Effects of intraaortic balloon pumping on acute myocardial infarction in 64 cases of cardiogenic shock, severe heart failure and mechanical heart failure

Of the patients treated in the CCU of Nippon Medical School for acute myocardial infarction in the past 5 years and 8 months, 44 with cardiogenic shock, 11 with severe heart failure, 7 with ventricular septal perforation and 2 with mitral regurgitation were treated by IABP. The peak effect of IABP on the hemodynamics of patients with cardiogenic shock was noted 24 hours after starting on IABP. When hemodynamics were compared between surviving and dead groups, there was a significant difference in stroke volume index between the two groups. When left ventricular function was compared between them, it was suggested that patients whose left ventricular function does not respond to IABP for 48 hours or longer are more likely to die than responders. Twenty-four of 44 patients became independent of IABP, but no more than 13 patients (30%) survived for 6 months or longer. Isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) was combined with IABP in 7 patients who had a persistence of heart failure in spite of IABP. Combination therapy with IABP and ISDN elicited a significant increase in cardiac index, a significant decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance and a pronounced improvement in left ventricular function, and all 7 patients became independent of IABP. In the patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated with ventricular septal perforation, the mean systolic arterial pressure was 87.7 +/- 8.3 mmHg, mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, 20.3 +/- 7.4 mmHg and pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio, 3.12 +/- 0.95 before starting on IABP. When the hemodynamics at 3 hours of IABP were compared to the pre-IABP values, the right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio had a tendency to decline, but the changes were not statistically significant, except for the peak arterial pressure which showed a significant elevation at 3 hours of IABP. Three of the 7 patients became dependent on IABP, and 2 of the 3 patients were saved by emergency operation.

[Chemotherapy of gastric and rectal cancers incorporating non-radical irradiation during remission induction. 1]

For the remission induction therapy of advanced gastric and rectal cancer, 25 cases were treated by non-radical irradiation (total doses: 3000-6000 rad) combined with tegafur, which minimized the tumor mass. For the reduction of tumor mass, a modified method of FAMT was employed and for the maintenance therapy of long-term chemotherapy a modified method of FAMT, MFE, MF or tegarfur alone were performed. Prolongation in survival was obtained with this combination therapy: Of 25 cases, 11 cases survived longer than one year and 6 cases longer then two years. One case of survived rectal cancer obtained disease-free for about 8 years with this treatment. But the observation period was too short to calculate one-year and two-year survival rates of all cases. The indications for application of this combination therapy were as follows; (1) Locally operable cases with myocardial infarct, heart insufficiency, poor risk or refusal of operation, (2) Very aged patients, (3) Locally inoperable cases without clinical metastasis, and (4) Primary lesion of gastric cancer with small metastasis controllable by tegafur. It was concluded that over 3000 rad of irradiation combined with tegafur was necessary to obtain the sufficient radiation effect. As for side effects, loss of appetite , leukopenia and a few case of gastric bleeding by radiation were noted. From the result this treatment modality appears to be valuable in the management of gastric and rectal cancer.

[In vivo evaluation of cellular immunity in melanoma patients against melanoma]

Evaluation of cellular immunity against human melanoma was performed in an in vivo model using Balb/c nude mice bearing the human melanoma. Intraperitoneal injection of 1 X 10(7) melanoma cells produced peritonitis carcinomatosa which lead to death of the mice at 23.8 +/- 2.6 days (N = 12). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from healthy donors and the melanoma cells cultured on the back of the nude mouse were given to nude mice intraperitoneally, and survival times of 22.0 +/- 2.3 days were observed (N = 8). PBL from four of the five healthy donors which have been presensitized on monolayers of the melanoma tissue culture cells in flask failed to prolong host survival times. In contrast, PBL from 15 of 20 melanoma patients were found to prolong the survival of the tumor bearing nude mice. Of these 15 patients, 8 were treated with specific active immunotherapy, but 7 had not been sensitized except by the disease process. The ability of PBL from patients to prolong survival of the melanoma bearing nude mice did not seem to correlate with either the stage of the disease or the clinical course. The possible mechanisms for the prolonged survival and the usefulness of this in vivo model were discussed.

