Effect of ethimizole on energy metabolism in the rat brain

In a dose of 25 mg/kg, 20 min after intraperitoneal injection, ethimizole stimulates oxidative phosphorylation, increases the creatine phosphate content and reduces the concentration of inorganic phosphorus in the brain tissue of rats. It is postulated that ethimizole stimulates energy metabolism through its activating effect on adenyl cyclase.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 185–187, February, 1977.     

Changes in the nucleic acid and cyclic AMP content in neurogenic dystrophies of the stomach

A decrease in the RNA content was found in the stomach tissue of rats following degenerative changes in the organ induced by injury to the duodenum. A sharp fall in the cyclic AMP level in the gastric mucosa of rabbits was found under the same experimental conditions. The role of these changes in the mechanism of development of destructive and metabolic disturbances during the formation of neurogenic dystrophies caused by extraordinary stimulation is analyzed.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 85, No. 4, pp. 405–407, April, 1978.     

Effect of cyngal on gastric secretion in rats

The effect of the gallate of the alkaloid cynoglossophine-heliosupine (cyngal), isolated from the plantCynoglossum officinale L., of the Boraginaceae family, on gastric secretion was studied in rats. Cyngal was shown to stimulate gastric secretion in rats starting from a dose of 0.25 mg/kg. This action is explained by the ability of the alkaloid to liberate histamine from labile depots.Department of Pharmacology, Leningrad Pharmaceutical Chemical Institute. Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 12, pp. 679–682, December, 1977.     

Effect of ethimizole on changes in brain metabolism caused by overstimulation

During overstimulation (electrical stimulation for 3 h) of rats considerable changes are observed in their brain metabolism. These changes are manifested as exhaustion of the noradrenalin reserves and disturbance of energy metabolism, leading to a fall in the creatine phosphate level. Preliminary (before electrical stimulation) administration of ethimizole prevented the noradrenalin and creatine phosphate deficiencies in the brain tissue of the overstimulated animals.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 85, No. 3, pp. 299–301, March, 1978.     

Effect of chronic stimulation of rats with intact and deafferented hyplthalami on lipid metabolism and the adrenal cortex

Chronic stimulation of rats after a mock operation and rats with deafferented hypothalami leads to a decrease in the total cholesterol concentration in the blood and to the accumulation of triglycerides in the liver. Injection of dexamethasone into rats is accompanied by an increase in the blood cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations and accumulation of triglycerides in the liver. The action of dexamethasone is stronger in animals with a deafferented hypothalamus. The rate of secretion of 11-hydroxycorticosteroids into the adrenal vein was reduced in the latter.N. N. Anichkov Department of Atherosclerosis and Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. N. Klimov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 289–291, March, 1977.     

Mechanism of the lipid-mobilizing action of ethimizole

The effect of ethimizole on the mobilization of fatty acids and the role of hormones of the pituitary-adrenal system in the lipolytic effect of ethimizole were studied in experiments on rats. The lipid-mobilizing action of ethimizole was well marked in intact, hypophysectomized, and adrenalectomized rats. The effect of the drug disappeared in animals after simultaneous extirpation of the pituitary and adrenals but was restored when these animals were given hydrocotisone. It is concluded that ethimizole has a direct action on the mobilization of fatty acids and that corticosteroids play a permissive role in the lipid-mobilizing effect of ethimizole.Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 9, pp. 321–323, September, 1977.     

Comparative study of the action of ethimizole and hydrocortisone on proliferative activity and protein synthesis in epithelial cells of the tongue and liver

Unlike hydrocortisone, ethimizole stimulated mitotic activity of the epithelial cells of the tongue and liver 6 h after its administration. The decrease in the number of mitoses in the hepatocytes after 12 h was due to the action of both substances on DNA synthesis and not to a disturbance of the entry of the cells into mitosis. Stimulation of protein synthesis was detected by autoradiographic and biochemical methods following the action of hydrocortisone and ethimizole at the maximum of inhibition of mitosis.Laboratory of Experimental Histology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 348–350, March, 1977.     

Changes in the nicotinamide nucleotide content in the brain and myocardium of rats exposed to factors inducing neurogenic dystrophies

The content of nicotinamide nucleotides in the brain and myocardium of rats was investigated during electrical stimulation of the animals and administration of toxic doses of noradrenalin. The level of total nicotinamide nucleotides and their oxidized forms was reduced but the content and rate of synthesis of nicotinamide nucleotide-phosphates were increased. The results point to a disturbance of oxidation-reduction processes and to an increase in the activity of the pentose pathway of carbohydrate utilization in the tissues in neurogenic dystrophies caused by extremal stimulation.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 10, pp. 408–410, October, 1978.     

Effect of neurogenic injury to the myocardium on activity of some enzymes of its energy metabolism

After electrical stimulation of the arch of the aorta in rabbits for 3 h exhaustion of the tissue noradrenalin (NA) reserves in the myocardium was accompanied by an increase in the activity of hexokinase (HK), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Injection of L-Dopa after electrical stimulation prevented the fall of the NA level in the heart muscle and the change in activity of the above enzymes. The results confirm the important role of disturbances of mediator metabolism in mechanisms of development of metabolic and generative injuries.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 10, pp. 1205–1206, October, 1976.     

Effect of different types of overfeeding on state of the vascular wall in rats

From the age of 30 days male rats were overfed for a long time with an excess of fats or carbohydrates, leading to obesity. Overfeeding with carbohydrates caused a greater gain in body weight and a greater increase in the weight of the epididymal fat and in metabolism of the fat cells than overfeeding with fat, but it did not lower the lipolytic activity of the aortic wall. Prolonged overfeeding with fats greatly reduced the lipolytic activity of the aortic wall. The results thus showed that a predisposition of the aortic wall to atherogenesis does not correlate with gain in weight and depends on the character of feeding.Laboratory of Physiology of the Human Endocrine System, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Laboratory of Morphology of the Cardiovascular System, Department of Atherosclerosis, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. G. Baranov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1297–1298, November, 1976.     

