[West Nile virus infection of agricultural animals in the Astrakhan region, as evidenced by the 2001-2004 serological surveys].

Sera sampled from 2,884 farming animals in the Astrakhan region in 2001 to 2004 were investigated by the hemagglutination inhibition test (HIT) in order to indicate specific antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV). HIT-positive samples were investigated by the neutralization test (NT). WNV antibodies were detected in all the examined species of animals: horses (the proportion of positive tests throughout the observation averaged 9.8%; the agreement with NT results was 94.1%), cattle (6,4 and 72.%), camels (5.2 and 41.7%), pigs (3.1 and 75%), and sheep (2.2 and 57.1). Relationships between the environmental features of WNV in different natural zones, the infection rate, and the conditions of keeping farming animals in the Astrakhan region are analyzed.

[A comparative pharmacological study of the serotoninergic antidepressants tetrindole and fluoxetin]. / Sravnitel'noe farmakologicheskoe izuchenie serotoninergicheskikh antidepressantov tetrindola i fluoksetina.

Tetrindol, a selective inhibitor of MAOA (predominantly of serotonin oxidase) and fluoxetine, an inhibitor of serotonin neuronal uptake, were studied in psychotropic tests on mice and rats. Both drugs significantly intensified 5-hydroxytriptophan-induced head twitching, reduced the effect of reserpine and the destructive action of maximal electroshock and the scopalamine-induced transient disruption of memory in a test for conditioned response of passive avoidance in rats and mice. In a behavioral swimming test the drugs were less active. In potentiation of 5-HT activity both drugs were approximately equal.

Monoamine oxidase inhibition by novel antidepressant tetrindole.

The novel antidepressant tetrindole (2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-8-cyclohexyl-1H[3,2,1-j,k] carbazole) was found to be a selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A). In vitro it inhibited rat brain mitochondrial MAO A in a competitive manner with Ki value of 0.4 microM. A 60 min preincubation did not change the competitive mode of interaction between enzyme and tetrindole (Ki value was 0.27 microM). The inhibition of rat brain mitochondrial MAO B was of mixed type with Ki value of 110 microM. Dilution or dialysis of mitochondrial suspension did not restore MAO A activity after inhibition by tetrindole both in vitro and in vivo, whereas inhibition of MAO B in vitro was completely reversible. Oral administration of tetrindole inhibited rat brain and liver mitochondrial MAO A by 80% within 0.5-1 hr and the onset of recovery of enzyme activity became evident after 24 hr. A small inhibition of MAO B (-20-30%) was observed in isolated brain and liver mitochondria within 1-6 hr and enzyme activity had completely recovered after 16 hr. The data obtained indicate that antidepressant activity of tetrindole may be explained by selective inhibition of MAO A, however an apparent discrepancy between competitive manner of MAO A inhibition in vitro and poor recovery of enzyme activity in vivo does not allow us to decide whether tetrindole is a "tight-binding" reversible inhibitor or a selective irreversible inhibitor of MAO A.

[The new antidepressant tetrindole]. / Novyi antidepressant tetrindol.

The antidepressive effects of tetrindole versus pyrazidole (pirlindole) and imipramine were studied in animal experiments. Tetrindole was found to be more active than pyrazidole and imipramine in a behavioral model of Porsolt, in antagonism with reserpine, in potentiation with 5-hydroxytryptophan, L-dopa and clonidine. The action of terindole is related to its ability to exert reversible inhibitory effects on MAO A activity. Tetrindole is less toxic than pyrazidole and imipramine.

[Anticalcium activity of several antidepressive agents]. / Issledovanie antikal'tsievogo deistviia nekotorykh antidepressantov.

In experiments in white mice and rats the antidepressants pyrazidol (pirlindole), moclobemide and especially tetrindole possess anticalcium activity in tests of calcium chloride-induced lethality in mice and arrhythmia in rats. Tetrindole is as active as verapamil. Imipramine, azaphen and incazane were not active in these experiments. In vitro on isolated intestinal segments of guinea-pigs tetrindole exerts anticalcium action, but in less degree than verapamil. In all probability the anticalcium activity of tetrindole may play some role in the mechanism of action of this compound on the central nervous system.

[The antiamnesic properties of antidepressants]. / Antiamnesticheskie svoistva nekotorykh antidepressantov.

The experiments on albino rats demonstrated that antidepressants pyrazidol, imipramine, incazane, moclobemide and to a lesser degree azaphen reduce the amnesic effects of electroshock and scopolamine in the rats with the acquired conditioned reaction of passive avoidance. The studied antidepressants decrease also the disturbing action of alcohol on the learning of rats of the conditioned reaction of active avoidance.

[Effects of antidepressive agents on tolerance of hypoxia and physical exercise]. / Vliianie antidepressantov na vynoslivost' k gipoksii i fizicheskoi nagruzke.

In experiments on mice and rats we studied the influence of antidepressants on hypoxic and physical tolerance. The antidepressants pyrazidol, azaphen, imipramine and moclobemide as well as the nootropic drug piracetam prolonged the life of animals in conditions of hypoxic and hemic hypoxia and increased the survival rate of rats in circulatory hypoxia. In experiments on mice antidepressants increased also the time of swimming.

[The comparative influence of pyrazidol, inkazan and other antidepressant monoamine oxidase inhibitors on the pressor effect of tyramine]. / Sravnitel'noe vliianie pirazidola, inkazana i drugikh antidepressantov--ingibitorov monoaminoksidazy na pressornyi éffekt tiramina.

In experiments on conscious normotensive male Wistar rats the new antidepressants, reversible MAO-A inhibitors, pyrazidole and incazane, as well as moclobemid increased the pressor effect of orally administered tyramine. The drugs potentiated also the pressor effect of intravenous tyramine. More prolonged potentiation of tyramine action was produced by moclobemid, less prolonged by incazane. The potentiation by the studied MAO-A inhibitors of the pressor effect of tyramine reflects the inhibition of the activity of MAO-A and the first-pass metabolism of tyramine in the gut and liver, as well as the inhibition of intraneuronal MAO activity in noradrenergic nerve endings and the potentiation of sympathetic activity.

[The influence of the Soviet antidepressants pyrazidol and inkazan on the effects of clonidine]. / Vliianie otechestvennykh antidepressantov pirazidola i inkazana na nekotorye éffekty klonidina.

The influence of Soviet-made antidepressants pyrazidol and incazane on some clonidine-induced effects (hypolocomotion, reactions of synchronization and desynchronization in the EEG, aggression) were studied. Pyrazidol and incazane reduce the effects of low doses of clonidine--the hypolocomotor one and the synchronization reaction in the EEG and enhance the effects of a high dose of clonidine--aggression and the desynchronization reaction in the EEG. The reduction of the sedative effects of clonidine as well as the enhancement of its activating effects by antidepressants can reflect the activation of adrenergic transmission by them. The adrenopositive effect of pyrazidol and incazane is more pronounced that that of imipramine.

[The effect of the new Soviet antihistamine and antiserotonin preparation bikarfen on the central nervous system]. / Vliianie novogo otechestvennogo protivogistaminnogo i antiserotoninovogo preparata bikarfena na tsentral'nuiu nervnuiu sistemu.

The effect of an antiallergic (antihistaminic and antiserotonin) drug bicarphen on the functional state of the central nervous system (CNS) was studied. In experiments on animals bicarphen in contrast to dimedrol (diphenhydramine) exerted predominantly the activating effect on CNS (decreased the hypnotic action of barbamyl, enhanced the summation capacity of CNS and the activity of mice in the escape behavioral test, increased the bioelectrical activity of the brain and the activating effect of antidepressants on the EEG).

[Effect of piracetam on the action of antidepressants (experimental data)]. / Vliianie piratsetama na deistvie antidepressantov (eksperimental'nye dannye).

Experiments were performed on mice. Piracetam (500 mg/kg orally), but not meclofenoxate (100 mg/kg orally) potentiated the activating effect of antidepressants: pyrazidol, inkazane, nialamid and imipramine (10 mg/kg orally), in the "behavioral escape" test.

[Influence of antidepressants on benzodiazepine (diazepam and nitrazepam) effects]. / Vliianie antidepressantov na éffekty benzodiazepinov (diazepama i nitrazepama).

Inkazan and pyrazidol given to mice in certain doses were found to reduce the sedative action of diazepam without decreasing its anxiolytic effect but at the same time enhancing the anticonvulsive one. Imipramine diminishes the hypolocomotor action of diazepam and also its anxiolytic effect and exerts no influence on the anticonvulsive effect. All studied antidepressants diminish the hypnotic action on nitrazepam in mice but only inkazan and pyrazidol decrease the sedative-hypnotic effect of nitrazepam in rats. In connection with the lack of the influence on the anxiolytic effect, inkazan and pyrazidol may be used to decrease the sedative side effects of benzodiazepines.

["Despair" and "escape" behavioral tests in the evaluation of antidepressant activity]. / Povedencheskie testy "otchaianiia" i "izbavleniia" v otsenke aktivnosti antidepressantov.

Antidepressants pyrazidol (pirlindole), incazan, imipramine, nialamide, nomifensine, mianserin were shown to reduce the duration of immobilization in mice in "despair" tests and increase the number of rotations in water "escape" tests.

[Effect of antidepressants on the convulsive action of thiosemicarbazide, strychnine and corasol]. / Vliianie antidepressantov na sudorozhnoe deistvie tiosemikarbazida, strikhnina i korazola.

Orally administered amitryptiline (25 and 50 mg/kg) protected animals against fatal convulsions induced by thiosemicarbazide, strychnine and metrazole. Vilaxazine had a protecting effect against death induced by strychnine. Impramine, maprotiline, mianserine and pirlindole (pyrazidol) only somewhat prolonged the latend period of convulsions and death, while incazane, caroxazone, nomifenzine and trazodone had practically no effect on the action of the three convulsants under study.

[Interaction of antidepressants and anticonvulsants in anticonvulsive and anti-reserpine tests]. / Vzaimodeistvie antidepressantov s antikonvul'santami po pokazateliam protivosudorozhnoi i antirezerpinovoi aktivnosti.

Combined use of carbamazepine (unlike valproat-Na) and antidepressants pyrazidole (pirlindol) or imipramine increased anticonvulsive and antireserpine activity.

[Carcinogenic action of 5-methoxytryptamine related to its transformation into 5-methoxyindolyl-3-acetic acid]. / Kantserogennoe deistvie 5-metoksitriptamina, sviazannoe s ego prevrashcheniem v 5-metoksiindolil-3-uksusnuiu kisloty.

A considerable blastomogenic effect of metabolite serotonin 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MOT) subcutaneously administered for a long time to C57BL/6 mice was established. This effect was decreased noticeably if the further metabolism of 5-MOT into 5-methoxyindolyl-3-acetic acid (5-MIAA) was blocked by pyrazidol. These results explain the fact that the blastomogenic effect of 5-MOT is not direct but is caused by the transformation of 5-MOT into its final carcinogenic metabolite 5-MIAA.