Comparison of the nicotine content of tobacco used in bidis and conventional cigarettes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the nicotine content of 12 unfiltered brands of bidi cigarettes (hand rolled cigarettes imported from India) with 8 popular brands of filtered and unfiltered US and conventional cigarettes from India. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Identical laboratory procedures were used to determine nicotine content (in duplicate) and physical characteristics. RESULTS: The nicotine concentration in the tobacco of bidi cigarettes (21.2 mg/g) was significantly greater than the tobacco from the commercial filtered (16.3 mg/g) and unfiltered cigarettes (13.5 mg/g). CONCLUSIONS: Bidi cigarettes contain higher concentrations of nicotine than conventional cigarettes. Therefore, it is logical to presume that bidi smokers are at risk of becoming nicotine dependent. These findings belief a popular belief among US teens that bidis are a safe alternative to commercial cigarettes.

An unusual post-operative wound infection with Salmonella typhi: case report.

A 25 year old male student presented with a discharging sinus and swelling over right forearm, which on culture yielded S. typhi, sensitive to Ciprofloxacin. Predisposing factors were absent but there was a history of surgery for chronic osteomyelitis of right ulna and injury with cricket ball at same site. Pus obtained during surgery was sterile. Patient responded to oral Ciprofloxacin. Soft tissue infections are uncommon manifestation of salmonellosis. This case is an unusual presentation of post-operative Salmonella typhi wound infection.

Trigeminal neurinoma with an apoplectic onset.

Intratumoural bleeding into a trigeminal neurinoma is rare. The authors describe a case which had an apoplectic presentation with subsequent persistent unilateral ptosis, hemifacial pain and sensory loss. This proved to be due to a haemorrhage into a large trigeminal neurinoma.

Gas chromatographic determination of residual levels of tert.-butanol from lyophilized liposomal formulations.

The use of liposomal formulations is rapidly gaining popularity in pharmaceutical research and development. Their preparation often involves the use of organic solvents such as tert.-butanol to dissolve lipophilic lipids. To improve the physicochemical stability of the liposomes, lyophilizing the product is one of the best available means. A gas chromatographic method for the determination of tert.-butanol residual levels in lyophilized liposomes, employing sec.-butanol as internal standard, using a flame ionization detector (FID) detector and a cross-linked dimethylpolysiloxane capillary column, was developed. The method described is simple, sensitive, rugged, reliable and reproducible and requires less time than other reported methods for the quantitation of tert.-butanol; it also has pharmaceutical applications.

Side reactions following ivermectin therapy in high density bancroftian microfilaraemics.

Side reactions following ivermectin treatment were evaluated in sixty males with high density bancroftian microfilaremia (GM 1388/ml). Following a single oral dose of ivermectin of different strengths (20, 50, 100 or 200 micrograms/kg), microfilariae clearance and side reactions were monitored in a double blind fashion. Microfilaria levels fell rapidly after ivermectin administration in all dosage groups and 98% of pretreatment microfilariae was cleared after 12 h of treatment. The rate of microfilaria (mf) clearance was slower with 20 micrograms/kg than with the highest dose (200 micrograms/kg) administered. Forty-six patients (77%) became amicrofilaraemic within 2 weeks of treatment. Side reactions were noted in 97% of cases. The most common reactions were fever, headache, weakness, myalgia and cough which appeared by 12 h and subsided by 72 h following treatment. The frequency and intensity of side reactions were related to pretreatment mf densities and were independent of the dose administered. Unusual side reactions were noted in a few patients with high density microfilaraemia. These included intense cough, shortness of breath, blood tinged mucoid expectoration associated with patchy pneumonitis of the lung. Itchy rashes, lymphatic nodules and raised alkaline phosphatase level were also observed in some patients. These side reactions were transient, self limiting and were not serious enough to warrant any treatment. These exaggerated unusual reactions were possibly due to allergic response of the susceptible host to rapid killing of large number of microfilariae.

An investigation of metal concentrations in blood of industrial workers.

Pigments may contain chromates of zinc and lead, dioxide of manganese, oxides of copper and cobalt, and sulphides of cadmium. Workers engaged in the production of colored glass articles are exposed to fumes and dusts from these pigments. Exposure to these metals through inhalation may lead to a high concentration of these metals in blood. Correlations between biometric characteristics of workers and the blood levels of metals, and between blood levels of different metals were explored. Blood copper and chromium were correlated with occupational history. Significant correlations between blood levels of lead, copper, chromium and manganese were also observed.

Physiochemical properties of aminophylline-dextrose injection admixtures.

The compatibility and stability of aminophylline-dextrose injection admixtures were investigated. Aliquots of 5% dextrose injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, and 5% dextrose and 0.9% sodium chloride injection were studied for these physiochemical properties: pH, color, clarity, absorbance in a spectrophotometer at 400 nm, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. Aminophylline injection was added to the solutions, and aliquots were withdrawn after 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours of storage at 5, 25, 35, and 55 degrees C for testing of the physiochemical properties and aminophylline content. An aminophylline admixture in 5% dextrose injection was passed through an in-line filter (IVEX-2), and eluents were collected for aminophylline assay and for testing the above physiochemical properties. HMF and theophylline were assayed to high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The aminophylline concentration remained constant in all admixtures studied. A yellow color developed in dextrose-containing aminophylline admixtures stored at 25, 35, and 55 degrees C for 48, 24, and 6 hours, respectively. HMF concentration, pH, and clarity remained within compendial limits. The in-line filter did not retain active ingredients or alter the physiochemical properties of the admixture. Solutions that were yellow showed additional peaks on HPLC. HMF seemed to be a precursor for this yellow color, inasmuch as HMF concentration increased with increasing color intensity. It is concluded that aminophylline-dextrose admixtures are visually and chemically stable for 48 hours when stored under refrigeration or at room temperature.

Intravenous solution compatibility and filter-retention characteristics of trace-element preparations.

The compatibility of recently published AMA formulations of the four trace-element injections (zinc, copper, chromium, and manganese) with a representative total parenteral nutrition (TPN) formulation and commonly used intravenous solutions was evaluated in glass and plastic containers. The effect of in-line filtration on trace-element concentration was also studied. Individual metal-ion concentrations, pH, color, and clarity were measured at 0-, 12-, 24-, and 48-hour intervals following mixture in TPN, 5% dextrose injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, and 8.5% amino acid injection (Travasol, Travenol Laboratories). Multiple trace elements were studied in one-liter glass bottles of 5% dextrose and 0.9% sodium chloride injection. Trace-element contaminants were measured in the intravenous solutions and trace-element injections. The four trace-element preparations were added individually and in combination to the solutions in plastic or glass containers. The trace-element admixtures were passed through in-line i.v. filters (IVEX-2, Abbott Laboratories) during a three-hour period at controlled-flow rates. Concentrations of trace elements remained within 99% confidence limits in all i.v. solutions, with both individual trace elements and combinations of the four trace elements. Trace-element concentrations did not change when the admixtures were passed through the in-line filter unit. It is concluded that there are no obvious compatibility problems associated with admixture nor any detectable retention by the i.v. filter of trace elements.