Mucocutaneous Horn in Dog

Background: Cutaneous horn is a circumscribed exophytic lesion composed of dense, compact keratin with hyperplastic epidermis, which is primarily orthokeratotic and may include foci of parakeratosis. The hyperkeratotic protuberance resembles a horn but lack bone. In humans, it is well-documented with a wide range of primary epidermal lesions identified. In dogs, the reports are rare and brief. The diagnosis is based on its appearance and excisional biopsy reveals the triggering lesion. The objective of the present work is to describe the clinical presentation, predictive benignancy finds, treatment and follow-up of a case of cutaneous horns that arose from anal mucocutaneous boundary in a dog.Case: A 6-month-old male Pug presented two tumors in the anus noted in the early months of life. Complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, surgery, histopathological analysis and postoperative outcome were performed. Possible relapses were follow-up until 11 months after surgery. On physical examination, the dog was otherwise healthy. The two horn-like tumors were protruding from the mucocutaneous junction of the external anal sphincter in a sun-protected area. Both were higher than wide in base or, in other words, they had a high height-to-base ratio. During surgery, the masses were excised using an electronic scalpel and sent to histopathological analysis. The post-operative care consisted of cephalexin and meloxicam prescriptions. Also, it was recommended 0.9% NaCl solution wound flushing followed by topical chlorhexidine digluconate solution (1%) whenever dirt or defecation were noticed. The surgical wound healed after two weeks by second intention. Histopathology found well-delimited masses that covers the epidermis and dermis and displaces the cutaneous appendages towards the underlying musculature with an aggregate of lymphoplasmohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrate in the adjacent dermis. These finds and the presence of orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis and epidermis hyperplasia confirmed the clinical diagnosis of cutaneous horns. There were no signs of malignance. After surgery, no relapse occurred.Discussion: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of cutaneous horns in mucocutaneous junction. Furthermore, the tumors were found in a region with little exposure to sunlight which is unusual. The tumor’s narrow bases and the absence of continuous and dense inflammatory infiltrate shown to be predictive of benignancy as occurs in human beings. During surgical planning, it was decided not to establish wide margins around the masses. The decision considered the morphological signs of benignancy of the tumors described for human beings as no surveys about prevalence of benignity or malignancy associated with cutaneous horns were found in dogs. In addition, a more extensive excision could promote anal sphincter dysfunction. There was no tumors recurrence suggesting that the primary underlying lesions have been healed and confirming that predictive benignancy morphological characteristics applied in human patients can be useful for small animals. Veterinary clinicians and surgeons must be in constant vigil of cutaneous horns uncommon presentations and report them to create a solid database that can be useful for prognosis and surgical planning. The morphological predictive factors can be applied to avoid unnecessary extensive surgical excisions that could lead to functional or cosmetic impairment

Effect of Powdered Shells of the Snail Megalobulimus lopesi

Topical administration of powdered shells of the land snail Megalobulimus lopesi was evaluated in Wistar rats for their healing activity in an excision wound model. The animals were distributed into three groups—G1 (control): no therapeutic intervention; G2 (vehicle controls): Lanette cream once daily; G3 (experimental animals): treated with powdered shells. Variables investigated were: wound area contraction, angiogenic activity, morphometric data, leukocytic inflammatory infiltrate, and total leukocyte count in peripheral blood. Thermogravimetric analysis and quantification and characterization of powdered shell proteins were also performed. Wound area on days 3, 7, and 14 was smaller in G3, besides presenting wound closure on day 21 for all these animals. Topical administration of the powdered shells also led to an increased number of vessels at the wound site, higher leukocyte counts in peripheral blood, and increased leukocytic inflammatory infiltrate. The results lend support to the southern Brazilian folk use of M. lopesi powdered shells, as shown by the enhanced secondary-intention healing achieved with their topical administration to wounds in rats. Topical administration caused inflammatory response modulation, crucial to accelerating the healing process, the chronification of which increases the risks of wound contamination by opportunistic pathogens

Eficácia anti-hiperalgésica das associações de cetamina e seus isômeros com ifenprodil administradas de forma preventiva e por via subaracnóidea em ratos e cães

