Tetrandrine (Tet) 10 mg/kg or verapamil (Ver) 0.4 mg/kg i.v. decreased cardiac contractility as shown by the lowering of dZ/dtmax, prolongation of Q-Z interval and decrease of Heather index in anesthetized dogs. The pump function parameters of the heart: cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, stroke index and time tension index were reduced concomitantly. Since both drugs decreased heart rate, total peripheral resistance and time tension index, the oxygen consumption of the heart might be reduced accordingly.
The fact that the effects of Tet and Ver on the heart rerformance are very similar and can all be reversed by calcium chloride gives further support to the speculation that Tet may be a slow channel blocker.
The protective effect of tetrandrine (Tet) on myocardial hypoxia and necrosis induced by isoproterenol (Iso) in rats has been investigated.
After administration of Iso (3 mg/kg s.c.), electrographical changes within 48 h were examined at first.
In the acute experiment, Tet (100 mg/kg s.c.) reduced the depression of T wave and SαT segment due to myocardial hypoxia induced by Iso (3 mg/kg s.c.). In subacute experiment, the electrographical changes of myocardial injury and necrosis caused by Iso (5 mg/kg s.c. sx2), inversion or biphasic pattern of T waves, elevation of SαT and the appearance of Q (q) wave were all alleviated by Tet too.
It was suggested that as a calcium antagonist Tet had a protective effect on myocardial hypoxia and necrosis induced by Iso in rats through blocking calcium influx into the cell.
A comparison of the effects of tetrandrine (Tet) on 7 isolated vascular strips of rabbits was made. The influence of Tet, verapamil (Ver) and phentolamine (Phen) on noradrenaline (NA) concentration-response curves was also studied. Tet inhibited the contraction evoked by high-K+ in thoracic aortic strips and more prominently in mesenteric arterial strips. Phen antagonized NA competitively, while Tet and Ver antagonized NA in a noncompetitive manner. Calcium was also antagonized by Tet and Ver noncompetitively. These findings suggest that Tet and Ver resemble each other in inducing relaxation on vascular smooth muscles, which results from their antagonism to calcium.
By exploring the effects of fenvalerate on enzymes of rat liver cell membranes and microsomes, it was found that fenvalerate inhibited the activities of liver plasma membrane-bound 5′-Nase and ALP in different extent, induced microsomal AH activity and increased cytochrome P-450 content. A preliminary study was made to elucidate the possible mechanism of these effects.
25 liver biopsies of chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH) were studied with special reference to pathological characteristics, diagnostic criteria, etiology and pathogenesis. The pathological characteristics of CLH are similar to those of a mild variety of virus hepatitis, but the symptoms of CLH are usually mild and its course is longer than 6 months. The diagnosis can be made by the pathological changes and the course of the disease. This viewpoint is identical with that of foreign authors, 20 cases (80 %) in our series were found to be HBsAg positive by the double bridge PAP immunohistochemical method. Distribution of various patterns of antigen in the hepatocytes was seen, among which membranous typeI HBsAg was predominant (44%) and the cytoplasmic type ranked second (32 %). In 5 cases HBsAg was negative. The distributive patterns of membranous typeI HBsAg seem to reflect a mild immune injury of hepatic cells, a condition of low function of immunity, and residual viral antigen which could not be cleared away in time, and the patients revealed clinically mild symptoms and a longer course. The focal necrosis and the hepatic cells around it showed that the HBsAg decreased or even disappeared. This seems to explain that the patients possessed certain immune ability against the viral agent.
A light and electron microscopic study was undertaken on a surgical specimen of a hepatic fibrolamellar carcinoma with special emphasis on the mitochondrial changes in nontumor hepatocytes. The tumor, both light and electron microscopically, showed typical features for this special variant neoplasm. The nontumor liver maintained normal architecture with marked lymphoid hyperplasia and fibrosis in the portal regions in the vicinity of the tumor. No megamitochondria were appreciated under the light microscopic examination. The electron microscopic observation, however, revealed prominent morphological alterations of individual mitochondrion. The dividing mitochondria were frequently found. Pseudoinclusions or invaginations of the membrane were common. Many mitochondria were enlarged with various shapes. The cristae were disordered and crystalloid material was easily observed. The possible significance of these mitochondrial abnormalities in nontumor hepatocytes was discussed.
Two patients with protease inhibitor (Pi) Z-, four with Pi MZ and three Pi MM patients were studied at autopsy to demonstrate alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) in renal tubules. Sections of liver and kidney were stained for AAT by indirect immuno-peroxidase method. All of the Pi MM patients showed strong reaction in most of the proximal and some of the distal tubular epithelia. Of six cases with abnormal Pi, one failed to give any staining, four showed positive reaction in some of the proximal tubules, one case with higher AAT in the serum than the other cases revealed relatively strong activity in most of the proximal tubules. The results suggest that AAT is frequently present in the renal tubular epithelia, but whether it is produced in that site or secondarily absorbed from glomerular filtrate is unclear.
