Asociación entre el diagnóstico de carcinoma mamario y la actividad de la enzima lactoperoxidasa sérica / Association between the diagnosis of mammary carcinoma and serum lactoperoxidase enzyme activity

Fundamento: La enzima lactoperoxidasa tiocianato es una proteína producida por células epiteliales en los acinos mamarios. Los carcinomas de la mama constituyen un tipo de cáncer que se origina por la transformación maligna de las células acinares de la mama y se caracterizan por el crecimiento y multiplicación descontrolado. Por tanto, podría existir una correlación entre el cáncer de mama y el aumento de la actividad sérica de la lactoperoxidasa. Objetivo: Determinar la asociación entre el diagnóstico de carcinoma mamario y la actividad aumentada de la enzima lactoperoxidasa sérica en muestras de pacientes que han sido atendidos en el Hospital Oncológico María Curie de Camagüey en el periodo de abril a agosto del 2022. Métodos: Se desarrolló un estudio correlacional en el Centro de Inmunología y Productos Biológicos de Camagüey, en el período de abril a agosto del 2022. Se empleó la citología por aspiración con aguja fina para el diagnóstico histopatológico del carcinoma mamario y se determinó la actividad de la enzima lactoperoxidasa sérica mediante el método del pirogalol salicilato. Se emplearon las pruebas t de student y chi-cuadrado para el análisis estadístico de los datos. Resultados: El carcinoma ductal infiltrante fue el subtipo de cáncer más frecuente con un 94,1 por ciento del total de las muestras. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los grupos de muestras analizadas p ( 0.000. De un total de 34 muestras positivas, 32 presentaron aumento de la actividad enzimática. Conclusiones: Hubo asociación entre el diagnóstico de carcinoma mamario y niveles aumentados de la enzima lactoperoxidasa sérica(AU)

Background: The enzyme lactoperoxidase thiocyanate is a protein produced by epithelial cells in the mammary acini. Breast carcinomas are a type of cancer that originates from the malignant transformation of the acinar cells of the breast and are characterized by uncontrolled growth and multiplication. Therefore, there could be a correlation between breast cancer and increased serum lactoperoxidase activity. Objective: To determine the association between the diagnosis of mammary carcinoma and the increased activity of the serum lactoperoxidase enzyme in samples of patients who have been treated at the Maria Curie Oncology Hospital in Camagüey from April to August 2022. Methods: A correlational study was developed at the Center for Immunology and Biological Products of Camagüey, from April to August 2022. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was used for the histopathological diagnosis of mammary carcinoma and the activity of serum lactoperoxidase enzyme by the pyrogallol salicylate method. Student's t and chi-square tests were used in the statistical analysis of the data. Results: Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most frequent subtype of cancer with 94,1 percent of the total samples. Significant differences were found between the groups of samples analyzed p ( 0,000. Of a total of 34 positive samples, 32 showed increased enzyme activity. Conclusions: There was an association between the diagnosis of mammary carcinoma and increased levels of the serum lactoperoxidase enzyme(AU)

Potentiation of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of mesenteric arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats by gemigliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor class of anti-diabetic drug

Dipeptidyl peptidase4 (DPP4) inhibitors such as gemigliptin are anti-diabetic drugs elevating plasma concentration of incretins such as GLP-1. In addition to the DPP4 inhibition, gemigliptin might directly improve the functions of vessels under pathological conditions. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether the acetylcholine-induced endothelium dependent relaxation (ACh-EDR) of mesenteric arteries (MA) are altered by gemigliptin pretreatment in Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats (SHR) and in Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) under hyperglycemia-like conditions (HG; 2 hr incubation with 50 mM glucose). ACh-EDR of WKY was reduced by the HG condition, which was significantly recovered by 1 µM gemigliptin while not by saxagliptin and sitagliptin up to 10 µM. The ACh-EDR of SHR MA was also improved by 1 µM gemigliptin while similar recovery was observed with higher concentration (10 µM) of saxagliptin and sitagliptin. The facilitation of ACh-EDR by gemigliptin in SHR was not observed under pretreatment with NOS inhibitor, L-NAME. In the endotheliumdenuded MA of SHR, sodium nitroprusside induced dose-dependent relaxation was not affected by gemigliptin. The ACh-EDR in WKY was decreased by treatment with 30 µM pyrogallol, a superoxide generator, which was not prevented by gemigliptin. Exendin-4, a GLP-1 analogue, could not enhance the ACh-EDR in SHR MA. The present results of ex vivo study suggest that gemigliptin enhances the NOS-mediated EDR of the HG-treated MA as well as the MA from SHR via GLP-1 receptor independent mechanism.

