Anti-inflammatory Agent No.6 for injection (AI-6) is an effective anti-infective agent composed of four traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. It was demonstrated in our experiment that the agent was able to enhance oxidative burst of rat peritoneal macrophages as shown by the increased production of H2O2 and increased reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). It seems likely that by these means AI-6 could promote the bactericidal function of macrophages. NBT reduction of macrophages was observed by both spectrophotometric quantification and electron microscopy.
The effect of Anti-inflammatory Agent No.6 for injection (AI-6) on the cAMP content of rat peritoneal macrophages (Mϕ) was studied in the present work. It was demonstrated in in vitro studies that AI-6, while showing no effect on the basal cAMP level in resident peritoneal Mϕ, significantly facilitated the formyl Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine-induced increase in the intracellular cAMP concentration (control: 34.01 ±3.48 pmol/107 cells, test; 41.68±2.76 pmol/107 cells;P< 0.05). In vivo, AI-6 was found to increase the intracellular cAMP concentration of fetal calf serum(FCS)-elicited rat peritoneal Mϕ (control: 28.5±3.17 pmol/mg protein, test: 41.01±4.13 pmol/mg protein;P< 0.01). The possible effect of the drug-induced changes in cAMP level on Mϕ function is discussed.
An immurohistochemical staining combining protein A-gold(PAG) technique with silver intensification (PAGS) was employed to localize fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LN) in normal murine liver at light microscopic level. The technique possesses all the advantages from both Holgate’s IGSS method and PAG technique. It readily demonstrates FN and LN in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue without enzymatic digestion. The procedure for staining FN and LN was optimized. Some technical points to note were discussed in detail.
After pretreatment with verapamil (Ver) and tetrandrine (Tet), the amount of ouabain required to induce the onset and peaking of inotropic effect as well as toxic reaction was increased, while peak value of positive inotropic effect was unaltered.
Neither the toxicity of ouabain nor its margin of safety was changed, but preventive and therapeutic action of Tet and Ver on ouabain-induced arrhythmia were demonstrated.
The anti-arrhythmic effects of tetrandrine, like Ver, may be relevant to Ca-antagonistic action.
The rabbits anaesthetized with urethane were made hyperthermic under heat stress. Effect of naloxone injected intracerebroventricularly on arterial baroreflex sensitivity (ABS) was investigated. The experimental animals were divided into two groups: the control and the naloxone-treated group. ABS decreased stepwisely in the control group when rectal temperature rose to over 40 °C. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) dropped markedly beyond 42°C. However, in the naloxone-treated group, ABS showed no significant change temperature reached 42°C. but it decreased dramatically at 43°C. Then, MAP was still maintained at about 90 mmHg. The results suggested that the marked reduction of ABS during hyperthermia might be related to endogenous opioid release.
In mongrel rabbits microinjection of norepinephrine (NE; 30 nmol) into the subnucleus commissuralis of nucleus tractus solitarii (CNTS) evoked a decrease of blood pressure and a slow-down of heart rate. Preinjection of yohimbin, prazosin or propranolol respectively in the same dose (0.3 nmol) into the CNTS did not have any effect on blood pressure and heart rate, but yohimbin could totally antagonize or even reverse the depresssor and bradycardiac effects of NE, while prazosin or propranolol could not. Microinjection of opiate receptor antagonist naloxone 3 nmol into CNTS did not itself affect the level of blood pressure and heart rate, but could markedly attenuate the cardiovascular effects of NE in CNTS.
Microinjection of morphine 10 μg into CNTS resulted in reduction of blood pressure and heart rate. Administration of 3 nmol of NE into the CNTS did not have any effect on blood pressure and heart rate, but could significantly enhance the cardiovascular effects of morphine in the CNTS.
The results indicated that at least part of the α2-adrenergic cardiovascular effects in the CNTS is mediated by the opiate system.
The search for antiimplantation agents has been attracting attention widely. In animal experiment it has been proven, that norethisterone oxime (NETO) showed significant antiimplantation effect with certain antigestogen activity. Rabbits and rats were used in morphological study in order to explore whether NETO also has some effect on the ovary.
20 mature female rabbits and 12 mature female rats were treated with NETO from the first day of pregnancy for three days and sacrificed on the 9th and the 7th day respectively. The ovaries and uteri were examined histologically after staining with HE and PAS, and histochemically (ACP, ALP, 3ß-HSD and SDH).
