A systematic review on the neuroprotective perspectives of beta-caryophyllene.

Beta (ß)-caryophyllene (BCAR) is a major sesquiterpene of various plant essential oils reported for several important pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, antimicrobial, and immune-modulatory activity. Recent studies suggest that it also possesses neuroprotective effect. This study reviews published reports pertaining to the neuropharmacological activities of BCAR. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, MedLine Plus, and Google Scholar with keywords "beta (ß)-caryophyllene" and other neurological keywords were searched. Data were extracted by referring to articles with information about the dose or concentration/route of administration, test system, results and discussion, and proposed mechanism of action. A total of 545 research articles were recorded, and 41 experimental studies were included in this review, after application of exclusion criterion. Search results suggest that BCAR exhibits a protective role in a number of nervous system-related disorders including pain, anxiety, spasm, convulsion, depression, alcoholism, and Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, BCAR has local anesthetic-like activity, which could protect the nervous system from oxidative stress and inflammation and can act as an immunomodulatory agent. Most neurological activities of this natural product have been linked with the cannabinoid receptors (CBRs), especially the CB2R. This review suggests a possible application of BCAR as a neuroprotective agent.

Uso de hipotermia en el paro cardiorrespiratorio extrahospitalario: reporte de un caso / Use of hypothermia in out of hospital pediatric arrest: a case report

Moderate hypothermia decreases mortality and improves neurological outcome in adults as well as newborns affected with Neonatal Asphyxia. The effect of hypothermia among children with cardiac arrest (CRA) is not known. Objective: Case description of the use of therapeutic hypothermia in a pediatric patient with cardiac arrest. Clinical Case: Four-year-old girl who presented extra-hospitalary CRA, where moderate hypothermia (34 degrees Celsius) was used for neurological protection in a PICU. The patient was discharged in satisfactory neurological condition, as rated through a Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) Test assessment, with a score of 2, similar to her baseline evaluation. Use of Hypothermia in PICU is discussed, as well as methods to induce this state and potential side effects of the treatment.

La hipotermia moderada mejora la mortalidad y el pronóstico neurológico en el paro cardíaco en adultos y en recién nacidos con asfixia neonatal. El efecto de la hipotermia en niños con paro cardiorrespiratorio (PCR) no se conoce. Objetivo: Describir el uso de la Hipotermia terapéutica en el PCR en una paciente pediátrica, y actualizar el conocimiento en dicha materia. Caso clínico: Preescolar sexo femenino, 4 años de edad que presentó un PCR extra hospitalario en la que se uso como neuroprotección hipotermia moderada (34 °C) durante 48 horas en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos, lo que permitió su alta en una condición neurológica satisfactoria, estimada por la escala Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) de 2, similar a su condición basal. También se revisa el uso de hipotermia en cuidado intensivo pediátrico, los métodos para inducir hipotermia y potenciales efectos secundarios de esta terapia.

Prevención de los efectos adversos anticolinérgicos inducidos por los antipsicóticos en la 3ª edad: descripción de un caso en tratamiento con clozapina / Prevention of anticholinergic adverse effect induced by antipsychotics in aged: report of a case in treatment with clozapine

La seguridad y eficacia del uso de Clozapina en ancianos es actualmente objeto de estudio. Los pacientes geriátricos parecen presentar una mayor predisposición a sufrir hipotensión ortoestática y una mayor reactividad a los efectos anticolinérgicos, como también son más sensibles a los efectos adversos sobre el SNC. Se describe en el presente estudio el caso de una paciente portadora de un cuadro esquizofrénico catatónico en tratamiento con Clozapina, que presentó marcados síntomas anticolinérgicos y que mejoró de sus síntomas tras la suspensión del fármaco y el cambio a otro antipsicótico atípico (Risperidona). El estudio de niveles plasmáticos de Clozapina mostró que aún con 50 mg/día alcanzaba niveles plasmáticos de 200 ng/dl. Se analiza en el presente reporte la necesidad de una adecuada evaluación clínica y la importancia del control de Niveles Plasmáticos.

Adecuado uso del perímetro cefálico de lactantes en sus controles de salud / Adequate use of head circumference measurement in infants during health controls

Introducción: La evaluación del perímetro cefálico (PC) constituye una valiosa herramienta que alerta sobre alteraciones del desarrollo del lactante. Objetivo: Conocer la situación de medición del PC en los controles de salud. Método: Revisión retrospectiva de todos los registros de PC en los controles de niños de 18 a 24 meses de edad, de julio de 2002 a la fecha, atendidos en dos centros de salud de Colina, consignando el PC, el diagnóstico y las indicaciones y reclasificándolo (NCHS) para diagnóstico comparativo. Resultados: Se revisaron 424 controles de salud contenidos en 58 fichas, de los cuales 85,3% tenían registro del PC. De ellos el 17.7% tenía consignado el diagnóstico. Al clasificar nuevamente los diagnósticos encontrados según las curvas del NCHS, se encontró que 14% de los registros correspondía a un PC fuera del rango normal y no tenía diagnóstico registrado, el único caso en que se registró diagnóstico de alteración del PC no se registró la conducta tomada. Un 92.2% de los diagnósticos fueron catalogados concordante con el equipo investigador. Conclusiones: La medición del PC se realiza en la mayoría de los controles, pero no conduce a un diagnóstico y manejo terapeutico. Falta reforzar la importancia y utilidad de esta herramienta antropométrica para una adecuada pesquisa diagnóstica y una derivación oportuna a especialista.

