HPLC separation of all aldopentoses and aldohexoses on an anion-exchange stationary phase prepared from polystyrene-based copolymer and diamine: the effect of NaOH eluent concentration.

To investigate the separations of all aldopentoses (ribose, arabinose, xylose and lyxose) and aldohexoses (glucose, galactose, allose, altrose, mannose, gulose, idose and talose) on the D6 stationary phase prepared by the reaction of chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,6-diaminohexane, we examined the effect of varying the concentration of the NaOH eluent on the elution orders. Separations of these aldoses were achieved using a 20 mM NaOH eluent. The elution behaviors of the aldoses were probably due to not only the individual pK(a) values, but also the chemical structures of the cyclic aldoses.

Number, size, conduction, and vasoconstrictor ability of unmyelinated fibers of the ovarian nerve in adult and aged rats.

The effect of aging on the number, size, conduction velocity, and vasoconstrictive function of unmyelinated fibers in ovarian nerve accompanying the ovarian artery was studied in adult (4-7mo) and aged (28-31mo) rats. Morphological observation by electron microscopy showed that the ovarian nerve contains mainly unmyelinated fibers with only a small percentage (less than 4%) of myelinated fibers in either age group. The number of unmyelinated fibers tended to decrease in aged rats (717±59) compared to adult rats (801±48), especially in fibers of smaller diameter, although this difference was not statistically significant. The maximum conduction velocity of unmyelinated fibers within the ovarian nerve was similar when compared between adult (1.05±0.04m/s) and aged (1.02±0.05m/s) rats. Under anesthesia, electrical stimulation of the distal portion of a severed ovarian nerve reduced ovarian blood flow, as measured by laser Doppler flowmetry, when the stimulus intensity was above the threshold for unmyelinated C fibers. Stimulation of the ovarian nerve with supra-maximum intensity (10V) at 2-20Hz frequencies produced frequency-dependent reductions in ovarian blood flow in both adult and aged rats. There were no significant differences in magnitude of the reduction in ovarian blood flow with comparable frequencies of electrical stimulation of the ovarian nerve between adult and aged rats. Collectively, these data indicate that unmyelinated C fibers in ovarian nerve are maintained in number, size, conduction ability, and vasoconstrictor function in aged rats.

Preparation of new nitrogen-bridged heterocycles 72. A new approach to 1-acyl-3-(substituted methylthio)thieno[3',4':4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives. [corrected]

The alkaline treatment of the pyridinium salts, readily available from the S-alkylations of 3-amino-4-(1-pyridinio)thiophene-5-thiolates with various alkyl halides, in chloroform at room temperature afforded the corresponding thieno[3',4':4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives in low to moderate yields via the intramolecular cyclization of the resulting 1,5-dipoles followed by the aromatization of the primary cycloadducts. Interestingly, the reactions using unsymmetrical 3-amino-4-[1-(3-methylpyridinio)]thiophene-5-thiolates afforded only 8-methylthieno[3',4':4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and the other 6-methyl derivatives were not formed at all. In addition the isolation of a byproduct in the condensation reaction of pyridinium salt with the solvent (CHCl3) is also discussed.

Modulation of somatosensory-evoked cortical blood flow changes by GABAergic inhibition of the nucleus basalis of Meynert in urethane-anaesthetized rats.

Vascular changes associated with brain functions are thought to be tightly coupled with neuronal activity through neuronal glucose consumption or the local release of vasoactive agents. In contrast, another view suggests that cortical blood flow is strongly regulated by the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), independently of regional metabolism. Thus, although cortical regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) variations induced by somatosensory stimulation are strongly linked to neuronal activity, they may also be partly controlled by the NBM. In the present study, cortical rCBF alterations in response to innocuous brushing of the hindlimb (HL) were investigated by laser speckle contrast imaging. The contribution of NBM to these changes was examined after injection of the GABAergic agonist muscimol into the right NBM, allowing comparison of somatosensory-evoked cortical rCBF modifications before and after NBM inactivation. As expected, HL brushing elicited a robust rCBF increase in the contralateral parietal cortex (PC), over the representation of the HL. However, these alterations were decreased, by approximately 40%, in the hemisphere ipsilateral to muscimol inactivation of NBM, whereas vehicle injection did not produce any significant variation. The results demonstrate that cortical rCBF changes induced by somatosensory stimulation are partly regulated by NBM.

Multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis of skin rubor with two-electrode technique.

BACKGROUND: Skin rubor, or reddish discoloration on skin, is a sign of irritation. Physiologically it involves temporary vasodilation and hyperaemia in tissue, and is diagnosed by the visible characteristics. PURPOSE: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was tested to estimate skin rubor. METHODS: Five healthy women (22-25 years) participated in the experiments. Four were ethanol patch test (EPT)-positive; one was negative. A skin rubor was developed on the subjects' left forearm by temporary vasodilatation, which was caused by a dermal inflammation reaction due to application of ethanol to the skin. BIA was then conducted for the skin rubor and the intact skin using a lock-in amplifier with a frequency range of 0.1Hz-10kHz. The impedance changes due to vasodilatation of capillary were evaluated. RESULTS: The resistance of the skin rubor was found to decrease to almost 90% of the resistance and 87% of the reactance of the intact skin in the EPT-positive subjects. There was no impedance change in the EPT-negative subject. Through these experiments, skin rubor could be distinguished from intact skin based on the electrical impedance. CONCLUSION: Skin rubor could be identified based on the bioelectrical impedance. This method would be used for various skin diagnoses due to simplicity and reliability of BIA.

Effects of thermal stimulation, applied to the hindpaw via a hot water bath, upon ovarian blood flow in anesthetized nonpregnant rats.

The effects of thermal stimulation, applied to the hindpaw via a hot bath set to either 40 degrees C (non-noxious) or 49 degrees C (noxious), upon ovarian blood flow were examined in nonpregnant anesthetized rats. Ovarian blood flow was measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter. Blood pressure was markedly increased following 49 degrees C stimulation. Ovarian blood flow, however, showed no obvious change during stimulation, although a small increase was observed after stimulation. Ovarian blood flow and blood pressure responses to 49 degrees C stimulation were abolished after hindlimb somatic nerves proximal to the stimuli were cut. Heat stimulation (49 degrees C) resulted in remarkable increases in both ovarian blood flow and blood pressure in rats in which the sympathetic nerves supplying the ovary were cut but the hindlimb somatic nerves remained intact. The efferent activity of the ovarian plexus nerve was increased during stimulation at 49 degrees C. Stimulation at 40 degrees C had no effect upon ovarian blood flow, blood pressure or ovarian plexus nerve activity. Electrical stimulation of the distal part of the severed ovarian plexus nerve resulted in a decrease in both the diameter of ovarian arterioles, observed using a digital video microscope, and ovarian blood flow.The present results demonstrate that noxious heat, but not non-noxious warm, stimulation of the hindpaw skin in anesthetized rats influences ovarian blood flow in a manner that is attributed to reflex responses in ovarian sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure.

Cutaneous Mechanical Stimulation Regulates Ovarian Blood Flow via Activation of Spinal and Supraspinal Reflex Pathways in Anesthetized Rats.

The reflex effects of noxious mechanical stimulation of a hindpaw or abdominal skin on ovarian blood flow, and the reflex pathways involved in those responses were examined in anesthetized rats. Blood flow in the left ovary was measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter, and the activity of the left ovarian sympathetic nerve and mean arterial pressure (MAP) of the common carotid artery were recorded. Stimulation of the left or right hindpaw for 30 s produced marked increases in ovarian sympathetic nerve activity and MAP. Ovarian blood flow slightly decreased during the stimulation and then slightly increased after the stimulation. After the left ovarian sympathetic nerves were severed, the same stimulus produced a remarkable monophasic increase in ovarian blood flow that was explained by passive vasodilation due to a marked increase in MAP. After spinal transection at the third thoracic (T3) level, the responses of MAP, ovarian sympathetic nerve activity, and ovarian blood flow to hindpaw stimulation were nearly abolished. Stimulation of the abdomen at the right or left side for 30 s produced slight increases in ovarian sympathetic nerve activity and MAP. Ovarian blood flow slightly decreased during the stimulation and then slightly increased after the stimulation. After the ovarian sympathetic nerves were severed, the response of the ovarian blood flow changed to a monophasic increase due to an increase in MAP. After spinal transection, stimulation of the left abdomen produced a moderate increase in MAP, a remarkable increase in ovarian sympathetic nerve activity and a slight decrease in ovarian blood flow during the stimulation. In contrast, stimulation of the right abdomen produced a smaller response in ovarian sympathetic nerve activity during the stimulation while it increased the MAP to a similar degree. Ovarian blood flow slightly increased after the end of stimulation, which was explained as passive vasodilation due to the increase in MAP. In conclusion, stimulation of somatic afferents affects ovarian blood flow by inducing changes in ovarian sympathetic nerve activities and blood pressure. When stimulation was applied to a hindpaw whose segment of afferent input is far from the segment of the ovarian sympathetic nerves, it took a supraspinal reflex pathway. However, when stimulation was applied to the abdomen whose spinal segment of the afferent is close to the segment of the ovarian sympathetic nerve output, there are spinal segmental reflex pathways. The present results demonstrate that spinal reflexes depend on the laterality of the stimulus, while supraspinal reflexes do not depend on the laterality of the stimulus.

