Rapid mass propagation of Chrysanthemum morifolium by callus derived from stem and leaf explants

A procedure for rapid multiplication of Chrysanthemum morifolium RAMAT cv. Birbal Sahni using leaf callus and stem (nodal/internodal) callus as well as node and apical shoots has been developed. Murashige and Skoog's medium (1962) supplemented with 2mg/1 2,4-D yielded good green calli from both leaf and stem segments within 2 weeks. About 1 cm × 1 cm callus regenerated 2-3 shoots after 3 weeks on MS solid medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/l IAA and 0.2 mg/l BAP. Each of the regenerated shoots when transferred to the same shooting medium without agar yielded about 150 new shoots, which in turn regenerated roots after another week in MS half strength or modified White's media (Rangaswamy, 1961). It has been estimated that about 10(14) plantlets could be produced in a year from one expiant following the proposed protocol.

Targeting of plant glycoside-bearing liposomes to specific cellular and subcellular sites

The possibility of using liposomes as an effective drug delivery system has been studied by incorporation of two plant glycosides of varying terminal sugar residues onto the surface of liposomes and examination of their distribution in different tissues. The two glycosides, corchorusin D and asiaticoside having glucose and rhamnose respectively at the terminal ends wee selected for the purpose. The hepatic uptake of liposomes made from egg lecithin, cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate and either of the two glycosides was compared. The hepatic uptake of asiaticoside bearing liposomes was reduced, whereas that of corchorusin D bearing liposomes was enhanced and was specific for glucose. Liver perfusion followed by cell separation showed that the uptake is mostly into the non-parenchymal cells of liver. The distribution of corchorusin D bearing liposomes was maximal in the lysosomal fraction of the non-parenchymal cells. Ways of using corchorusin D bearing liposomes as delivery systems for drugs or enzymes to lysosomes have been sought.

Central modulation of croton oil induced subacute inflammation in rats

Earlier studies from this laboratory have indicated that CNS exerts a modulatory influence over acute inflammation in rats. The present study examines the existence of a similar modulatory effect of CNS on a subacute inflammatory paradigm, the croton oil-induced granuloma pouch in rats. The inflammatory exudate, collected on 6th day after croton oil administration, was found to be substantially less in intracerebroventricular (icv) cannulated and artificial cerebrospinal fluid administered rats as compared to their uncannulated saline (ip) administered counterparts. This effect may be due to stress induced by cannulation. Centrally administered pharmacological agents which attenuate central monoaminergic, cholinergic or prostaglandin systems had insignificant effects on the inflammatory exudate. However, induced increase in central noradrenergic activity was found to attenuate the inflammation when the treatment was done before, but not 48 hr after, the induction of the inflammation. In contrast, induced increase in central serotonergic activity had no effect on the volume of the inflammatory exudate at either time period. Steady state levels of rat brain noradrenaline and serotonin, but not dopamine, were enhanced by the inflammatory procedure. However, these effects may be attributed to the stress induced by croton oil inflammation. The investigation indicates that the modulatory influence of CNS remains limited to the acute phase of inflammation, being exerted mainly by the central noradrenergic system. Once the inflammation has progressed, this modulatory influence of CNS is no longer apparent.

Targeting of urea stibamine encapsulated in liposomes to reticuloendothelial system for the treatment of experimental leishmaniasis

The antileishmanial antimonial drug urea stibamine was encapsulated in mannosylated and nonmannosylated liposomes and was tested against experimental leishmanial infection in hamsters. The study demonstrated that liposome encapsulation of urea stibamine enhanced its effectiveness, an effect which was greater when mannosylated liposomes were used.

Brain monoamines during carrageenan-induced acute paw inflammation in rats

Paw inflammation was induced in rats by sub-plantar administration of carrageenan. Significant inflammatory oedema was observed 1 h later and the peak effect was noted between 3-4 h. The oedema was markedly reduced after 12-24 h. Steady state levels of whole brain and hypothalamic monoamines were estimated spectrofluorometrically during the course of the carrageenan-induced paw inflammation. In addition, the rate of accumulation of the brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA) was assessed in clorgyline-pretreated rats during the inflammation. The whole brain and hypothalamic concentrations of 5-HT and NA were augmented during the early phase of the inflammation, but fell below control values when peak inflammation was achieved. Thereafter, the monoamine levels tended to normalize by 24 h when the inflammation had virtually subsided. On the contrary, whole brain and hypothalamic dopamine levels remained largely unaffected. The rate of accumulation of brain 5-HT and NA were enhanced during carrageenan inflammation, indicating that the turnover of these monoamines is augmented during the inflammatory process. The results suggest that acute peripheral inflammation may significantly affect central 5-HT and noradrenergic activity in rats.

