Guinea pig maximisation test for skin sensitisation: the use of fewer test animals

Current European Community (Annex V) guidelines recommend the use of 20 test animals in the guinea pig maximisation test for skin sensitisation. The suitability, for classification and labelling purposes, of reducing the number of test animals has been examined by analysing the results of 40 studies submitted to the Health and Safety Executive, and by the use of a mathematical model. Our results suggest that in most cases an experiment with ten test animals can be used to determine satisfactorily whether a substance should be labelled with the risk phrase may cause sensitisation by skin contact. However, serious consideration should be given to the need for additional investigation if two or three of the ten test animals show a sensitisation response. The highest nonirritant concentration of a substance should be used at challenge. Clearer guidance in Annex V on evaluating challenge responses would be beneficial.     

Evidence for the existence of different receptor sites for algesic agents at the endings of muscular group IV afferent units

Summary The hypothesis that different receptor sites for algesic agents exist at free nerve endings in skeletal muscle has been tested by administering bradykinin and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) repeatedly in anaesthetized cats and evaluating the response behaviour of single group IV afferent units from the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle.Repeated intraarterial administration of bradykinin at intervals of 1 and 2 min usually elicited fibre responses without tachyphylaxis. Injections of equieffective doses of 5-HT, however, given in the same manner evoked fibre reactions that were strongly tachyphylactic. In units responding to both bradykinin and 5-HT a refractoriness to 5-HT could be induced by repeated injections of this agent without impairing the stimulating potency of bradykinin on the same nerve ending. Such a lack of cross-tachyphylaxis seems to apply also to the effects of histamine on one side and bradykinin or 5-HT on the other.These findings suggest that bradykinin, 5-HT and probably histamine exert their excitatory action on muscular group IV afferent units via different receptor sites.     

Circadian rhythm of lithogenic substances in the urine

Summary After determination of the lithogenic and inhibitory substances in serum and urine of 18 healthy control subjects and 20 patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis on an uncontrolled diet, the alteration of the parameters while taking a standard diet was investigated. After attainment of a steady state, the investigations were performed over 48h on 3-h aliquots of urine. Typical circadian rhythms were detected for all lithogenic parameters in the urine and normal ranges were established. This special investigation permits detection of peaks in the excretion of lithogenic substances which were masked in investigation of 24-h urine samples alone.     

离子抑制色谱法测定琥乙红霉素含量及其有关物质

目的　建立离子抑制色谱法测定琥乙红霉素原料的含量及有关物质的方法 ,并研究其影响因素。方法　采用ZorbaxSB -C1 8色谱柱 ,以 0 .0 2mol·L- 1 KH2 PO4 乙腈 ( 4 5∶5 5 ,用氨试液调至pH 6 .8)为流动相 ,流速 1.2mL·min- 1 ,检测波长 2 10nm ,柱温 ( 30± 0 .5 )℃。结果　在选定固定相条件下 ,流动相对组分的洗脱和选择性影响最大 ,柱温次之 ,琥乙红霉素在乙腈中比较稳定。测定了有效主成分琥乙红霉素A的含量以及 7个有关物质的总含量 ,琥乙红霉素A的平均回收率为 99.4 5 %(RSD =2 .2 4 % ,n =5 )。结论　本方法可用于琥乙红霉素原料的含量测定和有关物质的检查。     

小鼠阴道黏膜干细胞生长相关因子的初步研究

目的对小鼠阴道黏膜干细胞培养上清中的细胞因子进行初步鉴定。方法收集稳定传代后的小鼠阴道黏膜干细胞培养上清,进行SDS-PAGE电泳和W estern-b lot检测,鉴定培养上清中阴道黏膜干细胞分泌的细胞因子。结果小鼠阴道黏膜干细胞培养上清中含有一种分子量约为84KD的细胞因子,经W estern-b lot方法检测该细胞因子为干细胞生长因子(HGF)。结论小鼠阴道黏膜干细胞可以分泌有活性的HGF。     

盐酸去甲万古霉素纯度控制方法的改进

目的：改进盐酸去甲万古霉素质量控制的方法。方法：在中国药典与美国药典方法的基础上,优化了两种不同的流动相系统(三乙胺-乙腈-四氢呋喃系统和磷酸氢二铵-甲醇系统),用梯度洗脱对盐酸去甲万古霉素及其有关物质进行分离。结果：与中国药典方法相比,分离效果显著提高,两种方法在2．5～40μg范围内,峰面积与进样量线性关系良好,检测限10ng。结论：改进后的RP-HPLC方法能更加真实的反映去甲万古霉素及其有关物质的含量。     

Jewel of the seabed: sea cucumbers as nutritional and drug candidates

Marine sources have been attracting the attention of scientists and manufacturers worldwide hoping to find new alternatives for biological active substances. Promising new research indicates that sea cucumber, which is slug-like in appearance and has been a staple in Japan, China and other parts of East Asia since ancient times, is beginning to gain popularity as a dietary supplement in western countries. The roles of sea cucumber extracts in various physiological functions have spurred researchers to investigate the ability of sea cucumber to be an alternative in neutraceutical and medical applications. This article provides a brief introduction to sea cucumber and reviews its numerous bioactive compounds, such as triterpene glycosides, glycosaminoglycans, gangliosides, collagen, branched-chain fatty acid and lectins, which serve as potential sources of neutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic agents, thus providing a new platform in biochemical research.     

