Search

Background: Saireito consists of components of shosaikoto and goreisan. There are several reports of liver injury caused by shosaikoto and saireito, whereas cases caused by goreisan are rarely seen. Patient: A 70-year-old woman suffered from sicca of the eyes and oral cavity that arose in 2003. In June 2004, we diagnosed her as having Sjögren syndrome on the basis of Schirmer's test, salivary scintigraphy, presence of anti-SS-A/Ro antibody, and subjective symptoms. Although a muscarinic agonist was commenced, her sicca symptoms did not improve. Interventions: In February 2008, 7.5 g/day of shosaikoto extract granules (for ethical use, Tsumura & Co., Tokyo, Japan) was introduced. Her symptoms and laboratory data did not change. The next month, the treatment was replaced by 9.0 g/day of saireito extract granules (for ethical use, Tsumura & Co., Tokyo, Japan). Results: After 10 weeks, elevation of liver enzymes was observed. On suspicion of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), saireito was withdrawn, and the patient's liver enzymes returned to normal the next month. Drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation tests (DLSTs) for saireito, shosaikoto, and goreisan were all positive. Conclusions: The clinical course suggested allergy to the goreisan component of saireito. It is important to be aware of the limitation of DLST as a diagnostic tool for DILI, especially for herbal medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have investigated the consequences of individual variation in resting metabolic rate at thermoneutrality (RMRt) on reproductive performance. Despite strong theoretical reasons for expecting such an association, results have generally been disappointing. A fundamental assumption of these studies is that RMRt is a repeatable trait. We examined repeatability of RMRt in female MF1 mice over short (15days apart; N=238) and long intervals (110 days apart; N=33). In the long-term experiment, after the first RMRt measurement, females were separated in two groups: the first was kept virgin (N=16); the second was allowed to breed (N=17) and measured l5days after they had weaned their pups. We also examined the association between RMRt and reproduction. We used Pearson's correlation (i) and intraclass correlation coefficients (p) to estimate repeatability. There was a strong effect of body mass on RMRt for all measurements. Over the short interval, repeatability was significant for body mass (r=0.86; p=0.86), RMRt (r=0.68; p=0.68,) and residual-RMRt (r==0.58; p=0.58). Over long intervals, repeatability of residual-RMRt was high in virgin females (r=0.59; p=0.60), but not in the breeders (r=38; p=0.39); body mass was repeatable only for non-breeders measured by r (r=0.55). There was no significant correlation between RMRt or residual-RMRt and litter size or litter mass. In conclusion, RMRt and residual-RMRt are highly repeatable traits in virgin MF1 female mice. The lack of association between non- reproductive RMRt and reproductive performance in MF1 mice does not come about because of its poor repeatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A decrease in orexin-A (OX-A) levels has been reported to be associated with depression. It is also well known that stress and depression can disrupt neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus; however, it is unclear how OX-A is involved in depression and/or neurogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of i.c.v. administration of OX-A on the forced swimming test (FST), an accepted behavioral screen of antidepressant-like activity, and on the cell proliferation with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in the dentate gyrus at 4 days after i.c.v. administration of OX-A. OX-A administration (140 pmol/mouse) led to a significant reduction in animal immobility in the FST, without affecting spontaneous locomotor activities or serum corticosterone levels. In addition, the number of BrdU-positive cells in the dentate gyrus was significantly increased in OX-A-treated mice in vivo; however, OX-A did not affect the percentage of doublecortin-positive cells in the dentate gyrus. The proliferation of neural progenitor cells derived from rat fetal brain was not affected by OX-A treatment in vitro, and the orexin receptor 1 (OXR1) protein was not expressed in these cells. Treatment with the OXR1 antagonist SB-334867 (30 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked both the OX-A-induced decrease in the immobility of FST and increase in BrdU-positive. Moreover, the OX-A-induced increase in neuropeptide Y (NPY)–positive cells in the hilus of the dentate gyrus was blocked by SB-334867. These results suggest that OX-A induces an antidepressive-like effect, at least in part, via the enhancement of cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus. These effects of OX-A also may be partly relevant to the regulation of the NPY system in the hilus of the dentate gyrus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), Yucca