Central actions of angiotensin II on heart rate and blood pressure in mongrel dogs.

Angiotensin II is produced physiologically in response to renal ischaemia due to hypotension. It's effect on heart rate and blood pressure were studied on anaesthetised mongrel dogs. Angiotensin II was given in different concentrations, by intravenous, intraarterial in carotid artery and intracerebroventricular routes. Cervical vagotomy and carotid sinus inactivation were done is abolish the reflex inhibition produced by baroreflexes. Rise of B.P. is due to mainly peripheral vasopressor action of angiotensin II, however it is shown to have a central component as well. This is demonstrated by ICV injections. Tachycardia due to central action is also demonstrated in this study. Both actions are significant. This study also confirm the earlier findings that angiotensin II passes the blood brain barrier.

Some observations on pulmonary function tests in rice mill workers.

A study was carried out to determine the effects of rice husk dust on pulmonary functions in Rice mill workers. The study population consisted of 150 male Rice mill workers from 6 Rice mills with 50 controls of similar age, sex, ethnic group and agricultural work background. Twenty eight Rice mill workers showed obstructive, whereas eight workers showed restrictive type of pulmonary impairment. The results show that the duration of exposure of Rice husk dust is the workers is related to the degree of decline in FVC, FEV1, FEV3, PEFR and MVV. This could be attributed to allergic inflammatory reactions of pulmonary tissue due to Rice husk dust.

Peripheral action of angiotensin II.

The effects of angiotensin II were studied on isolated atrial preparations of nonreserpinised and reserpinised rabbits, before and after treating the preparations by propranolol. Peripheral action of angiotensin was cardioaccelerator via direct stimulation of beta-receptors of the atria in isolated atrial preparations.