Manual acupuncture needle stimulation of the rat hindlimb activates groups I, II, III and IV single afferent nerve fibers in the dorsal spinal roots.

Using single unit nerve recording techniques in rats, the present experiment aimed to determine which specific population of afferent nerve fibers (groups I, II, III and IV) in the dorsal roots at the 4th or 5th lumbar segments (L4 or L5) are activated during manual acupuncture needle stimulation. An acupuncture needle 300-340 microm in diameter was inserted into the skin and underlying muscles around the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) area in the hindlimbs, and was manually rotated right and left at a frequency of about 1 Hz for 1 min. The dorsal root of the L4 and L5 spinal nerve was cut close to the entrance into the spinal cord after laminectomy and dissected free to record unitary afferent nerve activity. A single afferent fiber activated by acupuncture stimulation was identified by the identical shape of the discharge spikes during stimulation and during electrically evoked action potentials induced by single pulse electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. The conduction velocity of the afferent fiber was calculated by the latency of the electrically evoked action potential. A total of 35 units were intentionally recorded from all animals in order to include all 4 afferent fiber groups. Units were spontaneously silent in the absence of stimulation, while all units responded to ipsilateral manual rotation of the acupuncture needle. The conduction velocity of all 35 units ranged between 0.8 and 86.0 m/s, thus belonging to groups I-V fibers. Mean conduction velocity of groups I, II, III and IV were 57.9 m/s (n = 13), 42.9 m/s (n = 11), 10.3 m/s (n = 6) and 1.2 m/s (n = 5), respectively. Mean discharge rates during acupuncture stimulation of groups I, II, III and IV afferents were 7.4 Hz, 6.2 Hz, 4.7 Hz and 0.4 Hz, respectively. Discharge rates of group IV afferent fibers were significantly lower than those of groups I, II and III afferents. It was concluded that manual acupuncture needle stimulation to the hindlimbs activated afferent nerve fibers belonging to all four groups of afferents in rats. It is suggested that all four groups of somatic afferents activated by manual acupuncture stimulation will elicit various effects when action potentials are delivered to the central nervous system.

Evaluation of immunological effects of hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) prophylactic administration in mice.

We evaluated the immunological effects of a Kampo (Chinese) prescription Hochuekki-to (TJ-41) for 32 weeks and 1 week prophylactically in mice, The splenic natural killer cells (NK) of C57BL/6N mice prophylactically treated with TJ-41 for 32 weeks showed little enhanced cytotoxicity against NK-sensitive YAC-1 targets, but mice treated for 1 week showed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity. TJ-41 administration for 32 weeks increased the splenic NK cell population and CD4/CD8 significantly, but TJ-41 for 1 week was not affected. Further, there were no adverse effects of TJ-41 administration for 32 weeks. Whether or not that duration of administration can have the same beneficial effects on humans await further studies.

Effect of moxibustion stimulation of various skin areas on cortical cerebral blood flow in anesthetized rats.

