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The use of radiolabeled cholesterol derivatives for functional imaging of the adrenal cortex may be rendered inaccurate or impossible because of the excretion of activity by the liver and its subsequent appearance in the colon. A simple bowel preparation (bisacodyl 5 or 10 mg nightly) significantly reduced bowel background activity during 6 beta-[I-131]iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol (NP-59) adrenal cortical scintigraphy. Activity interfering with image interpretability was present less frequently in patients taking bisacodyl: three days after injection 22% compared with 59%; five days after injection 23% compared with 35%. As bisacodyl acts only on the colon and does not disturb the enterohepatic circulation of cholesterol or bile acids, it is ideal for use with a tracer of cholesterol metabolism.

The dermal absorption of 14C-labeled 4,4'-thiobis(6-tert-butyl-m-cresol) (TBBC) was studied in female Sencar mice and male Fischer rats. Dermal application resulted in about 20% absorption in mice with more than 70% of the initial body burden (IBB) remaining on the treated skin site 3 days after treatment. In rats, less than 2% of a dermal dose was absorbed. This is in agreement with previous in vitro percutaneous absorption studies which have demonstrated that mouse skin is more permeable than rat skin to certain chemicals. Absorption did not increase linearly as the dose increased. Oral and i.v. exposures were conducted in the Sencar mice and compared to previously published rat oral and i.v. data. The disposition was similar between rats and mice after these routes of exposures, and the major route of elimination of absorbed TBBC was the feces in both species.

A simple and effective bowel care regime is described which has been in use in the Spinal Injuries Unit at Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, for more than 10 years. Three times a week, Durolax solution (bisacodyl 10 mg in 5 ml of propylene glycol), usually 5 mL undiluted or diluted with 5 mL of tap water, is introduced into the rectum using a catheter and syringe. A faecal softener is given 24 hours before the Durolax solution. Evacuation usually results within 30 minutes, tending to occur sooner with continued use of the regime. The procedure is well tolerated and there have been no serious problems.

1 The effects of tolamolol on haemodynamics and myocardial contractility were investigated in two groups of six patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization.2 The intravenous administration of tolamolol (0.15 mg/kg) produced a significant fall in heart rate from a control value (87 +/- 7 to 62 +/- 3 beats/min) 5 min after administration and a concomitant fall in cardiac output from 4.7 +/- 0.9 to 3.5 +/- 0.8 litres/minute. There was no significant change in systemic blood pressure, pulmonary artery blood pressure or stroke volume.3 There was no change in left ventricular end diastolic pressure after tolamolol. There was a fall in the maximum rate of rise of the left ventricular pressure (LV dp/dt(max)) and the derived index of the left ventricular contractile state (V(max)).4 These results suggest that tolamolol has a predominantly negative chronotropic but also a lesser negative inotropic action on the heart.

The pharmacokinetics of clofoctol was investigated in rat plasma and tissues after both oral and rectal treatment at a single dose of 300 mg/kg. After oral administration the plasmatic peak was 2.12 +/- 0.92 microgram/ml, occurring at the 90th min, with T/2 of 121.45 +/- 23.41 min. After rectal administration a plasmatic peak of 1.97 +/- 0.61 microgram/ml was reached at the 20th min with T/2 of 41.07 +/- 12.30 min. The kinetic profile of the drug in tissues exhibited a pattern similar to that in the plasma, since the maximal peak of clofoctol in tissues following rectal administration occurred before that obtained after oral administration. Tissue concentrations significantly higher than plasmatic ones were obtained through both administration routes. The present results indicate that clofoctol is well absorbed after both oral and rectal administration; however rectal treatment produces more rapid absorption and elimination compared with oral treatment.

Evaluation of the efficacy and adequacy for double contrast barium enema of a recently described oral lavage solution associated with bisacodyl (Prepacol) and its comparison with a traditional method of colon cleansing (low-residue diet, cathartics and water enema) are reported. Two similar groups of 100 outpatients were compared. The new cleansing method presents several interesting advantages: time saving for the nurse of the radiology department and the patient himself (cleansing enema is no longer required), better patient acceptance, equal evacuation of fecal residue but significantly better evacuation of residual liquid resulting in better mucosal coating.

A single application of about 10 ml of 95% alcoholic chlorhexidine (0.5%) or tetrabrom-o-methyl phenol (0.1%) rubbed on to the hands until they were dry led to mean reduction in viable bacterial counts from standard handwashings of 97.9 +/- 1.09% and 91.8 +/- 4.63% respectively. After six of such treatments, three on each of two successive days, the mean reductions in relation to viable counts before the first treatment were 99.7 +/- 0.09% for alcoholic chlorhexidine and 99.5 +/- 0.17% for tetrabrom-o-methyl phenol. These reductions were greater than those obtained with 4% chlorhexidine detergent solution- 87.1 +/- 3.5% and 98.2 +/- 1.6%, and with 95% or 70% ethyl alcohol and with aqueous 0.5% chlorhexidine. Preoperative washing of the surgeon's hands with alcoholic chlorhexidine used without addition of water is more effective and less expensive than handwashing with antiseptic detergent preparations and running water.The viable counts of washings from hands treated with various antiseptics, including ethyl alcohol, were lower in relation to the pretreatment levels when gloves had been worn for three hours than when samples for counts were taken immediately after the antiseptic treatment. No such difference was found in samplings from hands washed with unmedicated soap.Tests for residual action of antiseptics on the skin showed a greater effect with alcoholic chlorhexidine than with tetrabrom-o-methyl phenol, though both showed greater residual activity than an Irgasan DP 300 detergent preparation. No residual action was shown after 70% ethyl alcohol.

The authors point-out the importance of a good bowel preparation for radiological researches. After an evaluation of the results of so-called "traditional methods" and an oral Mannitol method, the Authors conclude that a mannitol preparation is easily accepted by the patient for his effectiveness and tolerance and should be widely used.