Bicyclol protects rat thoracic aorta from superoxide anion-induced inhibition of vascular relaxation / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of bicyclol on vascular oxidative stress injury induced by superoxide anion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat thoracic aortic rings were isolated for isometric tension recording using organ bath technique. Superoxide arterial injury was induced by pyrogallol exposure, and the effect of bicyclol on endothelium-dependent relaxation was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Bicyclol (10(-8) - 10(-5) mol/L) relaxed endothelium-intact aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine. This effect was abolished by L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase and indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase. Exposure to pyrogallol (500 micromol/L) resulted in decrease of acetylcholine(ACh)-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation in aortic rings, and pre-incubation of bicyclol (10(-5) mol/L) for 45 min improved the relaxation attenuated by pyrogallol. In aortic rings pre-treated with indomethacin, bicyclol increased the ACh-induced relaxation that was inhibited by pyrogallol (500 micromol/L). This effect was not found in aortic rings pre-treated with L-NAME.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bicyclol has endothelium-dependent vasodilating effect on rat thoracic aorta and improves vascular function by attenuating oxidative stress. Nitric oxide from endothelium is involved in the anti-oxidative effect of bicyclol.</p>

Chemical constituents of Saxifraga stolonifera (L.) Meeb / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents of Saxifraga stolonifera (L.) Meeb., chromatographic techniques were applied to separate and purify the compounds, and their structures were confirmed on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data. Ten compounds were isolated and identified as 5-O-methylnorbergenin (1), 3, 4-dihydroxyallylbenzene-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), (7R, 8S)-4, 9, 9'-trihydroxyl-3-methoxyl-7, 8-dihydrobenzofuran-1'-propylneolignan-3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (4), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), (3S, 5R, 6R, 7E, 9R)-3, 5, 6, 9-tetrahydroxy-7-megastigmane (6), benzyl-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), p-hydroxyacetophenone (8), pyrogallic acid (9) and p-hydroxyphenol (10). Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2-10 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

New neolignan from seed of Myristica fragrans / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents in the nutmeg (seed of Myristica fragrans).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and structurally elucidated by IR, NMR and MS evidences.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Fifteen compounds were obtained and identified as myristicin (1), methyleugenol (2), safrole (3), 2, 3-dihydro-7-methoxy-2(3, 4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3-methyl-5-(E) -propenyl-benzofuran (4), dehydrodiisoeugenol (5), 2, 3-dihydro-7-methoxy-2-(3-methoxy-4, 5-methylenedioxyphenyl) -3-methyl-5-(E)-propenyl-benzofuran (6), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3, 4-dimetho- xyphenyl) propane (7), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3, 4, 5-trimethoxyphenyl) propane (8), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl) propan-1-ol acetate (9), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl) propan-1-ol (10), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3, 4, 5-trimethoxyphenyl) propan-1-ol (11), 5-methoxy-dehydrodiisoeugenol (12), erythro-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propan-1-ol (13), guaiacin (14) and threo-2-(4-allyl-2, 6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(3-methoxy-5-hydroxy-phenyl) propan-1-ol (15).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compound 15 is a new compound and named myrisisolignan. Compound 7 is isolated from the genus Myristica for the first time.</p>