The effect of moxibustion stimulation of various skin areas (cheek, forepaw, upper arm, chest, back, lower leg, hindpaw and perineum) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) of the parietal cortex was examined in anesthetized rats after eliminating emotional influences. Moxibustion stimulation was performed by burning a moxa cone of about 4 mg weight placed on the shaved skin. CBF of the parietal cortex was measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter. Stimulation of the cheek, forepaw, upper arm and hindpaw produced significant increases in CBF, but stimulation of the other areas did not produce significant responses. Moxibustion stimulation of the forepaw and hindpaw produced an increase in the mean arterial pressure (MAP), while stimulation of the other areas did not. After spinal transection at the 2nd thoracic level, the MAP response to stimulation of the forepaw was abolished, whereas the CBF response to stimulation of the forepaw remained. The CBF response in spinalized rats was not affected by cutting cervical sympathetic and facial parasympathetic nerves, while it was almost abolished by intravenous administration of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic blocking agents. The CBF response was abolished by crushing the brachial plexus ipsilateral to the stimulated side. It is suggested that the increase in CBF, independent of MAP and emotional responses, elicited by moxibustion stimulation is a reflex response whose afferent pathway is composed of somatic afferent nerves, and whose efferent pathway involves intracerebral cholinergic nerves. A contribution of endogenous opioids in the present CBF responses was neglected, because naloxone did not influence the CBF responses.

Ovarian blood flow is reflexively regulated by mechanical afferent stimulation of a hindlimb in nonpregnant anesthetized rats.

The effects of mechanical afferent stimulation of either a hindpaw or a hind leg on ovarian blood flow and systemic arterial blood pressure were studied in anesthetized nonpregnant adult female rats. Ovarian blood flow at the left side was continuously measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter. A mechanical stimulus (by pinching, brushing or pressing) was delivered for 30 s to either a hindpaw or a hind leg, at the right or left side. Pinching of a hindpaw at the right or left side decreased ovarian blood flow 8+/-3% accompanied with an increase in blood pressure. Brushing or pressing of a hindpaw produced no effects on these two parameters measured. Pressing stimulation of a hind leg at the right or left side produced a decrease in ovarian blood flow 8+/-2% accompanied with a decrease in blood pressure. Pinching or brushing of a hind leg produced no effects on both parameters measured. All responses of ovarian blood flow and blood pressure mentioned above were abolished after severing the femoral and sciatic nerves at the same side in which stimulation was unilaterally delivered. The blood pressure response, either increased or decreased depending on the stimulus modality and location stimulated, was not influenced by severing of ovarian sympathetic nerves. However, the decrease response in ovarian blood flow following pinching of a hindpaw reversed to the increase response, while the decrease response in ovarian blood flow following pressing of a hind leg was slightly augmented. The activity of sympathetic nerves innervating the ovary was increased during pinching of a hindpaw of either side, and decreased during pressing of a hind leg of either side. Electrical stimulation of the distal part of the severed splanchnic nerve at the left side decreased the left ovarian blood flow, and this response was abolished by intravenous injection of phentolamine, the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist. The present results demonstrate that ovarian blood flow increase or decrease passively to responses of an increase or a decrease in systemic arterial blood pressure following mechanical afferent stimulation of a hindlimb, and these passive responses of ovarian blood flow are modulated by reflexive activity of ovarian sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves to attenuate blood pressure-dependent passive changes in ovarian blood flow.

Quantitative determination of sugars and myo-inositol in citrus fruits grown in Japan using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography.

Fifteen commercial samples of citrus fruits grown in Japan were analyzed for their sugar contents by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and electrochemical detection (ED) coupled with a stationary phase D10 column prepared using chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyldiaminodecane. Myo-inositol, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in all of these various citrus fruits could be successfully separated within 25 min using 0.5 M NaOH eluent at a flow-rate of 0.4 mL/min. Myo-inositol, as a better nutritional source, was found in all the citrus fruits grown in Japan (0.7 +/- 0.04-2.1 +/- 0.2 g/L). The sugar contents of twelve citrus fruits grown in other countries were also determined.

Electro-acupuncture stimulation effects on duodenal motility in anesthetized rats.

The effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) on duodenal motility was examined in anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats. EAS was applied to the abdominal area or to a hindpaw for 30 s at stimulus intensities of 0.1-10.0 mA with a stimulus frequency of 20 Hz. The duodenal motility was measured using the balloon method at a position about 1.5 cm caudal from the pylorus. Duodenal motility was inhibited by EAS at intensities of more than 5.0 mA (suprathreshold of group IV afferent excitation) when applied to the abdominal area. The duodenal inhibitory response existed after bilateral vagotomy or spinal transection, but was abolished by sectioning bilateral splanchnic nerves. Duodenal motility was facilitated by EAS at intensities of more than 2.0 mA (subthreshold of group IV, and suprathreshold for groups II+III afferent excitation) when applied to a hindpaw. The duodenal facilitatory response by EAS to a hindpaw existed after sectioning the splanchnic nerves, but disappeared after bilateral vagotomy or spinal transection. Furthermore, repetitive electrical stimulation of vagal efferent nerves enhanced duodenal motility, while repetitive electrical stimulation of the splanchnic efferent nerves inhibited the motility. It was concluded that the inhibitory response of duodenal motility elicited by EAS to the abdominal area is a spinal reflex response involving splanchnic inhibitory efferent nerves, and the enhanced response of duodenal motility by EAS to a hindpaw is a supraspinal reflex response involving vagal excitatory nerves.

