[Abnormal liver function during therapy with amiodarone in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation].

The aim of this work was to analyze the prevalence of level function disorder in patients with atrial fibrillation taking constantly amiodarone. Two groups of patients were studied: in group 1 (n = 78) patients with persistent atrial fibrillation taking constantly amiodarone for rhythm control were included, group 2 (n = 67) consisted of patients with permanent atrial fibrillation taking propafenon, ethacizine and digoxin for rate control. In studied groups liver transaminase activity and data of liver echography after 90 +/- 8 days of treatment were estimated. In 51.58% patients of group 1 asymptomatic increase of liver transaminase activity was found. If liver transaminase activity had been raised before taking amiodarone, frequency and degree of liver transaminase increase extended. Consequently, patients taking constantly amiodarone, require dynamic control of GGTP, AIAT, AsAT once a quarter. If liver transaminase activity increases because of amiodarone taking the method of treatment is possible to be changed and rate control therapy may be chosen.

[Efficacy of traditional therapy and chronotherapy using prestarium in elderly patients with polymorbid syndrome].

The aim of the work was to compare efficiency of traditional therapy with prestarium (tert-butylamine salt) and chronotherapy with prestarium A (arginine salt) in elderly patients with polymorbidity syndrome (diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, grade I-II chronic hepatic insufficiency). All patients underwent standard clinical and laboratory examination including measurement of glycemic profile, plasma urea, creatinine, K+ and Na+, AP monitoring, ECG, and echo-CG. The results suggest persistent hypotensive effect of prestarium and prestarium A within 4 days after the onset of therapy. However, in patients with a more severe disease, twice lower doses of prestarium A were needed to achieve positive effect and transform circadian AP rhythm from non-dipper to dipper pattern.

[Tiotropium bromide for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Five different types of muscarine-sensitive receptors were identified until now. In routine practice, the nonselective antagonist of cholinoreceptors are replaced by ipratropium bromide that is selectively blocking M1, M2, and M3 subtypes with the same affinity to each of them. However, the blockage of M2 subtype leads to bronchoconstriction and is accompanied by inhibition of M3 receptors in bronchial smooth muscles. The new drug tiotropium bromide selectively inhibits only the M1 and M3 types of receptors and does not affect the M2 subtype. This drug is administered only once a day, which is very important in clinical practice. Thus tiotropium bromide is the drug of choice for basic therapy of COPD.

[Use of prestarium (perindopril) in patients with polymorbidity syndrome (AH, DM, nephropathy)].

The study included 20 patients aged 61-86 (mean 73.1 +/- 3.1) years with stage II hypertensive disease, type 2 diabetes and nephropathy with signs of grade I chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). The major parameters measured were AP, HR, laboratory characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism and renal function. Prestarium given at a dose of 4 mg BID had not only antihypertensive but also negative chronotropic effect, decreased energy consumption by myocardium, and normalized daily AP profile (24 hr AP monitoring). Adequate control of diabetes ensured close-to-normal carbohydrate metabolism. Prestarium therapy did not cause further aggravation of renal insufficiency in patients with grade I CRI, nor did it alter creatinine and urea levels.

[The use of monopril in elderly patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease].

We examined 20 patients (mean age 69.4 yr) with stage II AH and CHD. 13 ones suffered CHD with stable FC II and III angina, two others had myocardial infarction. The patients were given monopril, 10 mg BID (08.00 & 20.00). Those with CHD were additionally treated with cardiket (20 mg BID) or monocinque (20 mg BID). If appropriate, hypothiazide or triampur compositum (25 mg each) was given in the morning. Usual clinical examination was supplemented by dynamic studies and evaluation of clinical symptoms on day 21 after therapy including systolic and diastolic AP, pulse and mean dynamic AD, double product, heart rate, ECG, echoCG, AP and ACG monitoring. The above treatment produced marked antihypertensive and antianginal effects in the absence of adverse events.

[Antimicrobial, echinococcidial and immunostimulating properties of the drug Cheblin-SK-1]. / Protivomikrobnye, protivoékhinokokkoznye i immunostimuliruiushchie svoistva preparata Cheblin-SK-1.

The antimicrobial properties of the drug Cheblin-CK-1 (CCK-1) were determined in mice intraabdominally inoculated with Proteus mirabilis-4691 in a dose of 140-200 million daily cultured microbial bodies. Its comparison agent was ampicillin. CCK-1 was found to act as an antibiotic similar to ampicillin in its effects. The antimicrobial activity of CCK-1 against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli isolated from the contents of echinococcal cysts from patients operated on was also established. Its echinococcidial activity was found in experiments on the cotton rats and piglets inocculated with echinococci. CCK-1 was also tested on volunteers. Before surgery, 186 patients with echinococcosis took the drug and 26 patients with the same disease did not and they served as controls. At first the drug suppressed the growth of parasitic larvocysts with destruction and death of 85-95% of germinal elements of larvocysts and then killed parasites. In patients receiving a complete course of its therapy, protein and amino acid metabolisms restored, followed by immunity recovery.

[Antioxidant properties of novel preparations--bioflavonoid derivatives and tannins]. / Sopostavlenie antioksidantnykh svoistv novykh preparatov, proizvodnykh bioflavonoidov i dubil'nykh veshchestv.

New medicinal plant preparations of polyphenol nature, representing the derivatives of bioflavonoids (piflamin) and ellagotannins (altan and ellagic acid) were experimentally studied. The drugs exhibited antioxidant properties, which were manifested by inhibition of a pathological lipid peroxidation, restoration of the functional activity of the antioxidant system components, and stabilization of the hepatocyte membranes.

[The hepatoprotective action of ellagotannins]. / Gepatoprotektornoie deistvie éllagotanninov.

The hepatoprotective properties of altan (obtained on the basis of ellagotannines from the cones of black alder Alnus glutinosa) are studied on the model of acute damage to the liver with tetrachloromethane. It is found that altan exhibits the hepatoprotective activity even in a dose of 1 mg/kg which is tenfold smaller compared to the dose of traditional flavonoid-based drugs. Altan limits choleopoiesis disorder, has an antiinflammatory and membrane stabilizing effect, and recovers physiological antioxidant system.

[The protective action of ellagic acid in experimental myocarditis]. / Zashchitnoe deistvie éllagovoi kisloty pri éksperimental'nom miokardite.

The article presents the material on the study of the cardioprotective effect of ellagic acid on a model of neoepinephrine myocarditis in rats. In doses of 0.5-1 mg/kg ellagic acid causes a marked antioxidant effect. Restores the disturbed myocardial functions. The reference-agent vitamin E (50 mg/kg) yields to ellagic acid as a cardioprotector. The effect of 0.5 mg/kg of ellagic acid was more stable than that of a 1 mg/kg dose. The cardioprotective activity of the drugs under study was determined according to the POL parameters in a myocardial homogenate and blood serum and according to the EEG parameters and the degree of cardiomyocyte cytolysis.

[The efficacy of the polyphenol plant preparation piflamin in drug damage to the liver]. / Effektivnost' rastitel'nogo preparata piflamina pri lekarstvennom porazhenii pecheni.

The hepatoprotective properties of the flavonoid preparation piflamine of field-peas grass were studied on a model of experimental paracetamol liver damage. Piflamine was found to normalize the parameters of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, increase the activity of the antioxidant system, and restore the processes of bile production and bile secretion. The drug is prospective due to its quite cheap and available source of raw materials.