Intracerebroventricularly administered bradykinin augments carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administered bradykinin (2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/rat) was found to augment carrageenan-induced acute paw oedema throughout the 4 h post-carrageenan observation period. The effect was statistically significant with the higher dose. The pro-inflammatory effect of i.c.v. bradykinin was antagonized following pretreatment with hemicholinium and atropine ethoiodide administered i.c.v., drugs that reduce central cholinergic activity. Similarly, central administration of drugs that inhibit the synthesis of eicosanoids, hydrocortisone, diclofenac and paracetamol, also attenuated the pro-inflammatory effect of bradykinin. The findings indicate that the inflammation-promoting effect of centrally administered bradykinin involves the central prostaglandin and cholinergic neurotransmitter systems.

Modulation of humoral immune responses by endogenous opioids

The effects of opioid agonists and antagonists were investigated on humoral immune mechanisms in mice and rats. Opioid agonists like morphine, Leu-enkephalin, and Met-enkephalin, enhanced antigen-induced histamine release from mixed peritoneal cells of rats in vitro; this enhancement was effectively antagonized by naloxone, an opioid antagonist. Naloxone, per se, decreased anaphylactic mortality in doses of 10 mg/kg, while it increased mortality in a dose of 1 mg/kg. Reduced IgE antibody titer, measured by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, decreased hemagglutination titer to sheep red blood cells, blocked histamine release from mixed peritoneal cells of rats in vitro induced by antigen, but had no significant effect when histamine release was induced by compound 48/80. Thus, it appears that endogenous opioids are involved in humoral immune responses.

Plant glycosides in a liposomal drug-delivery system

Plant glycosides were incorporated into the liposomal surface to study their sugar-specific uptake by various tissues. Two steroid glycosides, namely floribundasaponin D, with rhamnose as terminal sugar, and gracillin, with glucose and rhamnose as end sugars, were selected for the purpose. 125I-human IgG encapsulated liposomes composed of egg lecithin (phosphatidylcholine), cholesterol, dicetyl phosphate (optional) and either floribundasaponin D or gracillin, when injected into the tail vein of rat, showed significantly higher uptake in the rat liver than in appropriate controls. Whereas the uptake of floribundasaponin D liposomes was observed to be non-specific, the increased uptake of the gracillin liposomes, as judged from the inhibition studies with asppropriate sugars, was specific for glucose, although the receptor was unable to distinguish between the alpha and beta anomers ('anomerically blind'). The liver-perfusion studies showed that the uptake of gracillin liposomes was mostly by non-parenchymal cells.

Effect of pre-existing inflammation on carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats

Twenty-four hours after injection of carrageenan into one hind paw, injection of the same amount into the contralateral paw produced a significantly attenuated inflammatory response. However, when the second injection was given 7 days later, the inflammation induced in the contralateral paw was comparable with the initial response to carrageenan. A time-course study of carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats showed that significant oedema persisted 24 h after carrageenan administration and complete recovery was achieved in 7 days. The attenuated inflammatory response in the contralateral paw after 24 h was antagonized by bilateral adrenalectomy and chemical sympathectomy induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. Carrageenan-induced paw oedema was also significantly less in rats with subacute inflammation induced by the croton oil granuloma pouch technique. This attenuated response was antagonized by pretreatment of the rats with metyrapone, an inhibitor of adrenocorticoid synthesis, and by 6-hydroxydopamine. It is likely that the pre-existing acute or subacute inflammation attenuates the inflammatory response of carrageenan, by acting as a stressor, inducing activation of the sympatho-adrenal system.

Inhibition of carrageenin-induced pedal oedema in rats by immobilisation stress

The effect of immobilisation stress on acute pedal inflammation induced by carrageenin, and the mechanism of stress-induced anti-inflammatory effect, were investigated in male Wistar strain albino rats. Carrageenin-induced pedal inflammation oedema was attenuated by immobilisation stress in a time-dependent manner, when the rats were restrained for 30 min, 1 h, and 2 h immediately after the induction of the inflammation. Pentobarbitone exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effect of its own in an anaesthetic dose and also inhibited stress (1 h)-induced attenuation of the inflammation. Likewise, lignocaine, injected behind the knee joint of the inflamed limb, attenuated the inflammation and also inhibited the stress-induced anti-inflammatory effect. These findings indicate the importance of the central nervous system (CNS) and the afferent/efferent neural pathways from and to the inflammatory site, in inflammation and in stress-induced anti-inflammatory effect. Earlier studies from this laboratory have shown that the central noradrenergic, histaminergic, serotonergic and GABA-ergic neurotransmitter systems have a modulatory anti-inflammatory effect on carrageenin-induced pedal oedema. Since all these neurotransmitter systems have been reported to be activated by stress, their role was assessed in the inflammation-attenuation effect of immobilisation stress. The present studies indicate that, of these neurotransmitters, only the central noradrenergic system is involved in the anti-oedema effect of stress. Endogenous opioid peptides may also be involved in the stress-inflammation interaction, since naloxone inhibited the stress effect. Bilateral adrenalectomy and peripheral chemical sympathectomy, induced by i.p. administration of 6-hydroxydopamine, augmented carrageenin oedema and antagonised the stress-induced anti-inflammatory effect. However, metyrapone, an inhibitor of endogenous corticoid synthesis, failed to inhibit the stress effect. These findings indicate that the sympatho-medullary system, which is known to be activated during stress, is responsible for the observed anti-inflammatory effect of immobilisation stress, rather than augmented release of adrenal corticoids. It is suggested that the observed inflammation reducing effect of immobilisation stress is a consequence of increased central noradrenergic and peripheral sympatho-medullary activity.

