[Age-related pathomorphosis of non-psychotic depressive disorders].

A study of 333 patients, aged from18 to 76 years, revealed the significant clinical pleomorphism of depression symptoms in different age-periods. Three types of age-related distribution of symptoms were singled out: 1. common type, characteristic of core symptoms of depression which was associated with the middle age; 2. bimodal type peculiar to nonspecific presentations of depression with peaks in 26-35 years and 46-55 years; 3. this type was not age-related. The sequence of their appearance in the clinical picture of depression is described: apathic depression changes into melancholic depression then into hysterical and asthenic and later into hypochondriac depression.

[Biochemical characterization of fractionated rat liver chromatin in experimental D-hypovitaminosis and after administration of steroidal drugs]. / Biokhimicheskie kharakteristiki fraktsionirovannogo khromatina pecheni krys v usloviiakh éksperimental'nogo D-gipovitaminoza i pri vvedenii preparatov steroidov.

Marked changes in the structural and functional characteristics of liver nuclear chromatin fractions are observed under experimental D-hypovitaminosis, which differ in the degree of transcriptional activity. DNA-polymerase activity and activity of the fraction, enriched with RNA-polymerase I, increases in the active fraction. Free radical LPO reactions are modified in the chromatin fraction with low activity and to the less degree in the active one. Disturbances of chromatine structural properties are caused with the change in the protein and lipid components of chromatin. Administration of ecdysterone preparations (separately and together with vitamin D3) has a partial corrective effect on structural and functional organization of nuclear chromatine. At the action of ecdysterone normalization of LPO reactions modified by pathological changes is observed in the chromatin fraction with low activity and to the less degree in the active one. This kind of influence corrects to the less degree chromatin functional activity and quantitative and qualitative modifications of its protein component. Simultaneous influence of ecdysterone and vitamin D3 leads to the partial normalization of the biochemical indices studied (except for those which characterize LPO reactions) mainly in the active chromatin fraction.

[Lipid and fatty acid composition of Eisenia foetida]. / Sostav lipidov i zhirnykh kislot tkanei chervia Eisenia foetida.

It is found out that the content of lipids in the biomass of the studied populations of Eisenia foetida is rather high: 2.5-5.2% of the wet mass. The content of phospholipids is 40-55%, C27-sterols--1.5-3.4% of the mass of coarse extracts of lipids. Lipids of tissues contain also 47-54% of saturated (C10-C24) fatty acids as well as to 23% of monoene and to 13% of polyene unsaturated (C14-C22) fatty acids. The acids with the odd number of carbon atoms compose about 25% and acids with a branched carbon chain about 23% of the above percentage. Considerable content of lipids and biologically active fatty acids in tissues of the studied object permits considering it as a promising source of raw materials for production of valuable pharmacological preparations.

[Hypolipidemic action of liposome-incorporated beta-sitosterol on rats]. / Gipolipidemicheskoe deistvie zakliuchennogo v liposomy beta-sitosterina u krys.

Daily administration to rats with experimental hypercholesterolemia of beta-sitosterol (5 mg/kg) contained by lecithin liposomes provoked a 25% reduction in blood plasma cholesterol in 3 weeks, whereas crystalline beta-sitosterol (50 mg/kg) produced an analogous effect in 6 weeks. The drug under study decreased the level of atherogenic beta-lipoproteins in blood plasma and intestinal mucosa, raised the content of phospholipids in blood plasma and normalized the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio. The drug high hypolipidemic activity was supported in experiments in vitro with inverted sacs of the small intestine. The drug was found to be long-acting.

[Cholesterol uptake in the small intestine of the rat in experiments in vitro]. / Pogloshchenie kholesterina v tonkom kishechnike krys v opytakh in vitro.

The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of cholesterol uptake in the small intestine of rats were determined in vitro under normal and hypercholesterolemic conditions. It is established that the cholesterol uptake by the small intestine mucosa is a process of the zero order and the rate of its uptake is constant during the whole period of studies. The cholesterol uptake by mucosa during hypercholesterolemia occurs at a higher rate than under normal conditions. Activation energy for the cholesterol uptake is 10.52 Cal/mol under normal conditions, while it is reduced to 7.9 Cal/mol under experimental hypercholesterolemia. The experimental data permit suggesting that the membrane of the mucous brush border possesses a rather high energy barrier for the cholesterol uptake indicating the active nature of its uptake in the small intestine.

