Effect of a melatonin-free extract from bovine pineal on plasma and urinary steroids and on serum prolactin in hirsute amenorrheic adolescents.

Basal and post-suppressive dexamethasone (dxm) levels of some urinary androgen metabolites, plasma testosterone (T), 17 hydroxyprogesterone (17 OHP) and of basal serum prolactin were determined in 34 hirsute amenorrheic adolescents aged 13-17 in whom a five day course of bovine pineal extract (4 ml a day i.m.) was instituted. No convincing effect of pineal extract administration on plasma T and 17 OHP and on serum prolactin was detectable in most of pineal-treated patients. Suppressibility to dxm of plasma T and 17 OHP was not a relevant index of both the origin of androgens or the clinical course of the patients.

Feminizing adrenal carcinoma.

A 50-year old female patient was referred to our clinic. She had systolic-diastolic arterial hypertension, oedemas, physical asthenia, weight loss and a large tumor in the left hypochondrium. Hormone assay showed markedly high values of 17 OHCS, 17 KS and testosterone, and high values of estrogens. The tumor was diagnosed as functional adrenal carcinoma. Removal of the tumor and administration of OP'DDD led to the disappearance of all clinical symptoms and normalization of hormonal values.

Studies of the reproduction function in hyper- and hypoadrenocorticism.

The investigation was carried out on 66 patients with hypo- or hyperfunctional syndromes of adrenocorticism, hospitalized and treated by our team. The patients were grouped into 5 lots according to their diseases. Lot one consisted of 34 female patients with Cushing's syndrome, lot two of 10 males with Cushing's syndrome, lot three of 10 males with Addison's disease and lot four, of 6 females with androgenic hypercorticism. The morphofunctional disorders of reproduction were followed up clinically and by complex hormone assays, before and after treatment. The incidence of these disorders is very high, and the results of clinical observations and of laboratory data demonstrate that both the excess of adrenocortical hormones and the decrease in their circulating level have a negative influence on the reproduction function or represent a risk factor in cases of pregnancy. By the curative treatment of the adrenal cortex a preventive treatment of abortion and/or sterility is achieved.

[The allergic-reactive and encephalitogenic potential of rabies vaccines prepared from different virulent materials]. / Potentialul reactiv-alergizant si encefalitogen al vaccinurilor rabice preparate din materiale virulente deosebite.

The clinical, serologic and pathohistological study was carried out on laboratory animals inoculated with a series of rabies vaccines currently used in postinfection therapy in man and some experimental rabies vaccine variants used throughout the world, in order to estimate the reactive, allergic-inducing and encephalitogen potential of the products. The results showed that all the virulent material used in the preparation of rabies vaccines studied have an allergoencephalitogenic potential, reflected by humoral and histologic modifications, especially contraindicated being the avian rabies vaccines and those prepared from adult animal nervous material. Vaccines prepared from cell cultures, virulent brain of the neonate mouse and normal lamb present and allergoencephalitogen and neuropathogen potential that must be taken into consideration within the context of a repeated postinfection therapy. Rabies vaccines prepared from foetal brain and partial thymectomized lamb or testosterone treated lamb produce humoral and histologic alterations of low intensity.

Hypercorticism--a risk factor in arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis.

The present work has attempted an analysis of the role hypercorticism as a risk factor in arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Our series consisted of 149 male and female patients of various ages. The incidence of cardiovascular disorders in relation to age and the glucidic lipidic metabolic disorders were also investigated. The results showed that hypercorticism may trigger in very young patients as well arterial hypertension (AH) and glucidic-lipid metabolic disorders both incriminated as risk factors in including atherosclerosis. Hypercorticism was proved to be an aggravating factor of pre-existing cardiopathy. Efficient management of adrenocortical hormones excess brings complete resolution of arterial hypertension and glucidic lipid metabolic disorders in young patients and most adult patients who had no cardiovascular complaints prior to the endocrine syndrome.

The level of urinary and plasma steroids after oral administration of cyclofenil to hirsute women with menstrual disorders and obesity.

Cyclofenil 600 mg/day was given to 10 women with excessive skin hair and marked excretion of urinary androgens. The urinary values of androgenic metabolites as well as the plasmatic values of radioimmunoassayable testosterone remained unaltered. A significant increase was noticed in the radioimmunoassayable plasma estradiol. Urinary total estrogens could not be assayed in the women under cyclofenil because of a non-specific color reaction. It was concluded that the estrogenic effects of cyclofenil are mediated, at least partly, by release of gonadotropins from the hypophysis.