Degradation of aromatic compounds using moving bed biofilm reactors

For biological treatment of water, there are many different biofilm systems in use. Examples of them are trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, fixed media submerged biofilters, granular media biofilters and fluidized bed reactors. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the Moving Bed Bioflim Reactor process was developed in Norway in the late 1 980s and early 1990s to adopt the best features of the activated sludge process as well as those of the biofilter processes, without including the worst. Two cylindrical moving bed biofilm reactors were used in this study working in upflow stream conditions. Experiments have been done in aerobic batch flow regime. Laboratory experiments were conducted at room temperature [23-28°C] and synthetic wastewater comprising a composition of phenol and hydroquinone in each reactor as the main organic constituents, plus balanced nutrients and alkalinity were used to feed the reactor. The ratio of influent to effluent COD was determined at different retention times. The results indicated that the removal efficiency of each selected compound is affected by the detention time. At low phenol and hydroquinone concentration [from 700 to 1000 mg/L] maximum removal efficiency [over 80%] was obtained. By thither increasing in COD loading rate up to 3000 mg/L, a decrease in COD removal rate was occurred. In the reactor containing pyrogallol in COD of 1500 mg/L, the removal rate decreased to 10 percent because of its toxicity for microorganisms

GC-MS analysis of essential oil from nutmeg processed by different traditional methods / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the chemical components of the essential oil extracted from the seeds of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) processed by different methods (steamed with water steam, roasted with flour, sauted with flour, roasted with talcum powder, roasted with loess, and roasted with bran) and to provide quality control foundations in the sciences.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and separated with GC capillary column. The relative content of every compound was determined with area normalization method and the structures were elucidated by GC-MS technique.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Fifty-eight to one hundred and four of chromatographic peaks were detected, among them seventy-six compounds accounting for 98.32% to 99.99% of the total essential oil in nutmeg were identified, which were composed of 69.15% to 97.24% for monoterpenoids and 2.06% to 25.51% for aromatic compounds of the total essential oil, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It was shown that monoterpenoids and their derivatives were main composition, and aromatic compounds were secondary composition in the total essential oil of nutmeg grows in Indonesia and processed by different traditional methods on the basis of theory of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, it was suggested that we should be careful to use processed nutmeg owing to contain safrole and a-asarone induced genetoxicity in animals and mutagenicity in the Ames Salmonella assay, and myristicin and elemicin induced narcotism in human. The processed method roasted with bran for nutmeg may be better and will be developed.</p>

Comparing analysis of components in volatile oils of nutmeg and prepared nutmeg by GC-MS / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare components in volatile oils of nutmeg and prepared nutmeg.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Volatile oil from nutmeg and prepared nutmeg were extracted by vapor distillation. The chemical components in two kinds of volatile oils were determined and indentified by GC-MS.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The change in quantity and quality of components in volatile oils were observed after processing. 13 new components occurred and 4 components disappeared in volatile oils after processing. The contents of methyleugenol and methylisoeugenol that are active ingredients were increased. The contents of myristicin and safrol that are toxic ingredients in volatile oils were decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The processing method of nutmeg by soaking with water and roasting with bran is scientific.</p>

Superoxide dismutase biosensor for screening substances possessing scavenging superoxide anion activity / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To establish a method for screening active substance with scavenging effects on superoxide anion in vitro by designed superoxide dismutase biosensor.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The enzyme sensor was built by connecting the immobilized CuZnSOD with optical oxygen sensor through a special way. Superoxide anions were generated by auto-oxidation of pyrogallol. The auto-oxidation speed was examined before and after adding samples into the system, and the Vit C having the scavenging radical activities was served as a positive control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The limit of biosensor detection was 7.0 U in activity, and lifetime of the immobilized enzyme in the reaction-cell was above 2 weeks. The scavenging effects on superoxide radicals of fifteen active substance were studied in vitro by the sensor, and some of them presented scavenging activities.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The signal from biosensor is stable, easy to be determined, and the kinetic information on scavenging superoxide radicals could be obtained directly. The biosensor system can be used for screening drugs simply and rapidly.</p>

