Showing papers by "Daniel Rachmilewitz published in 1988"

Effect of substance P on Rat gastrointestinal transit

Abstract: Thein vivo effect of substance P and related peptide analogs on gastrointestinal transit in unanesthetized rats was studied. Fasted male rats were given intragastrically 0.5 ml of a powdered charcoal (BaSo4·H2O) meal and were concomitantly injected intraperitoneally with 8 Μg/kg of substance P or a related peptide. In control rats, the percentage of small intestine traversed by the meal 15 min after feeding was 44.9±1.4 (N = 12). Substance P, [Glu6]SP6–11, [pGlu6, gPhe6, mGly9]SP6–11 and [pGlu5,N-MePhe8,N-MeGly9SP6–11, significantly accelerated intestinal transit: 59.5±3.1% (N=7); 66.0±3.8% (N=14), 66.8±2.4% (N=25), and 58.4±4.4% (N=4), respectively. Concomitant injection of [pGlu6SP6–11 and BOC-Phe-Phe-Gly-NHOH, an inhibitor of enzyme degradation at a dose of 800 Μg/kg lowered by 10-fold the dose of [pGlu6]SP6–11 needed to induce the same degree of intestinal transit acceleration. These results indicate that in rats, substance P and related peptides accelerate gastrointestinal transit.

Effect of substance P on rat gastrointestinal transit

Abstract: Thein vivo effect of substance P and related peptide analogs on gastrointestinal transit in unanesthetized rats was studied. Fasted male rats were given intragastrically 0.5 ml of a powdered charcoal (BaSo4·H2O) meal and were concomitantly injected intraperitoneally with 8 Μg/kg of substance P or a related peptide. In control rats, the percentage of small intestine traversed by the meal 15 min after feeding was 44.9±1.4 (N = 12). Substance P, [Glu6]SP6–11, [pGlu6, gPhe6, mGly9]SP6–11 and [pGlu5,N-MePhe8,N-MeGly9SP6–11, significantly accelerated intestinal transit: 59.5±3.1% (N=7); 66.0±3.8% (N=14), 66.8±2.4% (N=25), and 58.4±4.4% (N=4), respectively. Concomitant injection of [pGlu6SP6–11 and BOC-Phe-Phe-Gly-NHOH, an inhibitor of enzyme degradation at a dose of 800 Μg/kg lowered by 10-fold the dose of [pGlu6]SP6–11 needed to induce the same degree of intestinal transit acceleration. These results indicate that in rats, substance P and related peptides accelerate gastrointestinal transit.

Seasonal variations in the frequency of endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer in Israel.

Abstract: The seasonal pattern of endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer disease in a representative Israeli medical center was evaluated retrospectively for the period 1980-1986. We reviewed all 9861 endoscopy records and found 1692 duodenal ulcers. We calculated the percentage of duodenal ulcers of the total examinations performed each month. In Israel, the frequency of duodenal ulcers was significantly increased during January and February and was significantly lower during the months May-June and July-August when compared to the rest of the year.

Somatostatin release by human gastric mucosa. Studies in peptic ulcer disease and pernicious anemia.

Abstract: Somatostation has been postulated to have a paracrine modulating role in gastrin and gastric acid secretion. We applied the organ culture technique to examine somatostatin release by explants of human gastric mucosa taken from patients with active duodenal ulcer, from control subjects, and from patients with pernicious anemia. Somatostatin was found to be released at a constant rate by antral explants during 3 h of incubation. In active duodenal ulcer antral and fundic 2-h somatostatin release (18.7 ± 2.6 pg/mg tissue (x + SE), n = 75; and 27 ± 3 pg/mg tissue, n = 94, respectively) was significantly lower than release by control antral and fundic mucosa (83 ±17 pg/mg tissue, n = 39, and 72 ±16 pg/mg tissue, n = 42, respectively) (P<0.01). Somatostatin release by antral and fundic mucosa of patients with pernicious anemia was also significantly decreased (20 ± 8 pg/mg tissue, n = 12, and 7.6 ± 2 pg/mg tissue, n = 12, respectively) (P<0.05). These results imply possible impairments of the paracrine release ...

