Arch Pharm Res
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Morphine has been used widely on the treatment of many types of chronic pain. However the development of tolerance to and dependence on morphine by repeat application is a major problem in pain therapy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether combined administration of nalbuphine with morphine affects the development of tolerance to and dependence on morphine. ⋯ The elevation of [3H]MK-801 binding in frontal cortex, dentate gyrus, and cerebellum after chronic morphine infusion was suppressed by the coadministration of nalbuphine. In addition, the elevation of NR1 expression by morphine was decreased by the coadministration of nalbuphine in rat cortex. These results suggest that the coadministration of nalbuphine with morphine in chronic pain treatment can be one of therapies to reduce the development of tolerance to and dependence on morphine.
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Lupus-like syndrome is characterized by multiple organ injuries including lungs and kidneys. Endotoxin induces a transiently intent systemic inflammatory response and indirectly transient acute lung injury in normal condition. However, whether endotoxin may trigger the persistent development of lung injury in chronic, inflammatory lupus-like syndrome compared with normal condition remains unclear. ⋯ And levels of BAL TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly enhanced 72 h in LPS-exposed pristane-primed mice compared with pristane-primed controls. Also, LPS significantly induced the increased in vitro production of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 by lung cells obtained from LPS-exposed pristane-primed mice compared with LPS-exposed normal mice. Our findings indicate that LPS may trigger persistent progression of lung injury through late overproduction of BAL TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-10 in lupus-like chronic inflammation syndrome compared with normal condition.
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This study evaluated the effect of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TC), ischemic preconditioning (IPC) or a combination on the extent of mitochondrial injury caused by hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Rats were pretreated with alpha-TC (20 mg/kg per day, i.p.) for 3 days before sustained ischemia. A rat liver was preconditioned with 10 min of ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion, and was then subjected to 90 min of ischemia followed by 5 h or 24 h of reperfusion. ⋯ The mitochondria isolated after I/R were rapidly swollen. However, this swelling rate was reduced by alpha-TC, IPC, and alpha-TC+IPC. These results suggest that either alpha-TC or IPC reduces the level of mitochondrial damage associated with oxidative stress caused by hepatic I/R, but alpha-TC combined with IPC offers no significant additional protection.
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Previously, we reported that water-extracted Acanthopanax senticosus exhibited anti-metastatic activity by stimulating the immune system. In this study, we fractionated glycoproteins (EN-SP) from the soluble protein layer (GF-AS) of A. senticosus and determined their basic chemical properties. We also investigated the anti-tumor and immunostimulating activities of the fractionated glycoprotein, EN-SP. ⋯ Using gel filtration, EN-SP, an active glycoprotein fraction, is isolated from GF-AS. While both GF-AS and EN-SP stimulated the proliferatation of splenocytes of normal mice, EN-SP showed higher anti-metastatic activity and more potently stimulated the proliferation of splenocytes compared to GF-AS. These results suggest the use of EN-SP, the fractionated glycoprotein from A. senticosus, can be used as a therapeutical reagent to prevent or inhibit tumor metastasis.
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The aqueous extract of European mistletoe (Viscum album, L.) has been used in cancer therapy. The purified mistletoe lectins, main components of mistletoe, have demonstrated cytotoxic and immune-system-stimulating activities. Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. coloratum), a subspecies of European mistletoe, has also been reported to possess anticancer and immunological activities. ⋯ Our results indicated that successful incorporation of VCA into alginate/chitosan microcapsules has been achieved and that the alginate/chitosan microcapsule protected the VCA from degradation at acidic pH values. And coating the VCA with polyacrylic polymers, Eudragit, produced outstanding results with ideal release profiles and only minimal losses of cytotoxicity after manufacturing step. The granules prepared with extract or whole plant produced the best results due to the stability in the extract or whole plant during manufacturing process.