The effect of walking on regional blood flow and acetylcholine in the hippocampus in conscious rats.

Recent studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that stimulation of the septal complex (i.e., the medial septal nucleus and the nucleus of the diagonal band) increases extracellular acetylcholine (ACh) release and, consequently, results in an increase in regional cerebral blood flow in the hippocampus (Hpc CBF) via activation of the nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) [Neurosci. Lett. 107 (1989) 135; Neurosci. Lett. 112 (1990a) 263]. The present study aimed to examine the effects of walking on Hpc CBF, measured by laser Doppler flowmetry, in conscious rats. Walking at a moderate speed (4 cm/s) on a treadmill for 30 s produced increases in Hpc CBF and mean arterial pressure (MAP), reaching 107 +/- 1% and 105 +/- 1% of the prewalking control values, respectively. Walking for 3 min produced an increase in ACh release in the extracellular space of the hippocampus. The increase in Hpc CBF during walking was attenuated by mecamylamine (abbreviated as MEC here; 2 mg/kg, i.v.), a nAChR antagonist permeable to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but not by hexamethonium (denoted as C6 here; 20 mg/kg, i.v.), a nAChR antagonist impermeable to the BBB, while the walking-induced increase in MAP was abolished by either agent. The response of Hpc CBF and MAP were not altered by atropine (abbreviated as ATR here; 0.5 mg/kg, i.v.), a muscarinic AChR antagonist permeable to the BBB. The increase in Hpc CBF during walking was attenuated by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 3 and 30 mg/kg, i.v.), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, and the reduced responses were reversed following the intravenous (i.v.) administration of a physiological precursor of NO, L-arginine (600 mg/kg). The results suggest that the increase in Hpc CBF during walking is independent of MAP and attributable at least to activation of the nAChRs by the cholinergic vasodilator nerves projecting to the hippocampus and to production of NO in the hippocampus.

Responses of hepatic glucose output to noxious mechanical stimulation of the skin in anaesthetised rats.

Responses of hepatic glucose output (HGO) to noxious mechanical stimulation of different skin areas were investigated in anaesthetised rats with central nervous system intact or acutely spinalized at the thoracic 1-2 (T1-T2) level by focusing on the involvement of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in the responses of HGO. We measured HGO with a microdialysis probe implanted into the left lateral lobe of the liver. Pinching was applied to bilateral skin areas of the abdomen and hindlimb for 10 min. Atropine was injected in order to block the action of the parasympathetic nerves, whereas phentolamine and propranolol were injected in order to block the action of the sympathetic nerves. The HGO started to increase immediately after the cessation of pinching of the abdomen and the hindlimb, and lasted for 30 min. The increase of HGO was observed during stimulus period in animals pretreated with atropine, and totally abolished in animals pretreated with phentolamine and propranolol. The responses of HGO to abdominal pinching, but not to hindlimb pinching, remained after spinal cord transection at the T1-T2 level. The present results suggest that HGO is regulated as a reflex response via both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves by noxious mechanical stimulation of the skin. Furthermore, it was shown that relative contribution of the spinal and supraspinal organization to the somato-HGO responses was dependent on the skin areas stimulated.

Hepatic blood flow responses to mechanical stimulation of the skin in anaesthetised rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate how hepatic blood flow (HBF) changes in response to mechanical stimulation of different areas of the skin in anaesthetised rats, by focusing on involvement of the hepatic sympathetic nerves in and contribution of systemic circulatory changes to the HBF responses. HBF was measured at the surface of the left lateral lobe using the laser Doppler flowmetry. Both innocuous and noxious mechanical stimuli were applied to skin areas of the abdomen and hindlimb. Innocuous mechanical stimulation (brushing) of the abdomen and hindlimb did not significantly change HBF, while noxious mechanical stimulation (pinching) of the abdomen and hindlimb did. The responses to pinching were dependent on the sites stimulated. Pinching of the abdomen decreased, while pinching of the hindlimb increased the HBF. The decrease of HBF in response to abdominal pinching remained after the spinal cord was transected at T1-2 level, but the response was diminished after hepatic sympathetic nerves were severed. On the other hand, the increase of HBF in response to hindlimb pinching was dependent on the increase in blood pressure, and was not influenced by the severance of hepatic sympathetic nerves, and the responses to hindlimb pinching were almost absent after the spinal cord was transected. Based on these results, we suggest that noxious mechanical stimulation of the skin produces changes of HBF, either as a reflex response via activation of the hepatic sympathetic nerves or as a passive response to systemic circulatory changes, depending on the sites stimulated.

