Benzodiazepine partially reverses tonic-clonic seizures induced by thiocolchicoside.

Seizures are a disorder caused by structural brain lesions, life-threatening metabolic derangements, or drug toxicity. The present study describes the behavior related to proconvulsant activity induced by thiocolchicoside (TCC) in rats and investigates the electrocorticographic patterns of this behavior and the effectiveness of classic antiepileptic drugs used to control these seizures. Forty-nine adult male Wistar rats were used and divided into two phases of our experimental design: 1) evaluation of seizure-related behavior and electrocorticographic patterns induced by TCC and 2) evaluation of the efficacy of classical antiepileptic drugs to control the proconvulsive activity caused by TCC. Our results showed that TCC induced tonic-clonic seizures that caused changes in electrocorticographic readings, characteristic of convulsive activity, with average amplitude greater than that induced by pentylenetetrazole. Treatment with anticonvulsants, especially diazepam, reduced the electrocorticographic outbreaks induced by TCC. The results suggested that TCC caused seizures with increased power in brain oscillations up to 40 Hz and that diazepam may partially reverse the effects.

A prospective, randomized, single - blind study comparing intraplaque injection of thiocolchicine and verapamil in Peyronie's Disease: a pilot study

ABSTRACT Objectives: To compare the response to tiocolchicine and verapamil injection in the plaque of patients with Peyronie's disease. Materials and Methods: Prospective, single-blind, randomized study, selecting patients who have presented Peyronie's disease for less than 18 months. Thiocolchicine 4mg or verapamil 5mg were given in 7 injections (once a week). Patients who had received any treatment for Peyronie's disease in the past three months were excluded. The parameters used were the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score, analysis of the curvature on pharmaco-induced erections and size of the plaque by ultrasonography. Results: Twenty-five patients were randomized, 13 received thiocolchicine and 12 were treated with verapamil. Both groups were statistically similar. The mean curvature was 46.7° and 36.2° before and after thiocolchicine, respectively (p=0.019) and 50.4° and 42.08° before and after verapamil, respectively (p=0.012). The curvature improved in 69% of patients treated with thiocolchicine and in 66% of those who received verapamil. Regarding sexual function, there was an increase in the IIEF-5 from 16.69 to 20.85 (p=0.23) in the thiocolchicine group. In the verapamil group the IIEF-5 score dropped from 17.50 to 16.25 (p=0.58). In the thiocolchicine group, the plaque was reduced in 61% of patients. In the verapamil group, 8% presented decreased plaque size. No adverse event was associated to thiocolchicine. Conclusion: The use of thiocolchicine in Peyronie's disease demonstrated improvement on penile curvature and reduction in plaque size. Thiocolchicine presented similar results to verapamil in curvature assessment. No significant side effects were observed with the use of tiocolchicine.

A prospective, randomized, single - blind study comparing intraplaque injection of thiocolchicine and verapamil in Peyronie's Disease: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the response to tiocolchicine and verapamil injection in the plaque of patients with Peyronie's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, single-blind, randomized study, selecting patients who have presented Peyronie's disease for less than 18 months. Thiocolchicine 4mg or verapamil 5mg were given in 7 injections (once a week). Patients who had received any treatment for Peyronie's disease in the past three months were excluded. The parameters used were the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score, analysis of the curvature on pharmaco-induced erections and size of the plaque by ultrasonography. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were randomized, 13 received thiocolchicine and 12 were treated with verapamil. Both groups were statistically similar. The mean curvature was 46.7º and 36.2º before and after thiocolchicine, respectively (p=0.019) and 50.4º and 42.08º before and after verapamil, respectively (p=0.012). The curvature improved in 69% of patients treated with thiocolchicine and in 66% of those who received verapamil. Regarding sexual function, there was an increase in the IIEF-5 from 16.69 to 20.85 (p=0.23) in the thiocolchicine group. In the verapamil group the IIEF-5 score dropped from 17.50 to 16.25 (p=0.58). In the thiocolchicine group, the plaque was reduced in 61% of patients. In the verapamil group, 8% presented decreased plaque size. No adverse event was associated to thiocolchicine. CONCLUSION: The use of thiocolchicine in Peyronie's disease demonstrated improvement on penile curvature and reduction in plaque size. Thiocolchicine presented similar results to verapamil in curvature assessment. No significant side effects were observed with the use of tiocolchicine.