GC-MS analysis of essential oils from seeds of Myristica fragrans in Chinese market / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the constituents of the essential oils extracted from nine samples of commercial seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt respectively and to provide qualities control foundations.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Water steam distillation and GC-MS were used.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>95-118 compounds were separated respectively. 79 Compounds being identified which were 95.18%-98.70% of the total essential oil.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Myristicin (39.63%) and terpene series were the main compounds.</p>

Utilidad del método de rojo de pirogalol molibdato en la cuantificación de proteína de Bence Jones / Evaluation of pyrogallol-red molybdate complex performance in the measurement of Bence Jones protein

La cuantificación de proteínas en orina (PU) es un buen marcador para evaluar la función renal. En presencia de cadenas livianas libres monoclonales de inmunoglobulinas en orina (CLLM), o proteína de Bence Jones, el valor de PU provee un índice de la masa tumoral, de fundamental importancia en el monitoreo de pacientes con síndromes linfoproliferativos tales como mieloma múltiple micromolecular, enfermedad por depósito de cadenas livianas, y amiloidosis (AL). La determinación de PU por el método de unión al colorante Rojo de Pirogalol-Molibdato (RPM) es cada vez más utilizada porque es simple de realizar y fácilmente automatizable. El objetivo de éste trabajo es evaluar el comportamiento del método de RPM en la determinación de proteínas totales en muestras de orina compuestas por CLLM exclusivamente y estimar su correlación con otras metodologías de uso habitual. Se seleccionaron 79 muestras de orina de 24 h de recolección que presentaron solamente CLLM por electroinmunofijación (EIF) y por electroforesis en geles de poliacrilamida (SDS-PAGE). Se utilizó la técnica de Bradford con Azul Brillante de Coomasie (ABC), como otro método de unión a colorantes, y el método de Exton con ácido sulfosalicílico al 3 por ciento (ASS), de uso tradicional en éste medio. Para el método de RPM se utilizó un equipo comercial (RANDOX, Urinary Proteins) en un autoanalizador Selectra 2 Vitalab (Wiener). La cuantificación de cadenas livianas kappa y lambda se efectuó por inmunonefelometría (IN) (ARRAY 360 Beckman). El método de RPM tuvo una correlación estadísticamente significativa con el de ABC (r=0,888; ABC = 2,16 x RPM -0,09) y con IN (r= 0,790; IN = 11,9 x RPM + 0,16). El método de ASS correlacionó significativamente con el de ABC (r=0,324; p0,01) y con el de RPM (r=0,556; p<0,01), pero muy débilmente, por lo que no es posible vincularlos entre sí bajo aceptables intervalos de predicción. Se concluye que para la medición de las CLLM en los casos de orinas con concentraciones superiores al límite de linealidad del método de RPM, la mejor opción para evitar reacciones erráticas, es realizar una dilución 1/10 de la muestra

Effect of Carbon Monoxide on the Relaxtion of the Rabbit Corpus Corpus Cavernosal Smooth uscle / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced during the degradation of hemoglobin to heme (iron protoporphyrin) and present in various tissues including brain. CO is believed to activate soluble guanylate cyclase to exert its action on the smooth muscles. the effects of CO and its relationships to adrenergic or cholinergic mechanisms were studied using the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosal strips, and the effects of CO and NO were further investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using adult New Zealand rabbits, the corpus cavernosal strip was carefully prepared from rabbit penis and suspended in an 10ml organ bath containing Tyrode solution. When a stable tension level of the strip had been attained, drugs were added to the organ bath the change of motility of the strip was recorded on a computerized polygraph. RESULTS: The NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and CO caused a dosedependent relaxation of the cavernosal strip of the rabbit penis. Pretreatment of SNP and CO had no effect on contraction induced by adrenergic drugs and the effects of SNP and CO was not affected by atropine. The relaxation effects of SNP were inhibited by NO scavenger pyrogallol, inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and methylene blue. The relaxation effects of CO were significantly inhibited by ODQ and methylene blue. the relaxation effects by acetylcholine were inhibited by NO synthase inhibitor L-nitroarginine methyl ester (NAME) and deendothelialization, but not affected by zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), the heme oxidase inhibitor. On the immunostaining of heme oxidase (HO) in corpus cavernosal smooth muscle strip, the positive staining for HO was observed in the perivascular nerve fibers. CONCLUSIONS: The relaxation effect of NO was confirmed, and CO exerts an endothelium dependent relaxing effect on the cavernosal strip of the rabbit penis similar to NO. This action is seem to be mediated by soluble guanylate cyclase, and the actions of CO is also mediated by similar guanylate cyclase system.

