Metabolism of flumecinol in humans

1. The metabolism of 14C-flumecinol (3-trifluoromethyl-alpha-ethyl-benzhydrol) was studied in volunteers after a single oral dose of 100 mg (11.1 MBq; 300 microCi). Radioactivity excreted in urine was 78.8 +/- 6.0% of dose and in faeces was 12.0 +/- 5.3% dose in 120 h. 2. Unchanged flumecinol was not excreted in urine, but was present in faeces unconjugated (1.2% dose) and as conjugates of glucuronic and sulphuric acids (10.8% dose). 3. Enzymic hydrolysis showed that all urinary metabolites were conjugated with glucuronic and/or sulphuric acids (77.8% dose). Unconjugated urinary metabolites were not found. 4. The major route of flumecinol metabolism was hydroxylation of the alkyl side chain and/or the phenyl group followed by conjugation. 5. Both the CF3-group and the skeleton of the original compound remained intact during metabolism.

Psychological effects of chronic haemodialysis

Ninety-four patients, partly on chronic haemodialysis, partly after successful kidney transplantation, were studied. Progress of perceptual performance was followed up by measurements of the reaction time. It is pointed out that accumulation of uraemic toxins causes permanent damage to the central nervous system. The psychological tests revealed behavioural and personality deviations typical of other chronic diseases, the main features being growing anxiety, neuroticitation, sense of inferiority, egocentric attitude, primitive defense reactions, social introversion, distorted image of the ego, etc. Dependence of the patients on the medical or nursing staff and on the dialysing system also favour these symptoms. The uncertain outcome of the illness and the "over-protective" attitude of the close or the more distant milieu also add to the sense of insecurity and uselessness. The need for individual and group psychotherapy is emphasized.

Capsaicin pretreatment reduces the gastric acid secretion elicited by histamine but does not affect the responses to carbachol and pentagastrin

Gastric acid secretion was studied following stimulation with a subcutaneous injection of histamine (0.1, 0.5 or 5 mg/kg), carbachol (4, 40 or 160 micrograms/kg) or pentagastrin (25 or 250 micrograms/kg) in conscious rats pretreated with either capsaicin or the vehicle. The secretory response to histamine (0.5 or 5 mg/kg) was greatly reduced in the capsaicin-treated rats, while the slight effect of 0.1 mg/kg histamine and the increase of secretion in response to carbachol and pentagastrin were not affected. The basal secretion was also normal in the capsaicin-treated rats. It is suggested that unlike the effects of carbachol and pentagastrin, the increase of acid secretion elicited by histamine involves a capsaicin-sensitive mechanism. Since capsaicin is a specific neurotoxin for the peptide-containing primary sensory neurons, the present results may indicate that the neurons contribute essentially to the effect of histamine on gastric acid secretion.

Inhibition of ethanol absorption by butyl-biguanide in rat gastrointestinal tract in vivo

The effect of 1-butyl-biguanide and glibenclamide on the ethanol absorption in the rat gastrointestinal tract has been investigated. Oral administration of biguanide (100 mg/kg) inhibited the appearance of ethanol in the blood following oral ethanol loading. Glibenclamide (10 mg/kg) did not induce any alteration in the blood alcohol concentration as compared with the control's level. Oral biguanide pretreatment did not induce any change in the blood alcohol concentration when ethanol was given i.v. We conclude that 1-butyl-biguanide does exert an inhibitory effect on the absorption of ethyl alcohol in vivo in the rat.

The fate of drotaverine-acephyllinate in rat and man. I. Absorption, distribution and excretion in the rat

Two different labelled forms were used for the pharmacokinetic investigations: the carbon 1 in the isoquinoline ring (Drotaverine-14C-Acephyllinate) and the carboxyl group of theophylline-7-acetic acid (Drotaverine-Acephylline-14C-ate). Drotaverine-14C-Acephyllinate was rapidly absorbed from duodenal and ileal segments. Biliary excretion was substantial after oral administration and radioactivity was excreted mostly in the feces. Absorption of Drotavenine-Acephylline-14-C-ate from the gastrointestinal tract was very poor and radioactivity was therefore excreted for the most part in the feces. The results of the study were confirmed by whole body autoradiography.

Mode of action of photosynthesis inhibiting 4-hydroxy-benzonitriles containing nitro group

The effects of 3,5-disubstituted 4-hydroxy-benzonitriles - bromoxynil and compounds containing nitro group - on some photosynthetic parameters of spinach and wheat were investigated. There is considerable difference in the effectivity of the compounds even at the level of chloroplasts. On the basis of their effect on the development of CO2 fixation of greening wheat seedlings bromoxynil and 3,5-dinitro-4-hydroxy-derivative were ineffective, while the asymmetric - 3-nitro-5-halogenic-substituted - compounds showed a strong effectivity. The bromine and iodine containing asymmetric compounds reduced the intensity of the short wavelength fluorescence. All asymmetric compounds shifted the long wavelength fluorescence maximum with 5-8 nm to shorter wavelength. These results refer to inhibition of formation of chlorophyll forms absorbing at longer wavelengths and to the change in the conditions of energy migration. The ultrastructure of the chloroplasts in the treated seedlings became similar to the shade adapted chloroplasts.

[Correlation between psoriasis and cardiovascular diseases (author's transl)]

18 out of 137 psoriasis-patients had cardio-vascular complications (myocardial infarction: 3, angina pectoris: 5, deep vein thrombosis: 3, superficial thrombophlebitis: 6, sudden death: 1). Predisposing factors may be found, however, the preliminary results reveal that psoriasis does not predispose to cardio-vascular complications by itself. An exception is psoriatic arthritis.