Subcutaneous portal reservoir for chemotherapy of metastatic carcinoma of the liver

A subcutaneous portal reservoir system has been developed for infusing chemotherapeutic agents intraportally to treat nonresectable metastasis to the liver. We have discussed the clinical use and effectiveness of the system.

The role of L-carnitine in the pathogenesis of cardiomegaly in patients with chronic hemodialysis

Many reports have suggested that cardiac dysfunction with cardiomegaly is more often observed in patients with chronic hemodialysis. Moreover, cardiac dysfunction has been thought as one of the most important factors affecting the prognosis of these patients. In this study, in order to clarify the role of l-carnitine in the pathogenesis of cardiomegaly, 33 patients with chronic hemodialysis were studied using the multivariate analysis method. Among the factors which may affect cardiac function, the following 10 variables were examined. 1) age, 2) duration of dialysis, 3) plasma carnitine, 4) serum total cholesterol, 5) serum HDL-cholesterol, 6) triglyceride, 7) systolic blood pressure, 8) diastolic blood pressure, 9) left ventricular voltage on a electrocardiogram at rest and 10) hematocrit. The plasma carnitine levels in these patients were markedly reduced and inversely correlated with the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) on the chest X-ray films (r = 0.38, p less than 0.05). In principal component analysis, the CTR was closely related to hematocrit and plasma carnitine levels. By multiregression analysis, both hypo-carnitinemia and anemia were independently shown to be important causes of cardiomegaly. Thus, it is suggested that the cardiomegaly in patients with chronic hemodialysis may be improved by supplemental therapy with l-carnitine, even in cases with severe anemia.

A regional difference in the distribution of postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes in canine veins

The responsiveness of helical venous strips isolated from fifteen different sites in the body of dogs to relatively selective alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists was studied, as well as to a non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonist. Longitudinal strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the inferior vena cava between the liver and the renal vein (segment C) were also investigated. All veins contracted to noradrenaline or phenylephrine whereas only seven veins responded significantly to clonidine: the saphenous, cephalic, jugular and femoral veins and longitudinal strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the segment C of the inferior vena cava. The brachiocephalic, azygos, pulmonary and splenic veins and the superior vena cava and the supradiaphragmatic portion (segment A) and the infrarenal portion (segment D) of the inferior vena cava responded little to clonidine. Unlike the longitudinal strips, the helical strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the segment C of the inferior vena cava did not respond to clonidine. According to the relative sensitivities to phenylephrine and clonidine, those veins which responded to clonidine could be divided into three groups. (1) The veins in which the sensitivity to phenylephrine was higher than to clonidine: longitudinal strips of the portal vein and segment C of the inferior vena cava, (2) the veins whose sensitivity to phenylephrine was lower than to clonidine: the saphenous, cephalic, femoral and external jugular veins, (3) the vein whose sensitivity to the two agonists was comparable: longitudinal strips of the mesenteric vein. Subtype characteristics were further analyzed in the saphenous vein and in the portal vein using prazosin, phentolamine and yohimbine as antagonists. Analysis of Schild plots to noradrenaline suggested that a mixed population of alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes might be present in the saphenous vein, whereas a rather homogeneous population of a single subtype might occur in the portal vein. The results of the antagonism experiment against phenylephrine and clonidine suggested that contractions of the saphenous vein are mediated by both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors whereas contractions of the portal vein are exerted mainly through alpha 1-adrenoceptors. The results suggest that there may be a distinct regional difference with respect to postsynaptic alpha- adrenoceptor subtypes in the canine venous system.

A case of strut fracture of the new Björk-Shiley mitral valve prosthesis

We treated a 61-year-old Japanese man with a strut fracture of the new Björk-Shiley mitral valve. This fracture occurred about two months after mitral valve replacement. Emergency reoperation was performed as soon as the chest X-ray showed the fracture, despite the presence of cardiopulmonary shock. He died on the 3rd postoperative day. Similar reported cases of literature are reviewed.

