Investigation of the anti-glioma activity of Oviductus ranae protein hydrolysate.

Oviductus Ranae is the dry oviducts of Rana temporaria chensinensis, and it has been reported to have a range of biological activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Oviductus Ranae protein hydrolysate (ORPH) on human glioma C6 cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Following in vitro treatment, cell viability and colony formation assays showed that ORPH inhibited C6 cell proliferation. In addition, the results of western blotting also demonstrated that ORPH effectively regulated the expression of the apoptosis related proteins, cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2, DNA staining and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that ORPH significantly promoted apoptosis in this cell line, a finding that was confirmed in vivo using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Further investigation demonstrated that ORPH increased apoptosis by modulating the release of inflammatory cytokines and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway; this was demonstrated using a PI3K/AKT inhibitor (NVP-BEZ235). In summary, the present study suggested that ORPH promoted apoptosis and inhibited glioma cell proliferation by influencing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

High incidence of primary cerebral lymphoma in tumor-induced central neurogenic hyperventilation.

An awake patient presented with central neurogenic hyperventilation induced by a cerebral tumor. Corticosteroid therapy and brain irradiation while the patient was anesthetized and respiration controlled under pancuronium-induced respiratory paralysis were followed by tumor regression and resolution of hyperventilation. Recurrence of tumor 6 weeks later was not accompanied by recurrence of hyperventilation. Cytologic study of cerebrospinal fluid revealed B-cell lymphoma. This patient brings to 10 the number of cases recorded with tumor-induced central neurogenic hyperventilation. Five of the eight patients with known tumor histology had a primary cerebral lymphoma, a rare neoplasm that comprises only 1% of all intracranial neoplasms. The disproportionately high frequency of central neurogenic hyperventilation in patients with cerebral lymphoma has therapeutic implications that are briefly reviewed.

Ruta 6 selectively induces cell death in brain cancer cells but proliferation in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes: A novel treatment for human brain cancer.

Although conventional chemotherapies are used to treat patients with malignancies, damage to normal cells is problematic. Blood-forming bone marrow cells are the most adversely affected. It is therefore necessary to find alternative agents that can kill cancer cells but have minimal effects on normal cells. We investigated the brain cancer cell-killing activity of a homeopathic medicine, Ruta, isolated from a plant, Ruta graveolens. We treated human brain cancer and HL-60 leukemia cells, normal B-lymphoid cells, and murine melanoma cells in vitro with different concentrations of Ruta in combination with Ca3(PO4)2. Fifteen patients diagnosed with intracranial tumors were treated with Ruta 6 and Ca3(PO4)2. Of these 15 patients, 6 of the 7 glioma patients showed complete regression of tumors. Normal human blood lymphocytes, B-lymphoid cells, and brain cancer cells treated with Ruta in vitro were examined for telomere dynamics, mitotic catastrophe, and apoptosis to understand the possible mechanism of cell-killing, using conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques. Both in vivo and in vitro results showed induction of survival-signaling pathways in normal lymphocytes and induction of death-signaling pathways in brain cancer cells. Cancer cell death was initiated by telomere erosion and completed through mitotic catastrophe events. We propose that Ruta in combination with Ca3(PO4)2 could be used for effective treatment of brain cancers, particularly glioma.

Hemangioma infantil congênito: opção de tratamento homeopático com medicamento calcárea carbônica / Congenital infantile hemangioma: homeopathic treatment option with carbonic limestone medicine

Este é o relato de um caso clínico de uma criança lactente que a desde o nascimento possui uma tumefação de coloração vermelho-rubro na região occipital direita e outra na região infra escapular próxima a axila ipsilateral, de relevo e bordas irregulares. À avaliação médica, ficou com diagnóstico de hemangioma infantil. O hemangioma infantil é um tumor vascular benigno comum, representando a anomalia vascular mais frequentemente encontrada em idade pediátrica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi mostrar a ação do tratamento homeopático com a medicação Calcárea Carbônica como opção terapêutica com boa eficácia para o tratamento do hemangioma infantil.