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of carbohydrates on a stationary phase prepared from polystyrene-based resin and novel amines.

New anion-exchange stationary phases On (n = 1, 2 and 3) with a dimethylamino terminal functional group, where n is the number of oxyethylene units [-(CH2CH2O)n-], were prepared by the reaction of chloromethylated porous styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer beads and amines [(CH3)2N-(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2-N(CH3)2]. HPLC separations of monosaccharides (sorbitol, fucose, glucosamine, mannose, glucose, galactose, fructose, allose and altrose) and disaccharides (trehalose, lactose, cellobiose and maltose) were performed successfully on these stationary phases. The ether group of the stationary phases On was found to affect the separation of carbohydrates.

Reflex choroidal blood flow responses of the eyeball following somatic sensory stimulation in rats.

The effect of cutaneous mechanical stimulation on choroidal blood flow (ChBF) of the eyeball measured using a laser Doppler flowmeter was examined in anesthetized rats. Noxious pinching stimulation of a forepaw for 20 s produced increases in ChBF and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), whereas brushing of a forelimb produced no changes in either parameter. After spinal transection at the fourth thoracic (T4) level, forepaw pinching stimulation did not produce any MAP changes in 9 of 11 spinalized rats. In these nine spinalized animals, pinching stimulation of a forepaw produced no significant responses in ChBF. After the cutting of cervical sympathetic trunks in five spinal rats, forepaw pinching showed no effect on MAP, but produced an increase in ChBF, which was abolished by an intravenous (i.v.) injection of 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) imidazole (TRIM), a selective inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). In another four spinalized rats, whose cervical sympathetic trunks were intact and the superior salivary nucleus (SSN) was destroyed, forepaw pinching showed no effect on MAP, but produced a decrease in ChBF, which was abolished by an i.v. injection of phentolamine, an alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist. The present experiment shows that somatic afferent stimulation can produce reflex responses of the ChBF of the eyeball, either a vasodilative response using parasympathetic efferent fibers or a vasoconstrictive response using sympathetic efferent fibers, independent of systemic blood pressure. It was also shown that the somatically induced vasodilative response was due to a release of nitric oxide (NO) from parasympathetic nerves and the vasoconstrictive response was due to a release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves.

Neural regulation of hepatic blood flow in rats: an in vivo study.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the influence of the hepatic sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) nerves on the hepatic blood flow (HBF), both tonically and when stimulated, using urethane-anesthetized rats as an in vivo experimental model. HBF was measured at the surface of the lateral left lobe of the liver using laser Doppler flowmetry and the hydrogen gas clearance method. Denervation of the hepatic sympathetic nerves had no influence on the HBF, while electrical stimulation of the hepatic sympathetic nerves caused the HBF to decrease in a frequency-dependent manner. This decrease was shown to occur via alpha-adrenergic receptors. In contrast, neither denervation nor electrical stimulation of the hepatic vagal nerves elicited significant changes in the HBF. These results demonstrate that the sympathetic and vagal hepatic nerves have little or no tonic influence on the HBF of rats under urethane anesthesia, whereas the HBF decreases in response to activation of the hepatic sympathetic nerves.

The combination therapy of Ephedra herb and Loxoprofen caused gastric lesions in mice.

The combination therapy of a Kampo formula and an analgesic-antipyretic agent is often used for the common cold in Japan. We investigated the effect of such a combination therapy, using the Ephedra herb, which is a common ingredient of Kakkon-to and Mao-to, and Loxoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), on fever induced in an experimental model of mice under strong stress. The combination therapy of Ephedra herb and Loxoprofen caused gastric mucosal lesions and loss of body weight. It is considered that this combination therapy should be avoided because of its adverse effects.