Selective anticonvulsant action of N-substituted imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids against quinolinic acid

Laboratory of Psychopharmacology, V. M. Bekhterev Leningrad Psychoneurological Research Institute. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented, by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V V. Zakusov). Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 106, No. 7, pp. 64–67, July, 1988.     

Functional state of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system in guinea pigs exposed to radial acceleration

The effect of an increased gravitational field on activity of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system was studied in experiments on guinea pigs. A single exposure led to activation of this system; however, during repeated exposure to radial acceleration the animals ceased to respond by an increase in the blood corticosteroid level, evidently on account of adaptation of the central components of the system and not of exhaustion of the adrenal cortex.Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1313–1314, November, 1976.     

Effect of adenosine on hemodynamic changes during development of neurogenic myocardial damage

Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR. Laboratory of Pharmacology, All-Union Research Institute of Antibiotics and Medical Enzyme Technology, Leningrad. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 107, No. 4, pp. 409–411, April, 1989.     

Tissue respiration enzymes and oxidative phosphorylation in the myocardium after neurogenic injury

After neurogenic injury to the myocardium caused by electrical stimulation of the aortic arch for 3 h a marked increase in succinate dehydrogenase activity, a sharp decrease in cytochrome oxidase activity, and uncoupling of oxidation and phosphorylation were observed (esterification of inorganic phosphate was reduced whereas the oxygen consumption was unchanged and the P/A ratio reduced). It is concluded that in neurogenic injuries to the myocardium the coordination of regulation of energy metabolism is disturbed, with the ultimate result that oxidative phosphorylation is uncoupled and the synthesis of high-energy compounds reduced.Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 7, pp. 13–14, July, 1978.     

Effect of GABA-ergic agents on development of neurogenic lesions in the rat stomach

Laboratory of Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. V. Val'dman.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 110, No. 11, pp. 504–506, November, 1990.     

Role of histamine H2 receptors in the mechanism of formation of experimental gastric ulcers induced in rats by various stressors

Dystrophic lesions of the gastric mucosa were observed to be formed and the pepsinogen content was reduced by 57% in the gastric mucosa of rats exposed to various experimental stressors (immobilization with electrical stimulation, immobilization at 6°C, trauma to or ligation of the pylorus). and the changes correlated with the degree of injury to the stomach. Pharmacological blockade of H2 receptors by cimetidine (100 moles/kg) and methiamide (410 moles/kg) largely prevented the formation of experimental ulcers and the decrease in the pepsinogen level. The results indicate that endogenous histamine participates in the mechanism of formation of dystrophic gastric lesions.Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 88, No. 8, pp. 151–153, August, 1979.     

Cytospectrophotometric investigation of GABA-transaminase in the rat cerebellar cortex

A modification of a histochemical method for the detection of GABA-transaminase is suggested. Optimal concentrations of substrates and coenzymes were chosen on the basis of an investigation of the enzyme reaction in frozen sections through the rat cerebellar cortex by a quantitative microspectrophotometric method.Department of Pharmacology and Morphological Section, Central Research Laboratory I. P. Pavlov First Leningrad Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. A. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 85, No. 5, pp. 623–626, May, 1978.     

Effect of diazepam on unit activity of the rat sensomotor and visual cortex

In acute experiments on unanesthetized, curarized rats in which cortical unit activity was recorded the threshold doses of diazepam influencing spontaneous and evoked unit activity of sensomotor and visual cortical neurons were determined. Diazepam was shown to inhibit spontaneous and evoked activity of sensomotor cortical neurons in much smaller doses than it inhibited visual cortical unit activity. It is postulated that the neurons of the anterior zones of the cortex are more sensitive to diazepam than neurons of the limbic structures and reticular formation.Laboratory of Pharmacology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pharmacology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. V. Zakusov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 183–185, February, 1977.     

Intensity of synthesis of phospholipids and cholesterol in the brain and spinal cord of rabbits with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in rabbits by inoculation of homologous spinal cord myelin. In the terminal state of the disease acetate-2-C¹⁴ was injected in a dose of 50 Ci/100 g body weight and the animals were killed 2 h later. The intensity of synthesis of phospholipids and cholesterol was greatly reduced in EAE not only in the lumbar region of the spinal cord, where the injury to myelin was greatest, but also in the brain stem, where demyelinization was absent.Department of Biochemistry, I. P. Pavlov First Leningrad Medical Institute. Laboratory of Pathology of the Nervous System, Research Institute of Éxperimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. S. Il'in.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 291–293, March, 1976.     

Effect of sympathomimetic agents and dopa on the ultrastructure of the nervous apparatus of the heart

After a single injection of noradrenalin or dopa into albino rats noradrenalin was incorporated into adrenergic axons of the heart and deposited as granules in the small synaptic vesicles measuring about 30 nm in diameter. In this way adrenergic axons could be distinguished from cholinergic. Cholinergic axons were more numerous than adrenergic in the atria. Adrenergic terminals come into very intimate contact with cholinergic terminals and also withcapillary endothelial cells and muscle cells of the myocardium. It is postulated that adrenergic fibers may act on heart muscle in three ways: by means of presynaptic inhibition through cholinergic axons, by a humoral mechanism, and directly on the muscle cells of the myocardium.Laboratory of Cytology, Scientific-Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. V. Anichkov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1382–1385, November, 1976.