Pretreatment with a combination of ligustrazine and berberine improves cardiac function in rats with coronary microembolization.

AIM: We have shown that a combination of ligustrazine and berberine produces more effective inhibition on platelet activation and inflammatory reactions in rat acute myocardial infarction compared with either agent alone. In this study we evaluated the beneficial effects of a combination of ligustrazine and berberine in a rat model of coronary microembolization (CME). METHODS: SD rats were treated with ligustrazine, berberine, ligustrazine+berberine, or clopidogrel for 2 weeks. When the treatment completed, CME was induced by injection of sodium laurate into the left ventricular, while obstructing the ascending aorta. All rats were intubated for hemodynamic measurements. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses, flow cytometry, and ELISAs. Heart tissues were isolated for histopathology and subsequent protein analyses. RESULTS: Pretreatment with the combination of ligustrazine (27 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) and berberine (90 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) significantly improved cardiac function, and decreased myocardial necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, microthrombosis and serum CK-MB levels in CME rats. In addition, this combination significantly decreased plasma ET-1 levels and von Willebrand factor, inhibited ADP-induced platelet activation, and reduced TNFα, IL-1ß, ICAM-1 and RANTES levels in serum and heart tissues. The protective effects of this combination were more prominent than those of ligustrazine or berberine alone, but comparable to those of a positive control clopidogrel (6.75 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)). CONCLUSION: The combination of ligustrazine and berberine significantly improved cardiac function in rat CME model via a mechanism involving antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory effects.

[A rare side effect of mesotherapy: Nicolau syndrome]. / Un effet indésirable rare de la mésothérapie : la dermite de Nicolau.

BACKGROUND: Nicolau's livedoid dermatitis is associated with drug-induced embolism in the cutaneous arterial bed, generally as a result of accidental intra-arterial injection. Herein, we report a case that is somewhat surprising because of its late onset following mesotherapy injections. CASE REPORT: A 53-year-old man, with a history solely of tendinopathy for which he underwent mesotherapy sessions, consulted for livedoid lesions of the front of the knee with central necrosis. History-taking revealed a final course of mesotherapy three weeks earlier for patellar tendinitis below the left kneecap; intradermal injection of procaine and piroxicam had been unusually and intensely painful. The remainder of the clinical examination revealed additional livedoid lesions on the outside of the left ankle as well as purpuric lesions on the pads of the toes on the left foot. Laboratory tests revealed nothing of note. Skin biopsies of the livedoid circumference of the lesion showed arteriolar emboli of an amorphous material within the dermis obliterating the arteriolar lumen. The clinical appearance of skin lesions after mesotherapy led us to a diagnosis of Nicolau livedoid dermatitis. DISCUSSION: Nicolau dermatitis is a rare skin complication described as occurring mainly as a result of intramuscular injections. The reported case is special because it comprises Nicolau dermatitis arising out of a session of mesotherapy employing an intradermal injection. However, there are only very few cases in which subcutaneous injections have induced Nicolau dermatitis. The pathophysiology is not well known, but several mechanisms are involved: arterial ischaemia by vasospasm or thrombosis. In this case, the semiotic appearance of the lesions and histological analysis militate in favour of accidental injection of a skin product into an arteriole, resulting in obliteration of the latter. Mesotherapy can induce Nicolau dermatitis.

Efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy combined with Naoxintong capsules [see text] following coronary microembolization induced by homologous microthrombi in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effificacy of dual antiplatelet therapy combined with Naoxintong Capsule ([see text], NXTC) in a rat model of coronary microembolization (CME). METHODS: A total of 95 rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control, sham-operation, CME model, NXTC, dual antiplatelet (clopidogrel and aspirin) intervention (DA), and NXTC combined with DA (NDA) groups. The complete data in 69 rats were obtained. The number of CME, myocardial apoptosis rate, bleeding time, clotting time, and adensosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation were assessed. RESULTS: Compared with the CME group, the number of CME and myocardial apoptosis rates were signifificantly decreased in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups (P <0.01). Compared with other intervention groups, the number of CME and myocardial apoptosis rates were the least in the NDA group (P <0.01), and the incidence of surgical bleeding was the highest in the DA group (P <0.01). Compared with the CME group, ADP-induced maximum platelet aggregation rate was significantly inhibited in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups (P <0.01), both bleeding time and clotting time were signifificantly increased in the NXTC, DA, and NDA groups (P <0.01), while the above parameters were the highest in the DA group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination therapy of NXTC and DA enhanced the anti-CME effect of either therapy alone and reduced the risk of the DA therapy-associated bleeding, demonstrating an improved benefifit/ risk ratio in the rat model of CME.

Foreign-body granulomas within intramyocardial arteries in a transcoronary safety assessment in pigs.

Foreign-body granulomas within intramyocardial arteries were detected in three domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) in a routine transcoronary safety assessment study. The foreign bodies stained light grayish-blue by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and were strongly birefringent by polarized light microscopy. By their morphological features, they were identified as cotton fibers. Embolization of foreign-body material into the myocardial arteries following catheter-based procedures is an unusual event, and its occurrence may lead to granulomatous foreign-body reaction and misinterpretation of histological results.

Generalized fatal BaSO4 embolism from vaginal application of colonographic enema. A case report.

A 72-year-old woman died due to BaSO4 embolism from a ruptured vagina during colonography. The agony lasted for only 30 minutes. Post-mortem X-rays revealed opaque material in the region of the uterus and in the lungs. A tear, including a ruptured vein, filled with white material (BaSO4) was found in the vaginal wall. Barium was demonstrable in the microscopic sections of lungs, brain, liver and kidneys with rhodizonate staining. The case was classified as a therapeutic accident.