A method for measuring fluoroquinolone accumulation by Streptococcus pneumoniae was rigorously examined. The accumulation of ciprofloxacin, clinafloxacin, gatifloxacin, grepafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, sitafloxacin, and trovafloxacin in the presence and absence of either carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone (CCCP) or reserpine was determined for two wild-t...

Autonomic dysfunctions play important roles in hypertension, heart failure and arrhythmia, often with a detrimental and fatal effect. The present study analyzed if these dysfunctions involved M-channels (members of the Kv7/KNCQ family) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Cardiac output and heart rate (HR) were recorded by a flow probe on the ascending aorta in anesthetized SHR and normote...

Depressive disorders are more common among persons with chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and anti-inflammatory effect of some antidepressants such as amitriptyline has been reported. Acetic acid colitis was induced in both reserpinised (depressed) and non-reserpinised (normal) rats. Reserpinised groups received reserpine (6 mg/kg, i.p.) one hour prior to colitis induction. Th...

BACKGROUND 5-HT3 antagonists, such as ondansetron (Zofran), retard colonic transit and provide effective relief of symptoms of chronic diarrhea and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the mechanism by which ondansetron retards transit is unclear. What is clear is that the frequency of colonic migrating motor complexes (CMMCs) is reduced by ondansetron, which could account f...

There is a controversy over the effects of testosterone supplements on dopaminergic function. Both neuroprotective and toxic effects of testosterone supplements are reported. The status of oxidative stress seems to explain the neuroprotective or toxic properties of testosterone. To determine the efficacy of testosterone supplements in different status of oxidative stress, the present studies an...