Characterization of Miscellaneous Effluent Discharges from a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit to the Marine Environment.

A study was performed to evaluate the potential biological impacts from 8 different miscellaneous discharges from an oil and gas mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) including deck drainage, desalination unit waste, boiler blowdown, fire control system test water, noncontact cooling water, and bilge water. Samples were evaluated for toxicity using a rapid (<1 h) initial screening test (echinoderm [Dendraster excentricus] fertilization test), and if toxicity was found, further testing was conducted using 3 chronic whole-effluent toxicity tests. This additional testing included the embryo larval development 72-h echinoderm (D.

Sodium N-(methylsulfonyl)-N-(4-nitro-2-phenoxyphenyl)sulfamate: a water-soluble nimesulide prodrug for parenteral use.

Several nimesulide preparations (i.e., tablet form, gels) have been marketed, but no parenteral solution has achieved the market because of their low wettability and unsatisfactory chemical-physical properties required for parenteral use.

A cortical GABA-5HT interaction in the mechanism of action of the antidepressant trazodone.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the antidepressant trazodone (TRZ), a serotonin-2 receptor antagonist/reuptake inhibitor, modifies gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) extracellular levels in the cerebral cortex, by acting on 5-HT(2A) receptors, and through this mechanism increases 5-HT levels. For this purpose the effect of TRZ on the release of GABA was studied in adult male rats in synaptosomes, cortical slices, and "in vivo" by microdialysis. In cortical slices, the release of both GABA and 5-HT was determined.

Bendazac lysine inhibition of human lens epithelial cell adhesion to polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of bendazac lysine on the human lens epithelial cell line HLE-B3 adhesion to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lenses (IOLs). After adherence to IOLs, cells were incubated in the presence of the drug for 24 h. The number of cells contained in a 6-mm(2) area was then counted with an inverted phase microscope and adherent cells were distinguished from detached floating cells by focusing through the medium.

Synthesis and COX-2 inhibitory properties of N-phenyl- and N-benzyl-substituted amides of 2-(4-methylsulfonylphenyl)cyclopent-1-ene-1-carboxylic acid and of their pyrazole, thiophene and isoxazole analogs.

Some N-phenyl- (7a-10a) and N-benzyl-substituted (7b-10b) amido analogs of cyclooxygenase (COX-2) selective tricyclic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been synthesized with the aim to obtain information on the structural requirements for the COX-inhibitory activity. Compounds 7-10 were tested in vitro for their inhibitory properties only towards COX-2 enzyme by measuring prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production on activated J774.2 macrophages.

Acetaminophen down-regulates interleukin-1beta-induced nuclear factor-kappaB nuclear translocation in a human astrocytic cell line.

In previous studies performed to elucidate acetaminophen mechanism of action, we demonstrated that acetaminophen inhibits prostaglandin E2 production by interleukin (IL)-1beta-stimulated T98G human astrocytic cells, without affecting cyclooxygenase-2 enzymatic activity. As this result suggests an effect at transcriptional level, we examined whether the drug interferes with the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and STAT3 transcription factors and with SAPK signal transducing factor. Western blot analysis of IkappaBalpha protein in the cytoplasm of IL-1beta-stimulated T98G cells and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) on corresponding nuclear extracts indicate that acetaminophen (10-1000 microM) dose-dependently inhibits both IkappaBalpha degradation and NF-kappaB nuclear translocation.

Synthesis and prostaglandin synthase inhibitory activity of new aromatic O-alkyloxime ethers substituted with methylsulfonamido or methylsulfonyl groups on their aliphatic portion.

Some aromatic O-alkyloxime ethers substituted with methylsulfonamido (7) or methylsulfonyl (8) groups on their aliphatic portions were prepared as analogues of structurally related cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors (6) bearing a carboxylic group typical of the classic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the place of the sulfurated moiety. In addition, also analogues of compounds 8 in which the aliphatic chain is further lengthened by 1 (9), 2 (10), or 3 (11) carbon atoms were synthesized. All compounds (7-11) were tested in vitro towards COX2, and compounds 7-9 towards COX1, by measuring prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)) production in activated J774.

Benzydamine inhibits monocyte migration and MAPK activation induced by chemotactic agonists.

1. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of benzydamine, an anti-inflammatory drug devoid of activity on arachidonic acid metabolism, on monocyte chemotaxis and to define the possible biochemical correlates of activity. 2.

Synthesis of heteroaromatic analogues of (2-aryl-1-cyclopentenyl-1-alkylidene)-(arylmethyloxy)amine COX-2 inhibitors: effects on the inhibitory activity of the replacement of the cyclopentene central core with pyrazole, thiophene or isoxazole ring.

