Cangpu Oral Liquid as a Possible Alternative to Antibiotics for the Control of Undifferentiated Calf Diarrhea.

Antibiotics are essential in the prevention of calf diarrhea epidemics. As more antibiotics become ineffective due to drug-resistant bacteria, attention must be directed toward alternative treatments for calf diarrhea. Natural antibiotic alternatives, such as Chinese herbal medicine, have become a research hotspot in the clinical treatment of diseases such as calf diarrhea due to their characteristics of fewer side effects, low cost, little residue, and no drug resistance. The Cangpu Oral Liquid (CP) was modified from a traditional herbal formula that had been widely used in ancient China to treat gastrointestinal diseases in animals. In order to evaluate the treatment effect of CP on neonatal calf diarrhea, a randomized controlled field trial was performed. Two hundred and forty-six diarrheal Holstein calves of 2-15 days old were selected and randomly divided into two treatment groups receiving either apramycin or CP. 101 out of 123 calves recovered from diarrhea in the CP group, whereas 77 out of 123 calves showed recovery after antibiotic therapy. There were no differences in initial weight between both groups, while the final weight was significantly different (P = 0.892, P = 0.025, respectively). The mean average daily gain (ADG) of calves (211.45 gram/day) in the CP group was significantly higher compared to the antibiotic group (164.56 gram/day) (P = 0.001). The CP group also showed a shorter recovery time from diarrhea (3.90 days vs. 6.62 days, P = 0.001). The current results indicate that the CP has a beneficial clinical effect on the treatment of diarrhea in neonatal calves and is an effective alternative treatment option.

The clinical and pathological features of adefovir dipivoxil-related renal impairment
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AIMS: To investigate the clinicopathological features and outcomes of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV)-related renal impairment in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical, pathological, and follow-up data from 15 patients with ADV-related renal impairment were studied. Proximal renal tubular dysfunction (PRTD) was defined by the presence of at least two of the following four abnormalities: hypophosphatemia, hypouricemia, nondiabetic glucosuria, and proteinuria. RESULTS: All patients were treated for 3 - 15 (mean 6.7) years with daily ADV of 10 mg. Renal impairment manifested as PRTD (12, 80%), elevated serum creatinine (12, 80%), and hematuria (2, 13.3%). Mild to moderate tubulointerstitial injury primarily affecting the proximal tubules by light microscopy, and enlarged, dysmorphic mitochondria with loss and disorientation of cristae by electron microscope were identified in all of our cases. Four patients had pathological evidence of IgA nephropathy. The phosphorus, serum uric acid, and creatinine levels were normalized after ADV cessation in 66.7% (8/12) of affected patients, 27.3% (3/11) of affected patients, and 25% (3/12) of affected patients, respectively; proteinuria was eliminated in 7 of 13 affected patients (53.8%); and glucosuria and hematuria both disappeared in all affected patients. These abnormalities had hardly any recovery, and even aggravated with new-onset glucosuria, new-onset hematuria in 3 patients who replaced ADV with tenofovir. CONCLUSION: Nephrotoxicity developed in patients undergoing long-term ADV treatment and was partially reversible after drug cessation. Tubulointerstitial lesions and heteromorphic mitochondria were the predominant pathological changes. Patients with ADV-induced renal impairment should replace ADV with other antiviral agents other than tenofovir.
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