Effect of phenibut on the formation of the respiratory rhythm

In experiments with Nembutal-anesthetized cats of both sexes, the drug phenibut administered intravenously was found to elicit periodic apneic respiration and to rank between baclofen and sodium oxybutyrate in terms of the ability to disrupt the respiratory rhythm. It is suggested that these three activators of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system produce differential effects on GABA_B receptors (baclofen>phenibut>oxybutyrate in order of decreasing effectiveness) and participate in the formation of the respiratory rhythm, and that in activating this system they can give rise to irregular slowed respiration with pauses at inspiration. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 606–609, June, 1995 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Involvement of the GABA-ergic and N-cholinergic systems in the establishment of terminal respiration

In experiments with Nembutal-anesthetized cats, in which lobeline, picrotoxin, tubocurarine, and naloxone were injected into the fourth brain ventricle, respiratory disturbances resulting from activation of the central N-cholinergic receptors by lobeline injected when central GABA_A receptors were blocked by picrotoxin led to respiration of the gasping type. After naloxone was administered additionally, the normal rhythmic pattern of breathing was restored. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 1, pp. 21–24, January, 1995 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Time course of serotonin in platelets from patients with affective disorders

Temporal variations in platelet levels of serotonin were found to be significantly decreased in patients with endogenous affective disorders, particularly those with the bipolar type of manic-depressive psychosis. The time course of serotonin content in these cells was not affected by either the sex or the age of the patients.In vitro incubation with lithium oxybutyrate raised mean platelet serotonin levels and stabilized their fluctuation in platelets from healthy subjects but not in those from the mental patients. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 3, pp. 240–242, March, 1994 Presented by E. D. Gol'dberg, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Sensitivity of the respiratory system to oxygen in cats with activated GABAergic brain structures

Activation of the GABAergic system in pentobarbital-anesthetized random-bred male and female cats by intravenous injection of GABA agonist (sodium oxybutyrate or phenibut) increases the contribution of oxygen to the regulation of respiration. Hypoxia stimulates, while hyperoxia inhibits pulmonary ventilation in cats regardless of whether their breathing is of the periodic apneustic or “machinelike” type. Their respiratory response to hypoxia and hyperoxia is more pronounced than that observed before sodium oxybutyrate of phenibut injection. It is shown that respiratory reactions to these stimuli after administration of the agonists are due not to concomitant changes in the systemic hemodynamics but rather to decreased contribution of carbon dioxide to the regulation of respiration and low oxygen tension in arterial blood. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 3, pp. 264–268, March, 1997     

Effect of chorionic gonadotropin on lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the pathologically altered liver

Chorionic gonadotropin is shown to alter lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the pathologically altered liver and to exert a regulatory effect on the catalytic properties of these enzymes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 590–591, June, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Changes in the coronary vessel tone resulting from immobilization stressA

Coronary perfusion pressure at increasing flow of Krebs-Henseleit buffer in the hearts of animals exposed to stress is decreased 23%, a decrease which is eliminated by administering the NO-synthase blocker N^G-monomethyl-L-arginine. Stimulated vasodilation of coronary vessels (administration of sodium nitroprusside and acetylcholine) decreases markedly in stressed animals; the concentrations of sodium nitroprusside and acetylcholine inducing a half-maximum coronary response increase. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 9, pp. 246–249, September, 1994 Presented by K. V. Sudakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Decreased sensitivity of adenylate cyclase to sodium ions in lymphocytes of patients with arterial hypertension

Patients with arterial hypertension showed decreased sensitivity of isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase of mononuclear lymphocytes toward sodium ions compared with normotensive donors. Ouabain, an inhibitor of Na,K-ATPase, increased the half-maximal inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity by sodium ions in the cells of healthy subjects and did not change enzyme sensitivity to sodium in the lymphocytes of hypertensive patients. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 8, pp. 206–207, August, 1995 Presented by V. N. Smirnov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Proliferative activity of cardiomyocytes and specific features in the course of acute experimental myocardial infarction in rats with chronic alcohol poisoning

Vascular mesenchymal changes are less expressed in rats preexposed to alcoholization, and the fibrillogenesis associated with these changes occurs later and is less severe. In rats suffering myocardial infarction in the presence of chronic alcohol poisoning the proliferative activity of cardiomyocytes is reduced. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 172–174, February, 1994 Presented by D. S. Sarkisov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Role of glycolysis in the genesis of early postocclusion arrhythmias

Antiarrhythmic effects of phosphorylated glycolysis intermediates glucose-1-phosphate, fructose-1,6-diphosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate in early postocclusion arrhythmias are shown in rat experiments; in contrast to these, D-glucose, sodium pyruvate, and monoiodacetate, a glycolysis inhibitor, exert no appreciable antiarrhythmic effect. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 625–626, June, 1994 Presented by P. V. Sergeev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.     

