Pharmacological properties of procaterol, a newly synthetized, specific beta 2-adrenoceptor stimulant. Part I. Effects on the CNS (author's transl)]

Effects of procaterol (PRO) on the CNS were investigated in comparison with those of salbutamol (SAL) and isoproterenol (ISO). PRO, 15 to 50 mg/kg given subcutaneously suppressed spontaneous movement in mice, rats and rabbits and with a large dose, 1000 mg/kg, the animals became quiet and immobile. In dogs, PRO produced similar symptoms and in addition, there was nausea and vomiting. The animals recovered within 3--8 hours. ID50's in depressing spontaneous movement were 20.2 and 245 mg/kg for PRO, 51.1 and 133 mg/kg for SAL and 2.37 and 143 mg/kg for ISO, respectively, both by the subcutaneous and oral routes of administration. Methamphetamine induced increase in motility and fighting behavior was also suppressed by PRO when similar doses were given. PRO had no effect on coordinating movement, halothane anesthesia, drug and electric stimulation induced convulsions and body temperature, and there was no muscle relaxant action. However, PRO in large doses prolonged sleeping time with hexobarbital. The analgesic effect of PRO was not observed with Haffner's and Landall Selitto's methods but acetic acid induced writhing was suppressed by PRO. PRO had little effect on spontaneous EEGs either cortical or from deep structures, and EEG arousal responses. The effects of PRO on the CNS were slight and nonspecific, and similar to those of SAL and ISO.     

Case of immunoblastic sarcoma (IBS)

A patient with immunoblastic lymphadenopaty which evolved into immunoblastic sarcoma is reported. A 48-year-old female was admitted to our department because of cough and fever. A diagnosis of immunoblastic lymphadenopathy had been made two years before the present admission. Physical examination revealed generalized lymphadenopathy. Chest radiograms showed a left hilar mass. The pulmonary tumor and enlarged lymphnodes were treated by irradiation. Although there was marked improvement at first, she experienced several relapses. One year after the admission, chest radiograms showed multiple pulmonary lesions. She developed pancytopenia and bone metastases. At autopsy, the lymphnodes showed histological evidence of immunoblastic sarcoma; a pulmonary lesion showed immunoblastic lymphadenopathy.     

Occurrence of potent toxins in the horseshoe crab Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda

Lethality in mice of extracts of 388 specimens of the horseshoe crab Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda collected in Thailand have been examined, and four crabs were found to be lethal. Two toxins, of which the major one is similar to saxitoxin, have been isolated from a highly toxic specimen.     

Cefotiam concentration in exudates from the drainage of patients with acute peritonitis following intravenous administration

Cefotiam dihydrochloride (CTM) in a dose of 2 g was given by intravenous bolus injection to 15 patients operated upon for acute or subacute abdominal organs. They were included to 5 cases of acute localized peritonitis due to perforative appendicitis, 3 of diffuse peritonitis due to perforative duodenal ulcer, 1 of diffuse peritonitis with intestinal obstruction, 1 of perforative sigmoid colon cancer, 2 of gastric cancer or polyp with cholelithiasis, and 3 of cholangitis with cholecyst-choledocholithiasis. The materials of exudate from drain were taken at intervals by sterilized paper disc and determined by paper disc bioassay method with Proteus rettgeri ATCC 9250 or Proteus mirabilis ATCC 21100 as the test organisms to CTM concentrations. CTM concentrations in purulent exudate from drain of patients with acute peritonitis, they were increased quickly after intravenous bolus injection, and reached higher levels at early time after injection in cases 2 or 3 days after operation. CTM concentration in purulent exudate from drain was tended to increase in proportion to the severity of the inflammation. The CTM levels in infected exudate were higher than the MICs against clinically isolated organisms for a long time after administration. Therefore, CTM was very useful drug when used for chemotherapy of postoperative peritonitis.     

Immunoelectron microscopy related to T-cell monoclonal surface antigen in mycosis fungoides

For the purpose of diagnosing and staging cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the nuclear contour index and subsets of T-cells in the lesions were studied. Nuclear contour index measured in T-cells identified precisely with monoclonal pan-T antibody was found to be higher than nuclear contour index measured in T-cell-like cells with significant nuclear convolution. Nuclear contour index increased as the disease progressed from erythematous to tumor stage or to the Sézary syndrome. The relative ratio of suppressor cytotoxic T-cells to helper T-cells was higher in the early rather than late stage of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.