D-Pen2-[D-Pen5]enkephalin impairs acquisition and enhances retention of a one-way active avoidance response in rats.

We reported previously that D-Pen2-[D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDE), a delta-opioid receptor selective analog of Leu-enkephalin, impairs acquisition of an automated jump-up avoidance response in rats and acquisition of a one-way active avoidance response in mice. In the present study we investigated the effects of DPDPE on one-way avoidance conditioning in rats. The rats received two escape-only trials on day 1 and eight additional training trials on day 2. DPDPE (1.16 micrograms/kg IP) administered prior to training on day 2 impaired acquisition of the avoidance response. On the other hand, DPDPE (0.332 microgram/kg IP) administered following presentation of the two escape-only trials on day 1 significantly enhanced retention, as measured by improved one-way active avoidance performance on day 2. These results indicate that activation of delta-opioid receptors by DPDPE has a modulatory effect on acquisition and retention of aversively motivated performance.     

不同剂量舒芬太尼对心脏瓣膜置换术患者应激反应、炎性因子及心肌损伤的影响

目的:探讨不同剂量舒芬太尼对心脏瓣膜置换术患者应激反应、炎性因子及心肌损伤的影响。方法:根据随机数字表法将100例行心脏瓣膜置换术的患者分为低剂量组(n=33,舒芬太尼剂量为1.0μg/kg)、中剂量组(n=33,舒芬太尼剂量为1.5μg/kg)以及高剂量组(n=34,舒芬太尼剂量为2.0μg/kg),比较三组患者应激反应、炎性因子、心肌损伤等指标的变化以及围术期指标情况。结果:中剂量组、高剂量组麻醉诱导后(T1)、插管后1 min(T2)、插管后5 min(T3)、插管后10 min(T4)时间点心率(HR)、平均动脉压(MAP)均低于低剂量组同时间点,且高剂量组低于中剂量组(P<0.05)。与低剂量组比较,中剂量组、高剂量组阻断后30 min(T6)、开主动脉后2h(T7)以及术后1d(T8)时间点白介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)均降低(P<0.05)。与低剂量组比较,中剂量组、高剂量组体外循环停机2h(T9)、体外循环停机8h(T10)、体外循环停机24h(T11)、体外循环停机48h(T12)时间点心肌肌钙蛋白I(cTnI)、肌酸磷酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)均降低(P<0.05)。低剂量组、中剂量组重症监护室(ICU)滞留时间、拔管时间显著短于高剂量组(P<0.05),而三组心血管不良事件发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:给予1.0μg/kg舒芬太尼麻醉的患者应激反应小,1.5μg/kg、2.0μg/kg舒芬太尼可更好地控制心脏瓣膜置换术患者炎性反应,同时对患者心肌损伤有一定的保护作用,但2.0μg/kg舒芬太尼会延长患者ICU滞留时间、拔管时间。     

Effects of intraperitoneal and intraventricular d-amphetamine administration on active avoidance performance in the rat

Intraventricular and intraperitoneal administration of d-amphetamine impaired asymptotic shuttle box avoidance performance in rats. Low ip doses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/kg) had no effect whereas higher ip doses (2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 mg/kg) impaired performance in a dose-related fashion. An inverted U-shaped function was obtained with the ivent doses; low dose (25 ug) and high doses (200 and 400 ug) impaired performance whereas intermediate doses (50 and 100 ug) had little effect. The cannulation procedure itself produced only minimal acquisition effects. The data tend to support the contention that amphetamine acts on the brain to cause the deterioration of well learned avoidance responding.     

Pharmacologic characteristics of bladder micturition function in anesthetized mice

In the present study, we observed the effects of an α(1)-adrenoceptor agonist (phenylephrine), β-adrenoceptor agonist (isoprenaline), muscarinic cholinoceptor agonist (carbachol), and α(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist (doxazosin) on the bladder micturition function in anesthetized mice. Changes in bladder pressure in response to filling and blood pressure were recorded by using a data acquisition system. Phenylephrine (50 to 800 μg/kg) increased vesical micturition pressure in a dose-dependent manner but increased micturition basal pressure only at 800 μg/kg. Carbachol (3 to 7 μg/kg) increased the intercontraction interval and micturition time in a dose-dependent manner but increased micturition basal pressure only at 7 μg/kg. Isoprenaline (10 to 1000 μg/kg) increased micturition time and decreased vesical micturition pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Doxazosin (10 to 1000 μg/kg) did not affect bladder micturition function but dose-dependently inhibited phenylephrine-induced increases in vesical micturition pressure. Carbachol (7 μg/kg) and isoprenaline (1 mg/kg) caused a transient fall in blood pressure, whereas doxazosin (1 mg/kg) had a long-lasting hypotensive effect. The maximal decrease in systolic and mean blood pressure by carbachol did not differ from that by doxazosin and isoprenaline, respectively. Phenylephrine (800 μg/kg) transiently increased the blood pressure of anesthetized mice. These results indicate that activation of muscarinic cholinoceptors decreases voiding frequency and increases bladder capacity in anesthetized mice. Activation of α(1)-adrenoceptors mainly increases vesical micturition pressure, whereas activation of β-adrenoceptors decreases vesical micturition pressure and prolongs micturition time in anesthetized mice.     

