Degraded and undegraded carrageenans and experimental gastric and duodenal ulceration

The prevention of histamine-induced gastric and duodenal ulceration in the guinea-pig has been examined using a series of undegraded and degraded carrageenans. Undegraded carrageenans were active at lower doses than degraded carrageenans. The high viscosity of the undegraded carrageenans in solution prevented their use in larger doses. Degradation of carrageenan without serious loss of sulphate, gives a product which allows the dose to be increased to an extent that its effect more than offsets the slight loss in activity caused by the degradation. No single feature of carrageenan structure can be related to anti-ulcer activity although degradation, and hence reduction of molecular size, generally reduces activity. Sulphate contents over 30% have little apparent effect on activity; κ-carrageenans were not consistently different in anti-ulcer activity from Λ-carrageenans. This contrasts with the antipeptic activity of carrageenans where κ-carrageenans are less active than their Λ-counter-parts. As with antipeptic activity, the degree of anti-ulcer activity is probably determined by a combination of structural features which includes molecular size and polyanionic properties.     

Affective and Anxiety Disorders and Alcohol and Drug Dependence:

Depression and anxiety frequently coexist in patients with substance use disorders. This clinically-oriented article examiens the relationship between these conditions and emphasizes data showing that substances of abuse can cause signs and symptoms of both depression and anxiety. These substance-related syndromes appear to have a different course and prognosis than uncomplicated, independent anxiety and major depressive disorders, and clinicians should consider the role of alcohol and other drugs in all patients presenting with these complaints. The authors will also outline an approach for diagnosing and managing patients with the combination of a substance use and depressive or anxiety disorder.     

Alcohol and Substance Use and Abuse in Women and Children

No abstract available for this article.     

Glucosidase and fucosidase inhibitors and Advances in nucleosides and nucleotides.

The American Chemical Society Symposium "Glucosidase and fucosidase inhibitors" took place on 1 April 1998 and was organized by Professors Zbigniew J Witczak (UConn, School of Pharmacy, CT, USA), Kuniaki Tatsuta (Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan) and Waldemar Priebe, MD (Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, USA). Professor Witczak provided introductory remarks including the status of existing glucosidase inhibitors, and chaired the morning session, which consisted of six lectures. The symposium was well received, and was particularly attractive for those interested in networking, as attendance was about sixty. In addition, some participants and attendees presented posters on the subject during the regular poster session organized by the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry.