The 11th edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine welcomes Anthony Fauci to its editorial staff, in addition to more than 85 new contributors. While the organization of the book is similar to previous editions, major emphasis has been placed on disorders that affect multiple organ systems. Important advances in genetics, immunology, and oncology are emphasized. Many chapters of the book have been rewritten and describe major advances in internal medicine. Subjects that received only a paragraph or two of attention in previous editions are now covered in entire chapters. Among the chapters that have been extensively revised are the chapters on infections in the compromised host, on skin rashes in infections, on many of the viral infections, including cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, on sexually transmitted diseases, on diabetes mellitus, on disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, and on lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. The major revisions in these chapters and many

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine

The biochemistry and medical significance of the flavonoids.

I first read Davidson 30 years ago: at that time it was already in its 5th edition. A brief comparison shows that it then contained about 440,000 words in 1,100 pages: the current edition has compressed 625,000 words into 800 pages. I think I bought it as a student because it was cheap: but also because it seemed to be comprehensive and straightforward, and I have used it as a basis for my medical knowledge ever since. So I miss some of the old pictures of the acute skin rashes such as scarlet fever: in fact infectious disease has been transferred to the back and genetic factors take the first chapters. But careful linguistic comparison will still uncover the old phrases which some of us know by heart-there are minor changes such as 'alarming reactions to intravenous iron are uncommon, but have occasionally been noted', which becomes 'alarming systemic anaphyllactic reactions can occur'. Sir Stanley Davidson made 'no attempt to describe every rare disease or syndrome, but devoted most of the space available to those disorders most commonly encountered in practice'. I have grown up with successive editions, and have gradually come to appreciate the problems of the authors in the compression of knowledge. Having got to know many of them personally as real people rather than as names I can still recommend the book. It is the essential starting point for the study of internal medicine and for many doctors will remain their base reference work. The present editors have kept up-to-date and been prepared to prune the dead wood. There are many competitors in the market, and the publishers must take care with layout and illustration, although Davidson is still the best value for money. I will continue to recommend it to my clinical students: they will need to read it and know it to pass final MB. Postgraduates will need to remember the facts, but also to be able to place them in a broader perspective. The older consultant will still happily read it, and to get to know the authors themselves is really to complete your medical education. Dr John Macleod and his team have successfully kept alive the primary objective 'to provide a rational and easily comprehensible basis for the practice of medicine'. The book is economical in price and compact in size, but still contains the essential truths for the practice of good medicine.

Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine

This book succeeds Review of Medical Pharmacology , by Meyers, Jawetz, and Goldfien. Edited by B. G. Katzung, some of the important areas covered include drug receptors and pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics of absorption and biotransformation of drugs, autonomic pharmacology of cholinergic and adrenergic receptor stimulants and antagonists, antihypertensive agents, cardiac glycosides and other agents used in the treatment of congestive heart failure, therapeutic drugs for cardiac arrhythmias, diuretics, pharmacology of the CNS drugs such as anticonvulsants and anesthetics, antidepressants, narcotic analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, endocrine pharmacology, antimicrobial and antimycobacterial drugs, antiprotozoal and antihelmintic drugs, cancer chemotherapy, and drugs and the immune system. Written by several prominent researchers and scientists, each chapter begins with a section on the basic pharmacology, chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of the agents under discussion. This is followed by a section on clinical pharmacology, which deals with relevant information regarding the clinical use of drugs on the various

