Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0000737 (abdominal pain)
 31,184 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors are gaining widespread use in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Clinical experience with lovastatin, which is approaching 4 years in many patients, indicates that it is well tolerated. Short-term adverse effects have usually been self-limited and have included abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, and flatus in 4-6% of cases. Raised hepatic transaminases and myopathy have occurred in 1.3 and 0.1% of cases, respectively; both, however, are reversible upon discontinuation of drug. To date, there is no evidence that lovastatin adversely affects the human lens. Overall, the drug has been well tolerated by the vast majority of patients over the long term. Early clinical experience with simvastatin shows a pattern and frequency of side effects similar to that reported with lovastatin.
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PMID:Long-term clinical tolerance of lovastatin and simvastatin. 207 73

The long term use of lipid-lowering drugs in the treatment of patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia is aimed at reducing plasma concentrations of known atherogenic lipoproteins with a favourable effect on lipid deposition in the arterial wall. A less common aim is to prevent the adverse sequelae of hyperchylomicronaemia in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. The decision to begin drug therapy should be made only after the exclusion of secondary factors and after an adequate trial of diet has failed to produce acceptable concentrations of plasma lipids and lipoproteins. The bile acid sequestrants (cholestyramine and colestipol), nicotinic acid, fenofibrate and inhibitors of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase (e.g. lovastatin or simvastatin) are the most effective drugs for use in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia; these agents reduce plasma concentrations of total and LDL-cholesterol by 15 to 45%. For those patients with concurrent hypertriglyceridaemia, nicotinic acid, lovastatin or simvastatin, or fenofibrate are the preferred drugs for initial use; bile acid sequestrants frequently exacerbate hypertriglyceridaemia in these patients. Fibric acid derivatives (e.g. clofibrate, gemfibrozil, bezafibrate or fenofibrate) are all effective in the therapy of patients with type III hyperlipoproteinaemia, as is nicotinic acid and I have found lovastatin to be effective also. Gemfibrozil or nicotinic acid are the most effective agents to use in the treatment of patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia who are at increased risk of abdominal pain and pancreatitis. Combined therapy with drugs which have different mechanisms of action can be effectively used in the treatment of patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia or combined hyperlipidaemia; for the former group, combinations which use bile acid sequestrants, HMG CoA reductase inhibitors and nicotinic acid are the most effective.
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PMID:An overview of lipid-lowering drugs. 307 24

Drug treatment of patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia is indicated to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with increased concentrations of atherogenic lipoproteins, and to lower the plasma concentrations of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia who are at risk of abdominal pain and pancreatitis. Such therapy should be initiated only after satisfactory exclusion of secondary causes of hyperlipoproteinaemia, and should be regarded as an adjunct to rather than a substitute for appropriate dietary therapy. Drug therapy should be strongly considered in those patients with concentrations of atherogenic lipoproteins which exceed the 90th to 95th percentile for age. In patients with increased plasma concentrations of low density lipoproteins (LDL), agents which enhance the rate of LDL catabolism (cholestyramine and colestipol) or reduce the rate of LDL synthesis [e.g. nicotinic acid (niacin)] are the 'drugs of choice'. For those patients with concurrent hypertriglyceridaemia, nicotinic acid is the preferred initial drug, and in both patient groups combined drug therapy is often necessary to attain optimal reductions in LDL cholesterol concentrations. Clofibrate remains the 'drug of choice' for the rare patient with type III hyperlipoproteinaemia, whereas the newer agent gemfibrozil should be used in patients with plasma triglyceride concentrations above 1000 mg/dl who are at increased risk of abdominal pain and pancreatitis. Although currently limited to investigational use, mevinolin and related compounds, which are specific inhibitors of the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis (HMG Co-A reductase), offer considerable promise in the therapy of patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia due to elevated levels of LDL cholesterol.
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PMID:Lipid-lowering drugs. An overview of indications and optimum therapeutic use. 355 97

Serenoa repens (Permixon) has been available for several years for the treatment of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The drug is the n-hexane lipidosterolic extract of the dwarf American palm (also known as Serenoa repens) and is a complex mixture of various compounds. A number of pharmacodynamic effects have been demonstrated with the lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESR), suggesting multiple mechanisms of action including in vitro inhibition of both type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes of 5 alpha-reductase and interference with binding of dihydrotestosterone to cytosolic androgen receptors in prostate cells. In controlled clinical trials in men with BPH, oral administration of Serenoa repens 160 mg twice daily for 1 to 3 months was generally superior to placebo in improving subjective symptoms, such as dysuria, as well as objective parameters. The frequency of nocturia was reduced by 33 to 74%, while urinary frequency during the day decreased by 11 to 43% and peak urinary flow rate increased by 26 to 50% with Serenoa repens. Corresponding values for placebo were 13 to 39%, 1 to 29% and 2 to 35%. The only large comparative trial conducted to date, in which > 1000 men with moderate BPH were randomised to receive Serenoa repens 160 mg twice daily or finasteride 5 mg once daily for 6 months, demonstrated similar efficacy between the two drugs. No statistically significant difference was demonstrated between treatment groups for improvement in patient self-rated quality-of-life scores and the primary end-point of objective symptom score; International Prostate Symptom Score improved by 37% with Serenoa repens compared with 39% with finasteride. In much smaller comparative trials, few significant differences were demonstrated between Serenoa repens and alpha 1-receptor antagonists, and larger randomised trials of adequate duration are required to better compare the clinical efficacy of these drugs. The most frequently reported adverse events in clinical trials with Serenoa repens have been minor gastrointestinal problems (e.g. nausea and abdominal pain). In conclusion, Serenoa repens is well tolerated and has greater efficacy than placebo and similar efficacy to finasteride in improving symptoms in men with BPH. Although there is a need for further comparative studies, particularly with alpha 2-receptor antagonists, available data indicate that Serenoa repens is a useful alternative to alpha 1-receptor antagonists and finasteride in the treatment of men with BPH.
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PMID:Serenoa repens (Permixon). A review of its pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy in benign prostatic hyperplasia. 892 64