[Case of hepatocellular carcinoma with a marked reduction in the tumor size induced by PSK administration alone]

A 56-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of right abdominal pain. The edge of the liver was felt 4.5 fingers breadth below the xiphoid process. AFP was 20100 ng/ml and CEA was 5.6 ng/ml. The chest X-ray indicated existence of lymphangitis and some nodular density suggesting lung metastasis in the both lower-lung fields. 99mTc-phytate liver scan showed a large defect along the antero-inferior margin of the right hepatic lobe, which revealed an abnormal uptake of 67Ga-citrate. Ultrasonograms demonstrated a solid mass, 8 X 9 cm, in the right lobe of the liver. A CT-scan of the abdomen also showed a large, rounded, low attenuation mass with central necrosis in the right hepatic lobe: the pancreas and the remaining retroperitoneal structures appeared normal. Following the administration of PSK alone, 3 g daily, for three months, a remarkable regression of both hepatomegaly and lung metastasis was observed. Liver scan, ultrasonograms and CT-scan showed a striking resolution of the intrahepatic mass except central necrosis. AFP decreased to 33.7 ng/ml and CEA was 8.2 ng/ml. After about one year, however, ultrasonogramms showed a newly growing solid mass, 3.5 X 3.5 cm, in the left lobe of the liver. A needle biopsy specimen was taken from the intrahepatic mass, and it was interpreted as hepatoma. He is now healthy.

Evidence against significant resting sympathetic coronary vasoconstrictor tone in the conscious dog

The primary objective of this study was to ascertain whether resting coronary blood flow is under tonic restraint due to sympathetically mediated alpha-adrenergic coronary vasoconstriction. To accomplish this, we first developed and verified a technique for selectively sympathectomizing the posterior region of the canine left ventricle. This technique entailed the topical application of phenol in a thin line to specific sites on the myocardium and epicardial vessels. As part of the verification, we demonstrated that left stellate nerve stimulation caused increases in the myocardial extraction ratios for oxygen and lactate in the normally innervated region (I) of the ventricle, but not in the sympathectomized region (Sx). We then measured regional myocardial blood flow with microspheres in phenol-treated animals under conscious, resting conditions. The animals were acclimated to the laboratory environment, and their arterial plasma norepinephrine levels averaged 135 +/- 37 pg/ml. heart rate (81 +/- 3 bpm) and mean aortic pressure (100 +/- 2 mm Hg) were not significantly affected by beta-adrenergic blockade or combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade in these animals. Blood flow in I and Sx averaged 0.87 +/- 0.08 ml/min per g and 0.85 +/- 0.07 ml/min per g, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant. The endocardial-to-epicardial blood flow ratio in I and Sx averaged 1.23 +/- 0.03 and 1.29 +/- 0.04, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant. The results were not significantly affected by beta-adrenergic blockade or combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade. We were unable to confirm previous evidence in the literature of significant resting sympathetic coronary vasoconstrictor tone in the conscious animal.

Comparison of pre- and postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptor blocking effects of E-643 in the isolated vas deferens of the rat

Effectiveness of E-643, a newly developed alpha-blocker, and four alpha-antagonists in blocking pre- and postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors were compared in the isolated rat vas deferens. The inhibitory effect of clonidine on the field-stimulated twitch response was antagonized in the presence of the alpha-antagonist. The order of affinity (pA2) for presynaptic alpha-receptors, as assessed from parallel shift of the dose-response curve to clonidine, was: phentolamine greater than yohimbine greater than tolazoline greater than E-643 greater than or equal to prazosin. At concentrations from 10(-8) to 10(-6) M, neither E-643 nor prazosin had any effect on the twitch which had been depressed by the treatment with clonidine, whereas phentolamine, yohimbine and tolazoline partially reversed it. Contractile effects of cumulative concentrations of noradrenaline were also antagonized by alpha-antagonists. The order of affinity (pA2) for postsynaptic alpha-receptors was: E-643 greater than or equal to prazosin greater than phentolamine greater than yohimbine greater than tolazoline. Selectivity for pre- versus postsynaptic alpha-receptors was assessed by comparing KB values for pre- and postsynaptic alpha-receptors. The order of selectivity for the presynaptic alpha-receptors was : yohimbine greater than tolazoline greater than phentolamine much greater than prazosin greater than or equal to E-643. It is concluded that E-643 is a potent and highly selective postsynaptic alpha-blocker.

