p-Methoxyamphetamine,a potent reversible inhibitor of type-A monoamine oxidase in vitro and in vivo

p-Methoxyamphetamine is over 20 times as potent as (+)-amphetamine as an inhibitor of 5-HT oxidation by monoamine oxidase in mouse brain in vitro, with a K_i value of 0·22 μM. It is highly selective towards A-type monoamine oxidase and possesses only weak activity against the B-type enzyme (Ki value about 500 μM with benzylamine as substrate and solubilized rat liver mitochondria as enzyme source). It is 10 times more active than (+)-amphetamine in protecting mouse brain monoamine oxidase from inhibition by phenelzine in vivo. o-Methoxy- and m-methoxyamphetamines inhibit monoamine oxidase both in vitro and in vivo with potencies comparable with, or less than that of (+)-amphetamine.     

IMPROVED PROCEDURE OF PURIFICATION OF INORGANIC PYROPHOSPHATASE FROM BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS

An improved method for isolation of inorganic pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1.) from Bacillus stearothermophilus is described. The enzyme was purified to more than 90% after two chromatographic steps. A molecular weight of 140 000 daltons was estimated by density gradient centrifugation. The isoelectric point was found to be 4.0.     

A Study of Gastric Cancer in Egypt

Since stomach cancer is rare in Egypt, a study was conductedto try to determine the factors responsible for the low incidence.The study included epidemiological and pathological informationon 55 cases of stomach cancer collected from 1970 to 1977, representing0.33% of the admissions for malignancy in this period. Featuresof the Egyptian diet that could be behind the low incidenceare presented.