The antagonistic effects of tetrandrine (Tet) on ouabain-induced contraction were studied in swine coronary arterial strips.

Like verapamil (Ver), the contraction evoked by ouabain (Oub) 0.85 μM, the synergistic effect of Oub 85 nM and Ca⁺⁺ 2–16 mM, and the response to electrical stimulation in the presence of Oub 85 nM were all inhibited by Tet (10 μM-1.2 mM), although these effects were less potent than those of Ver.

All these pharmacological actions of Tet and Ver were reversed by the addition of extra Ca⁺⁺ to the bathing medium.

The results we obtained confirm that Tet is a Ca⁺⁺-antagonist of plant origin.

The effects of tetrandrine (Tet) on action potential and contraction were studied in isolated guinea pig papillary muscles in normal and K⁺-rich Tyrode’s solution.

Tet produced concentration-dependent negative inotropic effect and shortened APD₂₀ (action potential duration) and APD₉₀, while resting potential and amplitude of the action potential were not affected. Thus, an excitation-contraction uncoupling was revealed. Tet decreased the amplitude of Ca⁺⁺-mediated slow action potential induced by high K⁺. These results are in contrast with those of quinidine but are consistent with those of slow channel blockers.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are widely used in China for contraception, but uterine bleeding is the most common side effect. This study is to observe the effects on menstrual blood loss (MBL) of the 4 types of IUDs —stainless steel ring (SR), Shanghai copper T 200 (CuT), Shanghai copper V 200 (CuV) and Beijing copper V 200 (BV) —which are commonly used in China. MBL was determined in 82 subjects in pre and postinsertion periods. After insertion, the mean MBL of all types of IUDs were significantly higher than that before insertion (P<0.01). The range was 11.7—425 ml, and the increased percentage of MBL was 23–109%. It did not return to the preinsertion level in the 12th menstrual period. The Hb concentration remained essentially unchanged during the study. The increased mean MBL and incidence of menorrhagia in the postinsertion period showed lower bleeding effect in the SR and BV groups than the CuT and CuV ones. SR may be IUD of choice for long term use if the expulsion rate and contraceptive efficacy can be improved. The bleeding problem of CuT and CuV remains to be solved in the future.

20 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus have been grafted with short-term cultured islet tissue of several fetal pancreases intramuscularly (7 cases) and intraperitoneally (13 cases). After transplantation, all of them took specially prepared traditional Chinese medicine daily and except 7 recipients one dose of antihuman thymocyte globulin as immunosuppressive therapy. Before transplantation, their daily insulin requirements ranged from 40 to 84 u but diabetes was mostly not well controlled. After transplantation, all but one recipients had good transplanting effect. The daily insulin requirements of these 19 efficiently transplanted diabetics had been reduced by 30–90 % in comparison with those before transplantation, in 13 of which the daily insulin requirements had been reduced by more than 50% (5 cases more than 80 %), while their fasting plasma glucose levels, except a few, remained normal or even subnormal. In some patients the postprandial plasma glucose levels remained less than 150 mg/d1. 2 patients had become noninsulin-dependent for a short time. 19 successfully transplanted diabetics have been followed up for 2 –11 months after transplantation, and their islet grafts are all working well without any sign of rejection.

After long-term (1–14.5 years) postoperative follow-up observations of 407 cases of portal hypertension, the therapeutic effects of 204 cases which had undergone gastroesophageal devascularization (GEDV) and 203 cases which had undergon eportal systemic shunt (PSS) were compared. The long-term survival rate ot GEDV (89.0%) is higher than that of PSS (61.67%). The incidence of both bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy is much lower in GEDV than in PSS (6.90%, 0%, versus 15.75 %, 12.95% respectively). There is no significant difference in other respects, such as, pre and postoperative changes in varices, liver function, ascites and working capability. The observation also indicates that GEDV has the advantage of broader spectrum on case selection for operation. On the basis of our observation, we prefer GEDV to shunt procedures for patients of Child’s class C or patients with acute massive bleeding.

In this study the authors studied acute effects of 5 toxic metals (cadmium, mercury, lead, chromium and arsenic) and a lead-zinc ore on microsomal mixed function oxidase system of the male rat. The results showed that a single dose of cadmium acetate (2.4 mg/kg I.P.) 72 hours following treatment, and a single dose mercuric chloride (2.0 mg/kg I.P.), lead acetate (100 mg/kg I.P.) or lead-zinc ore (1100 mg/kg I.P.) 24 hours following treatment inhibited microsomal mixed function oxidase activity of the male rat liver. A single dose of sodium chromate (17 mg/kg I.P.) or sodium arsenite (4.0 mg/kg I.P.) did not exhibit any effect on microsomal mixed function oxidase activity 24 hours following treatment. In vitro the results showed that cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium could inhibit the activity of hepatic microsomal aniline hydroxylase and decrease the concentration of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 directly. The mechanisms through which cadmium, lead, and chromium depressed hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase activity are primarily discussed.

Based on an echocardiographic study of a series of 52 patients with Marian’s syndrome, we found that the echocardiographic characteristic of Marfan’s syndrome was marked dilatation of aortic root with or without mitral valve prolapse. 48 cases (92.3%) in this series were found to have aortic root enlargement, 11 of which were associated with mitral valve prolapse. This finding suggested that marked dilatation of aortic root should be an important diagnostic picture of Marfan’s syndrome. Echocardiogram enhanced significantly the detection rate of cardiovascular defects, so it is helpful in observation of outstanding family tendency toward involvement of different organ-systems in different families in Marfan’s syndrome.

In vitro lymphocyte transformation to non-specific stimulant or specific stimulant is frequently used in the assessment of cell-mediated immunity so that a better understanding of the immune response must be gained before use. Lymphocyte transformation to bovine serum albumin (BSA) or human serum albumin (HSA) immunogen was carefully studied. The standard conditions were: (1) 100 μg of BSA or HSA immunogen; (2) 120 hours of incubation time after addition of antigen; (3) 1/30 dilution of whole blood and 0.5X10⁶ lymphocytes per culture; (4) 1 μCi of³H-thymidine per culture.

This paper reports a cross-sectional survey in a defined population. The level and distribution of intraerythrocyte sodium ions (Na⁺_i) and extraerythrocyte sodium ions (Na⁺e) of 221 male and female workers were studied and their relationship with blood pressure was analysed by multiple and step-wise regression. The results suggested that: (1) A part of hypertensives and their descendents with normal blood pressure had abnormal sodium transport phenomenon in their erythrocytes membrane. (2) Plasma Na⁺ concentration was positively correlated with the blood pressure of normotensives especially those with family hypertension history. (3) The difference between Na⁺_i and Na⁺_e concentrations was negatively correlated with blood pressure (especially on SBP) of the descendents of hypertensives. (4) These effects were much greater than those produced by known factors such as sex, age, weight and height.

In this study cytogenetic analysis of 5 cases of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is described and 3 (60%) of them showed t(15; 17) in karyotype. In recent years more than 130 cases of hematological disorders were studied cytogenetically in our laboratory and this kind of translocation has not been found except in APL. As shown in these patients t(l5; l7) might occur in adults as well as in children and likewise in patients with or without DIC. The chromosome study by G-banding technique demonstrated that the breakpoint of chromosome No. 15 was located between q²⁴ and q²⁵, and that of chromosome No. 17 was located at q²¹. The structural rearrangement was reported as rcp(15;17) (q²⁵⁰⁰; q^2102?).

We found a special form of collagen fibrils in tentorium cerebelli and internal cranial periost of hen with two characteristics under electron-microscope:

The possibility and significance of such special collagen fibrils have been discussed.