Persistent trigeminal artery as a rare cause of ischaemic lesion and migraine-like headache

The persistent trigeminal artery (PTA) is a rare remnant of the embryonic intracranial circulatory system that forms a carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis. In most cases PTA does not have clear clinical implications. However, some authors report the association of PTA occurrence with vertigo, dizziness and nerve palsy, resulting in diplopia, strabismus or trigeminal neuralgia in patients. In rare cases it may also be related to posterior cerebral circulation strokes. This work reports the case of a female patient who presented with migraine-like headache and an ischaemic lesion in the left temporal lobe in association with PTA

Triterpene Saponins from the Aerial Parts of Trifolium medium L. var. sarosiense

Seven previously unreported triterpene glycosides (1−7) were isolated from methanol extract of the aerial parts of Trifolium medium var. sarosiense (zigzag clover). Their structures were established by the extensive use of 1D and 2D NMR experiments along with ESI-MS and HRMS analyses. Compounds 1−7 are oleanane derivatives characterized by the presence of a keto group at C-22 of an aglycone and a primary alcoholic function at C-24 and differing functions at C-30. Among these, compounds 1−3 and 6 showed a secondary alcoholic function at C-11, which is methoxylated in compounds 4 and 7. Compound 5 was shown to possess a known aglycone, wistariasapogenol A; however, it is described here for the first time as a saponin constituent of the Trifolium genus. Some aspects of taxonomic classification of zigzag clover are also discussed

An international collaborative evaluation of central serous chorioretinopathy: different therapeutic approaches and review of literature. The European Vitreoretinal Society central serous chorioretinopathy study

Purpose: To study and compare the efficacy of different therapeutic options for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Methods: This is a nonrandomized, international multicentre study on 1719 patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR, from 63 centres (24 countries). Reported data included different methods of treatment and both results of diagnostic examinations [fluorescein angiography and/or optical coherent tomography (OCT)] and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after therapy. The duration of observation had a mean of 11 months but was extended in a minority of cases up to 7 years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the different therapeutic options of CSCR in terms of both visual (BCVA) and anatomic (OCT) improvement. Results: One thousand seven hundred nineteen patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR were included. Treatments performed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops, laser photocoagulation, micropulse diode laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT; Standard PDT, Reduced-dose PDT, Reduced-fluence PDT), intravitreal (IVT) antivascular endothelial growth factor injection (VEGF), observation and other treatments. The list of the OTHERS included both combinations of the main proposed treatments or a variety of other treatments such as eplerenone, spironolactone, acetazolamide, beta-blockers, anti-anxiety drugs, aspirin, folic acid, methotrexate, statins, vitis vinifera extract medication and pars plana vitrectomy. The majority of the patients were men with a prevalence of 77%. The odds ratio (OR) showed a partial or complete resolution of fluid on OCT with any treatment as compared with observation. In univariate analysis, the anatomical result (improvement in subretinal fluid using OCT at 1 month) was favoured by age <60 years (p < 0.005), no previous observation (p < 0.0002), duration less than 3 months (p < 0.0001), absence of CSCR in the fellow eye (p = 0.04), leakage outside of the arcade (p = 0.05) and fluid height >500 \u3bcm (p = 0.03). The OR for obtaining partial or complete resolution showed that anti-VEGF and eyedrops were not statistically significant; whereas PDT (8.5), thermal laser (11.3) and micropulse laser (8.9) lead to better anatomical results with less variability. In univariate analysis, the functional result at 1 month was favoured by first episode (p = 0.04), height of subretinal fluid >500 \u3bcm (p < 0.0001) and short duration of observation (p = 0.02). Finally, there was no statistically significant difference among the treatments at 12 months. Conclusion: Spontaneous resolution has been described in a high percentage of patients. Laser (micropulse and thermal) and PDT seem to lead to significant early anatomical improvement; however, there is little change beyond the first month of treatment. The real visual benefit needs further clarification

Clovamide and its derivatives as bioactive phenolic compounds of plant origin

W pracy przedstawiono aktualne dane dotyczące aktywności biologicznej klowamidu i jego pochodnych, jako grupy bioaktywnych związków pochodzenia roślinnego. Klowamid jest pochodną kwasu kawowego o strukturze chemicznej podobnej do kwasu rozmarynowego. Właściwości biologiczne pochodnych klowamidu stanowią stosunkowo nowe zagadnienie w naukach o żywności. Wzrasta jednak zainteresowanie naukowców tą grupą substancji. Źródłem klowamidu i jego pochodnych w diecie człowieka są produkty zawierające kakao. Poza kakaowcem (Theobroma cacao) związki te są wytwarzane m.in. przez koniczyny Trifolium pallidum (brak polskiej nazwy) i Trifolium pratense (koniczyna łąkowa), a także rośliny z rodzaju Capsicum (papryka). W literaturze dotyczącej klowamidu i jego pochodnych wskazuje się na ich działanie przeciwutleniające, przeciwpłytkowe (przeciwzakrzepowe), przeciwzapalne, a nawet przeciwnowotworowe. Sugeruje się, że klowamid i jego pochodne mogą być w przyszłości wykorzystane w przemyśle spożywczym, jak również w opracowaniu nowych strategii profilaktycznych i leczniczych chroniących zdrowie człowieka.In the paper, there are presented up to date data on the biological activity of clovamide and its derivatives as a group of bioactive compounds of plant origin. Clovamide is a derivative of caffeic acid and its chemical structure is similar to that of the rosmarinic acid. Biological properties of the clovamide-type compounds are a relatively new issue in the biological and medicinal sciences. However, scientists show a growing interest in that group of substances. In the human diet, products containing cocoa are a source of clovamide and its derivatives. In addition to Theobroma cacao, those compounds are also synthesized, among other things, by Trifolium pallidum clover and Trifolium pratense (red clover), and species of the Capsicum genus. The reference literature on clovamide and its derivatives points to their antioxodative, antiplatelet (antithrombotic), anti-inflammatory, and even anticancer action. It is suggested that, in the future, those properties might be utilized in the food and cosmetic industry as well as when developing new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to protect human health