BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to find out whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, enalapril and cilazapril, affect the anticonvulsant action of some second-generation antiepileptics, lamotrigine (LTG), topiramate (TPM) and oxcarbazepine (OXC). METHODS The effects of ACE inhibitors on antiepileptic drugs were examined in the mouse model of maximal electroshock. RESULTS...

BACKGROUND It is not known whether the treatment of patients with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction reduces mortality and morbidity. We studied the effect of an angiotensin-converting--enzyme inhibitor, enalapril, on total mortality and mortality from cardiovascular causes, the development of heart failure, and hospitalization for heart failure among patients with ejection fractions of ...

Because optimal overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy requires ANG II, we aimed to determine the effects of blocking ANG II production [via angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition] on potential mediators of hypertrophy in overloaded skeletal muscle, namely, myonuclear addition and fibroblast content. In a 2 x 2 design, adult (200-225 g) female Sprague-Dawley rats were placed into ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate by survey the comfort upon instillation of timolol hemihydrate compared to timolol maleate with potassium sorbate. DESIGN A prospective, multicenter, observational, non-interventional study. PARTICIPANTS One hundred and three patients of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were ≥21 years old and were currently prescribed timolol hemihydrate (once or twice da...

Objective: The need for the rational development of newer and adjuvant drugs to treat epilepsy has prompted this study of the potential anticonvulsant effect of chlorpheniramine maleate. Method The acute effect was studied in mice in single doses of 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg of chlorpheniramine maleate and the chronic effect was studied in doses of 1 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg (administered daily for...

The diuretic activity of the helicokinins I (YFSPWG-amide), II (VRFSPWG-amide) and III (KVKFSAWG-amide) was tested on Heliothis virescens larvae. All three kinins increased fluid secretion in isolated Malpighian tubules in a dose-dependent manner. Injections into the haemolymph caused a significant reduction in weight gain after 24 h and, in the case of helicokinin I, led to an increased mortal...

BACKGROUND Scleroderma renal crisis is an important complication of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. On the other hand, hyponatremia has never been reported in patients with scleroderma renal crisis. CASE PRESENTATION A 66-year-old man with scleroderma was admitted to our hospital for an evaluation of renal dysfunction and extreme h...

Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) is a well-established model for the study of interstitial fibrosis in the kidney. It has been shown that the renin-angiotensin system plays a central role in the progression of interstitial fibrosis. Recent studies indicate that endothelin, a powerful vasoconstrictive peptide, may play an important role in some types of renal disease. To investigate the eff...

We evaluated the effects on cardiovascular structure of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril and of the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan, administered either at hypotensive or nonhypotensive dosage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR were treated from ages 4 to 12 weeks with low-dose (1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) enalapril, low-dose (0.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) l...