Normal Saline

Example 1

The amniotic fluid first undergoes a two-step dialysis process. First, the amniotic fluid is passed through a 3 kiloDalton (kDa) filter to remove low molecular weight urea and uric acid, in addition to reducing the water content. Second, the amniotic fluid is again passed through a 3 kDa membrane in the presence of a dialysate solution (normal saline), to flush the remainder of the urea and uric acid, while maintaining the volume of the fluid. Cryopreservative is added such that the final product contains equal volumes dialyzed fluid and cryopreservative; therefore, the finished product is approximately 1.5 times more concentrated than the starting fluid. The product is then aliquoted into vials (using aseptic technique) and frozen.

It is contemplated that this removal will not have an impact on the components of the AF thought to confer benefit, such as the hyaluronic acid and other proteins in the fluid.

Example 38

In corneal kindled seizure model, mice are kindled electrically with 3 s stimulation, 8 mA, 60 Hz delivered through corneal electrodes primed with 0.5% tetracaine hydrochloride in 0.9% saline, twice daily, until 5 consecutive stage V seizures are induced. Mice are considered kindled when they display at least 5 consecutive stage V seizures according to the Racine scale (Racine et al., 1972) including, mouth and facial clonus (stage I), Stage I plus head nodding (Stage II), Stage II plus forelimb clonus (Stage III), Stage III plus rearing (Stage IV), and stage IV plus repeated rearing and falling (Stage V) (Racine et al., 1972). At the completion of the kindling acquisition, mice are permitted a 3-day stimulation-free period prior to any drug testing. On the day of the experiment, fully kindled mice are pre-administered (i.p) with increasing doses of the test compound and challenged with the corneal kindling stimulus of 3 mA for 3 seconds 15 min. Mice are scored as protected (seizure score of <3) or not protected, (seizure score ≥4) based on the Racine scoring (Racine et al., 1972).

Example 5

Methods.

Experiments were performed in male apoE−/− mice fed an atherogenic diet (D12108, cholate-free AIN-76A semi-purified diet, Research Diets Inc., New Brunswick, NJ) from 4 weeks of age. MPE-298 (300 nmol/kg), MPE-267 (300 nmol/kg) or vehicle (0.9% NaCl), were administered by daily by subcutaneous (s.c.) injections for 8 weeks, from 12 weeks of age, as shown schematically in FIG. 8A.

Results and Discussion.

The results depicted in FIG. 8B show that chronic treatment of the animals with cyclic peptides MPE-267 and MPE-298 reduced aortic lesions by 28% and 42% (p<0.01), respectively, relative to 0.9% NaCl (vehicle), providing evidence that the cyclic peptides exhibit anti-atherosclerotic activity.