Microtiter plate assay for superoxide dismutase using MTT reduction by superoxide.

A simple microtiter plate based colorimetric assay for superoxide dismutase is described. The method, involves generation of superoxide by pyrogallol autoxidation and the inhibition of superoxide dependent reduction of the tetrazolium dye MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] to its formazan, measured at 570 nm. The reaction was terminated by the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) which also helps to solubilize the formazan formed and the colour evolved was stable for many hours. The method was compared with other known methods to measure the activity of purified erythrocyte Cu,ZnSOD and superoxide dismutase activity from various rat tissues. This procedure involves inexpensive reagents, allows a rapid and sensitive measurement of SOD activity and the microtiter plate assay is suitable for use with large number of samples.

The Effect of SS-cream on the Isolated Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum / 대한비뇨기과학회지

SS-cream is a complex mixture containing 9 oriental herbs for treating the premature ejaculation, which is based on the traditional chinese royal herb remedy. Clinically SS-cream has been effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation and in some patients, potentiating effect of their erectile capacity was noted probably due to its combined activity of several vasoactive principles. Therefore, we investigated the pharmacological action of SS-cream in the isolated rabbit corporal smooth muscle. Strips of rabbit corpus cavernosum were isolated and mounted in 10ml organ chambers to measure isometric tension. Muscle strips treated with increasing concentrations of SS-cream(0.05mg/ml to 0.3mg/ml) showed initial rapid contraction followed by slow gradual relaxation. Muscle strips submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine(PHE:5x0.000001M) and treated with increasing concentrations of SS-cream(from 0.05mg/ml to 0.2mg/mI) showed also initial rapid contraction above the precontracted level and thereafter, relaxed to the basal level at the dose larger than 2mg/ml of SS-cream. Relaxations of muscle strips to SS-cream were not inhibited even partially by endothelial disruption or by pretreatment with pyrogallol or methylene blue. Pretreatment of muscle strips with SS-cream caused concentration dependent inhibition of PHE(5x0.000001M) induced contraction With these results we can conclude that SS-cream has dual action, initial rapid contractile effect which is mediated by adrenergic alpha receptor stimulation, and delayed nonspecific relaxing effect which is not mediated by EDRF or nitric oxide.

