Canine gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a naturally acquired condition of large-breed dogs primarily and is associated with high mortality. The clinical course suggests that reperfusion injury may be important in the pathogenesis of GDV. To evaluate the role of xanthine oxidase and iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (which are purported mechanisms of reperfusion injury) in the pathogenesis of GDV-related mortality, we created experimental GDV in 21 dogs. These dogs were then treated with either allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor), U74006F (an experimental lipid peroxidation inhibitor), or saline solution (NaCl, 0.85%). Three of 8 dogs died in the allopurinol-treated group, none of 5 died in the U74006F-treated group, and 4 of 8 died in the saline solution-treated group. Tissue malondialdehyde concentration, a nonspecific indicator of lipid peroxidation, was significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the duodenum, jejunum, colon, liver, and pancreas of the saline-solution treated and allopurinol-treated dogs than in the same tissues of the U74006F-treated dogs after surgical correction of the GDV (ie, during reperfusion), compared with malondialdehyde concentrations determined before inducing GDV. The results of this study support the concept that lipid peroxidation associated with reperfusion injury is important in the pathogenesis and high mortality of canine GDV. Furthermore, this lipid peroxidation and mortality may be preventable by appropriate and timely treatment.

Uveitis was induced in dogs by intracameral injection of canine lens protein. The lipoxygenase inhibitors phenidone and norhydroguaiaretic acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide decreased fibrin production at 0.5 and 1 hour after induction uveitis. Phenidone and norhydroguaiaretic acid also inhibited the initial increase intraocular pressure early in the course of inflammation. Leukotriene B4 in the aqueous was measured by use of radioimmunoassay at 1 hour after inflammation. In control dogs, 230 to 1,700 pg of leukotriene B4/ml was measured; in dogs treated with phenidone, leukotriene, B4 was not measured.

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) was isolated from fresh equine plasma by precipitation, cellulose chromatography, and improved ion-exchange chromatography. Purified equine Cp is a glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 115,000. In electrophoresis, equine Cp migrated to the alpha 1-globulin region, its isoelectric point was about 4.15 and consisted of about 890 amino acid residues. Serum Cp concentration was measured by use of the single radial immunodiffusion method. In clinically normal horses, the mean (+/- SD) serum Cp concentration of newborn foals was 2.87 +/- 0.40 mg/ml and that of 3-month-old foals was 5.02 +/- 0.92 mg/ml, which was similar to the adult value. It reached a peak of 6.06 +/- 0.74 mg/ml in 2-year-old horses. The Cp concentration in mares was not statistically different for the perinatal period, but it decreased immediately before and after delivery. Concentration of Cp increased at 6 days after IM administration of turpentine oil, castration, or jejunojejunostomy in adult horses, and increased to peak values twice as high as baseline values at 7 to 14 days, returning to baseline values at 28 days after treatment. We concluded that equine serum Cp is an acute-phase reactive protein increased in the intermediary or later phase of acute inflammation.

Genus Artemisia occurs as a hardy plant and has a wide range of culinary and medicinal features. In this study, we aimed to describe the melanin inhibitory activity of one Artemisia species, i.e., Artemisia capillaris Thunb. Ethanol extracts of fermented Artemisia capillaris (Art.EtOH.FT) and non-fermented Artemisia capillaris (Art.EtOH.CT) were tested for their ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity and melanin pigmentation. Both extracts showed dose-dependent inhibition against alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone−stimulated melanin formation and tyrosinase activity, without cytotoxicity. At 100 ㎍/mL, both extracts showed greater inhibition than kojic acid, the positive control. Protein expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) at the transcriptional level were determined by using real-time and semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To complete the mechanistic study, presences of upstream elements of MITF, the phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), and phosphorylated−mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-MEK) were confirmed by using western blot analysis. Expressions of p-TYR, p-TRP-1 and p-TRP2, downstream factors for p-ERK and p-MITF, were translationally inhibited by both extracts. Art.EtOH.FT induced more potent effects than Art.EtOH.CT, especially signal transduction effects. In summary, Artemisia capillaris extracts appear to act as potent hypopigmentation agents.

Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated IM with 0, 2.5, 25, and 50 micrograms of clenbuterol HCl/kg of body weight/d for 21 days. In all treated rats, significant increase in body weight gain (P < 0.05) and improvement in feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) were recorded. Hydrometra was observed in the uterus of treated rats, and histologically, it was possible to see dilatation of luminal glands and ovarian alterations. Clenbuterol treatment induced significant (P < 0.05) increase in uterine estrogen receptor concentration of rats treated with the 2 higher doses. Treatment apparently failed to enhance the rate of oxidative and conjugative biotransformations, except for glucuronidation of p-nitrophenol (P < 0.05). On the basis of the data obtained, we could affirm that high doses of clenbuterol affect the female reproductive system of rats inducing, almost in part, estrogen-like modifications, but probably by a different mechanism of action correlated to intense adrenergic stimulation.