Casimiroa edulis seed extracts show anticonvulsive properties in rats.

A single dose of 5, 10 and 100 mg/kg of Casimiroa edulis aqueous extract (AQ); 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg of C. edulis ethanolic extract (E-OH); in addition, 10, 30 and 12 mg/kg of propyleneglycol (Pg), phenytoin (Phen) and phenobarbital (Phb) was orally given to adult male Wistar rat groups. Thereafter, all groups were assayed for protection against maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (METsc) seizure inducing tests at hourly intervals throughout 8 h. For MES, a maximal protection of 70% at the 2nd and 4th h with 10 mg/kg AQ and 100 mg/kg E-OH doses, occurred. That of Phen, Phb and Pg was 80, 90 and 10% at the 8th, 6th and 2nd h, respectively. The averaged values of the MES unprotected rats under 10 and 100 mg/kg of AQ and E-OH extracts, showed that a shortened reflex duration as well as a delayed latency and uprising times occurred. On the other hand, just an enlarged latency and no protection against METsc device in AQ and EOH was observed. Phen and Phb maximal protection was 80 and 100% at the 4th and 6th hour against METsc. Thus, AQ is tenfold more potent anticonvulsive extract than E-OH against MES.

Electrochemical fixation techniques. I. Electrochemical fixation of human brain.

An electrochemical brain fixation procedure (EBFP) to treat brains excised from human cadavers is described thoroughly. It is as precise as any other similar method currently available. However, it takes only as much as 36 h to completion instead of the much longer lapses required by immersion in formaldehyde. Actions were taken to secure that it is not a source of artifacts of any kind, neither neurons nor glia or blood vessels. It is, therefore, amenable to be used as a valuable research and teaching tool. Other advantages are that it does not pose any health hazard, is money- and time-saving, and cuts down on equipment and facilities.

Electrochemical fixation techniques. II. Electrochemical dog body fixation. Histological study.

This is the first attempt to harden all organs of a body together without excising them. This process was accomplished in bottom-belted, gastrointestinal (GI) or intravenously (i.v.) catheterized dog cadavers so as to influx an electrolytic solution containing formaldehyde (ESF). The i.v. influx of ESF was found to be the best perfusion pathway. After 48 h of immersion in ESF, 24 h current time of 17.5 A of current intensity, 24 degrees to 56 degrees C, we ended up with thoroughly fixed dog cadavers that were wrapped with ethyl alcohol:glycerol gauzes and stored in plastic bags at room temperature. Optical microscopy of every sliced tissue showed normal blood vessels, neurons, glial and Purkinje cells and their nuclei of brain and cerebellum, respectively. Cardiac muscle fibers were of normal appearance. Kidney Bowman's capsule and space were found to be normal except for vacuolarly degenerated tubules. Small intestine showed normal epithelial cells and crypts of Lieberkühn. In liver, sinusoids were normally arrayed but showed vacuolar cell degeneration. Herein a method to attain an electrochemical whole body fixation is described.

[Oral administration of diphenylhydantoin sodium (DFH-Na or phenytoin) predictably affects the liver and kidney of Sprague Dawley rats]. / La administración oral de difenilhidantoinato sódico (DFH-Na ó Fenitoina) afecta previsiblemente hígado y riñón de ratas Sprague-Dawley.

Phenytoin and its vehicle were orally administered to adult Sprague-Dawley rats during 7, 14 and 30 days at doses of 300 and 450 mg/kg/24 hr., respectively. We found: 1) Increased liver DNA concentration in subgroups of animals treated with 450 mg at 7 (P < 0.02) and 15 days (P < 0.001) Phenytoin serum levels were 19 ug/ml. 2) Increased protein concentration with 300 mg at 7 (P < 0.01) and 15 days (P < 0.001), respectively. 3) Cloudy swelling, vacuolar degeneration, liver sinusoids disappearance and lymphocytic cells infiltrate in subgroups of rats receiving vehicle throughout 6, 14 and 15 days correspondingly. The former lesion was found in all subgroups, except that 450 mg treated animals liver more severely affected. 4) Increased DNA concentration in kidney of subgroups receiving 450 mg/kg throughout 7 (P < 0.05), 15 (P < 0.001) and 30 days (P < 0.001), correspondingly. 5) Increased protein concentration in rats receiving 450 mg during 15 days (P < 0.001) and severely decreased at 30 days period. 6) Cloudy swelling was found in all treated animals subgroups. Seven cellular and tissue lesions were caused by vehicle at 15 and 30 days periods. 450 mg of phenytoin predominantly caused tissue condensation and vacuolar degeneration in kidney cortex. 7) propylene glycol do affect liver and kidney at doses below TD-50. Phenytoin stimulate kidney and liver cell proliferation. Caution should be observed when using parenteral phenytoin.

Fluorescent characteristics of carbamazepine.

Previously undescribed carbamazepine fluorescence data were found in ethanolic solutions within a range of 200-550 nm. Concentrated H2S04, bidistilled ethanol and a 1:1 mixture of them showed lambda Exc. at 470 nm. A 10-fold fluorescence increase at 470 nm and 520 nm peaks were observed when 10 micrograms of ethanolic carbamazepine solution was activated with the same acid (1:1). A lambda Exc. of 300 nm and Anal. of 357 nm amounted to 60 per cent of the carbamazepine relative fluorescence values in comparison to 95 per cent when a 470/515 nm monochromators combination were used. A 12 hours fluorescence duration was detected for "activated" carbamazepine. The "filter effect" appeared within the range of 10 and 100 micrograms/ml of carbamazepine. Temperature induced an acute fluorescence decay starting at 23 degrees C. Identical wavelengths and others still unidentified were detected from carbamazepine extracted from human serum. The monochromators combination at 300/357 nm might be useful for serum extracted carbamazepine measurements.