Anthelmintic activity of Rosmarinus officinalis against Dactylogyrus minutus (Monogenea) infections in Cyprinus carpio.

Monogenean parasites are important ectoparasites of fish, and are responsible for severe economic impacts in the aquaculture industry. They are usually treated with chemicals, but the chemicals can have harmful side effects in the fish and may pose threats to human health. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a common medicinal herb, with antimicrobial and antitumor properties. Here, we examined the anthelmintic activity of rosemary extract against the monogenean (Dactylogyrus minutus) in vitro and in vivo using bath treatment and oral administration. The in vitro experiments showed that parasite survival was affected by both rosemary extract concentration and the solvent (water and ethanol). Parasites were dead at 61.8±5.6 and 7.8±1.4min when exposed to 100 and 200g aqueous rosemary extract solution/L of water respectively. It took 166.7±48.2 and 5.4±1.01min to kill the parasites when exposed to 1 and 32g ethanol rosemary extract solution/L of water respectively. Moreover, pure component of rosemary extract obtained commercially used in in vitro experiments showed that 1,8-Cineole was the most toxic component of the main components tested. Parasite intensity and prevalence in fish exposed to 50 and 100g aqueous rosemary solution/L water for 30min were significantly lower than they were in controls (p<0.05). In oral treatment experiments, diets of Cyprinus carpio were supplemented with eight different concentrations of aqueous rosemary extract. The intensity of parasites was significantly less in fish fed for 30days with feed containing 60, 80 and 100ml aqueous extract/100g feed than in control (p<0.05). Together these results indicate that rosemary is a promising candidate for prevention and control of monogenean infection.

The uptake of anticancer drugs by tumor tissues and lymph node and the effectiveness of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy on survival time.

Forty-one patients with advanced gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy and the correlation between tissue uptake of the adjuvant drug and the prognosis were studied. The patients were preoperatively administered Tegafur (Futraful, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Japan) and samples of tissue were obtained intraoperatively. 5-FU levels in the tumor and lymph nodes were measured by gas chromato-massfragmentography (GCMF). The patients in whom the 5-FU uptake by the tissues was measured and who were given over 60 g of Tegafur as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, were divided into two groups; namely, one group in whom the 5-FU uptake by the tumor tissue and lymph nodes was over 0.05 microgram/g and the other in whom the uptake was lower than 0.05 microgram/g. There were no significant differences in the background factors of either group. Each survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the generalized Wilcoxon method was used for statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant correlation between the 5-FU uptake by the tumor and the prognosis, however the 5-year survival rate in the group whose 5-FU uptake of the lymph nodes was over 0.05 microgram/g was statistically significant (p = 0.018).

[Uptake of anticancer drugs by target organs and the usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy].

Forty-one patients with advanced gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy, and the correlation between tissue uptake of the adjuvant drug and the prognosis were studied. The patients were preoperatively administered Tegafur and samples of tissue were obtained intraoperatively. 5-FU levels in the tumor and lymphnodes were measured by gas chromato-mass fragmentography (GCMF). The patients measured for 5-FU tissue uptake were given more than 60 g of tegafur as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and divided into two groups; one in which the 5-FU uptake by tumor tissue and lymphnode was over 0.05 microgram/g and the other lower than 0.05 microgram/g. In both groups there were no significant differences in background factors. Each survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the generalized Wilcoxon method was used for statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant correlation between 5-FU uptake by the tumor and the prognosis, but the 5-year survival rate in the group with over 0.05 microgram/g uptake by lymphnodes was statistically significant (p = 0.018).

The change of plasma volume, central venous pressure and water balance of patients treated by haemodynamic therapy for vasospasm.

The plasma volume, central venous pressure and water balance of 24 patients were measured around the 1st and 2nd week after early operations for ruptured aneurysms. All of the patients had been successfully treated by induced hypertension therapy for delayed vasospasm. Plasma volume was measured by the RI method using RISA. The average plasma volume of 16 patients was 58.3 +/- 6.2 ml/kg. This group had 200 ml of 25% albumin every day. It was 48.2 +/- 6.2 ml/kg for 8 patients without albumin administration. The average CVP was 11.3 +/- 2.2 cm on the albumin group. It was 5.3 +/- 1.5 cm on the non-albumin group. The value of plasma volume and CVP was statistically higher in the albumin group than in the non-albumin group. Water balance was positive in about half of the albumin group. It was negative in the non-albumin group. Three patients of the albumin group had pulmonary oedemas and one patient of the non-albumin group had congestive heart failure.

[Study on the correlation between tissue uptake of anticancer agents and prognosis -- with special reference to Tegafur].

Advanced gastric cancer cases (42 cases) undergone gastrectomy were studied on the correlation between tissue uptakes and prognosis. The patients were administrated Tegafur preoperatively and tissue samples were obtained intraoperatively, 5-FU levels in tumor and lymph node were measured by GCMF. The patients, being measured 5-FU uptake by tissue and received Tegafur over 60 g as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, were divided into two groups; namely, one with 5-FU up take by tumor tissue and lymph node was higher than 0.05 mcg/g and the other with lower than 0.05 mcg/g. Both groups showed no significant difference in background factors. Each survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and examined by generalized Wilcoxon method. As the result, there was no significant correlation in the 5-FU uptake by tumor and prognosis, but prolongation of survival rate in the group of 5-FU uptake by lymph node over 0.05 mcg/g was suggested.