Basic and Clinical Pharmacology

Diabetic autonomic neuropathy

The leaves of Stachytarpheta cayennensis C. Rich. (Verbenaceae) have been reported to possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-malarial activities. Due to close association between inflammatory and immune responses, we evaluated the immunomodulatory activity of leaves extract of S. cayennensis. The combined effects of the leaves extract and artesunate, a standard antimalarial agent with immunomodulatory effects, were also evaluated. The immunomodulatory activity of the methanol extract of the leaves of S. cayennensis (MESC) was evaluated in mice using the Delayed-Type hypersensitivity response (DTHR), primary and secondary humoral immune responses and the in vivo leucocyte mobilization tests. The immunomodulatory effect of artesunate and the combined effects of MESC and artesunate were evaluated using the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Acute toxicity and lethality test in addition to the preliminary phytochemical studies of MESC were also performed. The MESC exhibited 64.21% inhibition of DTHR at 500 mg/kg dose and evoked 139.64% of phagocytic stimulation at 100 μg/ml dose. Also MESC significantly (p   0.05) percentage phagocytic stimulation (PPS) while the combined effect of artesunate and MESC exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) dose dependent PPS with highest PPS of 393.77% at 100 μg/ml. The LD50 of the MESC was estimated to be greater than 5000 mg/kg since there were no lethality and signs of acute intoxication after 48 h observation. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids and steroids. The results of this study indicated that MESC possesses immunostimulatory action with significant synergistic effects with artesunate, and can therefore, offer immune boosting activities in disorders of immune suppression.

/pdf/immunomodulatory-effects-of-stachytarpheta-cayennensis-leaf-44u3f8c7zd.pdf

Immunomodulatory effects of Stachytarpheta cayennensis leaf extract and its synergistic effect with artesunate

Methanolic extract of Ficus platyphylla was tested on isolated rabbit jejunum, rat duodenum and gastrointestinal motility in mice. The extract showed a biphasic effect on isolated smooth muscle. Lower concentration of extract caused contraction, while higher concentrations produced relaxation. The contractile phase was attenuated by atropine, while relaxant phase attenuated histamine induced contraction of guinea pig ileum. The extract also exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of gastrointestinal motility. Acute toxicity test in mice established LD50 value (i.p.) of the extract to be 2000 mg/kg. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract gave positive test for flavonoids, tannins and saponins.

/pdf/evaluation-of-methanolic-extract-of-ficus-platyphylla-on-113fg2ckzh.pdf

Evaluation of methanolic extract of Ficus platyphylla on gastrointestinal activity.

Results: The extract markedly protected rats against cold-stress and aspirin-induced gastric mucosal damage. The extract exhibited significant (p <0.05) anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities in rats and mice respectively. Furthermore, the extract decreased the amplitude of contraction of the isolated rabbit jejunum and inhibited histamine-induced contractions, but did not affect ACh induced responses. The intraperitoneal LD50 values of the extract was 210+4.5 mg/kg in mice. Conclusion: The extract shows good analgesic, anti-inflammatory effects and protected rats against gastric mucosal damage. The anti-ulcer activity might be via histaminergic receptor inhibition.

Pharmacological Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Cassia nigricans Leaves

The oxytocic property of leaf extract of Spondias mombin. Linn. (Anacardiaceae) was evaluated in relation to its folkloric use by traditional birth attendants. The abortifacient effect of the methanol leaf extract (ME) obtained by cold maceration for 48 h, was evaluated in vivo. in pregnant mice and rats at different trimesters of pregnancy. The effect of ME on isolated gravid and non-gravid rat uteri preparations as well as on spontaneous contractile frequency and amplitude were investigated in vitro.. The results showed that ME caused abortion in rats only in the third trimester within 24 h of administration. An effective abortifacient dose (ED50) of 105.33 mg/kg was established in pregnant mice. In vitro., the extract significantly (P < 0.05) increased the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contraction of isolated uteri preparations, which were sustained for longer periods. The uterine-stimulant effects of acetylcholine, oxytocin, ergometrine, and PGF2α. were all potentiated by ME in a dose...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13880200701214755

Oxytocic Activity of Leaf Extract of Spondias mombin.

The anticonvulsant properties of ethanol leaf extract of Spathodea campanulata, a plant used in traditional medicine to treat convulsion and epilepsy, were studied in mice using pentylenet...

Peter A. Akah

Papers

Immunomodulatory effects of Stachytarpheta cayennensis leaf extract and its synergistic effect with artesunate

Evaluation of methanolic extract of Ficus platyphylla on gastrointestinal activity.

Pharmacological Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Cassia nigricans Leaves

Oxytocic Activity of Leaf Extract of Spondias mombin.

Anticonvulsant activity of ethanol leaf extract of Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv (Bignoniaceae).