Effects of oral clonidine on plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol (MHPG) in man: Preliminary report

Repeated (N=15) administration of clonidine (0,1,5 μg/kg,p.o.) to three normotensive male subjects resulted in significant decreases in plasma free 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol (MHPG) at three hours for both the 1 μg/kg dose (p < .05) and the 5 μg/kg dose (p < .01) when compared to concentrations following placebo. The mean decrement in plasma free MHPG following a 5 μg/kg dose was 36%. Systolic blood pressure fell a mean of 17 mmHg after 1 μg/kg and 37 mmHg after 5 μg/kg of clonidine. The application of a clonidine challenge test to assess noradrenergic receptor sensitivity $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$ is discussed.     

Levothyroxine Dosing in Older Adults: Recommendations Derived From The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

ObjectiveAs thyroid hormone metabolism slows with advancing age, treatment dosing requirements change. Guidelines recommend titration from a low starting dose for older adults with hypothyroidism while providing weight-based estimates for younger populations. However, rapid replacement may be appropriate with acute onset of overt hypothyroidism. Therefore, a weight-based recommendation specific to older adults is needed.MethodsWe determined mean levothyroxine dose using actual and ideal body weight (IBW) ratios for the outcome of euthyroid on therapy relative to assay-specific and proposed age-specific ranges for independently living participants aged ≥65 years in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. We examined risk factors to identify those at highest risk of overtreatment using regression analyses adjusted for potential covariables and clustering to account for multiple visits per individual.ResultsOne hundred eighty-five participants aged ≥65 years were on levothyroxine at 645 eligible visits. At euthyroid visits, participants were on an average dose of 1.09 μg/kg (1.35 μg/kg IBW), with 84% of euthyroid individuals on a dose of <1.6 μg/kg. Average euthyroid dose did not differ by sex using either actual body weight (ABW) or IBW. For obese individuals, mean euthyroid dose was lower if calculated using ABW (0.9 μg/kg vs 1.14 μg/kg; P < .01) but similar if calculated using IBW (1.42 vs 1.32 μg/kg IBW; P = .41) compared with those with a body mass index of <30.ConclusionThyroid hormone dose per body weight estimates for replacement in older adults (1.09 μg/kg ABW or 1.35 μg/kg IBW) are one-third lower than current weight-based dose recommendations for younger populations.     

Spawning response of mature female sea bass,Lates calcarifer (Bloch), to a single injection of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue: effect of dose and initial oocyte size1

The effect of various doses of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) ranging from 1 to 100 μg/kg body weight on the spawning response of mature female sea bass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch) was tested. A single intramuscular injection of LHRHa resulted in a dose-related increase in the spawning rate (number of spawnings of each fish over four consecutive days) of mature fish. An LHRHa dose of 5 μg/kg and less induced low spawning rates of 16.7% to 37.5% or at least one spawning every four days. However, mature sea bass spawned more than once (43.8–58.3%) in four days at dose levels of 10 μg/kg and above. Hormone treatment within the dose range tested did not influence the number, fertilization and hatching rates of spawned eggs. The influence of initial oocyte size on the LHRHa-induced spawning response of mature sea bass was also examined. Sea bass with an initial oocyte diameter of 0.30–0.39 mm did not respond to the single injection of 100 μg LHRHa/kg. In contrast, LHRHa induced spawning among sea bass with an initial egg size of 0.40–0.49 mm, although two of four sea bass of the same stage of ovarian maturity spawned spontaneously. Fish having an initial oocyte size of 0.50–0.55 mm spawned with and without LHRHa treatment. Spontaneous spawning among saline-injected sea bass occurred at a later time (24–58 h post-injection) compared to fish induced to spawn by a single injection of LHRHa (8–36 h post-injection). The initial spawning response time interval for fish with an initial egg size of 0.50 mm or greater was further reduced to 8–9 h by LHRHa. These results indicate that LHRHa can successfully induce spawning in mature female sea bass which have attained a critical oocyte diameter and that the spawning response interval is reduced with a further increase in egg size beyond the critical oocyte diameter limit.     