Effect of immunization against alcohol dehydrogenase on the behavior of white rats

Active immunization of white rats with alcohol dehydrogenase (horse ADH-1), a major ethanol-metabolizing enzyme shown to cause considerable and long-term inhibition of alcohol consumption, did not have adverse effects on their behavior. Rather, the rats showed enhanced motor and orienting-exploratory activities, developed conditioned responses (with both positive and negative reinforcements) more readily, and spent less time in a state of immobilization in the forced swimming test as compared with nonimmunized controls. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 10, pp. 349–351, October, 1994     

Internal inhibition: A form of nonconflict breaking mental alcohol dependence in narcology

A conceptually new method for breaking mental alcohol dependence is described. The results indicate a demolishment of the alcoholic sterotype and the formation of a qualitatively new behavioral reaction to alcoholic stimuli. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 149–152, February, 1994     

The role of the lymphatic system in the changes of electrolyte balance in the febrile reaction

The shifts of the electrolyte level in the lymph and blood are of the same direction, namely, increased. The content of potassium, sodium, and calcium changes only after prolonged fever, while that of magnesium changes after just a single administration of pyrogenal. The lymph level of calcium and magnesium rises more significantly as compared to the blood. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 174–176, February, 1994     

Morphometric analysis of the pulmonary vessels in premature neonates

In premature neonates with the respiratory distress syndrome the vessels of the pulmonary arterial system show stereotypical changes: dystonia with the predominance of vasoconstriction, a thickened muscular layer, and a narrowed lumen. A morphometric index is proposed: the coefficient of nonuniformity of the medial thickness of the vascular wall, which reflects a structural reorganization of the pulmonary vessels in different pathological processes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 9, pp. 311–314, September, 1994 Presented by Yu. I. Borodin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of sodium citrate on the rate of cholesterol esterification and on the formation of primary products of lipid peroxidation in human blood. Are these processes related?

In vitro experiments show that sodium citrate in a final concentration of 130 mM induces a 4- to 5-fold increase in the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. A parallel determination of the blood content of primary products of lipid peroxidation reveals a 20–30% decrease in diene and triene conjugates and lipid hydroperoxides. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 9, pp. 323–325, September, 1995 Presented by A. N. Klimov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Metabolic types of regulation of lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the liver of intact animals

A possible relationship between metabolic types of regulation of liver oxidative enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase) and the blood level of cortisol and insulin in intact animals is explored. The liver enzyme activity is found to depend on the initial physiological state of the organism. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 4, pp. 421–422, April, 1995 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Formation of water-soluble complexes between phosphatidylcholine and methionine,carnosine, and glutathione in the presence of sodium hypochlorite

The interaction of phosphatidylcholine monolayers with methionine, carnosine, and glutathione in the presence of sodium hypochlorite is studied. A certain proportion of these components in the solution is shown to lead to the formation of water-soluble lipid-peptide and lipid-peptide-sodium hypochlorite complexes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 8, pp. 148–151, August, 1994 Presented by Yu. M. Lopukhin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Induction of the monooxygenase system in rat blood neutrophils by methylcholanthrene and sovolin vivo and its effects on the properties of these cells

The xenobiotics methylcholanthrene and sovol (the latter being a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls), which are monooxygenase system inducers, were tested for their effect on the respiratory burst in rat blood neutrophilsin vivo. The chemiluminescence accompanying this burst was more intensive in the neutrophils of rats treated with methylcholanthrene or sovol than in untreated rats. Observed changes in the 2A_max parameter of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum recorded for the spin probe 5-doxyl stearate in the presence of neutrophils indicated that methylcholanthrene and sovol can exert a direct effect on the viscous properties of neutrophil plasma membranesin vivo. These changes were similar in direction to those in the intensity of chemiluminescence during the respiratory burst in neutrophils. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 11, pp. 485–488, November, 1995 Presented by I. P. Ashmarin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of the nootropics piracetam and GVS-111 on voltage-dependent ion channels of neuronal membranes

The effect of two nootropics, piracetam and N-phenylacetyl-L-prolyglycine ethyl ester (GVS-111), is studied by measuring high-threshold K⁺ and Ca²⁺ currents in isolated snail neurons using a two-microelectrode patch-clamp technique. Piracetam and GVS-111 are shown to reduce the amplitude of both the K⁺ and the Ca²⁺ (to a lesser extent) current. The threshold concentrations for GVS-111 and piracetam are 10⁻⁹-10⁻⁸ M and 1–5×10⁻⁴ M, respectively. It is assumed that the antiamnestic effect of the nootropics is partially mediated by a blockade of ion channels of the neuronal membrane. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 2, pp. 151–155, February, 1996 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of autologous sera on mitogenic stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes of mini-pigs chronically intoxicated with alcohol

There are no statistically significant differences in the stimulation index for purified lymphocytes of control mini-pigs and mini-pigs with chronic alcohol intoxication. Autologous sera of control and experimental animals strongly suppress mitogen-induced blast transformation of lymphocytes without death of these cells. There are no statistically significant intergroup differences in the absolute number (per mm³) of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 7, pp. 89–91, July, 1994 Presented by N. K. Permyakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inhibition of platelet aggregation under the action of sodium hypochlorite. Effect of blood plasma components

The proteins fibrinogen and serum albumin and the amino acid alanine modified by sodium hypochlorite are shown to inhibit thrombin-induced aggregation of isolated platelets. The hypochlorite sodium-treated proteins and amino acids acquire the capacity to counter platelet aggregation as a result of the formation of chloramine derivatives. The aggregating capacity of hypochlorite sodium-inactivated platelets can be restored by native plasma and fibrinogen. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 5, pp. 488–490, May, 1995 Presented by Yu. M. Lopukhin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences