Mechanism of noradrenalin liberation from the rat brain under the influence of nicotine

Definite relationships were found between the noradrenalin concentration and Mg⁺⁺-ATPase activity in the rat brain during the action of nicotine. It is suggested that Mg⁺⁺-ATPase regulates the storage of noradrenalin in the tissue depots.Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. N. Golikov.Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 80, No. 8, pp. 42–44, August, 1975.     

Immunological correlation between morphine tolerance and the effect of naloxone in rats of different age

In 3–6-week-old morphine-sensitive rats, in which morphine injection produced an analgetic effect, the serum titer of antimorphine antibodies 24 h postinjection is less than half that observed in morphine-resistant animals. Administration of naloxone to morphine-sensitive rats induces hyperalgesia and considerably raises the serum titer of antimorphine antibodies. Chronic injections of the same dose of morphine, which cause its analgetic effect to disappear, increase the titer of antibodies in morphine-sensitive rats 2-fold. In morphine-resistant rats naloxone produces an analgetic effect followed by its gradual decay and disappearance in the course of chronic administration. Subsequent administration of morphine induces analgesia, raises the titer of antimorphine antibodies, and lowers the titer of antiidiotypic antibodies. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 1, pp. 67–70, January, 1996 Presented by K. V. Sudakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of kinurenic acid on the acquisition of intravenous morphine self-administration habit by rats

Male Wistar rats with a silicone cannula implanted into a jugular vein were each placed, for 6 h daily on 5 successive days, in a standard Skinner box where they were trained to self-administer morphine intravenously by pressing a bar. Kynurenic acid, an endogenous nonselective antagonist of excitatory amino acids, injected into rats before their placement in the Skinner box inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the acquisition by them of the morphone self-administration habit, as assessed by the number of times the bar was pressed. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 7, pp. 54–56, July, 1996     

The effect of morphine on RNA synthesis in some brain structures of rats with various narcological resistance

Different incorporation of³H-uridine in RNA and increased RNA synthesis after the addition of morphine are demonstrated in all brain structures of resistant rats, as well as in the cortex, nucleus accumbens, griseum centrale, and nucleus ventriculus hypothalami of prone rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 1, pp. 100–102, January, 1994     

The effect of delta-sleep-inducing peptide on the Ca-transporting system of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and activity of the myocardial antioxidant enzymes

It is demonstrated that immobilization stress against the background of lowered catalase activity impairs the function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pump, particularly at high Ca²⁺ levels. the membranes of intracellular Ca²⁺ depots are destroyed much more rapidly than in the control, which results in Ca²⁺ release. Administration of delta sleep-inducing peptide to control animals results in a 30% increase in catalase activity for an unchanged level of superoxide dismusase and markedly improves the function of the Ca-transporting system at elevated levels of free Ca²⁺. A long-term stress after administration of the peptide not only causes no damage to the Ca-transporting system but actually increases its efficiency (compared with the control) at a high catalase level. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 3, pp. 248–251, March, 1996 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of chronic morphine intake on binding of NAD and GABA-benzodiazepine agonists to synaptic membranes

Nine weeks of compulsory morphine drinking decreased the specific binding of³H-muscimol to GABA receptors and¹⁴C-NAD to rat brain synaptic membranes and increased the synaptosomal uptake of¹⁴C-GABA. These effects of morphine on the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex were reversed by excessive doses of vitamin B₃. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 295–301, March, 1999     

Artificial adaptation to cold produced by noradrenalin

The state of muscular heat production 2–3 weeks after intravenous injection of noradrenalin was studied during exposure to cold. A single injection of noradrenalin was found to facilitate maintenance of temperature homeostasis for several weeks with a greatly reduced electrical activity of the muscles and before the noradrenalin was given. The phenomenon probably lies at the basis of adaptation of animals to cold.Laboratory of Temperature Regulation, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician V. N. Chernigovskii.) Translated from Byulleten', Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 286–289, March, 1976.     

Immunization with neurotransmitters (serotonin,dopamine, noradrenalin) conjugated with protein suppresses the manifestations of morphine withdrawal syndrome

A protective effect of immunization with neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, noradrenalin) conjugates with protein during reproduction of the withdrawal syndrome was demonstrated in two different models of opium narcomania. In the first experiment rats were immunized before morphinization, and in the second morphine dependence was induced in mice before immunization. Similar effects were observed in immunization of rats and mice: antibodies to serotonin caused the greatest suppression of symptoms of the withdrawal syndrome. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 5, pp. 526–529, May, 1995 Presented by S. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Peculiarities of the effect of parathyroid hormone on the relaxation of rat myocardium

Contraction of rat myocardium is recorded in a regime of physiological loading that simulates the function of the intact myocardium. Addition of parathyroid hormone accelerates relaxation of the rat myocardium in the control solution and in a solution containing norepinephrine or high calcium concentrations. In a regime of isometric loading the addition of parathyroid hormone inhibits relaxation. At a low Ca concentration in the medium, parathyroid hormone has no effect on the rate of relaxation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 4, pp. 410–413, April, 1996 Presented by A. N. Klimov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

ATP-sparing effect of histochrome in acute myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary heart disease

Afterin vitro ischemia, the content of adenosine triphosphate in myocardial bioptates from patients with heart diseases is reduced. This reduction is more pronounced in patients with coronary heart disease than in patients with rhythm disturbances. Administration of the antioxidant preparation histochrome to patients with coronary heart disease preserves ATP during ischemic exposure. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 12, pp. 669–671, December, 1997     

Variation in plasma morphine level and pain sensitivity in prenatally morphinized rats

It is established that mature random-bred and Wistar rats exhibit the same level of pain sensitivity in the tail-flick test, but the analgetic effect of morphine (5 mg/kg) is variously expressed: marked hypalgesia is observed in mongrel but not in Wistar rats. Prenatal morphinization enhances the analgetic effect of morphine in both mongrel and Wistar rats. There is a direct correlation between the plasma morphine content in prenatally morphinized rats and their sensitivity to the analgetic action of morphine. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 9, pp. 273–275, September, 1995 Presented by D. A. Kharkevich, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Mechanisms of behavioral effects of potentiated morphine forms

Effects of morphine and its potentiated (homeopathic) form on rat behavior in an elevated plus-maze were studied. Combined application of potentiated and non-potentiated morphine enhanced the anxiolytic and sedative effects. Patch-clamp experiments on isolatedHelix pomatia giant neurons revealed a blocking effect of potentiated morphine on μ-receptors. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 12, pp. 619–622, December, 1999     

Effect of hypogeomagnetic field on tissue and intracellular reorganization of mouse myocardium

Structural reorganization of the myocardium is observed in CBA mice under conditions of hypogeomagnetic field (reduction by 10⁵ times). Changes in tissue architectonics manifest themselves in a reduced capillary/cardiomyocyte volume ratio against the background of hemodynamic disturbances. Intracellular disturbances result from impaired regeneration processes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 10, pp. 455–459, October, 1997     

Quantitative analysis of brain synaptophysin (p38) in offspring of male rats with chronic morphine intoxication

Cerebral synapses in offspring of male rats treated with morphine for a month before mating were studied using synaptophysin (p38) as a synaptic marker. The content of p38 in the nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, and layers III and V of the somatosensory cortex was below the control, while no significant changes were found in the motor cortex, caudate nucleus, and ventrolateral thalamic nuclei. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 1, pp. 50–52, January, 2000     

Conformational changes in myocardial actin in heart failure caused by toxic allergic myocarditis

The fluorescence resonance energy transfer method was used to study myocardial actin in rabbits with severe heart failure caused by toxic allergic myocarditis. It caused changes in orientation and microenvironment and increased excitation lifetime of fluorophores at the labels to Cys374 and Cys10 (subdomain 1), as well as at Lys61 and Tyr69 (subdomain 2). In addition, it increased the distance between Cys374 and Lys61, Cys10, and Tyr69, as well as between Tyr69 and Cys10. This attests to enlargement of the outer actin domain and more exposed and open arrangement of the tertiary structures of the N- and C-terminal regions and subdomain 2, accompanied by reduced conformational mobility. The relationships between actin conformation changes and decrease in contractile force and rate, as well as efficiency of actomyosin contraction are revealed, which agrees with the hypothesis on the leading role of actin in disturbances of contractile activity and energy transduction in the system of contractile proteins in heart failure. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 4, pp. 395–399, April, 1999