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Substantial evidence has accumulated that spinally projecting serotonergic neurons modulate nociception. However, the exact receptor subtypes that mediate the antinociceptive response of serotonin within the spinal cord continue to be a subject of debate. Therefore, we explored the effect of serotonergic system on imipramine induced antinociception by using 5-Hydroxytryptamine-3 (5HT3) receptor antagonist ondansetron and 5-Hydroxytryptamine-2 (5HT2) receptor antagonist mianserine, and depletion of brain 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5HT) with p-chlorophenyl alanine (PCPA). Male wistar strain rats were pretreated with either ondansetron (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or mianserine (1 mg/kg, i.p.). After 15 minutes, rats received injection of imipramine (10 mg/kg). Nociception was assessed by tail-flick method. Imipramine (2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg/kg) produce antinociceptive response in the dose dependent manner. Prior treatment with 5HT3 antagonist, Ondansetron and 5HT2 antagonist, mianserine reduce the antinociceptive response of imipramine. In PCPA treated rats imipramine (10 mg/kg) failed to produce antinociception. These results indicate that the 5HT plays an important role in imipramine induced antinociception.

Nimodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, was administered orally using two different doses (40 mg and 60 mg/kg/day) to rats. Both short term (2 weeks) and long term (6 weeks) effects of the drug were observed. The drug administration resulted in a marked decrease in sperm density, sperm motility and acrozomal reaction. Zona-pellucida penetration by the sperm obtained from drug-treated animals was significantly lower when compared with sperm from normal animals. Nimodipine stimulated Ca2+ ATPase activity in isolated plasma membrane of rate spermatozoa. In conclusion, short term and long term administration of nimodipine has deleterious effect on male reproductive functions in rats.

Ojective- Pattern of drug use in an ambulatory paediatric patients in a tertiary care hospital in Northern India was studied.Methods- Prescribing patterns were studied prospectively, using drug use indicators developed by WHO/International Network for Rational Utilization of Drugs (INRUD).Results- The most frequent diagnosis was seizure disorder (26.9%) and antiepileptics were the most often prescribed drugs (24.6); followed by vitamin and mineral supplements (20.1%), and cough/cold preparations (16%). Use of vitamin and mineral supplements was disproportionately high (20.1%) when compared to the number of cases of anaemia (2.3% and malnutrition (2.6%). The average number of drugs per encounter (1.32), percentage of encounters with an antibiotic (6.1%) or injection (0.2%) prescribed, were all within the acceptable range. The percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was too low, at 11.2%.Conclusion- Barring the frequent use of supplements and low rate of generic prescribing, prescribing trends were found to be rational in other aspects in the study population. Copyright (c) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme is present in the male reproductive system but its role in the physiology of reproduction is not known. To see the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme on spermatozoal functions, lisinopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, was administered orally using two different doses (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) to rats. Both short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (6 weeks) effects of the drug were observed. Lisinopril treatment resulted in a marked decrease in sperm density, sperm motility and zona pellucida penetration. Acrosome reaction by spermatozoa obtained from drug-treated animals was significantly lower when compared with spermatozoa from normal animals.

The effect of ondansetron was investigated in wrap-restraint and conditioned emotional (footshock) stress induced colonic hypermotility in rat. Ondansetron was administered in doses of 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg, sc. In wrap-restraint group, ondansetron dose-dependently reduced the fecal output to baseline levels (0.51 ± 0.20 gm/rat, 0.48 ± 0.38 gm/rat, 0.38 ± 0.16 gm/rat with 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg respectively). Diazepam, 5 mg/kg and atropine, 1 mg/kg also decreased the fecal output in this model. In footshock group, ordansetron did not affect the emotional stress induced increase in fecal pellet output. Diazepam and atropine however, decreased the fecal output in this model also.

We describe two cases of de novo membranous glomerulopathy in the renal allograft, with unusual histologic findings. In one patient the allograft nephrectomy specimen showed numerous foam cells in the intima of hyperplastic arteries along with prominent features of chronic rejection. In the other patient, prominent IgM deposits were seen in the glomerular mesangium without chronic rejection.

We retrospectively analyzed data from 3,863 dialysis treatments in 329 end-stage renal disease patients over a period of 33 months to evaluate the accuracy of in vitro KT/V estimated by manufacturer's urea clearance data in relation to in vivo measured KT/V. In 1,087 urea clearances measured, mean actual clearance was 87% of predicted. At all blood flows, actual clearances were significantly lower than predicted (8-16% lower than predicted). In 2,807 KT/V measurements, predicted KT/V was 1.238 +/- 0.005 whereas the mean of actual measured KT/V was 16% lower or 1.024 +/- 0.005 (P less than 0.0001). At different blood flows and with different dialyzers, predicted KT/V overestimated actual values. With increasing numbers of reuse, actual/predicted clearance ratios and actual/predicted KT/V ratios progressively dropped. Prescribing dialysis treatments using manufacturer's in vitro generated clearance data can lead to marked underdialysis of patients.

The changes in the metabolic status of both testis and ovary of Chrysocoris stolli following the treatment with juvenile hormone analogue (JHa) and ecdysterone were studied. After the exogenous application of JHa in selective dose, total carbohydrate, glycogen, trehalose, cholesterol, ascorbic acid and inorganic phosphorus increased significantly whereas free fatty acid (FFA), phospholipid, total protein, RNA and DNA decreased significantly in comparison to control of both testis and ovary. Total lipid significantly decreased in testis and significantly increased in ovary after JHa injection. The activities of cellular enzymes like alkaline phosphatase, 5' nucleotidase, catalase and peroxidase significantly decreased while acid phosphatase and GPT significantly increased after the JHa application in comparison to control both in testis and ovary. Activities of GOT and general esterase significantly decreased in testis and increased in ovary after JHa application. The exogenous application of ecdysterone also brought about the similar kind of responses as was noticed in case of JHa treatment but these two treatments differed in some cases such as ecdysteroid that produced some results which were just the reverse of what was produced by JHa treatment. The results obtained here were explained in terms of mode of action of these two hormones.

Removal of the corpora allata from the emerging female adults of L. grandis caused a rapid and significant increase in the contents of total carbohydrate, glycogen, total lipids, cholesterol, total proteins and RNA in the fat body, and a significant drop in the contents of trehalose free fatty acids (FFA), phospholipids, free amino acids (FAA) and also in the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and exterase in the fat body, in comparison with the sham-operated controls. Treatment with juvenile hormone analogue (JHa) of the allatectomized insects significantly reverses the effects produced by allatectomy (P less than or equal to 0.01). Similarly, removal of the brain produced similar responses in the fat-body but with some exceptions such as the decrease of total protein and RNA and increase significant of FAA as compared to the sham-operated controls. Simultaneous removal of corpora-allata and brain produces a rapid increase in the contents of total carbohydrate, glycogen, total lipid, cholesterol, FAA and the activity of acid phosphatase in comparison with all other treatments performed in this study, while the contents of trehalose, phospholipid, FFA, total protein, RNA and the activity of GOT, GPT, general esterase and alkaline phosphatase in the fat-body decreased compared to all other treatments. The results obtained are discussed in relation to the neuro-endocrine control of metabolism in insects.