C-reactive protein levels during a relapse of Crohn’s disease are associated with the clinical course of the disease

AIM： TO explore if C-reactive protein （CRP） levels might serve as a prognostic factor with respect to the clinical course of Crohn＇s disease and might be useful for classification. METHODS： In this retrospective cohort study we enrolled 94 patients from the inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） database of the University Medical Centre Utrecht. CRP levels during relapse were correlated with the number of relapses per year. Severity of relapses was based on endoscopic reports and prednisone use. Furthermore, patients were categorized in a low or high CRP group based on their CRP response during relapse and demographic and clinical features were compared. RESULTS： Overall, a positive correlation between CRP levels, number of relapses, and severity of relapse was found （respectively rs = 0.31, P 〈 0.01 and rs = 0.50, P 〈 0.001）. Employing a cut-off level of 15 mg/L, the index CRP level was found to discriminate patients with respect to the number of relapses per year, as well as for severity of relapses （respectively 0.25 ± 0.16 vs 0.36 ± 0.24, P 〈 0.05 and 4.4 ± 1.2 vs 3.2 ± 1.1 on a 10-point visual analogue scale, P 〈 0.001 for the high CRP and low CRP groups respectively）. In addition, the high CRP group showed more cumulative days of prednisone use per year （107 ± 95 vs 58 ± 48, P 〈 0.05）, as well as a better response to infiiximab （93 % vs 33 %, P = 0.06）. CONCLUSION： A higher CRP level during relapse seems to be associated with a more severe clinical course of disease.

Inhalation of Roman chamomile essential oil attenuates depressive-like behaviors in Wistar Kyoto rats

The idea of aromatherapy, using essential oils, has been considered as an alternative antidepressant treatment. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Roman chamomile essential oil inhalation for two weeks on depressive-like behaviors in Wistar-Kyoto(WKY) rats. We found that inhalation of either Roman chamomile or one of its main components α-pinene,attenuated depressive-like behavior in WKY rats in the forced swim test. Using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation analysis(iTRAQ), we found that inhalation of α-pinene increased expression of proteins that are involved in oxidative phosphorylation, such as cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6C-2, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 7A2, ATPase inhibitor in the hippocampus, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6C-2, ATP synthase subunit e, Acyl carrier protein, and Cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 6 in the PFC(prefrontal cortex). In addition, using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction technique, we confirmed an increase of parvalbumin mRNA expression in the hippocampus, which was shown to be upregulated by 2.8-fold in iTRAQ analysis, in α-pinene treated WKY rats. These findings collectively suggest the involvement of mitochondrial functions and parvalbumin-related signaling in the antidepressant effect of α-pinene inhalation.

Evaluation of antileishmanial,antibacterial and brine shrimp cytotoxic potential of crude methanolic extract of Herb Ocimum basilicum(Lamiacea)

OBJECTIVE:To collect and screen for ethnopharmacological properties(antileishmanial,antibacterial and brine lethality assays) of medicinal plant Ocimum basilicum from Peshawar region(34.008 latitude and 71.57 altitudes).METHODS:In the present study a general antileishmanial activity against Leishmania tropica strain was carried out.The antibacterial potential of the plant was performed against 06 gram positive and 06 gram negative bacteria.Brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay at different concentrations were investigated.RESULTS:The anti-promastigotes profile of the plant showed good antileishmanial activity exhibited LC_(50) value 21.67 μg/mL.The result for gram positive antibacterial activity revealed that the O.basilicum leaves extract possesses significant inhibitory activity at highest two concentrations ranging from20.66 ± 0.31 to 31.86 ± 0.80 for Clostridium perfringens type C and Bacillus subtitilis,respectively,as compared to the gentamycin(27.36 ± 0.55 and21.80 ± 0.72,respectively).For gram negative bacteria good activity was observed.A highest zone of inhibition was recorded for Pseudomonas aeroginosa(28.83 ± 0.28) atthe highest concentration(10 mg/mL).The LC_(50) value obtained for brine shrimp lethality assay was 91.56 μg/mL.CONCLUSION:The herb basil possesses effective cidal activities which make this plant a good candidate for the isolation of antiprotozoal and antibacterial compounds which may lead to the development of novel drug.

体坛万花筒

鲁尼不当秃子 自从C·罗远走马德里之后．23岁的鲁尼就成了曼联新王牌，进球、助攻无所不能．不过事业顺利的鲁尼也有烦心事，那就是头发越来越少，因此他不得不遍寻名医解决这一苦恼，并开始试用一种新药。