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Des recherches ont été effectuées concernant la zooépibiose de l’écrevisse signal (Pacifastacus leniusculus, D.), provenant d’un centre d’astaciculture espagnol, au cours de la période 1997-1998.

The eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome associated with L-tryptophan-containing products is highlighted by eosinophilia, incapacitating myalgias, and diverse multisystemic manifestations. In addition to involvement of the skin, skeletal muscle, and peripheral nerves, visceral damage has been quite prominent, particularly affecting the lungs, the heart, and the liver. Hepatic involvement has been manifested by altered liver tests but is clinically silent. We report the unique case of a woman with this syndrome who developed abdominal pain, a clinical picture of hepatitis and chronically abnormal liver tests. Histologic examination of the liver disclosed eosinophilic hepatitis with piecemeal necrosis. The occurrence of clinically overt hepatic involvement has not been reported previously. Potential mechanisms of liver damage in eosinophilia-myalgia syndromes are discussed.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is an uncommon disorder usually associated with intestinal and pulmonary obstructive diseases, recent abdominal procedures and systemic illnesses. PCI has been reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus associated with intestinal vasculitis. We describe herein a patient with a month history of intermittent abdominal pain, diarrhoea, hyporexia, and weight loss who underwent intestinal resection for acute abdomen. Post-operatively she gave a three-month history of arthritis of the right knee, ankles and feet, arthralgia of the wrists, MCPs and shoulders. She also described weakness, weight loss, Raynaud's phenomenon, and a skin rash. Laboratory examination revealed an increased ESR, low haemoglobin and haematocrit, positive rheumatoid factor, a positive ANA with a speckled pattern, as well antibodies to DNA, SS-A and cardiolipin. The abdominal symptomatology especially pain, cramps and bouts of diarrhoea persisted after the surgery and became worse two months later. Abdominal X-ray showed distention of bowel with cyst formation in the wall of the entire colon. A diagnosis of PCI was made radiologically. The intestinal pathology was reviewed and vasculitis was identified. The patient received treatment with high dose prednisone with an excellent response; prednisone was progressively tapered and she has been asymptomatic without abdominal complaints or other symptoms for over a year.

Summary Three hundred consecutive women with silicone breast implants (SBI), referred to the arthritis clinic with a variety of musculoskeletal complaints, were evaluated for the presence of underlying connective tissue disease. A complete history and physical examination were performed, as well as laboratory testing for C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and autoantibody determination by indirect immunofluorescence and immunodiffusion. The group mean age was 44.4 years (range 25–69), the mean time from initial implant surgery to appearance of symptoms was 6.8 years (range: 6m−19y) and 83.3% of women studied had clinical manifestations highly suggestive of an underlying connective tissue disorder. Fifty-four percent met criteria for fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome, distinct connective tissue diseases was detected in 11%, undifferentiated connective tissue disease or human adjuvant disease was found in 10.6%, and a variety of disorders such as angioneurotic oedema, frozen shoulder, multiple sclerosis-like syndorome were present. Several other miscellaneous conditions including recurrent and unexplained low grade fever, hair loss, skin rash, sicca symptoms, Raynaud's phenomenon, carpal tunnel syndrome, memory loss, headaches, chest pain, and shortness of breathe were also seen accompanying specific and non-specific lconditions. Seventy percent of patients who underwent explantation of the implants reported improvement of their systemic symptomatology. A significant proportion of SBI patients referred for rheumatic evaluation have clinical manifestations highly suggestive of an underlying connective tissue disease. Furthermore, improvement of their symptomatology follows explantation of the implants in over half of the patients.

The methanol extract of the aerial parts of Bupleurum fruticescens has yielded three new saponins identified as 3-O-(O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)] -O-β-D-glucopyranosyl) 3β -hydroxy -lup -20(29)-ene -23,28-dioic acid (2), 3-O-(O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl) 3β-hydroxy-lup- 20 (29) -ene- 23, 28-dioic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3) and 3-O-(O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4) -O[β-D-glucopyranosyl - (1→6)] -O-β-D-glucopyranosyl) 3β-hydroxy- lup-20(29) -ene- 23.28-dioic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4). These compounds were named fruticesaponin A, fruticesaponin B and fruticesaponin C. respectively and their structure elucidation was mainly achieved on the basis of NMR spectroscopy. In addition, betulin (1), isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (5) and rutin (6) were identified.

Three new saponins, zanhasaponins A, B, and C, were isolated from the MeOH extract of the root bark of Zanha africana and were, respectively, identified by spectroscopic methods as 3-O-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-2β,16α-dihydroxyolean-12-ene-23,28-dioic acid 28-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 2)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (1); 3-O-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-2β,16α-dihydroxyolean-12-ene-23,28-dioic acid 28-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl(1 → 2)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 2)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (2); and 3-O-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-2β,16α-dihydroxyolean-12-ene-23,28-dioic acid 28-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl(1 → 3)-β-d-xylopyranosyl(1 → 2)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 2)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (3). These saponins proved to be effective in a model of topical inflammation induced by phorbol ester. The cyclitols quebrachitol, pinitol, and bornesitol were also identified.

A MeOH extract from Z. africana was examined for topical antiinflammatory activity and proved to be active against arachidonic acid (AA) acute edema, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced chronic inflammation, and oxazolone delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice. The extract also showed significant inhibitory activity of Naja naja phospholipase A2 when a polarographic method was used. Two oleanane-type triterpene saponins, zanhasaponins A (1) and B (2), and the cyclitol pinitol (4), isolated from the extract, were active as inhibitors of PLA2. A further saponin, zanhasaponin C (3) was inactive in this assay.

The hydroalcoholic extract of Poria cocos and two lanostane derivatives isolated from it, pachymic acid (1) and dehydrotumulosic acid (2), were active as inhibitors of phospholipase A2 from snake venom when a polarographic method was used. Dehydrotumulosic acid exhibited an IC50 of 0.845 mM. These two compounds are structurally related to certain triterpenoids from Ganoderma and Schinus that have previously been described as competitive inhibitors of phospholipase A2. These comprise a new group of natural potential antiinflammatory agents due to their interaction with that enzyme.

Synthesis of (+)-cyclozonarone (1) has been achieved using (−)-polygodial (3) as chiral starting material. The absolute configuration of naturally occurring (−)-cyclozonarone was established as 5R,10R by comparison of spectral data and optical rotation with those of (+)-cyclozonarone.