European journal of pharmacology
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Historical Article
RIPC for multiorgan salvage in clinical settings: evolution of concept, evidences and mechanisms.
Ischemic preconditioning is an intrinsic process in which preconditioning ischemia (ischemia of shorter duration) protects the organs against the subsequent index ischemia (sustained ischemia). Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is an innovative treatment approach in which interspersed cycles of preconditioning ischemia followed by reperfusion to a remote organ (other than target organ) protect the target organ against index ischemia and reperfusion-induced injury. RIPC of various organs to provide multi-organ salvage became a successful approach in numerous species of animals. ⋯ The institution of RIPC is beneficial in mitigating myocardial injury in patients undergoing various surgical interventions including coronary artery bypass graft surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, percutaneous coronary intervention, heart valve surgery, drug-eluting stent implantation, kidney transplantation, elective decompression surgery. The involvement of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), ATP-sensitive potassium channels, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), matrix metalloproteinases, O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) levels, autonomous nervous system in mediating RIPC-induced cardioprotective effects has been explored clinically. However, comprehensive studies are required to elucidate the other possible mechanisms responsible for producing multi-organ protection during RIPC.
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Comparative Study
The xanthine oxidase inhibitor Febuxostat reduces tissue uric acid content and inhibits injury-induced inflammation in the liver and lung.
Necrotic cell death in vivo induces a robust neutrophilic inflammatory response and the resulting inflammation can cause further tissue damage and disease. Dying cells induce this inflammation by releasing pro-inflammatory intracellular components, one of which is uric acid. Cells contain high levels of intracellular uric acid, which is produced when purines are oxidized by the enzyme xanthine oxidase. ⋯ Similarly, FBX reduced uric acid levels in the liver and inhibited inflammation in response to acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury. In contrast, FBX did not reduce inflammation to zymosan, and therefore is not acting as a general anti-inflammatory agent. These results point to the potential of using agents like FBX to treat cell death-induced inflammation.
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Neutrophil recruitment is known to be a rate-limiting step in mediating tissue injury in severe acute pancreatitis (AP). However, the signalling mechanisms controlling inflammation and organ damage in AP remain elusive. Herein, we examined the role of Ras signalling in AP. ⋯ Moreover, FTS had no direct impact on trypsin activation in isolated pancreatic acinar cells. These results indicate that Ras signalling controls CXC chemokine formation, neutrophil recruitment and tissue injury in severe AP. Thus, our findings highlight a new signalling mechanism regulating neutrophil recruitment in the pancreas and suggest that inhibition of Ras signalling might be a useful strategy to attenuate local and systemic inflammation in severe AP.
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Cannabinoid (CB) receptors have emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for pain management in recent years and the interest in the use of cannabinoids is gradually increasing, particularly in patients where conventional treatments fail. Muscle pain is a major clinical problem and new pharmacological approaches are being studied. Recently, we have demonstrated that cannabinoid synthetic agonists are useful to reduce muscular pain in two animal models, where the local administration is effective. ⋯ When THC was administered locally, only CB2 receptors were involved in the antinociceptive effect in both muscles. This study suggests that THC could be a future pharmacological option in the treatment of muscle pain. The local administration of THC could be an interesting option to treat this type of pain avoiding the central adverse effects.
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Atorvastatin is a synthetic and lipophilic statin which has been reported to have a positive role in reducing depression. The potential antidepressant-like effects of atorvastatin and the possible involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR_γ) and nitric oxide system were determined using forced swimming test (FST) in mice was studied. Atorvastatin (0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 1 h before FST. ⋯ Administration of pioglitazone or L-NAME in combination with the sub-effective dose of atorvastatin (0.01 mg/kg, p.o.) reduced the immobility time in the FST compared to drugs alone, showing the participation of these pathways; while co-administration of non-effective doses of atorvastatin and pioglitazone with GW9662 or L-arginine reversed antidepressant-like effect of atorvastatin in FST. Data from concurrent use of GW9662 and atorvastatin also demonstrated that the antidepressant effect of atorvastatin was significantly reversed by GW9662. The antidepressant-like effect of atorvastatin on mice in the FST is mediated at least in part through PPAR_γ receptors and NO pathway.