Several heteroaromatic analogues of (2-aryl-1-cyclopentenyl-1-alkylidene)-(arylmethyloxy)amine COX-2 inhibitors, in which the cyclopentene moiety was replaced by pyrazole, thiophene or isoxazole ring, were synthesized, in order to verify the influence of the different nature of the central core on the COX inhibitory properties of these kinds of molecules. Among the compounds tested, only the 3-(p-methylsulfonylphenyl) substituted thiophene derivatives 17 and 22, showed a certain COX-2 inhibitory activity, accompanied by an appreciable COX-2 versus COX-1 selectivity. Only one of the 1-(p-methylsulfonylphenyl)pyrazole compounds (16) displayed a modest inhibitory activity towards both type of isoenzymes, while the pyrazole 1-(p-aminosulfonylphenyl) substituted 12 proved to be significantly active only towards COX-1.

Aryl-substituted methyleneaminoxymethyl (MAOM) analogues of diarylcyclopentenyl cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors: effects of some structural modifications on their biological properties.

The (E)-[2-(4-aminosulfonylphenyl)-1-cyclopentenyl-1-methyliden]-(arylmethyloxy)amines (6a,b), which are the sulfonamidic analogues of the previously described methylsulfonyl derivatives 5a,b, and their corresponding sulfides (7a,b) and sulfoxides (8a,b) were synthesised in order to obtain information about the role played by these different sulphur-containing groups in the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory activity of this class of compounds. In addition, other chemical manipulations concerning the oxime-ether substituent of this type of derivatives were affected by preparing compounds 9a,b, which present a methyl group on the oximic carbon of the oxime-ether chain of 5a,b, and compounds 10 and 11, in which the atomic sequence (C=NOCH(2)) of the MAOMM of 8b and 5b, respectively, is inverted. Compounds 6-11 were tested in vitro for their inhibitory activity towards COX-1 and COX-2 by measuring prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in U937 cell lines and activated J774.

Amelioration of rat adjuvant arthritis by therapeutic treatment with bindarit, an inhibitor of MCP-1 and TNF-alpha production.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate therapeutic effects of bindarit, an indazolic derivative able to inhibit monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production, in adjuvant induced arthritis in rats.

Materials And Methods: Arthritis was induced by Freund's complete adjuvant injection. Bindarit was given as a 0.

(E)-[2-(4-Methylsulphonylphenyl)-1-cyclopentenyl-1-methyliden](arylmethyloxy)amines. Methyleneaminoxymethyl (MAOM) analogues of diarylcyclopentenyl cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors: synthesis and biological properties.

The (E)-[2-(4-Methylsulphonylphenyl)-1-cyclopentenyl-1-methyliden](methyloxy)amine (5) and (arylmethyloxy)amines (6-12) were designed in order to verify the effects on the biological properties of the substitution of an aryl of selective diarylcyclopentenyl cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors of type 3 with a methyleneaminoxymethyl moiety (MAOMM). Compounds 5-12 were tested in vitro for their inhibitory activity towards COX-1 and COX-2 by measuring prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in U937 cell lines and activated J774.2 macrophages, respectively.

Enhancement of anti-herpetic activity of glycyrrhizic acid by physiological proteins.

Some enzymes present in biological fluids, such as lysozyme (LYS) and lactoferrin (LAC), are known to possess antibacterial and antiviral activity, against herpesviruses in particular. It will be shown in this paper that their combination with a natural triterpene, namely glycyrrhizic acid (GLA), gives significant results in enhancing the antagonistic activity on HSV1 in in vitro assays. Data elaboration was carried out by calculation of the FIC index (fractional inhibitory concentration) for each combination of the three compounds and by a three-dimensional evaluation of the inhibiting combinatory effects, which indicated the percentage of the synergistic action.

Further analysis of transcytosis of free polypeptides and polypeptide-coated nanobeads in rabbit nasal mucosa.

In rabbit nasal mucosa, free polypeptides and polypeptide-coated nanospheres are actively absorbed by the M cells present in specialized areas of the epithelium. Because polypeptide-coated nanosphere transport was abolished in the presence of free polypeptides, free polypeptides and polypeptide-coated nanospheres are shown here to compete. Fluxes of polypeptide-coated nanospheres with 356, 490, and 548 nm diameters have been compared.

Differential effect of benzydamine on pro- versus anti-inflammatory cytokine production: lack of inhibition of interleukin-10 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

The production and action of primary proinflammatory cytokines are strictly controlled by a series of circuits to avoid damage that they can cause if produced in excess. Interleukin-10 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist contribute to the control of the magnitude of the inflammatory responses in vivo. Benzydamine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has been shown to have suppressive activity for the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta, was investigated for its effects on interleukin-10 and interleukin-1ra production.

Effects of trazodone on neurotransmitter release from rat mossy fibre cerebellar synaptosomes.

The effects of trazodone and putative sigma (sigma) receptor ligands were investigated on KCl-stimulated release of glutamate (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from cerebellar mossy fibre synaptosomes. Both trazodone and serotonin (5-HT) inhibited the increase of Glu and GABA release evoked by 15 mM KCl. Trazodone increased the inhibition of Glu release caused by 0.

Inhibition of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 synthesis by statins.