Aspectos da proteção cerebral em pacientes submetidos a tromboendarterectomia pulmonar com hipotermia profunda e parada circulatória intermitente / Aspects of cerebral protection in patients submitted to pulmonary thromboendarterectomy with profound hypothermia and intermittent circulatory arrest

INTRODUÇÃO: A tromboendarterectomia pulmonar é utilizada como método bem estabelecido para aliviar a hipertensão pulmonar nos casos de tromboembolismo pulmonar crônico. A dificuldade que se apresenta é conciliar o tempo relativamente exíguo de parada circulatória total (PCT) hipotérmica com a completa desobstrução das artérias pulmonares, sob pena de danos neurológicos. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: No período de março de 1998 a abril de 1999 (13 meses), 8 pacientes, 5 do sexo masculino, 1 de cor negra, com idade variando entre 25 a 56 anos (média 46,2 anos) e com diagnóstico angiográfico de tromboembolismo pulmonar, foram submetidos a tromboendarterectomia pulmonar uni ou bilateral por tromboembolismo pulmonar crônico (TEP). Instalado o circuito extracorpóreo e incisada a artéria pulmonar, procede-se à PCT e, aproximadamente a cada 20 minutos de procedimento, intermitentemente, o fluxo da circulação extracorpórea (CEC) é restabelecido a 14º C por um período de 15 minutos objetivando-se a reperfusão cerebral e corpórea. Sucessivas paradas circulatórias total são realizadas e tantas quanto forem necessárias até a remoção de todos os trombos da artéria pulmonar. RESULTADOS: Não foram registrados óbitos no transoperatório. Um paciente faleceu no 30º dia de pós-operatório (PO) devido a broncopneumonia que evoluiu para sepse. Os 8 pacientes foram submetidos a CEC e PCT hipotérmica, sendo que em 5 (62,5 por cento) foram necessárias 4 PCT e em 3 (37,5 por cento) apenas 3 PCT, com média de 3,6 PCT. O tempo total de CEC variou de 210 a 255 minutos, com média de 225 minutos. O tempo de PCT hipotérmica variou de 58 a 88 minutos, com média de 76,7 minutos e o período de PCT por paciente variou de 18 a 24 minutos, com média de 20,5 minutos. Em todos os pacientes foram realizadas tomografias de crânio, que não revelaram nenhuma alteração anatômica, assim como o exame físico não revelou déficit motor ou rebaixamento do sensório. CONCLUSÃO: Acreditamos ser esta uma técnica promissora, capaz de oferecer tranqüilidade para o cirurgião e segurança para o paciente em termos de proteção do sistema nervoso central.

Protective effect of riluzole on excitatory amino acid-mediated neurotoxicity in motoneuron-enriched cultures.

Excitatory amino acid-mediated neurotoxicity was investigated in motoneuron-enriched cultures from fetal rats at 12-14 days of gestation. The cultures were mainly composed of differentiated motoneurons identified by choline acetyl transferase and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity. Addition of glutamate (600 microM) to the conditioned medium induced no acute neuronal swelling. However, it was followed by a widespread neuronal degeneration over the next 24 h, accounting for 77% of the total cell number. Glutamate toxicity was dose dependent, with an EC50 around 300 microM. Treatment for 24 h with the agonists, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA, 100 microM), kainate (500 microM) or RS-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxalopropionate (AMPA, 10 microM), also induced a significant cell loss. Riluzole (2 amino 6-trifluoromethoxybenzothiazole), a compound known to interfere with glutamatergic transmission pre- and postsynaptically, significantly reduced glutamate and NMDA neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that a prolonged activation of one or more subtypes of ionotropic excitatory amino acid receptors can lead to motoneuron degeneration in vitro, and provide direct experimental evidence supporting the neuroprotective effect of riluzole in cultured motoneurons.

Neurologic outcome in premature infants with transient asymptomatic hyperammonemia.

We studied the short-term and long-term effects of transient asymptomatic neonatal hyperammonemia on neurologic function in 21 preterm infants with normal ammonium levels and 25 with hyperammonemia (range 40 to 72 mumol/L) during the first weeks of life. The hyperammonemic infants were prospectively randomized to treatment with orally administered arginine free base 1 to 2 mmol/kg/day for 2 months (n = 13) or to a no-treatment control group (n = 12). Cortical function was assessed by auditory response and habituation during the first month of life. An auditory response was shown by 64% of the hyperammonemic infants and 43% of the normoammonemic infants (P not significant). Plasma ammonium levels at the time of examination bore no consistent relationship to whether an infant responded to an auditory stimulus. Number of trials to reach auditory habituation was also not different, and plasma ammonium level did not correlate with the presence or absence of habituation. IQ testing at 6, 12, 18, and 30 months showed no significant differences between groups. Early plasma ammonium levels did not have an effect on 30-month IQ scores. These findings suggest that transient asymptomatic hyperammonemia in premature infants is not associated with short-term or long-term neurologic deficits through 30 months of age. This study does not support the need for treatment of transient asymptomatic hyperammonemia in the premature infant.

Acute respiratory illness in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Ten of 70 children (14%) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed severe interstitial pneumonitis within three weeks after induction of central nervous system prophylactic therapy. The clinical picture was characterized by fever, cough, progressive dyspnea, and hypoxemia with complete resolution in one to three weeks, except in one patient who died during the acute illness from respiratory failure. P. carinii organisms were found in the lung tissue of only one patient. The etiology of the pneumonitis in the other nine children was probably viral, acquired or activated during a period of lymphopenia and immunosuppression. The morbidity and potential mortality from the pneumonitis warrants early recognition by open lung biopsy and intensive supportive therapy.