Needle biopsies of the liver from 4 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were examined by electron microscopy with special attention to changes of intrahepatic bile ducts. A septal duct with a diameter of approximately 160 μ from case 2 revealed three types of alterations in the epithelia. A few cells showed oncocytic changes characterized by a large amount of mitochondria densely packed in their relatively abundant cytoplasm. No such cells were observed in the bile ducts from other three cases. The changes observed suggest that both degeneration and regeneration were constantly going on in the bile ducts due to the persistence of etiologic factor(s) in this condition, resulting in the diminution of bile ducts. The large number of mitochondria and striking changes of the cristae in the oncocytes provide the possibility that these cells could trigger the formation of antimitochondrial antibody which is present in virtually all of the patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
Experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis induced with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or sheep serum (SS) was studied under immunofluorescent, light and electron microscope. Immunofluorescent study revealed fine and coarse granular immunofluorescent deposits along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Electron microscopic examination showed humps of electron-dense deposits in the spaces between the processes of the podocyte external to the GBM. Light microscopic examination showed acute proliferative glomerulonephritis. Taking human immune complex glomerulonephritis into account, the results of the present Study are of considerable significance to the further study of etiology, pathogenesis, pathological changes, clinical manifestations, prevention and treatment of glomerulonephritis. In addition, similar results were obtained by using either BSA or SS. Under ordinary conditions, it is suitable to use SS instead of BSA, because the former is easy to get and cheaper.
Heat stroke model was made under artificial hot environment in 26 mongrel dogs, and hemodynamic alterations and their mechanism were investigated. When the rectal temperature rose above 41°C the stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO) significantly decreased. The central venous pressure (CVP) declined at first, but increased later and rose above the control value at 43°C. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) began to decrease at 41°C, and decreased by 25.7% (P < 0.01) at 42.5°C comparison with the control value. MAP dropped dramatically (68.4 %) at 43°C. Besides, the serum concentration of potassium increased by 6.1±1.6 mg (P < 0.01) in comparison with the control value. Naloxone (0.1–0.3 mg/kg) was injected i.v. at 40. 5°C of rectal temperature. SV and CO increased markedly at 41°C and 42 °C. CVP declined significantly, and MAP showed elevation at 41°C. These findings suggested that the circulatory failure during heat stroke might be related to the increased β-endorphin release from the anterior pituitary gland and the increase of serum potassium concentration.
The aim of the present work is to detect the presence of bacteriuria by measuring voltage of urine with electrochemical method. 100 specimens of urine were collected from normal persons, to 49 of which bacteria were added to obtain bacteriuria (concentration of Bacillus coli, Bacillus aerogenes and Bacillus proteus is 105/ml, respectively).
The voltage of normal urine ranged from −290 mV to −471 mV, with a mean value of −394.9 mV (SD=38.3 mV), while that of bacteriuria ranged from +266 mV to −375 mV with a mean value of −80.36 mV (t=5.85,P < 0.0l). Taking −318 mV as critical line, 96% of normal urine specimens were below this voltage, with only 4% appearing false positive, while 95.92% of bacteriuria specimens were above that line, with 4.08% appearing to be false negative. The above data revealed that electrochemical detection method is valuable for distinguishing normal urine from bacteriuria. Moreover, the instrument used is simple and works with rapid and effective results.
Effects of encainide on electrophysiologic variables and ventricular arrhythmia inducibility were studied in normal anesthetized dogs, using programmed electrical stimulation with unipolar cathodal (8 dogs) or bipolar (10 dogs) stimulation modes. Encainide produced significant concentration-dependent increases in ventricular refractory period, and diastolic current threshold with smaller but significant increases in QRS and Q-Tc. It decreased spontaneous heart rate and mean arterial pressure at high concentration. After administration of encainide, ventricular tachyarrhythmias could be induced by bipolar stimulation in half of the dogs (5/10 dogs,P < 0.05, compared to control). While unipolar cathodal stimulation could not cause reproducible ventricular arrhythmias. We conclude that encainide may facilitate the induction of ventricular arrhythmias in normal dogs and that bipolar stimulation may produce different results compared to unipolar stimulation in the presence of encainide.
A simple technique of heterotopic heart-lung transplantation in the rat has been established. The preparation of donor heart-lung and surgical procedures used on the recipient are those originally described by Lee, with minor modifications. The donor’s ascending aorta is anastomosed to the recipient’s abdominal aorta and all the other vessels are permanently ligated. Except the right inferior lobe of the lung which is left attached to the heart all the rest of the pulmonary lobes is removed. The direction of blood flow through the transplanted heart and lung is as follows: aorta, coronary arteries, coronary sinus, pulmonary lobe, left atrium and left ventricle and then to the aorta (with blood exiting from donor aorta to host aorta during contraction of the donor heart). In inbred Wistar rats, the one month survival rate was 90 %. The model is used for experimental selection of immunosuppressive drugs to prolong the survival time of allografts in the rat.