determine appropriateness.