Suppression of liver uptake of orally fed liposomes by injection (i.p.) of dextran sulfate 500

125Iodine labelled human immunoglobulin-G encapsulated liposomes were administered orally to rats. Distribution of radioactivity was checked in various tissues and in portal blood. The effect of dextran sulfate (DS 500,000 m. wt., liver blockade agent) injection (i.p.) on the liver uptake of liposomes and on the amount of liposomes appearing in the portal blood from the gastrointestinal tract have been studied. An increased amount of radioactivity was observed in the portal blood and the amount of radioactivity in the liver decreased appreciably after injection of dextran sulfate. In both the cases the action of dextran sulfate started 2 hours after injection and reached maximum at 12 hour, falling slightly at 24 hour.

Central catecholaminergic modulation of carrageenin-induced pedal oedema in rats

Intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered noradrenaline (NA) and L-dopa, but not dopamine (DA), attenuated carrageenin-induced pedal oedema in rats. Centrally administered reserpine and the catecholaminergic neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-HD), augmented the inflammatory oedema. Pharmacological treatments, which selectively increase central DA, induce DA neurone degeneration and affect DA receptor activity, were singularly ineffective in modifying the inflammatory response of carrageenin. Centrally administered phentolamine, an alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist, produced a dose-related dual effect on the peripheral oedema. Lower doses of phentolamine produced a paradoxical NA-like oedema-attenuating effect, which was not evident in 6-HD-treated rats; however, a larger dose of the drug had no per se effect but antagonised the oedema-inhibiting effect of centrally administered NA. Propranolol, a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist produced inconsistent effects, with a lower and higher dose of the drug showing no effect, while a median dose induced an inhibitory effect on the peripheral oedema. Bilateral adrenalectomy failed to antagonise the anti-inflammatory effect of central NA, but peripheral degeneration of sympathetic neurones, induced by i.p. administered 6-HD, inhibited the effect of NA. The results of the study indicate that central NA, but not DA, exerts a modulatory inhibitory effect on peripheral oedema induced by carrageenin. This effect of central NA appears to be dependent upon the peripheral sympathetic system and not on the activation of the adrenal corticoid activity.

Anti-inflammatory effect of intraventricularly administered histamine in rats

Intracerebroventricularly (icv) administered histamine (5, 10 and 20 micrograms) produced a dose-related anti-inflammatory effect against carrageenin-induced pedal edema in rats. The effect of histamine was mimicked by the H1 receptor agonist, 2-methylhistamine, but not by the H2 receptor agonist, 4-methylhistamine. The anti-inflammatory effect of centrally administered histamine was antagonised by mepyramine, a H1 receptor antagonist, but not by cimetidine, a H2 receptor antagonist. The anti-inflammatory effect of icv histamine was inhibited in bilaterally adrenalectomised rats but was unaffected by peripheral chemical sympathectomy induced by 6-hydroxydopamine.

Effect of central prostaglandins on carrageenan-induced pedal oedema in rats

The possible modulatory effect of central prostaglandins (PGs) on carrageenan-induced pedal inflammation, was investigated in rats. Intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered arachidonic acid, the PG precursor, produced a statistically insignificant increase in the inflammatory response, though PG synthesis inhibitors, administered by the same route, markedly attenuated the oedema. Centrally administered PGE2 had a significant pro-inflammatory effect, whereas PGF2 alpha exerted an anti-inflammatory action. The results indicate that central PGs may modulate peripheral inflammation and that, at least partly, the anti-inflammatory activity of PG synthesis-inhibiting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents may involve central PGs, as has been proposed for their analgesic effect.

