The influence of some antipsychotics on erythrocyte magnesium and plasma magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc in patients with paranoid schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was the investigation of plasma magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc and erythrocyte magnesium levels in patients with paranoid schizophrenia and the influence of the therapy with two antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol and risperidone) on these concentrations. METHODS: We investigated the influence of treatment with haloperidol and risperidoneon plasma and erythrocyte magnesium and on plasmatic levels of zinc, calcium and copper on hospitalized 56 patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (DSM IV). RESULTS: Our data indicate a decrease of erythrocyte magnesium levels in schizophrenic patients (4.82 +/- 3.1 mg/L vs. 59.2 +/- 1.1 mg/L in control group, p < 0.01). The plasma level of magnesium was unchanged (18.9 +/- 2.17 mg/L in schizophrenic patients vs. 18.26 +/- 1.9 mg/L in control group). CONCLUSIONS: We consider plasma Cu(2+)/erythrocyte Mg(2+) and plasma Cu(2+)/Zn(2+) ratio two important biological markers of the acute paranoid schizophrenia.

Magnesium and some psychological features in two groups of pupils (magnesium and psychic features).

The aim of our study was to compare Mg levels and psychological features in two pupils groups with different conditions. It also ascertained the relationship between Mg levels and some aspects of intellectual development (attention, memory and intelligence) and personality features (psychoticism, neuroticism and extraversion). 103 pupils from an orphanage and 100 pupils from a secondary school were investigated. Serum and erythrocyte magnesium levels were determined and psychological examinations were accomplished with specific tests. The study indicated a difference between the two groups as regards magnesium level and the investigated psychological features. A direct correlation between magnesium level and neuroticism was demonstrated.

Serum lipid picture of rabbits fed on silicate-supplemented atherogenic diet.

Silicon is recognised as a protective trace element in atherosclerosis by epidemiologic and biochemical studies. The goal of the present work was the evaluation of the antiatheromatous effect of the natrium silicate in an experimental trial on 30 rabbits given a standard diet (control), an atherogenic diet (L1 lot) and a natrium silicate-supplemented atherogenic diet (L2 lot), by comparing the variation of the lipid pictures between each of the experimental lots and control. Levels of total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA) and phospholipids indicated that the natrium silicate supplemented to the atherogenic diet minimised the lipid metabolism unbalance by keeping constant the level of FFA and TG in rabbits.

[The antioxidant systems in rheumatoid polyarthritis]. / Sistemele antioxidante în poliartrita reumatoida.

The inflammatory process from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is marked by complexity, maintenance and destruction. The inflammatory lesions are induced by oxygen free radicals, that have a great capacity of destruction. We studied 52 patients with RA (defined by ARA criteria--1987). We have observed the inflammatory rheumatic syndrome, humoral and cellular immune syndrome and the antioxidant systems, i.e.: superoxidedismutaze, glutathione and its fractions, glutathione peroxidase, the total SH groups. We have observed the decrease of the glutathione in 40% of patients and the decrease of the total SH groups in 65% of patients. The total SH groups are correlated with the severe forms of the disease. Superoxide dismutase had decrease values in 85% of cases. We have remarked that the treatment with corticosteroids and D-penicillamina improved the serum levels of the glutathione and total SH groups.

[The relationship between zinc, copper and lipid metabolic indicators in adults]. / Studiul relatiei dintre zinc, cupru si indicatorii metabolismului lipidic la adulti.

The variation of the levels of serum zinc and copper was determined comparing with the variation of the lipidic indicators in a group of 169 adults from the general population. The subjects were divided by age and sex. Serum zinc declined with ageing, while serum copper increased. The lipidic indicators varied in direct correlation with serum copper and in indirect correlation with serum zinc excepting two cases: HDL-cholesterol values decreased in man 60 years older, and triglycerides values decreased lightly in men 41-60 years old.

[Experimental research on the toxicity of the product orthochlorobenzene sulfur chloride]. / Cercetari experimentale privind toxicitatea produsului ortoclorbenzensulfoclorura.

The potential of toxic action in rats of orthochlorbenzol sulphochloride, administered intragastrically in single doses and in daily doses included in food, was estimated. Other bioenzymatic parameters of liver function (transaminase, gammaglutamyltransferase, glutamatdehydrogenase etc.), which presented changes in all experiments performed during this investigations, were also analyzed. Based on the obtained results, stop-gap suggestions of maximum admitted concentrations in environmental elements and air at the work places (0.5 mg/cubic meter) were made.

[Is carbon disulfide atherogenic?]. / Este sulfura de carbon aterogena?

The changes in serum lipids and the histopathological aspect of aorta and blood vessels in the coronary, cerebral and renal territories were followed up in the white rat injected intraperitoneally with carbon bisulphide at various doses (5, 10, 15, 25, 75 mg/kg body weight) in subacute and chronic experiment (3, 6, 10 months). The absence of hyperlipemia and atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and coronary, renal and cerebral blood vessels were noticed.