Photosensitizing activity of thiocolchicoside: photochemical and in vitro phototoxicity studies.

The phototoxic drug thiocolchicoside (2-dimethoxy-2-glucosidoxythiocolchicine, 1), is photolabile under irradiation with UV-A light from TL 100 W-P Philips bulbs (at lambda max 355 nm) light and also with a N2 laser (at 337 nm) in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Irradiation of a methanol solution of 1 produces two photoproducts without a glucoside group. One of these lost the methylthio-group, while the other is oxidized (only under aerobic conditions) to sulfoxide. The formation of singlet oxygen by photolysis of 1 was evidenced by trapping with 2,5-dimethylfuran (GC-MS), furfuryl alcohol, 1,3-cyclohexadiene-1,4-diethanoate (HPLC) and by the histidine test as 1O2 scavengers. Thiocolchicoside has been shown to photosensitize the reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium by direct electron transfer mechanism, when irradiated under the same conditions as for photolysis. Oxygen may also be involved in this electron transfer reaction to form the superoxide anion radical. Thiocolchicoside was screened in vitro in different concentrations for UV-Vis-induced phototoxic effects in a photohemolysis test, in the presence and absence of different radical scavengers, singlet oxygen and superoxide radical quenchers. In addition, 1 photosensitized the peroxidation of linoleic acid, monitored by the UV-detection of dienic hydroperoxides. Studies on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (lymphocytes) demonstrated phototoxic effects on them. Protection by GSH, DABCO, sodium azide and SOD are indicative of both Type I and II photosensitization pathways mediated by free radicals and singlet molecular oxygen.

Effect of colchicine in a biochemical model of liver injury and fibrosis

Background. The accummulation of collagen is a salient feature of chronic liver injury. The objetive of this study was to investigate and compare the therapeutic effectiveness of colchicine and one of its metabolites, colchiceine, to protect rats from developing liver injury and fibrosis. Methods. To accomplish this, the authors used a procedure developed by other to produce liver injury and firosis by chronic administration of CCl4 in rats. The effect of both compounds on collagen metabolism and liver injury was analyzed. Results. Althought both compounds prevented increase in collagen synthesis, animals treated with colchicine did not show a reduction in collagen content compared with animals treated with CCl4. On the other hand, the animals treated with colchiceine along with CCl4, showed a 50 percent reduction in hepatic collagen content as well as an improvement in histological architecture. Both compound, colchicine and colchiceine, increased the intracellular degradation of collagen in addition to increasing collagenase activity as compared to non-treated rats. However, collagenase activity was lower in animals treated with colchicine and colchiceine than in the fibrotic livers treated with CCl4. The changes in collagen metabolism correlated with changes in parameters of liver injury. Conclusions. In conclusion, the compound colchiceine may be recommended in the treatment of chronic liver diseases rather than its precursor, colchicine, due to the fact that it showed a lower accumulation of collagen content and has a better anti-fibrogenic effect than does colchicine

Effect of colchiceine and ursodeoxycholic acid on hepatocyte and erythrocyte membranes and liver histology in experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride cirrhosis in rats.

Colchiceine and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) are drugs currently in use as therapy for different types of liver damage. We evaluated their ability to reverse the damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. Six groups were analysed: (1) CCl4 (0.4 g kg(-1), i.p., three times a week) for 13 weeks; (2) CCl4 for 8 weeks followed by colchiceine (60 microg kg(-1)) + CCl4 for 5 weeks; (3) CCl4 for 8 weeks and thereafter UDCA (25 mg kg(-1)) + CCl4 for 5 weeks. Groups 4, 5 and 6 were appropriate controls of colchiceine, UDCA and vehicles respectively. Na+,K+- and Ca2+-ATPase activities and the cholesterol-phospholipid (CH/PL) ratio from erythrocyte and hepatocyte membranes were quantified. Membrane enzymatic activities and CH/PL ratios were affected more in group 1 than groups 2 and 3. We concluded that colchiceine and UDCA were effective drugs in this model of liver damage.