Vascular effects induced by long term treatment with beta blockers in rats

The aim of this study was to study the possible effects of prolonged treatment with metoprolol and propranolol on vascular reactivity. Normotensive male rats were used and they were divided into three groups. First group, received metoprolol, second group received propranolol and third group served as control. Their aortae were isolated and studied for their reactivity and comparison done between pretreatment preparation and control ones. There was a significant increase in the contractile response to noradrenaline in the aortic rings taken from metoprolol or propranolol treated rats as compared with controls. In contrast, there was nonsignificant difference in contractile response to phenylephrine. The relaxation response to acetylcholine in tonically contracted aortic rings showed significant increase in relaxation of aortic rings taken from metoprolol or propranolol treated rats as compared ith control. Whereas, there was no significant change in the relaxant response to sodium nitroprussid in pretreated aortic preparation compared with the control ones

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: use and its complications on upper gastrointestinal tract in Egyptian patients

Diclophenac and Iburpofen are well established and widespread non- steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] used in the treatment of variety of painful inflammatory conditions, e.g. osteorthritis [Davis et al., 1995]. NSAIDs are associated with high potential risk of gastrointestinal disoreders [Lee et al., 1995]. The aim of this work is to investigate the occurrence of such gastrointestinal disorders in Egyptian patients. Forty Egyptian male patients were participated in this study suffering from chronic osteoarthritis; 20 of them were treated by diclophenac and 20 were treated by Ibuprofen. Gastroscopy was done for all patients before and after the course of treatment with aspiration of gastric secretion to study it for acidity, proteolytic activity and glycoproteins concentration. The gastroduodenoscopy study for the two groups showed that diclophenac is more vigorous drug than Ibuprofen. The gastric secretion study for both groups showed that both drugs increased acid and pepsin concentration with more effect for diclophenac. Diclophenac decreased glycoproteins, while Ibuprofen increased it. Diclophenac and Ibuprofen produced adverse effects on gastric and duodenal mucosa. The most damaging is diclophenac which alters the gastric secretory pattern

effect of chlorpromazine and peserpine on sex hormone level in serum and on liver function tests

The effect of the major tranquilizer [chlorpromazine] and the antihypertensive agent [reserpine] on serum testosterone [TS], follicular stimulating hormone [FS H], leutinizing hormone [LEE] and liver enzymes [AST, ALT] as well as total protein [UP], albumin [ALB] and free amino acids [AA] in male albino rats were investigated. Drug treatment was given s.c. for 30 days after which, animals were sacrificed, the testes from each animal were carefull9 removed and weighed. Both drugs caused a significant reduction in testicular weight. Chlorpromazine resulted in a significant decrease [p<0.01] in the levels of [TS], [FSH] [LEE] and [ALT]. Reserpine resulted in a significant' decrease [p<0.01] in serum