The present document outlines the clinical case of an infant child who, since birth, has a reddish-red swelling in the right occipital region and another in the infrascapular area close to the ipsilateral armpit, with relief and irregular edges. Upon medical evaluation, she was diagnosed with infantile hemangioma. Infantile hemangioma is a common benign vascular tumour, representing the vascular anomaly most frequently found in children. This work aimed to show the action of homeopathic treatment with Calcárea Carbonica as a therapeutic option with good efficacy for the treatment of infantile hemangioma.

Effects of vecuronium bromide on intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure. A preliminary report.

The effects of vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 on intracranial pressure, heart rate and arterial pressure were evaluated in 20 anaesthetized patients with intracranial tumours undergoing neurosurgery. Apart from a slight decrease in intracranial pressure (-4.9%; ns) which was most probably the result of a concomitant decrease (-14.9%) in central venous pressure, vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 was without effect on either cerebral or systemic haemodynamics.

Phenytoin-induced resistance to pancuronium. Use of atracurium infusion in management of a neurosurgical patient.

A case report is presented of a patient receiving chronic phenytoin therapy who demonstrated resistance to pancuronium by increased hourly requirements. Stable neuromuscular blockade was achieved by atracurium infusion at normal rates. Possible explanations for the differences in response to the two non-depolarizing muscle relaxants are discussed.

Increases in intracranial pressure from succinylcholine: prevention by prior nondepolarizing blockade.

Whether succinylcholine causes an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with brain lesions is uncertain and, if increased ICP does occur, its pathophysiology remains unknown. The authors investigated both the effect of succinylcholine on ICP and its modification with prior neuromuscular blockade by measuring ICP (subarachnoid bolt) in 13 consecutive patients with brain tumors who received succinylcholine both before and after complete neuromuscular blockade with vecuronium. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental, 6 mg X kg-1 iv, and nitrous oxide, 70% in oxygen, while ventilation was controlled (PaCO2 = 37.2 mmHg +/- 1.7 SE). Succinylcholine, 1 mg X kg-1 iv, was administered and ICP, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) were recorded until normal twitch tension was restored. Complete neuromuscular blockade was then established with vecuronium, 0.14 mg X kg-1 iv; 3 min later, succinylcholine, 1 mg X kg-1 iv, was repeated. The resulting changes in ICP, HR, and BP were recorded for 3 min. Following the first dose of succinylcholine, mean ICP increased from 15.2 mmHg +/- 1.3 SE to 20.1 mmHg +/- 2.0 SE (P less than 0.05), with five of the patients sustaining increases in ICP of 9 mmHg or greater. In contrast, when succinylcholine was given after vecuronium-induced paralysis, no patient developed an increase in ICP greater than 3 mmHg (P less than 0.05 compared with the incidence of ICP greater than or equal to 9 mmHg observed after the first dose of succinylcholine). A second group of six patients received two doses of succinylcholine according to the same protocol but without an intervening dose of vecuronium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abnormal responses to succinylcholine and pancuronium in a patient with hemiparesis.

Supersensitivity to depolarization produced by succinylcholine and resistance to pancuronium were observed in paretic muscles of a patient with a right frontoparietal tumor. The abnormal sensitivity to relaxants is compared with observations reported in patients with myasthenia gravis and hemiparesis. We hypothesize that upper motoneuron dysfunction may be followed by the appearance of "new" junctional receptors, which may occasional a supersensitivity to depolarization and a poor affinity for both curare and anti-acetylcholine-receptor antibodies. A decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity of "decentralized" muscles should also be considered.

A space-occupying lesion

A patient with a space-occupying lesion is treated with homoeopathic medicines. Pathological and constitutional prescribing along with miamatic medicines are recomended. Prognosis of neoplastic disease, significance of pathophysiology and repertorization and hypothesis on tremor are discussed. For further evaluation of homoeopathic treatment of space-occupying lesions, more case reports from readers are suggested