Measurement of lymphatic flow variation by noninvasive method cases of lymphedema.

The purpose of this study was to measure the variations of lymphatic flow. A noninvasive isotopic method was used to achieve a functional exploration of lymphatic circulation. Fifteen subjects were used in the study: 10 healthy subjects and 5 patients with lower extremity lymphedema. A first subcutaneous injection of technetium 99m rhenium sulfate (99mTc) was performed in the first interdigital space of both feet. The radioactivity was recorded in two places: the first one on the inguinal site by a gamma camera; the second, below the first, on the precordial site by a multichannel analyzer. With the two types of recording procedures, it was possible to obtain a curve that showed the amount of radioactivity in relation to time. In order to obtain a muscular activity fifty-five minutes after the injection, each subject or patient spent ten minutes on an ergometric bike. A second subcutaneous injection was performed one week later, but prior to the injection, the subject or patient took orally 1800 mg of heptaminol adenosine phosphate (HAP) per day for three days. The radioactivity recording was made under the same conditions as with the muscular activity. The statistical results of the experiment without treatment on the two types of recording show that in the healthy subjects the amount of radioactivity increased during muscular activity. Moreover, the treatment indicated higher radioactivity values, which remained at a higher level. However, the muscular activity performed by a patient was unable to increase the radioactivity. On the other hand, the drug gave radioactivity values that were higher than the previous values of the first curve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of heptaminol AMP amidate on T cell populations of peripheral blood lymphocytes and splenocytes in mice.

Heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA), a nucleotide derivative increased the percentage of T cell surface phenotypes on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of mice primed with sheep red blood cells. The T cell surface phenotypes Thy1.2, Lyt1, L3T4 and Lyt2 increased on the PBL of HAA administered mice to 136, 145, 144 and 153%, respectively over those on the PBL of control mice.

Comparisons of heptaminol AMP amidate and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on murine splenocytes proliferation.

Hepataminol AMP amidate (HAA), a nucleotide derivative possessing immunopotentiating activities, inhibited the mitogen-induced proliferation of murine splenocytes in vitro at the higher concentrations. Concanavalin A-induced mitogenic response was inhibited to 65 and 15% of the control value by HAA at the concentrations of 10(-4) and 10(-3) M, respectively. HAA also inhibited phytohemagglutinin P and lipopolysaccharide-induced responses at the same concentrations. The pattern of inhibition of mitogen-induced responses by HAA at higher concentrations was found to be almost similar to that of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DbcAMP). Both HAA and DbcAMP also inhibited the blastogenesis of spleen cells in one way mixed lymphocyte reaction.

Effects of heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA) on cyclic AMP level and mitogen-induced proliferation of murine spleen cells.

Heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA), a nucleotide derivative, was found to elevate the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) level of cultured mice spleen cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Theophylline and imidazole, when added to the spleen cell culture simultaneously with HAA, respectively caused a further rise and a fall of the cAMP level increased by HAA alone. When comparatively higher doses of the T cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) were used in the culture, Con A-induced cell proliferation was mildly inhibited in the culture of spleen cells pooled from HAA administered mice in comparison to the culture of spleen cells pooled from saline treated mice. On the other hand, when another T cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin P (PHA) was used in different concentrations in the culture, there was a trend of enhanced cell proliferation in the culture of spleen cells pooled from HAA administered mice in comparison to the responses in the culture of spleen cells pooled from saline treated mice. The present results supported the previous findings that HAA-mediated immunopotentiation was closely related with a cAMP level elevating property of HAA, and the compound also enhanced the function of helper T cells.

Double-blind plethysmographic study of venous effects of heptaminol adenosine phosphate in patients with primary varicose veins.

Changes in venous haemodynamics were studied after administration of a single dose of 3 g Heptaminol Adenosine Phosphate (HAP) to 30 subjects with primary varicose veins. Strain gauge plethysmography was used to observe changes in venous volume and in maximal venous outflow, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after dosing. A significantly greater reduction in these parameters was found after treatment with HAP compared to placebo, indicating an improvement in lower limb venous circulation.

Effects of heptaminol AMP amidate on suppressor and helper function of murine T cells.

Heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA), a newly developed nucleotide derivative, was found to restore the immunosuppression in mice due to the induction of suppressor T (Ts) cells by concanavalin A (Con A) (50 micrograms/body). HAA also inhibited Con A-mediated in vitro induction of Ts cells. On the contrary, the administration of HAA in mice primed with keyhole lympet hemocyanin (KLH) (30 micrograms/body) caused an enhanced induction of antigen specific helper T (Th) cells. Effects of HAA on Ts and Th cells were found to be dependent on their level of induction. The administration of HAA also increased the spleen cell number and augmented the plaque forming cell response to some extent in cyclophosphamide treated mice. The present results suggested that HAA-mediated immunopotentiation was possible by a combined suppressive effect on Ts cells and enhancing effect on Th cells.

Effect of heptaminol AMP amidate, a new nucleotide derivative, on in vitro humoral immunity.

Heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA), a newly developed derivative of 5'-AMP, was found to potentiate the in vitro primary humoral immune response against T cell-dependent antigen, sheep red blood cells, when HAA was present in the early phase of spleen cell culture. Such a potentiating effect was not found against T cell-independent antigens such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), trinitrophenylated (TNP)-LPS and TNP-Ficoll. The pattern of HAA-mediated immunopotentiation was similar to that of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. When HAA was added to the culture simultaneously with theophylline and imidazole, the immunopotentiating effect of HAA was further augmented and suppressed, respectively. The present results suggested that HAA-mediated immunopotentiation might be in some way related to the intracellular level of cyclic nucleotides in the early phase of culture.

Immunopotentiating activity of a nucleotide derivative, heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA) in mice and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

The immunopotentiating activity of heptaminol AMP amidate (HAA), a new derivative of 5'-AMP, was examined in experimental animals. Anti-SRBC PFC activity and antibody titer values augmented for both of single and 4 days consecutive administrations in ICR male mice. The dose of 10 mg/kg was found to cause the maximum enhancement. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, with a state of immunosuppression, 10 days consecutive administrations of HAA at the dose of 10 mg/kg was found to increase significantly the anti-SRBC PFC and antibody titer values. From these results, it is tempting to suggest that HAA may possess an immunopotentiating activity.