Effect of acute and chronic treatment of tandamine,a new heterocyclic antidepressant,on biogenic amine metabolism and related activities

Summary The effects of tandamine, a clinically effective heterocyclic antidepressant, administered either acutely (10 mg/kg i.p) or chronically (10 mg/kg i.p. daily for 21 days) on biogenic amine uptake and metabolism in the rat were determined and a comparison with desipramine was made. Tandamine, similarly to desipramine, blocked norepinephrine (NE) uptake in rat brain and heart following both acute and chronic administration. No effect of tandamine on dopamine (DA) or serotonin (5-HT) uptake was observed. Both drugs lowered endogenous brain NE when given chronically but not acutely. In contrast, no such effect on brain DA and 5-HT or heart NE was observed. Tandamine, like desipramine, administered chronically prior to an intraventricular injection of ³H-NE, produced increases in the decline of ³H-NE as indicated by decreased ³H-NE with increased levels of ³H-normetanephrine in brain stem of rats, suggesting an increased turnover of NE. No such effect was observed following acute treatment. Both drugs increased the behavioural effects of L-Dopa following an acute oral administration, with tandamine appearing superior to desipramine at the lower dose examined (10 mg/kg). Tandamine was 57–833 times less effective in binding to rat brain muscarinic receptors than desipramine, imipramine, butriptyline and amitriptyline, respectively. Thus, tandamine affects biogenic amine mechanism following either acute or chronic administration in a fashion similar to desipramine, but unlike desipramine, it exhibits relatively little anticholinergic properties, a further indication of the potential use of tandamine in the treatment of human depression, particularly where an increase in drive is desired.     

Long-term treatment with β-blockers after myocardial infarction

Summary 162 patients discharged from hospital after myocardial infarction were randomly allocated to two groups, one received alprenolol 400 mg daily and the other served as the control. The period of follow-up was two years and all other treatment given was standardized. The two groups did not differ with respect to risk factors for myocardial infarction, the course of the acute infarct or treatment during follow-up. After two years one patient in the group treated with alprenolol had died suddenly as compared to nine in the control group. During the same period four fresh infarcts had occurred in the alprenolol group compared to 15 in the control group. Both these differences were statistically significant. Only four patients were obliged to discontinue -blocker treatment because of suspected side-effects. Long-term post-infarction treatment with -blockers appears to be an effective form of secondary therapy without serious side-effects.     

Supersensitivity of cortical neurones of the rat to acetylcholine and L-glutamate following chronic morphine treatment

Summary The effect of microelectrophoretically applied L-glutamate and acetylcholine on discharge activity of cortical neurones was studied in naive and in morphine-tolerant/dependent rats. The thresholds for increase in discharge activity elicited by these 2 putative neurotransmitters were 3 times lower in the tolerant/dependent rats than in the naive rats, indicating the development of supersensitivity.     

Response to placebo among bipolar I disorder patients experiencing their first manic episode

Background: The first episode of an illness may respond differently to any treatment compared to multiple episodes of the same illness. This study details the treatment response of six first-episode manic patients who participated in a previously reported study of 139 subjects comparing olanzapine to placebo in bipolar I mania (Tohen M, Sanger TM, McElroy SL, Tollefson GD, Chengappa KNR, Daniel DG. Olanzapine versus placebo in the treatment of acute mania. Am J Psychiatry 1999; 156: 702–709).

Methods: Six first-episode subjects participated in a 3-week double-blind, random assignment, parallel group, placebo-controlled study of olanzapine for bipolar mania. The Young Mania Rating Scale (Y-MRS), Clinical Global Impression, and Hamilton Depression ratings were administered weekly. Lorazepam as rescue medication was permitted for the first 10 days.

Results: Five subjects were randomized to placebo and one to olanzapine. Two subjects (40%) with psychotic mania (who also had their first-illness episode) were assigned to placebo and responded with greater than 50% reduction in the Y-MRS score and also remitted in 3 weeks. Another placebo-assigned subject had a 46% reduction in the Y-MRS scores, and two placebo-assigned subjects worsened. The olanzapine-assigned subject had a 44% reduction in the Y-MRS score. In contrast, 34 of 69 (48.6%) multiple-episode olanzapine subjects responded and 14 of 61 (23.0%) of placebo-treated subjects did.

Conclusions: This preliminary data set suggest there may be differences in treatment response between first-illness episode versus multi-episode bipolar manic subjects. Larger numbers of subjects with these illness characteristics are needed to either confirm or refute this suggestion.     

小儿肺炎电超导治疗的研究

目的 评价电超导辅助治疗小儿肺炎的临床疗效。方法 所有144例，治疗组84例，对照组64例，对照组应用抗生素，同时止咳，化痰，平喘对症处理，治疗组在以照组的基础上超导辅助治疗，疗程一周。结果 治疗组总有效率100％，总痊愈率92．86％。而对照组总有效率仅为71．67％。结论 在原有治疗基础上加用电超导，可明显提高治愈率及总有效率。     

叶下珠复方胶囊合抗乙肝特异性转移因子治疗慢性乙型肝炎40例观察

目的 :观察叶下珠复方胶囊联合抗乙肝特异性转移因子治疗慢性乙型肝炎的疗效。方法 :治疗组用叶下珠复方胶囊每次 4粒 ,每天 3次 ;抗乙肝特异性转移因子 2 m g肌肉注射 ,每周 2次。对照组单用叶下珠复方胶囊每次 4粒 ,每天 3次。均治疗 6个月。结果 :治疗组总有效率 92 .5 % ,对照组总有效率 73.3% ,两组比较有显著性差异 (P<0 .0 5 )。但 HBe Ag、HBV- DNA阴转率治疗组分别为 5 5 .5 %、5 6 .2 % ,对照组分别为 4 4 .0 %、4 3.4 % ,两组比较无显著性差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。结论 :叶下珠复方胶囊联合抗乙肝特异性转移因子可提高疗效 ,起协同作用     

中国芦荟治疗寻常痤疮临床研究

目的：观察中国芦荟治疗寻常痊疮的疗效。方法：全叶组41例外用芦荟全叶，叶肉组40例外用芦荟叶肉，对照组30例外用达芙文凝胶治疗。结果：3组总有效率分别为73．2％，70．0％，76．7％，经统计学处理无显著性差异(P＞0．05)。结论：中国芦荟全叶和叶肉外用治疗寻常痊疮疗效较好，但叶肉更安全，患者依从性好。     

中西医结合治疗宫颈糜烂50例观察

目的：观察恒和坤净栓联合波姆红外光治疗宫项糜烂的疗效。方法：中西医结合组50例用恒和坤净检与波姆红外光治力仪联合治疗；对照组50例，单用波姆红外光治疗仪治疗。结果：中西医结合组痊愈率82％，对照组痊愈率40％。结论：中西医结合疗效较好，优于单用西医治疗。     

SARS心理特征及心理干预对策与中医治疗探讨

通过临床观察传染性非典型肺炎引发的心理问题，包括恐惧非典综合征36例、一线医务人员26例及非典患者22例，系统地归纳了不同的心理特点及表现形式，并以国际流行的心理治疗法——认知行为疗法为基础，提出具体心理干预策略及中医辨证方法。通过进行心理支持及多种灵活的心理治疗干预，以及中医个体化辨证施治，促使患者摆脱了心理危机，很快得到康复。