Protective effects of arbutin against doxorubicin-induced cardiac damage.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin is an effective antineoplastic agent but has limited clinical application because of its cumulative toxicities, including cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity causes lipid peroxidation, genetic impairment, oxidative stress, inhibition of autophagy, and disruption of calcium homeostasis. Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is frequently tried to be mitigated by phytochemicals, which are derived from plants and possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. Arbutin, a natural antioxidant found in the leaves of the bearberry plant, has numerous pharmacological benefits, including antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study involved male Wistar rats divided into three groups: a control group, a group treated with doxorubicin (20 mg/kg) to induce cardiac toxicity, a group treated with arbutin (100 mg/kg) daily for two weeks before doxorubicin administration. After treatment, plasma and heart tissue samples were collected for analysis. The samples were evaluated for oxidative stress parameters, including superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and catalase, as well as for cardiac biomarkers, including CK, CK-MB, and LDH. The heart tissues were also analyzed using molecular (TNF-α, IL-1ß and Caspase 3), histopathological and immunohistochemical methods (8-OHDG, 4 Hydroxynonenal, and dityrosine). The results showed that arbutin treatment was protective against doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage by increasing SOD and CAT activity and decreasing MDA level. Arbutin treatment was similarly able to reverse the inflammatory response caused by doxorubicin by reducing TNF-α and IL-1ß levels and also reverse the apoptosis by decreasing caspase-3 levels. It was able to prevent doxorubicin-induced cardiac damage by reducing cardiac biomarkers CK, CK-MB and LDH levels. In addition to all these results, histopathological analyzes also show that arbutin may be beneficial against the damage caused by doxorubicin on heart tissue. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that arbutin has the potential to be used to mitigate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in cancer patients.

Three-dimensional imaging of a comma-shaped right ventricular hydatid cyst.

We report herein a hydatid cyst of the right ventricle and its two- and three-dimensional echocardiographic appearance.

Association between -514C-->T polymorphism of the hepatic lipase gene and coronary artery disease in a Turkish population.

OBJECTIVE: The main function of hepatic lipase (HL) with respect to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is hydrolysis of phospholipids and triglycerides. The -514C-->T polymorphism in the promoter region of the hepatic lipase gene affects HL activity. We aimed to investigate the association between the frequency of the -514C-->T polymorphism of hepatic lipase (PHL) and CAD in the East Anatolian region of Turkey. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a case-control study in 302 unrelated subjects who were referred for coronary angiography. One hundred fifty-one patients with angiographically documented CAD and one hundred fifty-one subjects without angiographically documented CAD were studied to examine the association of the frequency of the -514C-->T polymorphism with CAD. Genotyping was determined by polymerase chain reaction. The PCR products were analysed for the -514C-->T polymorphism by enzyme digestion. The frequency of the -514C-->T polymorphism was found in 20 of 151 (13.2%) patients with CAD and in 9 of 151 (6%) of the control subjects (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in terms of smoking (P = 0.001), gender (P < 0.05), total cholesterol levels (P < 0.05) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (P < 0.01) but there was no association with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, family history of CAD and HDL levels in the PHL (+) and PHL (-) patients with CAD. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the -514C-->T polymorphism of the hepatic lipase gene could act as a risk factor in the development of CAD in the East Anatolian region of Turkey as well as male gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a positive family history of CAD.

Association between factor V Leiden mutation and coronary artery disease in the northeast region of Turkey.

Factor V Leiden (FVL) has recently been described as a genetic factor with a propensity towards venous thromboembolism; however, it is thought to have a doubtful role in coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to investigate whether FVL is one of the risk factors for CAD in north-east Turkey. Seventy-five patients with angiographically documented CAD and 78 individuals without angiographically documented CAD were studied to examine the association of the frequency of the FVL mutation with CAD and control individuals. Blood samples from the patients and controls were analyzed for the FVL mutation by DNA analysis, using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primers method. FVL mutation was found in eight of 75 (10%) patients with CAD and was totally absent in control individuals (P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in terms of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, plasma fibrinogen level, smoking, gender and family history of CAD with and without the FVL mutation in the patient group. The results of this study suggest that FVL mutation may be one of the important risk factors in developing CAD in northeast Turkey.

Left ventricular noncompaction and mid-caviter narrowing associated with Ebstein's anomaly: three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic image.

An 50 year-old asymptomatic female was admitted to preoperative cardiovascular evaluation for noncardiac surgery. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated that left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were normal. The mitral valve was normal both in morphology and function. The attached margin of septal and anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve was apically displaced. But right ventricle and right atrium dimensions were normal, and Doppler interrogation showed a slight tricuspid regurgitation. Two and three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography showed prominent numerous trabeculations in the left ventricular apex. Colour flow Doppler studies confirmed the presence of blood flow within the trabeculations. Multi-plane three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography showed a muscular band leading to left ventricular mid-caviter narrowing. Pulse wave Doppler echocardiography demonstrated that no intraventricular gradient existed. Ventricular noncompaction associated with Ebstein's malformation has been reported. But left ventricular noncompaction and mid-caviter narrowing associated with Ebstein's anomaly have not been reported so far.

Massive pulmonary embolism complicated by a patent foramen ovale with straddling thrombus: report of a case.

We report a case of massive right pulmonary embolism with a patent foramen ovale and straddling thrombus, occurring a few days after cesarean section in a 31-year-old woman. Preoperatively, a mass was seen echocardiographically in four cardiac cavities. We performed emergency surgery because of the patient's acute hemodynamic deterioration. Intraoperatively, we found a thrombus entrapped in the patent foramen ovale. Most of the thrombus was floating in the right atrium and a long end was found in the left atrium, in addition to the pulmonary emboli. We removed the thrombus, closed the patent foramen ovale by direct suturing, and performed pulmonary embolectomy. Histological examination confirmed thrombi. Doppler examination of the venous system did not reveal any possible source of the thrombus. The patient is now well and free from recurrence of embolic disease 1 year after surgery. We review the literature on this relatively unusual thromboembolic disease.