The prevalence of the use of herbal medicines is on the rise across the world, especially amongst pregnant women. A fact that draws attention is that many species commonly used by pregnant women, including the Tropaeolum majus L. (Tropaeolaceae), also present inhibitory activity on the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Herein, we have investigated the effects of T. majus extract (HETM) on fetal development, evaluating its relationship with possible ACE inhibitory activity. Pregnant Wistar rats were treated with different HETM doses (3, 30 and 300 mg/kg/day) from gestational days 8-20. Rats were sacrificed on the day 20 of pregnancy and the following parameters were evaluated: clinical symptoms of maternal toxicity; maternal body weight; feed and water intake; maternal liver, kidney, and ovary weights, maternal ACE activity and aldosterone levels, live fetuses mean; dead fetuses percentage, fetus weight, and fetal malformation. All pregnant rats treated with high HETM doses showed significant reduction in plasma ACE activity accompanied by a decrease in serum aldosterone levels. Moreover, significant changes in fetal development were observed, including growth retardation and renal damage after 20 days of gestation. Thus, data presented demonstrate the significant effects of the use of HETM on fetal development during pregnancy.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2016.1212366 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
December 2024
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JPN.
Left ventricular (LV) thrombus is a serious complication of myocardial infarction (MI) that can lead to a fetal systemic embolism. Although coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) after MI is widely performed, to our knowledge, there are no reports of LV thrombus in the early postoperative period. Here, we report a rare case of a 70-year-old man who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) for unstable angina pectoris with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Department of Surgery, Center for Anatomical Science and Education, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USA.
Two unique presentations of renal anatomy were observed during routine cadaveric dissection. The first case presented with an ectopic malrotated left kidney supplied by supernumerary renal arteries. This kidney was drained by a circumaortic renal vein and an inferior polar vein.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltrasound Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Objective: To determine if the resolution of fetal growth discordance after laser surgery in pregnancies with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and coexisting selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) can be predicted by estimated fetal weight (EFW) discordance recorded prior to the development of TTTS (pre-TTTS).
Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on monochorionic twins with concurrent TTTS and sFGR that underwent laser surgery and had available growth ultrasound records from a pre-TTTS ultrasound evaluation. Maternal demographics, pregnancy characteristics and birth outcomes were compared between three outcome groups: double twin survival with resolved sFGR determined by birth weight discordance (BWD) < 20%; double twin survival with ongoing sFGR determined by BWD ≥ 20%; and single or double fetal demise after laser surgery.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Objective: To compare the accuracy of four published reference standards for the umbilical artery pulsatility index (UA-PI) in predicting small-for-gestational age (SGA), adverse neonatal outcomes and obstetric complications in pregnancies at risk for fetal growth restriction.
Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective study of singleton pregnancies that underwent fetal growth assessment by ultrasound between 26 and 36 weeks' gestation. Pregnancies with estimated fetal weight or abdominal circumference < 20 percentile with UA-PI measurements available were included.
Am J Obstet Gynecol
December 2024
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, General University Hospital in Prague and First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address:
Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that spontaneous preterm labor is a syndrome caused by multiple pathological processes. The breakdown of maternal-fetal tolerance has been proposed as a key mechanism of idiopathic spontaneous preterm labor, often viewed as a chronic inflammatory process resulting from the maternal immune system's impaired tolerance of the fetus from early pregnancy. Regulatory T cells are crucial for maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance.
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