The article discusses the effectiveness of herbal medicine in inflammatory diseases of the prostate. This literature review presents clinical studies of the successful use of herbal ingredients in the treatment of chronic prostatitis and relief of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Biological active substances of Urtica dioica, Cucurbita moschata, Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), and zinc are effective in the treatment of chronic prostatitis due to anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antiandrogenic and antioxidant action. Phytopreparations containing these substances can be recommended as the first line of correction of LUTS in chronic forgive categories III and IV; as a general tonic for men leading a sedentary lifestyle over the age of 35 years.
Infertility is an important personal and society disease, of which the male factor represents half of all causes. One of the aspects less studied in male infertility is the immunological testicular microenvironment. Mast cells (MCs), having high potential for regulating spermatogenesis due to fine-tuning the state of the integrative buffer metabolic environment, are one of the most crucial cellular subpopulations of the testicular interstitium. One important component of the MC secretome is proteases that can act as proinflammatory agents and in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In the testis, MCs are an important cell component of the testicular interstitial tissue (TIT). However, there are still no studies addressing the analysis of a specific MC protease—carboxypeptidase A3 (CPA3)—in cases with altered spermatogenesis. The cytological and histotopographic features of testicular CPA3+ MCs were examined in a study involving 34 men with azoospermia. As revealed, in cases with non-obstructive azoospermia, a higher content of CPA3+ MCs in the TIT and migration to the microvasculature and peritubular tissue of seminiferous tubules were observed when compared with cases with obstructive azoospermia. Additionally, a high frequency of CPA3+ MCs colocalization with fibroblasts, Leydig cells, and elastic fibers was detected in cases with NOA. Thus, CPA3 seems to be of crucial pathogenetic significance in the formation of a profibrogenic background of the tissue microenvironment, which may have direct and indirect effects on spermatogenesis.
Background/Objectives: Polysaccharides are complex molecules with a wide range of biological activities that can be used in various biomedical applications. In this work, the antiulcer effect and influence on the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines of Solanum tuberosum L. polysaccharide (STP) were studied. Methods: The antiulcer effect of STP was studied in the Okabe chronic peptic ulcer model by evaluating the influence of STP on the ulcer index in Wistar rats, comparing it to omeprazole and ranitidine. Dose-effect analysis was also carried out. The level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was studied using ELISA kits. Results: After treatment in the polysaccharide groups, ulcer healing is observed in 60–80% of cases, in the omeprazole group in 50%, and in the ranitidine group in 25%. STP intravenous injections lead to the formation of a more differentiated mucous membrane; no coarse scar tissue is formed, which is typical for control and comparison drugs. Glycan causes a significant acceleration of the healing of experimental peptic ulcers in rats. STP appears to modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. On the fourth and tenth days, a significant decrease in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1b and IFN-γ was noted in the polysaccharide group compared to the control group, while the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 significantly increased. Conclusions: Intravenous administration of STP leads to the restoration of functionality and effective tissue regeneration. The antiulcer activity of STP is based on the regulation of the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 3.9 % of all cancers. In 2018, 24,291 and 63,990 new cases of RCC were recorded in Russia and the US, respectively. The most common approach to early stage RCC treatment consists in either radical or partial nephrectomy. This article presents a clinical case of the successful treatment of a localized renal cell carcinoma T3аN0M0 in a 65-year-old man. 8 weeks after the performed kidney resection, the biochemical blood parameters and glomerular filtration rate did not significantly differ from the initial values (p > 0.05). A control CT examination of the abdominal cavity and the retroperitoneal space (after 12 weeks) detected no enlarged regional, paraaortic and paracanal lymph nodes. Partial nephrectomy is considered to be an alternative surgical treatment of localized RCC forms due to its potential for maximal organ preservation. Partial nephrectomy should be a method of choice in cases where it is technically and strategically feasible, since this type of surgical intervention provides for a better preservation of renal function under a lower risk of postoperative complications.
The review considers the main molecular biological features of the COVID-19 causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus: life cycle, viral cell penetration strategies, interactions of viral proteins with human proteins, cytopathic effects. We also analyze pathological conditions that occur both during the course of the COVID-19 disease and after virus elimination. A brief review of the biological activities of polysaccharides isolated from various sources is given, and possible molecular biological mechanisms of these activities are considered. Data analysis shows that polysaccharides are a class of biological molecules with wide potential for use in the treatment of both acute conditions in COVID-19 and post-COVID syndrome.
12 September 2020 in Research and Practical Medicine Journal
At the turn of 2019–2020, humanity was struck by a new viral infection SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which quickly spread inmany countries and reached the scale of a pandemic. A feature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) is it’s high contagiousness, virulence and tropism to many cells of human organs. Human infection primarily occurs through the respiratorytract. Then, getting into the respiratory divisions, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) can enter the blood and interact with cells ofother organs. It is already known that COVID-19 uses the angiotensin converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2) receptor to enterthe cell, and ACE2 is highly expressed in the kidneys. Therefore, kidney disease is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection,exacerbating the clinical course of the disease. This article discusses the main aspects of the etiology and pathogenesisof kidney diseases in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since there is currently no specific vaccine against theSARS-CoV-2 virus, and there is no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19, the identification of risk factors and earlymedical correction of kidney diseases can help reduce the overall incidence and mortality. Conclusion. Early detection and correction of violations of filtration and excretory function of the kidneys, including adequate hemodynamic support and restriction of nephrotoxic drugs, can improve the prognosis of recovery of a patientwith COVID-19.