Staying current by searching the veterinary literature.

The body of knowledge in veterinary medicine and the biomedical sciences continues to grow logarithmically, and learning about new developments in veterinary medicine requires successful navigation of recently published literature worldwide. This article examines how veterinarians can use different types of automated services from databases and publishers to search the current and past literature, access articles, and manage references that are found.

Tian ma, an ancient Chinese herb, offers new options for the treatment of epilepsy and other conditions.

Our purpose is to bring attention to the antiepileptic properties of the Chinese herb tian ma and its constituents, as well as to suggest the potential for the development of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) related to this herb. All available literature regarding the chemistry, pharmacology, animal data, and clinical use of tian ma and its constituents are reviewed, showing that tian ma, its constituents, and its symbiotic fungus Armillaria mellea have antiepileptic properties in in vitro and in vivo models. One clinical study reportedly demonstrated the AED effects of a component of tian ma, vanillin.

Long-term effects of ranirestat (AS-3201) on peripheral nerve function in patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy.

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether ranirestat, an aldose reductase inhibitor, maintains the improved nerve function observed in patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP) after completing a 12-week nerve biopsy study.

Research Design And Methods: Patients with mild to moderate DSP, as determined by the presence of sural nerve responses, were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled biopsy trial and randomized to placebo or 5 or 20 mg/day ranirestat for 12 weeks. Patients completing this biopsy study were offered a 48-week extension at the same ranirestat dose or at 5 mg/day ranirestat if they were originally treated with placebo.

Aldose reductase inhibition by AS-3201 in sural nerve from patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy.

Objective: The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine whether AS-3201, a new aldose reductase inhibitor, penetrates the sural nerve and inhibits sorbitol and fructose accumulation in patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP). An additional aim was to determine whether any changes in nerve function would manifest with AS-3201 therapy.

Research Design And Methods: Patients with mild to moderate DSP based on nerve conduction studies were randomized into one of three treatment groups in a double-blind fashion: placebo or AS-3201 at 5 or 20 mg/day.

Sural nerve sorbitol in patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy.

Objective: Nerve sorbitol levels have been measured in sural nerve biopsy samples from patients with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy in several studies using different methods and measurement units. In this study, we compared the results of sorbitol assays to determine the required sensitivity of analytical methods for nerve sorbitol measurements.

Research Design And Methods: We performed a literature search using PaperChase for reports of nerve sorbitol in diabetic patients and selected those with nerve conduction studies to delineate the severity of nerve damage.