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Berberine reduces circulating inflammatory mediators in patients with severe COVID-19.
Zhang, BY, Chen, M, Chen, XC, Cao, K, You, Y, Qian, YJ, Yu, WK
The British journal of surgery. 2021;108(1):e9-e11
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Plain language summary
Berberine has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis owing to its antimicrobial, antimotility and antisecretory properties. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of berberine on laboratory parameters in patients who have been hospitalised due to COVID-19. This study enrolled prospectively 39 patients with severe COVID-19 who were hospitalized, of which 18 patients were allocated to the berberine group and 17 to the control group. Patients in the berberine group were given berberine plus routine therapy within 14 days of admission, and those in the control group received only routine therapy. Results indicate that there wasn’t any significant difference between the two groups in relation to the laboratory parameters namely interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and white blood cells levels within 14 days. In subgroup analyses of patients with diarrhoea, berberine significantly improved the changes in interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and C-reactive protein. Authors conclude that it is unclear whether berberine has any antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2, and further experiments are needed to clarify this.
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HMB-45 negative angiomyolipoma of the orbit: a case report and review of the literature.
Lin, CY, Tsai, CC, Kau, HC, Yu, WK, Kao, SC, Liu, CJ
BMC ophthalmology. 2016;:8
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiomyolipoma is a benign mesenchymal tumor composed of variable amounts of smooth muscle, adipose tissue and thick-walled blood vessels, and usually named PEComas (perivascular epithelioid cell tumors). PEComas share overlapping histopathological features with epithelioid cells along a perivascular distribution and characteristic immunohistochemistry with coexpression of myoid and melanocytic markers (HMB-45 /or Melan-A). We report the first case of primary orbital angiomyolipoma with negative melanocytic marker. CASE PRESENTATION An 80-year-old Asian woman had a 2-year history of progressive swelling in the left upper eyelid. External examination revealed 3 cm of relative proptosis of the left eye and a palpable mass in the left superonasal orbit. Computed tomographic scan demonstrated a circumscribed, heterogeneous orbital mass. Excision biopsy was done and the histological finding demonstrated the orbital mass was composed of mature adipocytes, intermingled with spindle or oval-shaped cells, and accompanied by thick-walled blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for CD34 and HHF-35, but negative for cytokeratin, HMB-45 and Melan-A. The diagnosis of angiomyolipoma was made. No recurrence was noted at 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSION In our case, the HMB-45 negativity may be explained by the rarity of the epithelioid cells, and the HMB-45 positivity is often weaker or absent in spindle cells. Angiomyolipoma, although rare, should be added to the differential diagnosis of space-occupying orbital lesion.
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Consumption of dairy yogurt with the polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan from the peel of the Korean citrus hallabong enhances immune function and attenuates the inflammatory response.
Lee, MH, Kim, M, Kim, M, Kwak, JH, Chang, DH, Yu, WK, Lee, SH, Lee, JH
Food & function. 2016;(6):2833-9
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of consuming dairy yogurt supplemented with rhamnogalacturonan (RG), a polysaccharide from the peel of the Korean citrus hallabong, on natural killer (NK) cell activity and circulating cytokine levels. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 120 nondiabetic and nonobese subjects. Over an eight-week period, the test group consumed one pack (150 mL) of dairy yogurt containing 50 mg of probiotics and 100 mg of hallabong peel polysaccharide (60% RG) each day, whereas the placebo group consumed the same product without the hallabong peel supplement. NK cell activity (%) was measured based on the ratios of the effector cells (E; peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PBMCs) from each participant relative to the target cells (T; K562 cells) at E : T ratios of 10 : 1, 5 : 1, 2.5 : 1, or 1.25 : 1. NK cell activities under all assay conditions and interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ levels were significantly increased in the test group at eight weeks compared to the baseline values, whereas the placebo group showed a significant increase only in NK cell activity at E : T = 1.25 : 1. The test group had significantly greater increases in the changes in serum NK cell activity at the E : T ratios of 10 : 1, 5 : 1, and 2.5 : 1 and in the increases in IL-12 and IFN-γ levels than were observed in the placebo group, after adjusting for baseline values. After eight weeks of treatment, significant reductions were found in IL-6 and IL-1β levels in both the placebo and test groups. The daily consumption of dairy yogurt supplemented with RG, a polysaccharide from the peel of the Korean citrus hallabong, enhanced NK cell function and attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02535663).