In the human endometrium, the role of C19 steroids is at present unclear. Radioimmunoassays (RIA) were developed which had sufficient specificity and accuracy to measure testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydroxytestosterone (5 alpha-DHT), oestradiol, progesterone and androstenedione in endometrial samples. Amounts of androstenedione were greater (range 1.2-20.8 ng/mg tissue) than other steroids. Samples were obtained from patients presenting conditions such as subfertility, postmenopausal bleeding, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and abdominal pain. Patients used as normals were admitted for sterilisation. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.80) was found between the levels of testosterone and 5 alpha-reductase system. No relationship was observed in tissue steroid concentration and age of the patients. Steroid concentrations were found to be high in tissue obtained from patients with endometrial carcinomas whereas progesterone concentration being low in subfertiles.
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PMID:Steroid content in endometrial tissue. 929 27

We report the case of a patient who exhibited severe acute hepatitis with symptomatic cholestasis for more than 3 months and bile duct injury following the prescription of atorvastatin. After withdrawal the drug, the patient's wellbeing slowly improves and biological features normalize in 4 months. Therapy aimed at treating severe liver steatosis and hypercholesterolemia. Atorvastatin is a highly effective 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutamyl- coenzyme A reductase (statin) used to lower low-density lipoprotein. Reported frequent adverse events of the medication include nausea, depression, myalgia, abdominal pain and abnormal liver function tests. Although abnormal liver function tests is not an uncommon side effect of the medication, more serious liver injury is rare. In a recent literature review, about ten cases of serious hepatotoxicity have been documented. In the typical presentation, the duration of exposure prior to hepatic toxicity is variable. Liver injury is generally of the mixed type. A prolonged cholestasis for more than 3 months has been seldom reported. Morphological changes includes canalicular cholestasis, feathery degeneration but no cholangiolitis nor cholangitis under the form of cytological and inflammatory changes at the level of interlobular bile ducts. This case report provides further evidence that among statins, atorvastatin may be implicated in drug-induced liver injury and indicates for the first time that such liver injury may be followed by prolonged cholestasis and interlobular bile duct injury. Atorvastatin has thus to be added to the list of medication potentially responsible for bile duct injury.
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PMID:Severe acute cholestatic hepatitis with prolonged cholestasis and bile-duct injury following atorvastatin therapy: a case report. 1919 78

Chronic pancreatitis is a serious condition associated with severe abdominal pain, and a significant percentage of patients progresses to irreversible calcification in pancreas. The present study evaluates the degree to which the levels of trace elements, copper, iron, selenium, zinc and haemoglobin-Fe(3+), in blood, serum and pancreas have any role to play in the calcification process associated with fibrosis in pancreas. Twenty-seven calcific (CCP) and 23 non-calcific chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and equal number of age- and sex-matched normal volunteers (50) were enrolled in the study. Surgically removed pancreatic tissue and blood samples were analysed for copper, iron, selenium, zinc, protein, collagen and lipid peroxidation products in terms of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, glutathione, methemoglobin, methemoglobin reductase and ceruloplasmin activity levels. We could find that the pancreatic tissue levels of copper, iron, protein and collagen contents were significantly elevated in CCP patients when compared to CP patients. Serum levels of copper, free ionic copper and iron were also elevated in CCP patients. The serum and the pancreatic tissue level of zinc and selenium showed a significant decrease in CCP patients. The level of methemoglobin was elevated more significantly with the concomitant decline in the activity of methemoglobin reductase. There was a positive correlation between the pancreatic level of copper and iron with the collagen and protein levels. The results of the present study revealed that the levels of copper and iron, the pro-oxidants and zinc and selenium may influence calcification process in CCP patients. Hypoxia-related tissue injury due to the formation of oxidised haemoglobin may also contribute to the pathogenesis of calcification in pancreas.
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PMID:Influence of copper, iron, zinc and fe (3) (+) haemoglobin levels on the etiopathogenesis of chronic calcific pancreatitis--a study in patients with pancreatitis. 2080 71

The dried fruits of Evodia rutaecarpa Bentham have been used widely as a herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders and abdominal pain. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a nonmalignant disease characterized by overgrowth of prostates. Despite the pharmacological efficacy of the fruits of E. rutaecarpa against various diseases, their effects against BPH have not been reported. Here, we investigated the inhibitory activity of a 70% ethanol extract of E. rutaecarpa (EEER) against BPH, and its underlying mechanisms regarding cell growth of BPH using BPH-1 cells. An in vitro 5α-reductase activity assay showed that EEER exhibited inhibitory activity against 5α-reductase. In BPH-1 cells, EEER treatment inhibited cell viability and reduced the expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, and phosphor-ERK1/2 proteins. Moreover, EEER also induced apoptosis, with chromatin condensation, apoptotic bodies, and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Regarding its underlying mechanisms, EEER exacerbated the activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 in a concentration-dependent manner and eventually caused the cleavage of PARP. Taken together, these data demonstrated that EEER had a potent 5α-reductase inhibitory activity and that EEER treatment in BPH-1 cells inhibited cell viability via caspase-8- and caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, EEER may be a potential phytotherapeutic agent for the treatment of BPH.
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PMID:Ethanol Extract of Evodia rutaecarpa Attenuates Cell Growth through Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia-1 Cells. 3086 29