alpha-Adrenoceptor blocking properties of a new antihypertensive agent, 2-[4-(n-butyryl)-homopiperazine-1-yl]-4-amino-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline (E-643)

Postsynaptic alpha-receptor blocking properties of E-643 were studied in vivo and in vitro and compared with these same properties of phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine. In anesthetized rats, E-643 (i.v.) attenuated pressor response to adrenaline dose-dependently and an adrenaline-reversal was seen with large doses. The in vivo alpha-adrenoreceptor blocking effect of E-643 was 3.4 times more potent than that of phentolamine. On the other hand, hypotensive action of E-643 was 9.4 times more potent than that of phentolamine. In the isolated rabbit aorta, E-643 blocked noradrenaline-induced contraction of the aorta with a parallel shift of the dose-response curve to the right. The pA2 values for E-643 and phentolamine were 8.60 and 7.65, respectively. The alpha-blocking effect of E-643 was reversible. E-643 protected alpha-receptors against irreversible inhibition by phenoxybenzamine. E-643 neither exhibited significant blocking effects on K+-, Ba2+- and angiotensin-induced contractions of the aorta nor caused relaxation of the aorta contracted by Ca2+. These data suggest that E-643 is a specific and competitive inhibitor of noradrenaline at the alpha-adrenoceptors.

[Experiences on stereotaxic hypophysectomy for recurrent breast carcinoma; with particular reference to its pain relief (author's transl)]

Stereotaxic hypophysectomy was performed in nine patients with advanced breast carcinoma. Only one patient showed an objective remission in the form of decreased size of the chest wall ulcer after the operation. However, all but one patient did get relief of pain lasting for months. In one of these cases, where hypophyseal ablation was carried out under local anesthesia, pain relief was ascertained immediately after the ablation, i.e., during the operation. Such an instantaneous pain relief, which to the author's knowledge has never been described elsewhere, was considered to be the result of an influence on the hypothalamus rather than the pituitary itself. Mechanism of lasting pain relief was ascribed to endorphins which have recently attracted attention as endogenous peptides with opiate-like activities. Pituitary ablation of the present authors were noted to be incomplete either seen from hormonal assessment or from morphological evaluation. It was stressed that significant pain relief could be gained by the apparently incomplete hypophyseal ablation, whereas complete destruction does not necessarily guarantee a hundred percent relief of pain. A deduction was made that although endorphins may play an important role in alleviating pain, integrity of its productive system and/or its receptors could also be important as well. Stereotaxic hypophyseal ablation might be the procedure of choice in certain patients with advanced breast carcinoma suffering from excruciating pain.

The structure of octapeptin D (studies on antibiotics from the genus Bacillus. XXVIII)

Amino acid analysis of the acid hydrolyzate of octapeptin D revealed the amino acid composition. These amino acids were converted to L-leucyl-derivatives and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography to clarify their chiralities. These were determined to be: 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (4L), Ser (D), Leu (2L, 1D). Deacylation with polymyxin acylase afforded deacyl octapeptin D. EDMAN degradation on deacyl octapeptin D revealed the N-terminal amino acid. Application of the chemical cleavage reaction for fragmentation of seryl peptides on tri (DNP)-octapeptin D afforded a DNP-heptapeptide, whose sequence was clarified by EDMAN degradation. Octapeptin D was separated into four components (D1,D2,D3 and D4) by high performance liquid chromatography. All the components were examined for their amino acid and fatty acid compositions. From the results, the structures of octapeptins D1, D2, D3 and D4 were determined.

Ten years' survey of dialysis-associated tuberculosis

Tuberculosis associated with dialysis was studied at the Renal Unit of the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Yokosuka Mutual Aid Hospital Kidney Center, in both of which the treatments of chronic renal failure are the same. There are 12 tuberculosis patients out of 367 patients on maintenance hemodialysis from January 1967 to December 1976, an incidence of 3.3%. This was 6-16 times greater than that in the general population of this country according to yearly statistics. The characteristics of dialysis-associated tuberculosis include a high incidence of miliary tuberculosis, especially in aged patients and difficulty in establishing the diagnosis before death. Clinical features which are helpful in the early diagnosis are intermittent high fever of unknown origin, weight loss, anorexia, abnormalities of the central nervous system, erythrocyte sedimentation rate over 100 mm/h, leukocytosis and high value of the C-reactive protein. With the increasing number of dialysis patients, an increase of dialysis-associated tuberculosis is expected and this will be one of the major problems of dialysis patients in future.

