Clinical toxicology and management of intoxications with synthetic cathinones ("bath salts").

Synthetic cathinones are synthetic derivatives of the natural cathinone, one of the psychoactive compounds present in Catha edulis (khat). There are at least 12 different types of synthetic cathinones, with mephedrone and 3,4-methylendioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) being the most commonly used by the purchasers. The legal control of these substances is especially difficult because when a specific compound is banned, a new slightly modified chemical variant is introduced into the market. It has been described that patients after taking synthetic cathinones may show signs and symptoms of the sympathicomimetic toxidrome, including agitation, psychosis, tachycardia, hypertension, and seizures. Furthermore, some cases of deaths related to their consumption have also been reported. Nowadays, there is no established treatment protocol for the clinical management of these intoxications. Because of this, we have developed some recommendations that may be useful to determine the treatment of these patients.

The role of the conversion of IBA into IAA on root regeneration in apple: introduction of a test system.

A test system for root regeneration was developed that consists of stem slices of apple shoots (ca. 0.5 mm thick; fresh weight ca. 1 mg). Roots regenerated synchronously without intervening callus formation and without interference with compounds originating from other parts of the plant. Supply of indolebutyric acid (IBA) or indoleacetic acid (IAA) induced maximally an average of 8 or 4.5 roots per slice, respectively. After uptake of IBA, a high degree of conjugation resulted in a recovery of 2.5% as internal free IBA (ca. 2 times the medium concentration). Due to conversion of absorbed IBA into IAA a fraction of 0.4% was recovered as (physiologically active) free IAA. After incubation on medium with IAA, 0.5% of the absorbed hormone was recovered in the free acid form. No conversion of IAA into IBA was observed. Equimolar contents of internal free IAA after incubation on IBA or IAA resulted for IBA in a higher number of roots than for IAA. This means that IBA may also act via internal free IBA or may synergistically modify the action or endogenous synthesis of IAA.