Locally applied simvastatin promotes fracture healing in ovariectomized rat.

UNLABELLED: Simvastatin solution was injected subcutaneously to the site of fractured tibiae of ovariectomized rats. Afterwards healing quality was evaluated by morphologic, radiographic, biomechanical, histological and histomorphometric methods at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after fracture. Results showed that locally applied simvastatin improved fracture healing. INTRODUCTION: Many studies have documented an anabolic effect of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, statins, on undisturbed bone. Reports of their effects, however, on fractured skeletal systems have been limited. A study was, therefore, conducted to check the effects of statins on fracture healing. METHODS: Simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day) was injected subcutaneously to tissue overlying the site of fractured tibiae of ovariectomized rats for a treatment period of 5 days. Vehicle reagent was used as a control. Healing quality was evaluated at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after fracture. RESULTS: Compared with that in the vehicle group, the callus cross-section area in simvastatin-treated rats was significantly enlarged by 21.3% (p < 0.05) at 1 week and by 21.5% (p < 0.05) at 2 weeks; new woven bone was relatively substantive and arranged more tightly and regularly at 2 and 4 weeks; and maximal load was increased by 57.5% (p < 0.05) at 2 weeks and by 31.4% (p < 0.05) at 4 weeks. Histomorphometrically, simvastatin was associated with a significant (p < 0.05) increase of mineralization width (MLW), mineralization volume (MLV) and mineral apposition rate (MAR). CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that local application of simvastatin could promote fracture healing in ovariectomized rats.

[Effect of selective lesions in hypothalamus on bilateral synchronized bursts of rat oxytocin neurons].

In order to clarify the location of the center for synchronized milk-ejection bursts of magnocellular oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus, the bursts of these neurons were recorded extracellularly in lactating rats with selectively-cutting lesions of the middle brain or hypothalamus. Results showed that unilateral transection of the middle midbrain above the ventral tegmentum did not block the synchronized bursts on both sides; however, the synchronized bursts disappeared after unilateral transection through the middle of the medial hypothalamus. These results suggest that the area from the middle part of the midbrain to that of the hypothalamus does play a crucial role in the synchronized milk-ejection burst.

The utero-placental circulation, eugenics and the prevention and treatment of high risk pregnancies.

Through systematic experimental and clinical studies, the physiological regulation of utero-placental circulation and the relation of the disturbance in this acirculation to pathogenic mechanisms of high risk pregnancies-Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) and Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) were explored. The pharmacological effects and mechanism of a Chinese herbal medicine-Qingxintong in improving, the utero-placental circulation and the therapeutic efficacy in treatment of IUGR and PIH, both accompanied by disturbance of utero-placental circulation, were investigated as well.

Effects of 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone on the biosynthesis of TXA2 and PGI2 in human placental villus and umbilical artery segments in vitro.

In this paper, the effects of 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone, DHAP (Qingxintong), an active constituent of traditional Chinese medicine, on the biosynthesis of TXA2 and PGI2 in human placental villi and umbilical artery segments of normal term pregnancy in vitro were studied by a perifusion technique. The collected fractions were assayed by radioimmunoassay for TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. The results showed that DHAP inhibited TXA2 and PGI2 production by umbilical artery segments in a dose dependent fashion and in both tissues TXA2 was more sensitive to inhibition than was 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. According to these data it is suggested that DHAP might be useful in treatment of pathologic pregnancies with chronic defective utero-placental circulation such as PIH and IUGR to improve this circulation.