[Hypolipidemic action of beta-D-glycoside beta-sitosterol in the rat]. / Gipolipidemicheskoe deistvie beta-D-glikozida beta-sitosterina u krys.

In normal animals, administration of beta-D-glycoside does not lead to a decrease in the content of cholesterol and beta-lipoproteins in blood plasma. At the same time the content of phospholipids drops by 38%. During hypercholesterolemia, the drug reduces the content of blood cholesterol by 31% and that of beta-lipoproteins by 46%, as well as normalizes the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio. It is suggested that the drug activates the synthesis of phospholipids in experimental hypercholesterolemia.

[Hypocholesterolemic effect of phytoecdysones during experimental hypercholesterolemia in rats]. / Gipokholesterinemicheskoe deistvie fitoékzidonov pri éksperimental'noi giperkholesterinemii u krys.

The most active hypocholesterolemic preparation, affecting the absorption of 3H1-cholesterol in small intestine of rats with experimental hypercholesterolemia, proved to be I-hydroxyecdisterone; the activity was gradually decreased in the following series of preparations: ecdisterone, steroid sapogenine allyogenone, ciasterone and ecdisterone 25 acetate. Thus, the hypocholesterolemic activity of the preparations was increased with an increase in the content of hydroxy groups in the molecules. After daily administration of ecdisterone at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg into the animals with hypercholesterolemia within 3, 6 and 8 weeks, content of cholesterol in blood plasma was decreased by 7.0%, 16.9% and 29%, respectively; this phenomenon was accompanied by a decrease of the cholesterol content in erythrocyte membranes as well as in microfilaments of erythrocyte border by 26% and 34%, respectively. Amount of phospholipids and the ratio cholesterol/phospholipids were also normalized in the membranes studied. The data obtained suggest that competitive relationship occurs between cholesterol and the hypocholesterolemic drugs during binding with the membrane sites depending on their concentrations in blood plasma, intestine lumen and on the content in the membranes.

[Cholesterol biosynthesis in the blood of rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis]. / Osobennosti biosinteza kholesterina v krovi krolikov pri éksperimental'nom ateroskleroze.

Blood of normal rabbits and those on atherogenic cholesterol diet was incubated with 2--14C-acetate of sodium. After incubation cholesterol and its precursors -- squalene and lanosterin -- were found and identified in the non-saponified fractions of leukocytes and platelets. The maximum specific activity was revealed in cholesterol, next in turn were lanosterin and squalene of leukocytes both in the normal rabbits and in those with atherosclerosis. In platelets the label was mainly accumulated in lanosterin.

[Guinea pig spinal cord sterols in allergic encephalomyelitis]. / Doslidzhennia steriniv spynnoho mozku mors'kykh svynok za alerhichnoho entsefalomiielitu

Composition of sterols of the guinea pigs spinal cord unsaponifiables fraction was studied with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). It is established that under conditions of EAE the cholesterol content is decreased by 48% as compared to normal. The amount of latosterol lowers as well and is 2.64 mg/g under normal conditions and 1.61 mg/g with EAE. A steroid compound which is more polar than cholesterol is found in the spinal cord. It is supposed to be cholesterol ether.

[Structure and function of hepatocyte lysosomes and peroxisomes of rachitic rats]. / Osoblyvosti struktury i funktsiï lizosom i peroksysom hepatotsytiv shchuriv za rakhitu

The submicroscopic organization and activity of acid phosphatase and catalase in lysosomes and peroxisomes of the rat hepatocytes were studied with experimental rachitis. It is determined that total and free activity of acid phosphatase in the liver tissue and certain lysosomes with rachitis increases whereas the catalase activity in the tissue and certain peroxisomes decreases. Permeability of the lysosome and peroxisome membranes rises for enzymes and cations. The process of peroxisome differentiation with rachitis is disturbed: there appear peroxisomes containing the marginal plates, that is not peculiar to the redont peroxisomes.