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Conservative treatment of early postoperative small bowel obstruction with obliterative peritonitis.
Gong, JF, Zhu, WM, Yu, WK, Li, N, Li, JS
World journal of gastroenterology. 2013;(46):8722-30
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the effect of somatostatin and dexamethasone on early postoperative small bowel obstruction with obliterative peritonitis (EPSBO-OP). METHODS This prospective randomized study included 70 patients diagnosed with EPSBO-OP from June 2002 to January 2009. Patients were randomized into two groups: a control group received total parenteral nutrition and nasogastric (NG) tube feeding; and an intervention group received, in addition, somatostatin and dexamethasone treatment. The primary endpoints were time to resolution of bowel obstruction and length of hospital stay, and the secondary endpoints were daily NG output and NG feeding duration, treatment-related complications, postoperative obstruction relapse, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS Thirty-six patients were allocated to the intervention group and 34 to the control group. No patient needed to undergo surgery. Patients in the intervention group had an earlier resolution of bowel obstruction (22.4 ± 9.1 vs 29.9 ± 10.1 d, P = 0.002). Lower daily NG output (583 ± 208 vs 922 ± 399 mL/d, P < 0.001), shorter duration of NG tube use (16.7 ± 8.8 vs 27.7 ± 9.9 d, P < 0.001), and shorter length of hospital stay (25.8 vs 34.9 d, P = 0.001) were observed in the intervention group. The rate of treatment-related complications (P = 0.770) and relapse of obstruction (P = 0.357) were comparable between the two groups. There were no significant differences in postoperative satisfaction at 1, 2 and 3 years between the two groups. CONCLUSION Somatostatin and dexamethasone for EPSBO-OP promote resolution of obstruction and shorten hospital stay, and are safe for symptom control without increasing obstruction relapse.
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Can povidone-iodine solution be used safely in a spinal surgery?
Chang, FY, Chang, MC, Wang, ST, Yu, WK, Liu, CL, Chen, TH
European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society. 2006;(6):1005-14
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Intra-operative incidental contamination of surgical wounds is not rare. Povidone-iodine solution can be used to disinfect surgical wounds. Although povidone-iodine is a good broad-spectrum disinfecting agent, it has occasionally been reported to have a negative effect on wound healing and bone union. Therefore, its safety in a spinal surgery is unclear. A prospective, single-blinded, randomized study was accordingly conducted to evaluate the safety of povidone-iodine solution in spinal surgeries. Ascertained herein was the effect of wound irrigation with diluted povidone-iodine solution on wound healing, infection rate, fusion status and clinical outcome of spinal surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS From January 2002 to August 2003, 244 consecutive cases undergoing primary instrumented lumbosacral posterolateral fusion due to degenerative spinal disorder with segmental instability had been collected and randomly divided into two groups: the study group (120 cases, 212 fusion levels) and the control group (124 cases, 223 fusion levels). Excluded were those patients with a prior spinal surgery, spinal trauma, malignant tumor, infectious spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, metabolic bone disease, skeletal immaturity or with an immunosuppressive treatment. In the former group, wounds were irrigated with 0.35% povidone-iodine solution followed by normal saline solution just before the bone-grafting and instrumentation procedure. However, only with normal saline solution in the latter. All the operations were done by the same surgeon with a standard technique. All the patients were treated in the same postoperative fashion as well. Later on, wound healing, infection rate, spinal bone fusion and clinical outcome were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS A significant improvement of back and leg pain scores, modified Japanese Orthopedic Association function scores (JOA) and ambulatory capacity have been observed in both groups. One hundred and seven patients in the study group and one hundred and nine in the control group achieved solid union. There was no infection in the study group but six deep infections in the control group. Wound dehiscence was noted in one group 1 and two group 2 patients. A subsequent statistical analysis revealed higher infection rate in the control group (P<0.05), but no significant difference in fusion rate, wound healing, improvement of pain score, function score and ambulatory capacity between the two groups. CONCLUSION Diluted povidone-iodine solution can be used safely in spinal surgeries, and it will not influence wound healing, bone union and clinical outcome.