Detection of liposomes in portal blood following oral administration

125Iodine-labeled human immunoglobulin G-encapsulated dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine liposomes were prepared with or without asialoganglioside. Distribution of radioactivity following the oral administration of these liposomes in rats was checked in liver and in blood of the portal vein and heart. Gel filtration of plasma from the portal vein showed the presence of intact liposomes and protein. In contrast, neither liposomes nor protein were detected in cardiac blood but only lower molecular weight materials. The presence of liposomes in portal blood was further suggested from experiments using 6-carboxyfluorescein-entrapped liposomes. The level of liposomes in portal venous blood plasma was found to be lower in asialoganglioside liposomes. But this level could be increased substantially, almost to that in liposomes without asialoganglioside, by injection (iv) of asialofetuin.

Effect of carrageenin-induced pedal edema on rat brain prostaglandins

Carrageenin-induced pedal inflammation in rats, was found to significantly enhance brain levels of prostaglandin (PG) E2 and PGF2 alpha. PG levels increased after 30 min of induction of the inflammation, peaked at 1 h, and attained normal levels by 4 h. Bilateral adrenalectomy had little effect on carrageenin-induced increase in rat brain PGs. The pattern of elevation of central PGs and the time course of carrageenin inflammation were at variance, the latter peaking between 3 and 4 h. The findings lend credence to the postulate that inflammatory hyperalgesia involves participation of central pain circuits, and that fever accompanying inflammation is caused by the central release of PGs. The central nociceptive and hyperthermic actions of PGs are well documented. However, the increase in central PG levels may well be caused by stress induced by the peripheral inflammation, since the pattern of elevation in either case is qualitatively similar.

Donovanosis affecting cervix, uterus, and adnexae

Donovanosis (granuloma inguinale), a disease often related to sexual contact, has been a clinical problem in Papua New Guinea for more than 9 decades. It is a common cause of anogenital lesions in females in this country. Lesions on the cervix or vaginal vault, and extension of the disease process from the external genitalia to the uterus, tubes and ovaries, are thought to be rare. In this study an attempt was made to discover the frequency of involvement of cervix, uterus and adnexae, with or without external genital involvement, by retrospectively analyzing the histological and clinical records of patients with anogenital donovanosis for a period of 8 years (1975-1982). In 35 of 351 patients (10%), donovanosis involved the cervix. The clinical profile of these cases, certain unusual features in a few cases, and the pathological findings are discussed.

Enhancement of detrusor reflex activity by naloxone in patients with chronic neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Preliminary report

An intravenous injection of 0.4 mg. naloxone enhanced detrusor reflex activity in 5 patients with chronic neurogenic bladder dysfunction caused by incomplete suprasacral spinal lesions. The intravesical volume at which detrusor reflex occurred showed a decrease from 498.2 to 346.2 ml. The naloxone-induced effect was short-lived, being absent 1 hour after the injection. In the same dosage naloxone did not induce detrusor reflex in 2 patients with areflexic bladder caused by complete suprasacral spinal lesions.

Endosulfan intoxication: Blood glucose, electrolytes, Ca levels, ascsorbic acid and glutathione in rats

Endosulfan-induced changes in blood glucose, plasma electrolytes, and blood and brain ascorbic acid, hexokinase and glutathione have been investigated following acute and subacute administration in 12 h fasted male rats. After a single oral dose of endosulfan (40 mg/kg) a significant increase in blood glucose, blood ascorbic acid, and blood and brain glutathione was observed. The maximum increase in blood was observed at 2 h (36%). Increase in blood and brain glutathione was highly significant at 4 h (50 and 43%, respectively). The blood ascorbic acid slowly increased by 19% over control during the treatment period. No significant change in brain hexokinase was observed. Repeated oral administration of endosulfan (0.625 to 20 mg/kg) for 7 weeks had no effect on plasma sodium and potassium. At the highest dose (20 mg/kg), blood glucose was slightly increased (16%). Plasma Ca was significantly decreased, the maximum fall (35%) being observed at 4 h.

Study of transition temperature through mixed crystal formation. III. Orthorhombic zinc sulphate and magnesium sulphate

Distribution studies with orthorhombic zinc sulphate and magnesium sulphate as hosts and 54Mn as guest have been carried out in order to determine the transition temperatures of different phases. The change in morphology of either the host or the guest is always indicated by a prominent change in distribution values at the point of transition. In the present study, with zinc sulphate as host and 54Mn as guest, the transition temperatures of the two components, orthorhombic MnSO4,7H2O and MnSO4,6H2O, were found to be 10� and 42.5�C respectively. The host component ZnSO4,7H2O transforms to its lower hydrate ZnSO4,6H2O at 38.95�C. Distribution studies with MgSO4,7H2O as host and 54Mn tracer as guest also confirm that MnSO4,6H2O undergoes transition at 42.5�C. Isolation of MnSO4,6H2O in finite concentration has been achieved by cocrystallizing with stable and well defined ZnSO4,6H2O at 42�C.