It was found that NETO showed obvious antigestogen effect. The corpora lutea became flattened and the lutein cells showed obvious vacuolar degeneration. In histochemical examination, the activity of ACP was increased and 3ß-HSD decreased, but ALP and SDH had not changed. The lutein cells showed electronmicroscopically an increase of fat droplets as well as secondary lysosomes in their cytoplasm and a decrease of SER in number. The secretory granules of lutein cells were of various size and electron density, some of them even exhausted. It could be concluded that the biosynthesis of steroid hormone in ovary was blocked due to the inhibition of 3ß-HSD activity, and that NETO might be an effective contraceptive in human beings.
Blood pressure measurements of 57775 children, aged 7–15, including 13 minority nationalities and Han people in the same region, were made and analysed in 1983. The results indicated that the mean blood pressure and the incidence of hypertension were higher in Lahu, Kazakh and Mongol children than in Tujia, Hui and Uygur children. There was remarkable difference in the mean blood pressure between minority nationalities and Han people living in the same regions, and difference could also be seen among the same minority nationality living in different areas. It seems that the natural and geographical conditions, life style and dietary habits, and hereditary features of different minorities exert great influence on the blood pressure of children.
2-Formoxylisoproianate pheny S-methyl phosphoramidothiolate (FMP), 2-Formoxylisoproianate pheny S-ethyl phosphoramidothiolate (FEP) and 2-Formoxylisoproianate pheny S-propyl phosphoramidothiolate (FPP) are three newly synthesized pesticides in China. The effects of these three pesticides on rat erythrocyte membrane acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity were studied and the influences on the kinetic properties of AchE investigated.
75 patients with various types of hepatitis B were studied by the assay of Gattringer’s spontaneous suppressor T cell (STs) function. 24 of them with chronic hepatitis B infection were simultaneously investigated by enumeration of OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT8+ T cell subsets in peripheral blood with staphylococci-conjugated IgG rosette forming technique. Patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CAHB) had a significantly decreased STs function while all but one asymptomatic HBsAg carriers had normal, or even higher than normal, STs function. OKT4/OKT8 ratio was obviously low both in CAH and in chronic persistent hepatitis B (CPHB). Positive relationship between STs function and the proportion of OKT8+ cells was identified while most patients with CAH showed higher proportion of OKT8+ cells and destroyed STs function simultaneously. It is suggested that OKT8+ cells in CAHB and CPHB are not of the same entity. In other words, in CAHB OKT8+ cells include mostly cytotoxic T cells, while in CPH, mostly T suppressors.
Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were prepared by gradient ultracentrifugation. Cholesterol and lipid peroxide of the two lipoproteins wers determined. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in lipoprotein-deficient serum media with LDL or HDL added. The release of 6-keto-PGF1α in the media was measured by radioimmunoassay. The morphological changes were observed under phase-contrast and electron microscope. Endothelial cells injured by LDL (100–600 cholesterol ug/ml) showed contraction (reversible), rounding-up, lysis and detachment from the surface of culture bottle (irreversible) respectively. The cellular ultrastructure was also damaged. The severity of cell injury was correlated with the concentration of LDL-cholesterol and the time of action. The synthesis of prostacyclin (PGI2) was stimulated by HDL, and inhibited by LDL, in culture (P< 0.01). A close relationship between morphological injury and decrease in PGI2 synthesis induced by LDL was demonstrated. The injury of endothelial cells induced by LDL was supposed to be due to the increase in lipid peroxide. The results of this study showed that the noxious effect of LDL on morphology and PGI2 synthesis may play an important role in thrombogenesis and atherosclerosis.
The incidence and expressive patterns of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and core antigen (HBcAg) in tumorous and nontumorous liver tissue of 50 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were studied with peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. In nontumcrous liver tissue, the incidence of HBcAg and HBcAg was 76% and 30%; in tumcrous tissue, 14 % and 6 % respectively. The incidence and expressive patterns of HBAg in HCC were similar to those of patients with chronic liver disease, suggesting that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is closely associated with HCC. The forms of HBV infection, the rate and patterns of the accompanying cirrhosis in patients with HCC were also discussed.