Background. Silymarin, a milk thistle flavonolignan mixture, has anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities in xenografts of human prostate cancer (PCa). Low dietary selenium on the other hand has been associated with increased incidence of PCa. The purpose of the current trial was to determine whether a daily administration of a silymarin and selenium (SM-Se) combination for 6 months would alter basic clinical chemistry and oxidative stress markers, and improve the quality of life score (QoL) in men after radical prostatectomy (RP).Methods. Thirty seven participants, 2-3 months after RP, were randomly assigned to receive 570 mg of silymarin and 240 μg of selenium as selenomethionine (n = 19, SM-Se group) or placebo (n = 18, Placebo group) daily for six months. Both groups had similar clinical and demographic characteristics. Physical examination, QoL score, haematology, basic clinical chemistry and oxidative stress markers, selenium and testosterone levels, antioxidant status were evaluated at baseline, at 3 and 6 months.Results. The six months administration of silymarin and selenium improved the QoL score, decreased low density lipoproteins (LDL) and total cholesterol and, increased serum selenium levels. The combination had no effect on blood antioxidant status and no influence on testosterone level. No adverse events were recorded. No improvement was found in the placebo group.Conclusions. The selected combination of silymarin and selenium significantly reduced two markers of lipid metabolism known to be associated with PCa progression, LDL and total cholesterol in the blood of men after RP. This suggests that this combination may be effective in reducing PCa progression.

The roots of three varieties of Polygonum cuspidatum were analyzed for resveratrol and its analogs. The powder of the dried roots was extracted with aqueous ethanol (60% v/v) and the extracts obtained were analyzed using RP HPLC with coulometric detection. A simple HPLC method with a multichannel CoulArray detector was developed for the determination of four stilbenes: resveratrol, its glucoside piceid, piceatannol, and its glucoside astringin. Analyses were carried out on a LiChrospher C18 (125 x 4.6 mm id, particle size 5 microm) column with a mobile phase of ammonium acetate (pH 3) and ACN in gradient mode. Four compounds were monitored by a CoulArray electrochemical detector. Potentials of eight electrochemical cells in series were set in the range of 200-900 mV. Optimization of the mobile phase pH was performed. Calibration curves showed good linearity with correlation coefficients (r(2))--more than 0.9975.

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In experiments in dogs we studied the effect of antiaggregating agents on the patency of prosthetic vascular grafts (4 mm in diameter) and vein grafts, both placed in areas with a rate of flow ranging between 50-60 ml/min. All 6 prosthetic grafts became occluded in the nonmedicated controls, 1 of 5 prosthetic grafts remained patent for a prolonged period of time in dogs receiving 250 mg acetylsalicylic acid 3 times a day, while 5 of 6 prosthetic grafts remained patent in animals receiving an antiaggregating mixture. Follow-up studies showed that antiaggregating medication had no effect on the patency of vein grafts, but it prevented the formation of mural thrombi and subendothelial proliferation.