ANTIPERMEABILITY EFFECTS OF CYCLO-3-FORT IN HAMSTERS WITH MODERATE DIABETES

Ruscus aculeatus extract (the active principle of Cycle 3 Fort) is use d to increase venous tone in patients with venous disease. In these ex periments, the effects of oral Cycle 3 Fort on capillary permeability were studied in hamsters with moderate diabetes induced by two intrape ritoneal injections of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg). Hamsters were treate d with a placebo or Cycle 3 Fort, 2, 10 or 50 mg/kg/day, for 4 weeks s tarting 3 days after induction of diabetes. Intravital microscopy of c heek pouch preparations was performed using fluorescein-labelled dextr an (FITC-dextran) as a marker for plasma exudation (leak formation). P lasma levels of glucose were measured prior to experiments. Following preparation for intravital microscopy, each cheek pouch was subjected to two applications of histamine, 5 x 10(-6) M for 5 min at 30-minute intervals. Plasma exudation (number of leaks/cm(2)) was significantly reduced in animals receiving Cycle 3 Fort at doses of 10 mg/kg or abov e. The mean number of leaks was 258 +/- 17 in the placebo group, compa red with 253 +/- 12, 125 +/- 7 (p < 0.01) and 99 +/- 7 (p < 0.01) in a nimals receiving Cycle 3 Fort, 2, 10 or 50 mg/kg, respectively. Blood glucose levels did not differ between groups. Thus, oral Cycle 3 Fort inhibited histamine-induced plasma exudation in hamsters with mild dia betes without affecting the glycaemia.