Comparative effects on psychomotor performance of the muscle relaxant afloqualone, alone and with ethanol.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction between 40 mg afloqualone, a new centrally acting muscle relaxant and 0.5 g/kg ethanol using a double-blind three-way cross-over trial in which subjects were each given afloqualone with ethanol, ethanol alone and afloqualone alone. We first compared the effects of 40 mg oral afloqualone and 15 mg diazepam (considered as a reference drug) on the psychomotor and cognitive performance and muscular relaxation of 12 healthy male volunteers. Performance was assessed by six objective tests and eight visual analogue self-rating scales. All the above treatments were separated by a 2-week interval. Volunteers performed the objective tests 1 h after drug ingestion, and the self-rating scale evaluations before drug intake and 1, 3.5, 6 and 8 h thereafter. Afloqualone impaired psychomotor performance less than diazepam as shown by the number of correct answers in the digit symbol cancellation test and the time needed to complete this test. However, the measurement of the frontalis muscle action potential showed that the muscle relaxant activity of 40 mg afloqualone was equivalent to that of 15 mg diazepam. Furthermore, afloqualone given at an effective relaxant dose did not enhance the effects of a single dose of ethanol which predominated on either psychomotor performance or subjective feelings.

Model-independent pharmacokinetics of colchicine after oral administration to healthy volunteers.

The pharmacokinetics of colchicine were studied after oral administration of three doses (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg) to nine healthy male volunteers according to randomized cross-over design. Plasma and urine samples were collected during 48 h after ingestion, and assayed for colchicine levels by a specific and highly sensitive radio-immunoassay. Pharmacokinetic parameters t1/2 beta, AUC, MRT, CIT/F, CIR, Vd area/F) were calculated by model-independent methods and compared across doses by multiway analysis of variance. Terminal half-life (15.5-19.2 h), mean residence time (15.7-20.3 h), oral systemic (32.2-40.3 l/h) and renal (3.9-4.7 l/h) clearances, and oral volume of distribution (11.4-14.9 l/kg) did not differ significantly between doses, whereas the area under the concentration-time curve was proportional to dose. Our results show that: 1. within the dose range studied (0.5-1.5 mg), the pharmacokinetics of colchicine are linear; 2. monitoring colchicine levels up to 48 hours yields much larger estimates of terminal half-life and volume of distribution than previously reported from considerably shorter studies.

In vivo determination of the caloric value of gum arabic in the male rat--biological data.

Sprague-Dawley male rats were given normal diets (UAR A 03) containing various amounts of gum arabic, sucrose and lignin for eight consecutive weeks. The caloric values of the diets were derived by utilizing the indirect method comparing the slopes from food consumption and weight gain curves. While the data obtained from sucrose diets showed that these diets caused a clear incremental effect on energy production with respect to both test animals and controls, and data from lignin diets were found to produce a negative effect on energy yields, gum arabic diets produced results indicating that at certain levels of intake, gum arabic may contribute energy values slightly superior to those of lignin (0 cal-g), possibly between zero and 1 cal/g. However, it was not found possible to attribute a clear-cut quantitative caloric value to this additive from data obtained in this study.

Experimental assessment of the protective activity of diazepam on the acute toxicity of chloroquine.

The dose of diazepam that reduces the mortality rate of acute intoxications with chloroquine was determined: The oral LD 50 of chloroquine (330 mg/kg) was administered and immediately thereafter diazepam was injected intraperitoneally to male and female rats at dose levels of 2.5, 7.5, 20, 55, and 148 mg/kg. An untreated group served as control. A significant decrease of the mortality rate was observed at the dose levels 7.5, 20, and 55 mg/kg with optimal effect at 20 mg/kg. This mortality rate was analysed by analysis of variance. The occurrence of two types of symptoms: convulsions and respiratory disturbances was analysed by the chi square method.

[An experimental study of bioglass implants in bone (author's transl)]. / Les bioverres et le tissu osseux: etude expérimentale.

The tolerance and response of bone to bioglass have been studied using implants of various chemical constitution in animals. Glass discs were inserted between the inner and outer tables of the skull in 32 rabbits and small glass stick were implanted in the medullary cavity of long bones in 6 dogs. The results were analysed between 6 and 18 months later. High resolution radiographs and histopathological examination were performed. Some glass behaves like an inert material but other specimens are biodegradable and induce a satisfactory bone response in adjacent bone. Any new bone formation does not follow the classical stages of connective tissue, cartilage and woven bone. Bioglass is more suitable for bone than many other materials now in use and further applications in orthopaedic surgery may be considered.

[An experimental study of bioglass implants in bone]. / Les bioverres et le tissu osseux: Etude expérimentale.

The tolerance and response of bone to bioglass have been studied using implants of various chemical constitution in animals.Glass discs were inserted between the inner and outer tables of the skull in 32 rabbits and small glass stick were implanted in the medullary cavity of long bones in 6 dogs. The results were analysed between 6 and 18 months later. High resolution radiographs and histopathological examination were performed.Some glass behaves like an inert material but other specimens are biodegradable and induce a satisfactory bone response in adjacent bone. Any new bone formation does not follow the classical stages of connective tissue, cartilage and woven bone. Bioglass is more suitable for bone than many other materials now in use and further applications in orthopaedic surgery may be considered.

[Plasma levels of nitroglycerin after oral and percutaneous administration (author's transl)]. / Taux plasmatiques de nitroglycérine après administration orale et percutanée.

In the management of angina pectoris the present trend is to use fast-acting nitrate compounds to control acute attacks and oral or topical long-acting preparations for maintenance treatment. The authors have measured the plasma concentrations of fast-and long-acting nitroglycerin preparations, using gas chromatography with detection by electron capture, after extraction by hexane.

[Comparison of the effects of absorption of aminophenazone or propyphenazone combined with sodium nitrite on the incidence and early appearance of tumors in the rat]. / Comparison des effets de l'absorption de l'aminophénazone ou de la propyphénazone associées au nitrite de sodium sur la fréquence et la précocité d'apparition de tumeurs chez le rat.

Formation of nitrosamines, after absorption of nitrite and secondary or tertiary amines in the gastro-intestinal tract, is used as a chemical test of carcinogenicity in the Rat. We have confirmed the carcinogenic power of a tertiary amine association: aminophenazone, and sodium nitrite giving dimethyl-nitrosamine in Sprague Dawley rats: both substances are administered at low and high concentrations in drinking water. We have studied simultaneously, the propyphenazone/sodium nitrite association in the same experimental conditions without carcinogenic power: --treatment duration: thirty weeks, --study duration: two years with observation of carcinogenic reactions, --verification of data: control and substances given independently.