acth-(4-7)--pro-gly-pro- and Acute-Disease

Efficiency of Semax (synthetic derivative of ACTH-4-10) was studied in 30 patients in acute period of hemispherical ischemic stroke. Control group consisted of 80 patients with the strokes analogous in severity and location of the damages and which were treated by conventional therapy. Different clinical rating scales were used for both objectivization of the severity of the patients' state and estimation of the degree of neurological defect. The control of Semax influence on the functional state of the brain included monitoring of EEG with mapping, repeated analysis of somatosensory evoked potentials and their mapping. It was established that including of Semax in combined intensive therapy of acute ischemic stroke had some influence on the rate of restoration of the damaged neurological functions in terms of increasing the regress of general cerebral and focal, especially motor disorders. The most effective daily doses were 12 mg for patients with strokes of moderate severity and 18 mg for patients with severe strokes (treatment course--5 and 10 days).

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Aged; Amino Acids; Brain Mapping; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; Female; Gangliosides; Humans; Male; Neuroprotective Agents; Nootropic Agents; Peptide Fragments; Severity of Illness Index; Stroke; Time Factors

The effect of ACTH4-7-PGP (Semax) intraperitoneal injection at the doses of 5, 50, 150 and 450 μg/kg b. w. on lipid peroxidation and functional hepatocytes state in Wistar male rats subjected to acute and chronic electrical foot-shock stress was investigated. It was observed that peptide at the doses of 50 and 450 μg/kg normalized malondialdehyde (MDA) level elevation in the liver homogenate caused by acute foot-shock stress. On the contrary, at the doses of 5 and 150 μg/kg Semax significantly increased MDA content without essential changes of antioxidant defense activity (catalase, superoxide dismutase, common antioxidative activity). In serum peptide at the all doses decreased stress-induced asparate aminotransferase activity elevation. In chronic stress peptide provided the normalization of protein synthetic hepatocytes function and the serum alanine aminotransferase activity with less effect on lipid peroxidation.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animals; Antioxidants; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electroshock; Foot; Free Radicals; Hepatocytes; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Malondialdehyde; Oxidative Stress; Peptide Fragments; Rats, Wistar; Stress, Psychological; Transaminases

The effect of ACTH-(4-7)-PGP (semax) intraperitoneal injection at doses of 5, 50, 150 and 450 μg/kg b.w. on the free-radical oxidation and the activity of serum transaminases in Wistar male rats subjected to acute and chronic immobilization stress has been studied. It was found that the peptide administration in the entire dose range studied produced antioxidant effect in hepatocytes and significantly increased the activity of serum ALT and AST at a dose of 450 μg/kg under chronic stress conditions. On the contrary, prooxidant effects were observed at a drug dose of 150 mg/kg under acute stress conditions, and the direction of changes in the ALT and AST values activity depended on the semax dose. The ALT activity was decreased at doses of 5 and 50 μg/kg, but increased at a dose of 450 μg/kg. The AST activity was already reliably increased at a dose of 5 μg/kg.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animals; Chronic Disease; Enzyme Inhibitors; Immobilization; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver; Male; Peptide Fragments; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stress, Physiological; Transaminases

Semax is the first domestic nootropic drug of an unexhausted type from the group of neuropeptides. In experimental studies it showed angioprotective, antihypoxic and neurotrophic activity in the doses 100-150 micrograms/kg. A combined clinical-electrophysiologic study revealed its high efficiency in acute ischemic stroke. A clinical trial was performed of immunobiochemical mechanisms of neuroprotective properties of Semax in acute period of ischemic stroke. A retrospective comparative clinicoimmunobiochemical analysis provided objective data on the molecular level on activating influence of Semax on antiinflammatory postischemic reactions in the brain. Shifting neuromediatory balance toward a prevalence of the antiinflammatory agents (interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) over the factors maintaining the inflammation (interleukin-8, C-reactive protein).

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Brain; Brain Ischemia; C-Reactive Protein; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Interleukin-10; Neuroprotective Agents; Peptide Fragments; Retrospective Studies; Time Factors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Atmospheric Pressure; Bradycardia; Electrocardiography; Female; Hypoxia; Male; Peptide Fragments; Rats