Em dois ensaios testou-se a eficácia da cetamina e do ifenprodil administrados preventivamente e por via subaracnóidea, no controle da hiperalgesia induzida (p 0,05). As provas farmacológicas utilizaram ratos Wistar em duas etapas: determinação da potência relativa e isobologramas. O estímulo hiperalgésico — injeção intraplantar de prostaglandina E2 - foi avaliado com um analgesímetro digital. Todos fármacos apresentaram ação anti-hiperalgésica com diferentes valores de EC50 crescentes nesta ordem: ifenprodil, cetamina S(+), cetamina racêmica e cetamina R(-). O ifenprodil potencializou a ação da cetamina e seus isômeros e foi potencializado pelo racemato e a forma S(+). Os resultados embasaram os ensaios clínicos. Nestes, oito cães foram utilizados para comparar o efeito anti-hiperalgésico do ifenprodil associado à cetamina racêmica com o uso isolado desta, durante 24 h após lesão cirúrgica incisional no coxim metatársico. Foram avaliados os escores de sedação e de claudicação; contagens da freqüência cardíaca e da respiratória; testes com filamentos de von Frey e medição da superfície de apóio plantar com planímetro nos tempos basal e 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 480, 720 e 1440 min pós-trauma. A comparação entre grupos e ao longo do tempo revelou que os escores se mantiveram inalterados e as freqüências não variaram significativamente. Os testes de von Frey e com planímetro demonstraram diferenças significativas entre os protocolos. Concluiu-se que, ainda que o estímulo seja cirúrgico, o pré-tratamento com ifenprodil melhora a ação anti-hiperalgésica da cetamina racêmica nas primeiras 24 horas após a lesão.In two different opportunities, it was tested the efficacy of cetamina and ifenprodil, administered preventively and by spinal route, in the control of induced hyperalgesia (P5 0.05). The pharmacological tests had used Wistar rats in two stages: determination of the relative power and isobolograms. The hyperalgesic stimulus — E2 prostaglandin intraplantar injection — was evaluated by electronic pressure meter. Ali the drugs had presented antihyperalgesic action with different ED50 values increasing in this order: ifenprodil, S(+) ketamine, racemic ketamine and R(-) ketamine. lfenprodil potentiated ketamine and its isomers action, and was potentiated by racemate and S(+) form. fie results had based the clinicai tests. In these, eight dogs had been used to compare the antihyperalgesic effect of ifenprodil associated with ketamine with the isolated use of ketamine during 24 hours after surgicai incision in the metatarsal pad. Sedation and claudication scores, respiratory and cardiac rates, von Frey filaments tests and the determination of plantar support area had been used in baseline and 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 480, 720 and 1440 min after-trauma. The comparison between groups and throughout the time showed that lhe scores had kept unchanged and the rates had not varied significantly. The tests with von Frey filaments and with planimeter had demonstrated significant differences between the protocols. One concluded that, despite the stimulus is surgical, pretreatment with ifenprodil improves lhe antihyperalgesic action of racemic ketamine in the first 24 hours after the injury.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

The improvement of the anti-hyperalgesic effect of ketamine and of its isomers by the administration of ifenprodil

Intrathecal or epidural administration of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors antagonists, in special ketamine and ifenprodil are used to control moderate to severe hyperalgesia in humans. Activation of NMDA receptor usually requires binding of two agonists, glutamate and glycine, in different receptor subunits. Ketamine is a NMDA receptor antagonist and acts at phencyclidine site in NR1 subunit while ifenprodil is a selective NR2B subunit antagonist of NMDA receptor. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological interactions between ketamine or its isomers and ifenprodil, when intrathecally co-administrated, to reduce prostaglandin E(2)-induced hyperalgesia in rat's hind paw. The intrathecal administration of ketamine, its isomers R(-) or S(+), or ifenprodil-induced anti-hyperalgesic effects in a dose-related manner. Ifenprodil, in a dose that did not induce significant effect when administrated alone, significantly improved the anti-hyperalgesic effect of ketamine or its isomers. The other way round, ketamine or S(+) ketamine, but not R(-) ketamine, in a dose that did not induce significant effect when administrated alone, improved the anti-hyperalgesic effect of ifenprodil. However, by comparing ED(50)s (half maximal effective doses), ifenprodil-induced potentiation of ketamine was significantly greater than ketamine-induced potentiation of ifenprodil. The findings of this present study suggest that intrathecal administration of very small doses of ifenprodil, just before and ketamine significantly improves its anti-hyperalgesic effect and this association could be useful to control inflammatory pain with less undesirable effects. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Effects of opioid and nonopioid analgesics on canine wheal formation and cultured human mast cell degranulation