Characteristics of analytically confirmed 3-MMC-related intoxications from the Swedish STRIDA project

Abstract

Background. 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) is a synthetic cathinone stimulant structurally related to the new psychoactive substance (NPS) mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone, 4-MMC). We describe a case series of analytically confirmed intoxications involving 3-MMC presented to emergency departments in Sweden and included in the STRIDA project. Study design. Observational case series of consecutive patients with self-reported or suspected use of NPS presenting to hospitals in Sweden between August 2012 and March 2014. Methods. NPS analysis was performed by a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (MS)/MS method that is updated with new substances as they appear. Data on clinical features were collected during Poisons Information Centre consultations and retrieved from medical records. Results. 3-MMC was detected in 50 (6.4%) of the 786 cases included in the STRIDA project during the 20-month study period, with the peak occurring in August 2013. The age range of patients testing positive for 3-MMC was 17–49 years (median 24) and 76% of them were men. The 3-MMC concentration in serum ranged between 0.002 and 1.49 μg/mL (median, 0.091) and between 0.007 and 290 μg/mL (median, 3.05) in urine. Co-exposure to other NPS and/or traditional drugs was very common, and 3-MMC mono-intoxication was found in only 4 (8%) cases. The most frequent clinical features were tachycardia (48% of cases) and agitation (42%). Other features included a reduced level of consciousness (32%), dilated pupils (24%), hallucinations (20%), diaphoresis (12%), seizures (8%), and hyperthermia (6%). Most patients (60%) needed hospital care for only 1 day but in 8% for 3 days or longer. Conclusion. The majority of patients with analytically confirmed 3-MMC exposure had sympathomimetic features similar to those associated with mephedrone intoxication. However, the high incidence of co-exposure to other drugs makes the clinical interpretation difficult. Nevertheless, 3-MMC was associated with a high admittance rate to intensive care (30%), and detected in two cases with a fatal outcome, suggesting that 3-MMC is a harmful drug.     

Cellular interleukin-1 receptor antagonist production in patients receiving on-line haemodiafiltration therapy.

BACKGROUND: Repetitive exposure to cytokine-inducing substances (pyrogens) results in chronic inflammation, which may significantly contribute to some of the long-term complications in dialysis patients. On-line dialysis modalities, such as on-line haemodiafiltration (HDF), raise particular concerns because of the administration of infusate prepared from potentially contaminated dialysis fluid. Hence, great retention capability for pyrogens is of critical importance for the safe performance of on-line systems. METHODS: The microbiological safety of a novel on-line system, ONLINEplus(TM), was assessed in clinical practice in five centres for 3 months. Infusate and dialysis fluid were regularly monitored for microbial counts, endotoxins, and cytokine-inducing activity. Levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) were determined in supernatants of whole blood incubated either under pyrogen-free conditions (spontaneous cytokine production) or following low-dose endotoxin exposure (LPS-stimulated cytokine production). RESULTS: We failed to detect microorganisms or endotoxin contamination of infusate during the entire study period. Moreover, neither infusate nor dialysis fluid demonstrated cytokine-inducing activity. Intradialytic IL-1Ra induction was not detected, as there was no difference between pre- and post-session values for both spontaneous and LPS-stimulated IL-1Ra production (115+/-26 vs 119+/-27 and 2445+/-353 vs 2724+/-362 pg/10(6) white blood cells (WBC), respectively). Neither the number of immunocompetent cells nor their capacity to produce IL-1Ra declined during this period, indicating that cells were not significantly stimulated during treatment. Spontaneous and LPS-induced exvivo IL-1Ra generation remained unchanged after 3 months of on-line HDF therapy as compared with the start of the study (71+/-30 pre- vs 48+/-14 post-study, and 2559+/-811 vs 2384+/-744 pg/10(6) WBC, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present on-line system performed safely from a microbiological view-point as both the dialysis fluid and infusate were consistently free of microorganisms, endotoxins, and cytokine-inducing substances. As a result, on-line HDF therapy had no effect upon the chronic inflammatory responses in end-stage renal disease patients.