Effects of neuroleptic butyrophenones on pituitary-adrenal activity in rats

The effects of some neuroleptic butyrophenones such as haloperidol, clofuperol, trifluperidol, lenperone, moperone, and floropipamide on pituitary-adrenal activity were studied in rats following a single i.p. administration. All the drugs examined caused a marked increase in the plasma and adrenal corticosterone concentrations. The actions of haloperidol, clofluperol, and trifluperidol were shown to be most potent, while floropipamide was the weakest among them. The stimulatory effect of the drugs on adrenocortical activity was completely inhibited by either dexamethasone pretreatment or hypophysectomy and was shown not to be merely due to a consequence of a drug-induced hypothermia. These results indicate that the release of ACTH from the adenohypophysis is necessary for the drug action.

The influences of the route of administration on the metabolism and excretion of bitolterol, a new bronchodilator, in the rat

1. [3H]Bitolterol, an ester prodrug to colterol (N-t-butyl-arterenol), when administered orally, was excreted mostly in the urine; approx. equal amounts of 3H were found in urine and faeces after intraperitoneal or intravenous injection. 2. Half the dose was excreted in the bile following parenteral administration, while only a small amount of radioactivity was found in bile after oral dosage. The biliary-excreted material consisted mainly of glucuronides, for all routes of administration. 3. The glucuronides of colterol and 3-O-methyl-colterol were excreted in urine after oral administration of bitolterol. In addition to the glucuronides, free colterol and 3-O-methyl-colterol were excreted in urine following parenteral administration. 4. A part of bitolterol was hydrolysed to colterol in rat stomach, and bitolterol was more rapidly hydrolysed to colteral with homogenates of intestinal mucosa than with stomach homogenates in vitro.

Effect of long-term subconjunctival administration of Diamox (acetazolamide) on the ocular tension in rabbit

In eight normal rabbits, sodium acetazolamide (5.5 mg per kg of body weight) in 11% solution was injected subconjunctivally daily for about four weeks in the left eye of each rabbit, with the right eye serving as a control. Ocular tension in both eyes was measured by the Perkins hand-held applanation tonometer. Five of the eight rabbits showed a significant difference (P less than 0.05) in ocular tension between treated and untreated eyes, with a decrease in the treated left eye. The ocular tension decrease in the treated left eye began about one week after the beginning of the injections and lasted for about two weeks. Thereafter, ocular tension in the treated left eye returned to base-line levels, despite continued subconjuctival injection of sodium acetazolamide.

Cycloscopy of angle-closure glaucoma

Cycloscopy was performed in eyes with primary angle-closure glaucoma and non-glaucomatous wide-angle. In all eyes of primary angle-closure glaucoma, the ciliary processes were accessible through the small pupil by cycloscopy with minimal or no indentation. In fellow eyes of the previously acute-attack eyes, the ciliary processes were visualized through the small pupil without indentation. On the contrary, in primary angle-closure glaucoma eyes the significant shallow chamber depth was seen in 66%, and the positive prone-position test in 41%. The results obtained seem to suggest that morphological changes of the ciliary processes might be causally related to the manifestation of primary angle-closure glaucoma, and that cycloscopy is a reliable diagnostic method.

Effect of orally administered hydrocortisone on the ocular tension in primary open-angle glaucoma subjects. Preliminary report

We studied the possible influence on the pattern of diurnal ocular tension curve by peroral hydrocortisone in 16 eyes of 16 subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. The baseline diurnal curve was determined by Schiotz tonometry six times daily starting at 10 a.m. and repeated every four hours. The baseline curve showed a significant rise in the daytime with a fall during the night. On another day, 20 mg hydrocortisone was given perorally at 5 p.m., for a repeat 24-h measurement period. A significant rise in ocular tension over the baseline resulted in the following night-time tonometric readings, i.e. at 10 p.m. (P less than 0.01) and 2 a.m. (P less than 0.001). The results seem to strongly indicate that plasma cortico-steroid levels dictate the pattern of diurnal variation of ocular tension.

Fluorophotometry and the rate of aqueous flow in man. II. Primary open angle glaucoma

By fluorophotometry, the aqueous outflow rates of 38 eyes of 22 patients with definite or suspected primary open angle glaucoma, who were not receiving therapy, were determined. Although the values obtained do not differ from normal, the factors that modify or control the flow rate are different in normal and glaucomatous eyes. The flow rate decreases as the pressure increases in the glaucomatous group but not in the normal group. The flow rate increases with anterior chamber depth and decreases with age in the normal group but not in the glaucomatous group. The fluorescein decay constant is a measure of the movement of fluorescein from the cornea to the aqueous. This constant increases as the pressure increases in the glaucomatous group but not in the normal group.

Fluorophotometry and the rate of aqueous flow in man. I. Instrumentation and normal values

A new objective fluorophotometer, based on a previous model but with changes in electronic circuitry, was designed and built. The fluorometric method was applied to 38 normal eyes to obtain the aqueous outflow rate and fluorescein decay constant. Aqueous outflow rate has a direct correlation with the anterior chamber depth and an inverse correlation with age. The aqueous flow rate is higher in whites than in blacks, but in our sample, mean pressure was lower in whites. Acetazolamide decreases the aqueous flow rate and the fluorescein constant; the mean decrease in 10 eyes of 5 patients was approximately 38% and 22%, respectively. Fluorophotometry gives a higher value for the aqueous outflow rate than that calculated by tonography.

Significance of peritoneoscopic examination, direct cholangiography and cytological examination of aspirated bile in the diagnosis of biliary and pancreatic malignancies

The roles played by peritoneoscopic examination, direct cholangiography and cytological examination of aspirated bile at the time of direct cholangiography were studied in 140 patients with various biliary and pancreatic diseases. Both peritoneoscopic and cholangiographic examinations were important in detecting the lesion, and cytological examination was effective in deciding the nature of the lesion. The detection rate of the cancer cells in aspirated bile depended upon the location of aspiration in relation to that of the lesion. The closer the distance the better was the detection rate. The combined use of these three diagnostic methods contributed to correct diagnosis.

Gonioscopic differences between primary open-angle glaucoma and normal subjects over 40 years of age

Gonioscopy was performed on 110 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma over 40 years of age and an equal number of normal sugjects, matched by race and age. The frequency distribution of various angle features differed in the two groups: in the glaucoma group, there were more iris processes at all levels of insertion, a higher insertion of the iris root and more trabecular pigmentation. A congenital angle anomaly is one important factor in the pathogenesis of the elevated pressure.

Gonioscopic differences between eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma and normal eyes in subjects over the age of forty

Gonioscopy was performed on 110 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma over the age of 40 and an equal number of normal subjects matched by race and age. The frequency distribution of various angle features differed in two groups. In the glaucoma group there were more iris processes at all levels of insertion, a higher insertion of the iris root, and more trabecular pigmentation. We believe that a congenital angle anomaly is an important factor in the pathogenesis of the elevated intraocular pressure.