Surgical treatment of tachyarrhythmias

As a treatment for tachyarrhythmia, we have experienced 3 cases of Kent bundle division for WPW syndrome and 7 cases for implantation of atrial pacemaker. In two cases of Kent bundle division for A type and B type WPW syndrome, reappearance of premature supraventricular tachycardia was noticed but with less frequency and in number. A case of B type was cured surgically. Seven cases (including a case with elapse of 6 years) implanted with R-F atrial pacemaker termination of tachyarrhythmia resulted by rapid atrial pacing for 10 seconds.

[Central action of beta-phenylethylamine derivatives (10). Effect of L-Dopa on metaraminol induced motor activity (author's transl)]

The present experiments were undertaken in investigate the effects of Ro4-4602 plus L-Dopa on biphasic action induced by metaraminol (MA) in mice. The following results were obtained: Spontaneous motor activity (SMA) suppressed by MA was recovered by pretreatment of Ro4-4602 plus L-Dopa and increased by more than 100 mg/kg of L-Dopa. However, SMA was increased by more than 400 mg/kg of L-Dopa in saline pretreated mice. In MA pretreated mice, SMA by L-Dopa markedly increased in proportion to the doses of MA. The peak time of SMA by L-Dopa in MA pretreated mice was observed to be faster than that in saline pretreated mice. When L-Dopa was injected into MA and saline pretreated mice, there was no significant difference of brain dopamine content between the two groups. From the above results, it is considered that the enhanced effect of L-Dopa in MA pretreated mice may be due to production of a supersensitivity to catecholamines in the central nervous system. MA induced hyper-motor activity was enhanced by pretreatment of Ro4-4602 plus L-Dopa which have no influence on SMA.

[Central action of beta-phenylethylamine derivatives (9). Effects of intracerebral administration of metaraminol on brain monoamine in mice (author's transl)]

Effects of intracerebral (i.c.) administration of metaraminol (MA) on brain monoamine in mice were studied. The results were as follows: MA, dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were separated with phosphate buffer using a phosphorylated cellulose column (1X11 cm, 9 ml, Lot No. 2809). When MA was i.c. injected into mice, fluorescence of MA at 275/305 nm decreased in proportion to the time course and remained even at 12 hr after injection. Thirty min after MA in doses of either 40 or 80 microgram, a significant decrease of DA as compared with that of saline-treated group occurred and MA, in doses of 40, 80 and 160 microgram produced a significant decrease of NA and 5-HT. Thirty min after 160 microgram of MA, there was no significant difference in DA. Three hr after MA, DA levels significantly decreased, and 168 hr after were restored to the levels of the saline-treated group. Thirty min after MA, NA and 5-HT signficantly decreased compared with those of the saline-treated group and recovery took place 48 hr and 168 hr after respectively. It was concluded that MA depletes not only NA but also DA and 5-HT in the mouse brain.

Studies on the role of sympathetic nervous system in the mechanism of essential hypertension

In order to investigate a role of sympathetic nervous system in the mechanism of blood-pressure elevation in essential hypertension, urinary catecholamines, serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity and a pressor response to infused noradrenaline (noradrenaline response) were measured, in the patients with essential hypertension, before and 2 weeks-rest after hospitalization or following salt restriction. In addition, plasma renin activity (PRA) and water-sodium contents were determined and a correlation between these variables and noradrenaline excretion, serum DBH or noradrenaline response was observed. A blood pressure fall after hospitalization was associated with a decrease of urinary noradrenaline and serum DBH, and there was a significantly positive correlation between the changes in blood pressure and those in urinary noradrenaline or in serum DBH. A significantly adverse correlation was found between plasma volume and the amounts of urinary noradrenaline excretion. The changes in noradrenaline response was negatively correlated with those in urinary noradrenaline excretion. In addition, noradrenaline response was correlated positively with plasma volume, extracellular fluid volume and total exchangeable sodium and negatively with PRA. Following salt restriction, a fall of the blood pressure was associated with an elevation of urinary noradrenaline excretion. The patients with more marked blood pressure fall showed a higher increase of urinary noradrenaline, and a significant correlation was found between the changes in these two variables. Noradrenaline response was significantly reduced, although it was not correlated significantly with noradrenaline excretion. In these experiments, adrenaline, unlike noradrenaline, did not show any obvious changes. These findings suggested that an excessive sympathetic nerve activity caused an elevation of blood pressure in the labile type of essential hypertension. It was demonstrated that a sympathetic nervous function was dependent on sodium intake and that there exisited a close relationship between noradrenaline response and water-sodium contents or PRA.

