Objective. To investigate the effects of combined administration of octreotide and methylglucamine diatrizoate in the older persons with adhesive small bowel obstruction. Patients and methods. One hundred and sixty-two consecutive patients who had suffered from adhesive intestinal obstruction without clinical evidence of strangulation or gangrene were randomised into two groups, a control group (treated conservatively, n=82) and a contrast group (treated with combined administration of octreotide and methylglucamine diatrizoate, n=80). A laparotomy was performed in both the two groups if symptoms of strangulation developed or the obstruction did not resolve spontaneously after 72 h. Results. Statistically significant rapid reduction in pain score, lower amount of nasogastric drainage, shorter hospital stay, lower operative rate and lower postoperative morbidity were observed in the contrast group. Among the non-operative patients, earlier passage of stool and gas, earlier first oral intake and shorter duration of nasogastric tube placement were significantly more frequently observed in the contrast group. No difference in the rate of readmission was found between the two groups. Conclusions. Combined administration of octreotide and methylglucamine diatrizoate accelerates resolution of small bowel obstruction by a specific therapeutic effect and is safe for the older persons.

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound extracted from plants, inhibit inflammation when administered. It has direct effects on suppression of platelet coagulation and cytokines production in many experimental models. Because microcirculation occlusion and cytokines over-production is involved in many diseases such as acute pancreatitis (AP), the discovery of resveratrol as platelet and cytokines inhibitors has shed light on the treatment of AP, which still has significant mortality and morbidity. It is anticipated that this natural polyphenol could serve as a therapeutic compound in managing AP through different pathways.

AIM: To investigate the effect of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on proliferation of rat colonic cells. METHODS: EDTA was administered into Wistar rats, carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in rats was studied with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Marked regional differences in cell proliferation were found in all groups. In EDTA-treated animals, total labelling indexes in both proximal (10.00