Mast cell (MC) degranulation has been implicated in the side effect profile of a variety of clinically useful agents. Thus, after intrathecal delivery, formation of space-occupying, meningeally-derived masses may be related to local MC degranulation. We systematically characterized degranulating effects of opioid and nonopioid analgesics on cutaneous flares in the dog and in primary human MC (hMC) cultures.MethodsDogs were anesthetized with IV propofol and received intradermal (ID) injections (50μL). Flare diameters were measured at 30min. Drugs showing flare responses were tested after intramuscular (IM) cromolyn (10mg/kg), a MC stabilizer. Human primary MCs (human cord blood CD34+/CD45+ cells) were employed and β-hexosaminidase in cell-free supernatants were measured to assess degranulation.ResultsA significant skin flare for several classes of agents was observed including opioids, ziconotide, ketamine, ST-91, neostigmine, adenosine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, MK-801 and 48/80. Tizanidine, fentanyl, alfentanil, gabapentin and baclofen produced no flare. Flare produced by all ID agents, except adenosine, bupivacaine and lidocaine, was reduced by cromolyn. Naloxone had no effect upon opiate or 48/80 evoked flares. In hMC studies, 48/80 resulted in a concentration-dependent release of β-hexosaminidase. The rank order of drug-induced hMC β-hexosaminidase release was similar to that for flares.ConclusionsA variety of therapeutically useful drugs degranulate MCs. This action may account for side effects such as the intrathecal granuloma resulting from spinally-delivered opioids. This degranulating effect may be useful in predicting potential intrathecal toxicity in the development of novel agents

Tabebuia aurea decreases hyperalgesia and neuronal injury induced by snake venom

Tabebuia aurea (Silva Manso) Benth. & Hook. f. ex S. Moore is used as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiophidic in traditional medicine, though its pharmacological proprieties are still underexplored. In the bothropic envenoming, pain is a key symptom drove by an intense local inflammatory and neurotoxic event. The antivenom serum therapy is still the main treatment despite its poor local effects against pain and tissue injury. Furthermore, it is limited to ambulatorial niches, giving space for the search of new and more inclusive pharmacological approaches. Aim of the study: evaluation of Tabebuia aurea hydroethanolic extract (HEETa) in hyperalgesia and neuronal injury induced by Bothrops mattogrossensis venom (VBm). Materials and methods: Stem barks from Tabebuia aurea were extracted with ethanol and water (7:3, v/v) to yield the extract HEETa. Then, HEETa was analyzed by LC-DAD-MS and its constituents were identified. Snake venoms were extracted from adult specimens of Bothrops mattogrossensis, lyophilized and kept at -20 degrees C until use. Male Swiss mice, weighting 20-25 g, were used to hyperalgesia (electronic von Frey), motor impairment (Rotarod test) and tissue injury evaluation (histopatology and ATF-3 immunohistochemistry). Therefore, three experimental groups were formed: VBm (1 pg, 1 ng, 0.3 mu g, 1 mu g, 3 and 6 mu g/paw), HEETa orally (180, 540, 720, 810 or 1080 mg/kg; 10 mL/kg, 30 min prior VBm inoculation) and VBm neutralized (VBm: HEETa, 1:100 parts, respectively). In all set of experiments a control (saline group) was used. First, we made a dose-time-response course curve of VBm's induced hyperalgesia. Next, VBm maximum hyperalgesic dose was employed to perform HEETa orally dose-time-response course curve and analyses of VBm neutralized. Paw tissues for histopathology and DRGs were collected from animals inoculated with VBm maximum dose and treated with HEETa anti-hyperalgesic effective dose or neutralized VBm. Paws were extract two or 72 h after VBm inoculation and DRGs, in the maximum expected time expression of ATF-3 (72 h). Results: From HEETa extract, glycosylated iridoids were identified, such as catalpol, minecoside, verminoside and specioside. VBm induced a time and dose dependent hyperalgesia with its highest effect seen with 3 mu g/paw, 2 h after venom inoculation. HEETa effective dose (720 mg/kg) decreased significantly VBm induced hyperalgesia (3 mu g/paw) with no motor impairment and signs of acute toxicity. HEETa antihyperalgesic action starts 1.5 h after VBm inoculation and lasted up until 2 h after VBm. Hyperalgesia wasn't reduced by VBm: HEETa neutralization. Histopathology revealed a large hemorragic field 2 h after VBm inoculation and an intense inflammatory infiltrate of polymorphonuclear cells at 72 h. Both HEETa orally and VBm: HEETa groups had a reduced inflammation at 72 h after VBm. Also, the venom significantly induced ATF-3 expression (35.37 +/- 3.25%) compared with saline group (4.18 +/- 0.68%) which was reduced in HEETa orally (25.87 +/- 2.57%) and VBm: HEETa (19.84 +/- 2.15%) groups. Conclusion: HEETa reduced the hyperalgesia and neuronal injury induced by VBm. These effects could be related to iridoid glycosides detected in HEETa and their intrinsic reported mechanism233131140CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPFUNDAÇÃO DE APOIO AO DESENVOLVIMENTO DO ENSINO, CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA DO ESTADO DE MATO GROSSO DO SUL - FUNDEC