Studies on experimental coronary insufficiency. II. Effects of beta-adrenergic blocking agent (propranolol) on metabolic response to adrenaline and noradrenaline in dogs with coronary constriction

To obtain further information on the mechanism by which catecholamines produce myocardial ischemia, the effects of propranolol on metabolic and mechanical responses to adrenaline or noradrenaline were investigated in coronary-constricted dogs. Propranolol suppressed the myocardial ischemia produced by noradrenaline and adrenaline in dogs with moderate coronary constriction.

[Effects of beta-phenylethylamine derivatives on the central nervous system. (5) Changes in the volume of spontaneous movement in mice with intracerebral administration of tyramine]

Influence of tyramine (Ty) on behavioural changes in mice was studied and the following results obtained: 1) 30 min after Ty (160 mug, i.c.), brain noradrenaline and serotonin levels decreased while dopamine levels increased. 2) When Ty was injected i.c. into isocarboxazide (Iso) pretreated mice, spontaneous motor activity (SMA) measured by photo-cell counters method increased markedly but SMA by wheel cage method decreased. 3) When Ty was injected i.c. into Iso and p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) (400 mg/kg, i.p., daily X 2) pretended mice, SMA measured by photo-cell counters method increased. While, SMA increased from 30 to 90 min after Ty, SMA measured by wheel cage method decreased till 30 min after Ty. 4) When Ty was injected i.c. into Iso and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MPT) (125 mg/kg, i.p., daily X 2), SMA measured by photo-cell counters method decreased markedly when compared with Iso+saline treated group. When SMA was measured by wheel cage method, a difference between alpha-MPT+Iso-Ty treated group and Iso-saline group was not obtained. 5) When Ty was injected i.c. into p-CPA+alpha-MPT+Iso pretreated mice, SMA measured by photo-cell counters method did not show any increase compared with control group. 6) SMA produced by Iso-Ty in mice pretreated with haloperidol was significantly inhibited. A 50% dose of inhibition was seen with 0.3 mg/kg. From our results, it appears that an increase of SMA induced by Iso+Ty as revealed by the photo-cell counters method may be related to brain catecholamines and serotonin while a decrease of SMA in wheel cage method may be related to brain serotonin.

[Central action of beta-phenylethylamine derivatives. (4) Effects on spontaneous motor activity and body temperature of beta phenylethyamine derivatives injected into the brain in reserpine pretreated mice]

Effects on spontaneous motor activity and body temperature of beta-phenylethlamine derivatives injected into the cerebral ventricles in reserpine or reserpine and isocarboxazide pretreated mice were investigated with the following results. 1) Each injection of tyramine (40 mug) and dopamine (40 mug) increased the spontaneous motor activity measured by the photo-cell counters method in reserpinized mice. 2) Each injection of tyramine (40 mug), dopamine (40 mug) and beta-phenylethylamine (40 mug) increased the spontaneous motor activity measured by both the wheel cage and photo-cell counters methods in reserpine and isocarboxazide-pretreated mice, but noradrenaline (20 mug) and isoproterenol (80 mug) did not increase the spontaneous motor activity as determined by both methods. 3) The injection of tyramine (40 and 80 mug), dopamine (10 and 40 mug) and p-octopamine (40 mug) increased the body temperature in reserpine and isocarboxazide pretreated mice. 4) Tyramine, dopamine and p-octopamine caused a marked increase in the body temperature as compared with control injection in reserpine and isocarboxazide-pretreated mice, whereas isoproterenol had no influence on body temperature. Our results suggest that beta-phenylethylamine derivatives have different effects in reserpinized and non-pretreated states.