The effects of verapamil and ethanol on body temperature and motor coordination.

Male, adult mice of the Binghamton heterogeneous stock received one of two doses of ethanol (1.0 g/kg or 2.0 g/kg in saline) alone or in combination with the calcium (Ca2+) slow channel blocker, verapamil (5.45 mg/kg in 25% v/v ethanol in saline). Hypothermic responses and motor incoordination were assessed in terms of rectal temperatures and rotorod activity both 20 and 60 min after drug administration. Verapamil alone did not affect body temperature, but it potentiated ethanol-induced hypothermia at both post-administration test times. Both verapamil and ethanol impaired muscular coordination and these effects were additive at the two observation periods. Verapamil did not affect ethanol blood levels from 10 to 80 min after administration of the drugs. Since motor impairment was observed when verapamil was administered with only its ethanol vehicle, this suggests a powerful interactive effect between the two drugs.

A micromethod for the on-column methylation of valproic acid by gas-liquid chromatography.

We described a simple procedure for the flash heater methylation of valproic acid and cyclohexylacetic acid (internal standard) by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). A small volume (100 microL) of sample is acidified with 10% perchloric acid and extracted into hexane. An aliquot is back extracted into 5% tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMH). A 1 microL sample of the TMH layer is injected into the GLC equipped with flame ionization detector (FID) and a 6 ft x 2 mm i.d. - nickel column packed with 3% OV-17 on 80/100 mesh Supelcoport. The injector temperature is set at 350 degrees C to ensure methylation. Recoveries are greater than 95% of theoretical value. The linearity for calibration points between 15 and 180 microgram/mL is excellent (coefficient of correlation and determination greater than 0.9999). The procedure is rapid and sensitive and does not require a dedicated column in the gas chromatograph.