Comparison of misoprostol and ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer.

Abstract: The efficacy of misoprostol (a synthetic analogue of prostaglandin E1) and ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer was evaluated. Seventy-one patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer were randomized in a double-blind manner in one of two groups that received two daily doses of 400 micrograms misoprostol or 150 mg ranitidine. Ulcer healing was assessed endoscopically after 4 weeks of treatment; in subjects who had not healed treatment was continued and endoscopy was repeated after another 4 weeks. The mean age, sex distribution and tobacco, alcohol and caffein consumption were similar in both groups. In the misoprostol-treated group, healing of the ulcer was observed in 74.8% of patients at 4 weeks and in 86.5% at 8 weeks; in the ranitidine group (n = 34), the healing rate was 91.2 and 100%, respectively. The differences between healing rates in the two groups were not statistically significant. In the misoprostol group (n = 37), 27% of patients experienced diarrhea; of these, two were withdrawn from the trial due to this side effect. These results, which are part of a multicenter international study, suggest that misoprostol at a daily dose of 800 micrograms is as effective as 300 mg/day ranitidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer.

Effect of chronic misoprostol ingestion on rat gastric morphology and cell turnover.

Abstract: The effect of long-term misoprostol — a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue — ingestion on rat gastric morphology and cell turnover was studied. Misoprostol in a daily dose of 90 μg/kg or 9,000 μg/kg was intragastrically administered to rats. Control rats were treated with the vehicle only. Following 90 days of treatment, 3H thymidine was injected i. v. and rats were sacrificed 1 h later. Tissue sections were prepared from the stomach body and subjected to autoradiography. Misoprostol treatment significantly reduced body weight gain. High dose misoprostol treatment induced significant increases in gastric wall thickness and in gastric gland length. On the other hand, the labelling index was significantly reduced by treatment with high dose misoprostol. These results indicate that chronic administration of misoprostol in high doses increases gastric wall thickness and decreases gastric cell turnover, suggesting that administration of prostanoids causes an increase in cell survival and a decrease in cell shedding.

Screening for fecal occult blood in Israel. Different approaches to recruitment.

Abstract: Invitations to participate in a screening program for fecal occult blood were sent or given directly to 20,251 people in Israel aged 40 years or above. We received 11,985 requests for stool testing kits, and ultimately we received 7,096 stool specimens (35% response). The highest response was from subjects using their own initiative to participate in the program (62%), followed by members of 23 communal farms, where 59% of subjects submitted specimens. The lowest response came from a low-middle class urban neighborhood (10%), and an intermediate response from an upper middle-class neighborhood (17%). Subsequent to the mail campaigns, a series of local newspaper articles yielded 6,519 specimens. Over all, 59% of subjects requesting kits returned specimens. Among the 7,096 specimens submitted, 145 (2%) were positive for occult blood. One hundred and twelve subjects were evaluated colonoscopically. Sixteen malignancies (14%) and 34 benign growths (30%) were found and resected. The prevalence of benign and malignant large bowel lesions was 7.0 and 7.2 per 1000 specimens in the screened urban and farm communities, respectively. In communities with limited resources for early cancer detection programs, efforts should be directed toward subgroups at risk who are most likely to respond.

(2'-5')Oligoadenylate synthetase activity in intestinal mononuclear and epithelial cells of inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Abstract: The activity of (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetase, an enzyme induced by and mediating the antiviral action of interferon, was measured in extracts of intestinal mononuclear and epithelial cells isolated from patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and a control group. No significant differences were detected among (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetase activities of lamina propria mononuclear cells derived from inflammatory bowel disease-involved and histologically normal control mucosa. Similarly, epithelial cells from inflammatory bowel disease and control patients expressed comparable levels of the enzyme, but these were significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than those found in autologous mononuclear cells. These results indicate that interferon is locally produced along the human intestinal mucosa under normal and inflammatory conditions. While this study supports the contention that induction of an antiviral state does not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, it does not exclude the activation of the interferon system for other immunologic functions.