Honokiol protects against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in the rat.

This study aims to investigate the possible hepato-protective effects of honokiol against liver damage and cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in the rat. Rats were treated acutely, or chronically with CCl(4) at 5 day intervals (0.06 mL/100 g body weight, administered as 50% vol/vol solution in liquid paraffin) by gavage, in combination with phenobarbitone in drinking water (0.

Expression of adrenomedullin mRNA is altered with gestation and labour in human placenta and fetal membranes.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether placental and fetal membrane AdM (adrenomedullin) mRNA expression changes with gestation and human labour, as we have previously found labour-associated changes in AdM content in fetal membranes [Al-Ghafra, Gude, Brennecke and King (2003) Clin. Sci. 105, 419-423].

Growth and function of the normal human placenta.

The placenta is the highly specialised organ of pregnancy that supports the normal growth and development of the fetus. Growth and function of the placenta are precisely regulated and coordinated to ensure the exchange of nutrients and waste products between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems operates at maximal efficiency. The main functional units of the placenta are the chorionic villi within which fetal blood is separated by only three or four cell layers (placental membrane) from maternal blood in the surrounding intervillous space.

Effect of fetal macrosomia on human placental glucose transport and utilization in insulin-treated gestational diabetes.

The aim of this study was to compare glucose transport and utilization in human placentae from pregnancies affected by insulin-treated GDM with and without macrosomia, and from non-diabetic control pregnancies. Placental lobules were perfused for 4 h. Maternal D-glucose concentration was 4, 8, 16, or 24 mM while the fetal D-glucose was maintained at 3mM.

Investigation of the effects of peppermint oil and valerian on rat liver and cultured human liver cells.

1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of peppermint oil and valerian on rat liver and cultured human hepatoma cells. 2.

In vivo detection of morphological and microvascular changes of the colon in association with colitis using fiberoptic confocal imaging (FOCI).

Using a well-established rodent model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the present study examined changes in the microvasculature of the colonic mucosa in association with ulcerative colitis (UC). The results were compared to microscopic alterations in tissue morphology to establish a temporal relationship between microcirculatory dysfunction and IBD pathology. Mild colitis was induced in rats by the oral consumption of 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water.