Cirrhosis is associated with hyperdynamic circulation, which consists of peripheral vasodilatation and increased cardiac output. Peripheral vasodilatation is central to hyperdynamic circulation and portal hypertension in cirrhosis. However, those mechanisms underlying hyperdynamic circulation remain elusive, and are not fully understood. Most of the earlier research and attention have been focu...

The systemic circulation in patients with cirrhosis is hyperdynamic with an increased cardiac output and heart rate and a reduced systemic vascular resistance as the most pronounced alterations. The concomitant cardiac dysfunction has recently been termed "cirrhotic cardiomyopathy", which is an entity different from that seen in alcoholic heart muscle disease. Clinically, these patients present...

Recent studies have implicated dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system in various liver diseases and their complications (e.g., hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, and ischemia-reperfusion), and demonstrated that its modulation by either cannabinoid 2 (CB(2)) receptor agonists or CB(1) antagonists may be of significant therapeutic benefits. This review is aimed to focu...

A prolongation of QT interval has been shown in patients with cirrhosis and it is considered as part of the definition of the so-called 'cirrhotic cardiomyopathy'. The aim of the present study was to assess the determinants of QT interval prolongation in cirrhotic patients. Forty-eight male patients with different stages of liver disease were divided into three subgroups according to the Child-...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Minocycline, in animal models and 2 small randomized controlled human trials, is a promising neuroprotective agent in acute stroke. We analyzed the efficacy and safety of intravenous minocycline in acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. METHODS A multicenter prospective randomized open-label blinded end point evaluation pilot study of minocycline 100 mg administered int...

Cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids) have recently emerged as novel mediators of liver diseases. Endogenous activation of CB1 receptors promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and progression of liver fibrosis associated with chronic liver injury; in addition, CB1 receptors contribute to the pathogenesis of portal hypertension and cirrhot...

BACKGROUND Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin disorder impairing both physical and psychosocial health. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with minocycline in moderate to severe facial acne and influence on quality of life (QOL). METHODS Ninety-five patients with moderate to severe facial acne (Investigator Global Assessment [IGA] sc...

Minocycline has been reported to exhibit advantageous effects on ischemic stroke; however, the precise mechanism of minocycline remains to be established. In the present study, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were subjected to in vitro simulated ischemia/reperfusion conditions to determine the potential effect of minocycline-induced autophagy on HUVEC damage under oxygen-glucose...

Introduction: Minocycline has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidant effects. Preclinical data suggest that minocycline could be beneficial for treating common neurological disorders, including Parkinson disease and multiple sclerosis. Methods: In this study, the effects of minocycline on harmaline-induced motor and cognitive impairments were studied in male Wistar rats. The rats ...

BACKGROUND Minocycline is an oral tetracycline derivative with good bioavailability in the central nervous system (CNS). Minocycline, a potent inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, attenuates disease activity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Potential adverse effects associated with long-term daily minocycline therapy in hu...