The beneficial effects of statins on the reduction of cardiovascular events has been partly attributed to their anti-inflammatory properties. In the complex of the different pathogenetic events leading to atherosclerosis, recent data suggest a central role of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), because mice knock-out for MCP-1 or its receptor CC-chemokine receptor 2 were considerably resistant to plaque formation. In this study we investigated the effect of different statins on in vitro and in vivo production of MCP-1.

Rabbit nasal mucosa: nanospheres coated with polypeptides bound to specific anti-polypeptide IgG are better transported than nanospheres coated with polypeptides or IgG alone.

In rabbit nasal mucosa, polypeptides and polypeptide-coated nanospheres are actively transported from lumen to blood by M-cells present in specialized transport areas of the epithelium. The largest transport is shown here to occur when some molecules of the polypeptides coating the nanospheres, after adsorption, are bound to the specific anti-polypeptide IgG, e.g.

Adenosine triphosphate affects interleukin -1beta release by T98G glioblastoma cells through a purinoceptor-independent mechanism.

T98G glioblastoma cells were previously shown to significantly increase interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA levels in response to IL-1beta stimulation. This work demonstrates that in such conditions T98G, despite possessing biologically active interleukin converting enzyme, do not release detectable amounts of IL-1beta, even in the presence of 20 mM adenosine triphosphate (ATP). IL-1beta secretion is observed only following concomitant stimulation with 1000 units/ml of IL-1beta and 20 mM ATP.

Selective induction of MCP-1 in human mesangial cells by the IL-6/sIL-6R complex.

Interleukin (IL) 6, an autocrine growth factor for mesangial cells, and chemokines, which are released from activated mesangial cells and induce leukocyte infiltration, play a critical role in the progression of immune system mediated renal diseases. Since the reciprocal relationship between IL-6 and chemokines in renal inflammation has been barely investigated, we have analyzed whether IL-6 (500 ng/ml), alone or in combination with the soluble form of its receptor (sIL-6R, 200 ng/ml), can induce normal human mesangial cells (NHMC) to release alpha and/or beta chemokines: MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1), IL-8, Rantes (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), and MIP-1alpha (macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha). Whereas IL-6 or sIL-6R alone were ineffective in inducing significant chemokine release from NHMC, the simultaneous treatment with IL-6 and sIL-6R showed a significant interaction, leading to a strong synergic effect on MCP-1 synthesis and release without exerting any relevant activity on IL-8, Rantes, or MIP-1alpha.

A small synthetic molecule capable of preferentially inhibiting the production of the CC chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1.

Blocking chemokine production or action is a major target for pharmacological intervention in different human diseases. Bindarit (2-methyl-2-[[1-(phenylmethyl)-1H-indazol-3yl]methoxy]propan oic acid) dose-dependently inhibited MCP-1 and TNF-alpha production induced in vitro in monocytes by LPS and Candida albicans. It did not affect the production of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6, or the chemokines IL-8, MIP-1alpha and RANTES.

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)/TNF-alpha receptor binding by structural analogues of suramin.

Suramin, a symmetrical polysulfonated urea derivative, promotes the dissociation of trimeric human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) into biologically inactive subunits and prevents the interaction of TNF-alpha with its cellular receptors. The aim of this work was to identify compounds structurally related to suramin which inhibit the binding of TNF-alpha to its receptor. Molecular modeling studies were performed on suramin and TNF-alpha molecules and likely interaction sites were identified in the docked complex.

Inflammatory molecule release by beta-amyloid-treated T98G astrocytoma cells: role of prostaglandins and modulation by paracetamol.

Deposition of beta-amyloid in the brain triggers an inflammatory response which accompanies the neuropathologic events of Alzheimer's disease and contributes to the destruction of brain tissue. The present study shows that beta-amyloid can stimulate human astrocytoma cells (T98G) to secrete the proinflammatory factors interleukin-6 and prostaglandins. Furthermore, prostaglandins can stimulate T98G to secrete interleukin-6, which in turn triggers the formation of additional prostaglandins.

Mechanism of the inhibitory effect of melatonin on tumor necrosis factor production in vivo and in vitro.

Melatonin is an antioxidant. Since other antioxidants inhibit the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced by lipopolysaccharide, we investigated its effect on TNF production in vivo and in vitro and on lethality associated with endotoxic shock. Administration of melatonin to mice (5 mg/kg, s.

Synthesis and anti-ulcer activity of new derivatives of glycyrrhetic, oleanolic and ursolic acids.

A review is made of the literature describing the structural changes to glycyrrhetic, oleanolic and ursolic acids and their influence on anti-ulcer activity. For the glycyrrhetic acid derivatives some analogues were prepared in which the ketonic group in position 11 was removed and the carboxylic function at position 30 was either intact, reduced to alcohol or transformed into ketone. This first series of compounds suggests the possibility of obtaining compounds devoid of the conjugated ketonic group, maintaining anti-ulcer activity but with reduced or lacking mineralocorticoid activity.