Effect of nifedipine on carbohydrate metabolism and serum lipoproteins in hypertensive patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Newly diagnosed hypertensive patients, and patients with hypertension which was not controlled by their existing therapy, were studied in a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Criteria for inclusion in the study were a systolic blood pressure less than 160 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mmHg. The study group was composed of 15 non-diabetic patients, 14 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 13 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Mean supine and erect, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced in all three groups after 2 and 14-16 weeks of nifedipine therapy (P less than 0.001). Mean fasting blood glucose, mean haemoglobin A1, mean total serum cholesterol, mean high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and mean serum triglycerides were not affected by nifedipine in any of the three groups over the 14-16 weeks' treatment. Forty out of the 42 patients entering, completed the study. One patient with NIDDM and angina died from a myocardial infarction in the final 4 weeks of the study, and one non-diabetic patient was unable to tolerate nifedipine after two weeks of treatment and was withdrawn from the study. No patients were withdrawn due to treatment failure.

Partial identification of the fibrinolytic activators in onion.

A steam-distilled and an ether extract of onion have both been found to enhance blood fibrinolysis without depressing fibrinogen content in groups of human volunteers. Chemical analysis has shown which sulphur-containing compounds were in highest concentration and common to both and thus likely to carry this property, but their very intense and prolonged flavour precludes their clinical use. One sulphur containing but nearly odourless compound has been identified as having indirect fibrinolytic potential. A species difference in respect of fibrinolysis has been found between English and Spanish onion but is of little importance.

Effect of essential oil of onion (allyl propyl disulphide) on blood glucose, free fatty acid and insulin levels of normal subjects.

The administration of allyl propyl disulphide (APDS), a volatile substance contained in onion, to six normal volunteers after a 12 hour fast caused a significant fall in the blood glucose levels and a significant rise in the serum insulin levels during the subsequent 4 hours. It is argued that this effect is due to an insulin sparing action. The expected rise of serum free fatty acid levels after fasting did not occur after APDS administration and this effect is probably related to the simultaneous rise in the insulin levels.