The Action Mechanism of Relaxation Effect of Atropine on the Isolated Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Atropine is the classic antimuscarinic anticholinergic drug that bas been used to block cholinergic neurotransmission in basic research and received recent interest clinically in the intracavernous pharmacotherapy of erectile dysfunction. It has been suggested that at low dose(0.00000001M), atropine blocks muscarinic receptors, thereby reducing both cholinergic of the adrenergic and cholinergic excitation of the NANC neuroeffector systems, on the other hand, at large pharmacological dose(0.001M),induces the release of EDRF which recently has been identified as nitric oxide(NO) or NO like substance. Therefore, we tried to confirm the action of atropine in the cavernosal tissue and define its mechanism. Strip of rabbit corpus cavernosum were isolated and mounted in 10 ml organ chambers to measure isometric tension. Muscle strips submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine(5x0.000001M) and treated with increasing concentrations of atropine(0.00000000001M to 0.00lM) showed tension increase upto 0.00000001M of atropine, and thereafter, relaxed concentration dependently(0.0000001M: 43.7%, 0. 000001M: 63.0%,0.00001M:86.2%,0.0001M:93.6%,0.001M:100%). Relaxations to atropine(5x0.000001M) were not inhibited even partially by endothelial disruption or by pretreatment with methylene blue or pyrogallol. Pretreatment of muscle strips with atropine(5x0.00000lM) caused concentration- related inhibition of a phenylephrine induced contraction, and in calcium-free high potassium depolarizing solution, decreased basal tension as well as inhibited contraction induced by CaC12. However, atropine did not produce reduction of responses to depolarizing medium(20, 40, 80mM KCl). With these results we can confirm the relaxation effect of atropine at a larger dose(>0.0000001M)on the cavernosal smooth muscle and suggest that its action is mediated by increasing intracellular calcium sequestration,not by hyperpolarization or EDRF.

Effect of Nitric Oxide Generated by Photolysis on the Rat Detrusor / 대한비뇨기과학회지

The mechanism underlying the bladder relaxation during filling is not fully understood. Nitric oxide played an important role in mediation of relaxation in between vascular and various types of non-vascular smooth muscle. Theoretically, an increased activity of nitric oxide-releasing inhibitory nerves to the detrusor could be a factor keeping the bladder relaxed during the filling phase. The role of nitric oxide in detrusor muscle is still not fully characterized. The objective of this study was to determine the effect and action mechanism of nitric oxide in the rat detrusor. In this experiment, nitric oxide was generated by photolysis using a long wavelength UV lamp ( 366nm) under nitric oxide, NO2-carrying molecules( streptozotocin, NG-nitro-L-arginine). This study were consisted of in vitro examination using Polygraph(Grass Model 79E, Quincy, MA, U.S.A.), radioimmunoassay for guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate and nitrite assay to identify the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide was generated by photolysis from nitric oxide and NO-containing compounds. The longer UV irradiated and the stronger photo energy of light source, the more produced the amount of nitric oxide. The relaxation induced by nitric oxide-containing compound ( streptozotocin) is much more than that by NO2-containing compound(NG-nitro-L-arginine). Nitric oxide was a potent but labile relaxing substance to the rat detrusor strip. The maximal relaxation under streptozotocin treatment and 60 second UV irradiation was approximately 70.0 % comparing to carbachol induced contraction. That relaxation was significantly inhibited by pyrogallol, methylene blue treatment. The photo-induced nitric oxide directly activated soluble form of guanylate cyclase resulting in increased concentration of guanosine 3' 5'-cyclic monophosphate in detrusor strips. From the above results. it was confirmed that nitric oxide relaxed the detrusor muscle, which means that L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway may be present in the mechanism of relaxation. Therefore, new therapeutic approach using exogenous nitric oxide will be an attractive modality in treating functional voiding disturbances such as detrusor hyperreflexia and bladder instability.

Investigation of some effects of levamisole on dog blood pressure.

The effects of levamisole were investigated on the blood pressure of anaesthetized dog. Levamisole (0.5 to 4.0 mg/kg) elicited a biphasic effect, an initial brief depressor response followed by a pressor response. The pressor response was dose-related and was blocked by phenoxybenzamine. The residual depressor response was blocked by propranolol. Repeated administration of a high dose of levamisole produced tachyphylaxis. The pressor response to levamisole was not modified by either reserpinization, acute bilateral adrenalectomy or pretreatment with cocaine, whereas pretreatment with dexamethasone, nialamide or pyroaallol shifted the dose-response curve to the right. Levamisole potentiated the pressor responses to noradrenaline, angiotensin and acetylcholine. The effects of levamisole are ascribed to inhibition of monoamine oxidase, catechol-O-methyl transferase, catecholamine uptake2 mechanism and cholinesterase.