ABSTRACT
Designing new experimental models on animals for testing psychotropic drugs encounter important difficulties. The criteria for choosing a certain model, some pharmacokinetic aspects and few examples of models used in psychotropic drug testing are briefly presented.
Subject(s)
Psychotropic Drugs/therapeutic use , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Mental Disorders/drug therapy , Research DesignABSTRACT
The pharmaceutical trial in dogs on the influence the Romanian pharmaceutical product xanthinol nicotinate has on the cardiovascular system (central and peripheric blood pressure, venous pressure, EKG) and respiratory system rendered evident a hypotensive effect in direct ratio to the dose, prevalently peripheric, without significant changes in respiratory amplitude. It is concluded that the Romanian product has similar effects to those described in the literature for xanthinol nicotinate.
Subject(s)
Blood Pressure/drug effects , Respiration/drug effects , Xanthinol Niacinate/pharmacology , Animals , Dogs , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , MaleABSTRACT
The teratogen action of Boicil tablets was studied in two animal species, rats and mice, the prefertilization and implantation stages being the main interest. Three generations of animals were followed up. The active powder suspended in distilled water (0.1 ml/10 g for mice and 1 ml/100 g for rats) was administered per os in a single dose, prepared on spot and in two doses, 2 mg/kg body weight and 20 mg kg body weight, respectively. The administered doses were equivalent to the daily maximum therapeutic dose prescribed in humans (110 mg active principle). The first gestational day was determined differently in the two species. For estimating the effect on prefertilization, Boicil tablets was administered for 5 days before making and for its effects on the number of implantations during the first 3 gestational days. The two parameters under investigation were within normal limits and all newborn animals followed up for three generations did not present pathological microscopic and gross alterations or somatic malformations. It was concluded that Boicil tablets is not teratogenic.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced/etiology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/toxicity , Embryo Implantation/drug effects , Embryo, Mammalian/drug effects , Fertilization/drug effects , Glycosides/toxicity , Plants, Medicinal , Plants, Toxic , Saponins/toxicity , Veratrum , Animals , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Mice , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Rats , Rats, Inbred Strains , Steroids , Tablets , Time FactorsABSTRACT
This paper describes a portable instrument designed to monitor progress accomplished by patients participating in a hand rehabilitation program. The instrument is driven by a microcontroller and features signal conditioning circuits to measure and record the strength and duration of hand contractions. An alphanumeric display provides the patient with performance indications to allow biofeedback reinforcement, and clear instructions on how to perform the prescribed exercises. Exercise data acquired by the portable instrument can be transferred to a host computer for analysis and archival storage. Results of a preliminary clinical evaluation in 14 patients are presented.