schidigera (YS) or nisin (NS), as additives to a basal diet of grass silage and concentrate, on rumen methanogenesis, nitrogen and energy metabolism were conducted using four rumen cannulated wethers in a 4×4 Latin square design. Four treatments comprised basal diet (control), basal diet+20 g GOS, basal diet+120 ppm YS, basal diet+3 mg/kg BW0.75 of NS. Apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF were similar in all treatment diets. Animals fed YS had lower N losses in urine and total N losses resulting in a higher retained N. Ruminal pH values ranged from 6.33 to 6.47 and was significantly (P<0.05) altered by treatment. Sheep given YS had the lowest NH3–N concentration, moderate in control and GOS, and the highest in NS. The GOS supplemented sheep had lower (P<0.01) proportion of acetic acid and higher (P<0.01) proportion of propionic acid compared to those fed the control diet. Microbial nitrogen supply was higher (P<0.05) in GOS supplemented sheep than those given control, YS and NS diets. Relative to control, YS and NS treatments, GOS reduced (P<0.05) methane production (l/kg BW0.75). These results indicated that natural products have the potential to be used as manipulators of rumen fermentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Effects of adding yeast culture (YC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and β1–4 galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) on rumen methanogenesis, energy and N utilization in sheep were evaluated. The YC (Trichosporom sericeum, (1.2–2.3) × 107 colony-forming units [cfu]/g), LAB (Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. Mesenteroides, (1.5–1.8) × 109 cfu/g) and GOS were added to a basal diet of 40% timothy hay, 30% alfalfa hay cube and 30% concentrate on DM basis. Four wethers fitted with ruminal fistulas were assigned in a 4×4 Latin square design consisting of a digestion study succeeded by a respiratory study. Dietary treatments were: (1) basal diet (control); (2) basal diet plus 20 g GOS; (3) basal diet plus 4 g YC; (4) basal diet plus 1 g LAB/kg feed. Hemicellulose digestibility was higher (P<0.002) in sheep receiving the control treatment as compared to GOS. Ruminal pH was higher (P<0.05) in sheep receiving YC supplemented diet and tended to be higher (P=0.06) in GOS diet than sheep receiving the control diet. However, ruminal oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) was higher (P<0.05) for GOS versus control sheep. Ruminal ammonia N was reduced (P<0.05) in GOS diet compared to control and other treatment diets. The acetate:propionate ratio was lower (P=0.013) for GOS-supplemented diets compared to control. There was a reduction (P<0.05) in methane production (L per day) in GOS and YC supplemented diets compared to control. Heat production was also lower (P<0.05) for GOS and YC supplemented diets compared to control. Therefore, retained energy tended (P=0.176 and 0.072, respectively) to be higher in GOS and YC supplemented diets compared to the control. Results suggest that GOS and YC supplementation could reduce methane emission and increase energy retention in ruminants fed diets containing hay and concentrates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Effects of β1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) or nisin in combination with nitrate were assessed on rumen methanogenesis, intoxication by nitrate, and metabolic rate in nitrate-treated sheep. Four rumen-fistulated wethers were allocated in a 4×4 Latin square design. Nitrate (1.3 g NaNO3/kg0.75 of body weight (BW)), with and without β1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides or nisin was administered into the rumen through a fistula 30 min after the morning meal as a single dose, whereas, β1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides (20 g per day) or nisin (3 mg/kg0.75 of BW per day) was supplemented by sprinkling it onto the feed. Physiological saline was used as control treatment. When compared to saline, nitrate alone markedly lowered rumen methane production and caused a marked accumulation of rumen and plasma nitrite, and formation of blood methemoglobin consequently reduced oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and metabolic rate. As compared to nitrate alone, simultaneous administration of nitrate with β1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides or nisin lowered the concentration of rumen and plasma nitrite and methemoglobin, while keeping rumen methanogenesis at a low level. A relatively higher rate of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and metabolic rate of sheep given nitrate plus nisin was observed versus that in sheep given nitrate alone. Therefore, an appropriate combination of nitrate with β1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides or nisin might be effective manipulators to abate rumen methanogenesis without nitrate intoxication in ruminants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]