In this study, we found that alpha-pinene (α-pinene) exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through the suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway in mouse peritoneal macrophages. α-Pinene is found in the oils of many coniferous trees and rosemary. We investigated the inhibitory effects of α-Pinene on inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using mouse peritoneal macrophages. α-Pinene significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO). α-Pinene also inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expressions in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Additionally, the activations of MAPKs and NF-κB were attenuated by means of α-pinene treatment. These results indicate that α-pinene has an anti-inflammatory effect and that it is a potential candidate as a new drug to treat various inflammatory diseases.

Chelidonic acid (CA), a constituent of Chelidonium majus L., has many pharmacological effects, including mild analgesic and antimicrobial effects. However, the effects of CA on intestinal inflammation and the molecular mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of CA against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC). Mice treated with DSS displayed obvious clinic signs, such as, body weight loss and a shortening of colon length, but the administration of CA attenuated both of these signs. Additionally, CA was found to regulate levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in serum. In colonic tissues,

Our results provide novel insights into the pharmacological actions of SMS, a molecule that can potentially be exploited in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

No abstract

No abstract

Splenic infarcts are comparatively less common lesions. Caused by the occlusion of the major splenic artery or any of its branches, they are almost always due to emboli that arise in the heart. The spleen, along with the kidneys and brain, ranks as one of the most frequent sites of localization of systemic emboli. Infarcts may be small or large, multiple or single, and sometimes involve the entire organ. Usually these infarcts are of the bland anemic type. Septic infarcts are found in vegetative endocarditis of the valves of the left side of the heart. Much less often, infarcts in the spleen are caused by local thromboses, especially in leukemia, myeloproliferative syndrome, sickle cell anemia, polyarteritis nodosa, Hodgkin's disease, and bacteremic diseases. We experienced a rather unusual splenic infarction due to lymphoma in a 80-year-old man.

No abstract

No abstract