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Experiments were carried out to compare the sensitivity of Ancylostoma ceylanicum and Necator americanus to ivermectin (IVM) and pyrantel in vitro. Loss of motility and inhibition of ingestion by IVM were compared and A. ceylanicum was found to be approximately 40-50 times more sensitive to IVM than N. americanus. Both species showed a similar sensitivity to pyrantel. Uptake of [3H]IVM across the cuticle was compared and shown to be unlikely to account for the differences in sensitivity to IVM between the two species.

The uptake of [3H]glutamate and [3H]glutamine into rat dorsal root ganglia has been examined by autoradiography and thin-layer chromatography. [3H]glutamate was selectively accumulated by satellite glial cells and after 10 min, 53% of this had been converted to [3H]glutamine. [3H]glutamine, on the other hand, entered neuronal perikarya and 40% was converted to [3H]glutamate. It is suggested that these selective uptake processes provide supporting evidence for the existence of a neuronal-glial glutamine cycle in dorsal root ganglia. Small dark (B) cells accumulated 6 times as much [3H]glutamine as did large light (A) cells. The reasons for this marked difference in the metabolism of the two main types of dorsal root ganglion neurone are discussed.

GABA and the trans isomer of 4-aminocrotonic acid are equally potent at inducing increases in Cl- conductance when applied to distal extensor tibia muscle fibres of the locust (Schistocerca gregaria). beta-Alanine, norvaline, glycine and norleucine induced conductance increases of less than 5% of GABA responses. C9 and meso-di-GABA did not alter input conductance in a manner consistent with actions on a GABA receptor Cl- channel complex. Picrotoxin and anisatin were equally potent GABA antagonists, however bicuculline and penicillin G did not reduce GABA-induced changes in input conductance. Pentobarbitone, in addition to inducing an increase in K+ conductance, potentiated GABA-induced increases in Cl- permeability.