Pure neural leprosy: steroids prevent neuropathy progression.
(25/98)
Multidrug therapy (MDT), with rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine, treats leprosy infection but is insufficient in arresting or preventing the nerve damage that causes impairments and disabilities. This case-series study evaluates the benefits of the combined use of steroids and MDT in preventing nerve damage in patients with pure neural leprosy (PNL). In addition to MDT, 24 patients (88% male aged 20-79 years, median=41) received a daily morning dose of 60 mg prednisone (PDN) that was gradually reduced by 10 mg during each of the following 5 months. PNL was clinically diagnosed and confirmed by nerve histopathology or PCR. A low prevalence (8.3%) of reaction was observed after release from treatment. However, most of the clinical parameters showed significant improvement; and a reduction of nerve conduction block was observed in 42% of the patients. The administration of full-dose PDN improved the clinical and electrophysiological condition of the PNL patients, contributing to the prevention of further neurological damage. (+info)
International open trial of uniform multi-drug therapy regimen for 6 months for all types of leprosy patients: rationale, design and preliminary results.
(26/98)
Fatty acid oxidation and the beta-oxidation complex in Mycobacterium leprae and two axenically cultivable mycobacteria that are pathogens.
(27/98)
Intact, non-growing Mycobacterium leprae, M. avium and M. microti oxidized a wide range of 1-14C-labelled fatty acids (C8 to C24) to 14CO2. Laurate (C12) was oxidized most rapidly, and its oxidation by M. leprae was inhibited by the antileprosy agents Dapsone, clofazamine and rifampicin. Key enzymes of beta-oxidation were detected in extracts from all three mycobacteria. All these activities (both in intact mycobacteria and the enzymes) were stimulated in M. avium grown in Dubos medium plus palmitate but activities in M. microti or M. avium grown either in Dubos medium with added liposomes or triolein, or in vivo were similar to those detected in the same strain grown in Dubos medium alone. M. avium could be grown in medium in which 95% of its fatty acyl elongase activity is acetyl-CoA dependent. In this medium growing M. avium organisms oxidized [1-14C]palmitate to 14CO2 but simultaneously elongated palmitate to C24 acids and even longer. Acetyl-CoA-dependent elongase activity is similar but clearly not identical to reversed beta-oxidation, but the exact point(s) of difference have not yet been identified. (+info)
Clofazimine inhibits human Kv1.3 potassium channel by perturbing calcium oscillation in T lymphocytes.
(28/98)