猕猴单次及多次注射重组人白介素—11后的药代动力学及外周血小板计数变化

研究猕猴单次或多次静脉注射(iv)和皮下注射(sc)rhIL-11后药代动力学及周边血小板计数变化。ELISA法检测血清rhIL-11浓度,血细胞计数仪计数血小板。iv和sc注射50～400μg     

In vivo growth inhibitory effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on a transplantable mouse tumor, Sarcoma 180.

Withania somnifera is a medicinal plant used in the treatment of a variety of ailments in the Ayurvedic system. Alcoholic extract of the root of the plant was injected(ip) at daily doses of 200 to 1000 mg/kg body wt for 15 days starting from 24 hr after intradermal inoculation of 5 x 10(5) cells of S-180 in BALB/c mice. Solid tumor growth was monitored for 100 days. Doses of 400 mg/kg and above produced complete regression of tumor after an initial growth, the percentage of complete response (CR) increasing with increasing drug dose. A 55% CR was obtained at 1000 mg/kg drug administration, but this dose also produced some mortality among the animals. A significant increase in the volume doubling time and growth delay was seen when the drug dose was increased from 500 to 750 mg/kg body wt, but further increase in drug dose to 1000 mg/kg did not produce any significant increase in these responses. Cumulative doses of 7.5 to 10 g at daily doses of 500 or 750 mg/kg seems to produce a good response in this tumor.     

Small-dose intravenous heroin facilitates hypothalamic self-stimulation without response suppression in rats

Intravenous heroin at 10 and 30 μg/kg produced an immediate increase in rates of lever pressing for electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus, while 100 μg/kg produced brief suppression in some rats followed by reliable response rate increases in all rats. The duration of response facilitation increased with dose and corresponded to the duration of the inter-infusion interval found in self-administration experiments. These data indicate correspondence between the reinforcing and the self-stimulation facilitating effects of heroin in relation to dose and time course parameters, and fit with the view that narcotic facilitation of self-stimulation reflects the reinforcing value of the drugs.     

The Effects of Chromium Complex and Level on Glucose Metabolism and Memory Acquisition in Rats Fed High-Fat Diet

Conditions in which glucose metabolism is impaired due to insulin resistance are associated with memory impairment. It was hypothesized that supplemental chromium (Cr) may alleviate insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes and consequently improve memory acquisition, depending upon its source and level. In a complete randomized design experiment, male Wistar rats (n=60; weighing 200-220 g) were fed either normal (8%, normal diet (ND)) or high-fat (40%, high-fat diet (HFD)) diet and supplemented with Cr as either chromium-glycinate (CrGly) or chromium-acetate (CrAc) at doses of 0, 40, or 80 μg/kg body weight (BW) via drinking water from 8 to 20 weeks of age. Feeding HFD induced type 2 diabetes, as reflected by greater glucose/insulin ratio (2.98 vs. 2.74) comparing to feeding ND. Moreover, HFD rats had greater BW (314 vs. 279 g) and less serum (53 vs. 68 μg/L) and brain (14 vs. 24 ng/g) Cr concentrations than ND rats. High-fat diet caused a 32% reduction in expressions of glucose transporters 1 and 3 (GLUTs) in brain tissue and a 27% reduction in mean percentage time spent in the target quadrant and a 38% increase in spatial memory acquisition phase (SMAP) compared with ND. Compared with supplemental Cr as CrAc, CrGly was more effective to ameliorate response variables (i.e., restoration of tissue Cr concentration, enhancement of cerebral GLUTs expressions, and reduction of the glucose/insulin ratio and SMAP) in a dose-response manner, especially in rats fed HFD. Supplemental Cr as CrGly may have therapeutic potential to enhance insulin action and alleviate memory acquisition in a dose-dependent manner, through restoring tissue Cr reserve and enhancing cerebral GLUTs expressions.     

Metformin (dimethyl-biguanide) induced DNA damage in mammalian cells

Metformin (dimethyl-biguanide) is an insulin-sensitizing agent that lowers fasting plasma-insulin concentration, wherefore it's wide use for patients with a variety of insulin-resistant and prediabetic states, including impaired glucose tolerance. During pregnancy it is a further resource for reducing first-trimester pregnancy loss in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome. We tested metformin genotoxicity in cells of Chinese hamster ovary, CHO-K1 (chromosome aberrations; comet assays) and in mice (micronucleus assays). Concentrations of 114.4 μg/mL and 572 μg/mL were used in in vitro tests, and 95.4 mg/kg, 190.8 mg/kg and 333.9 mg/kg in assaying. Although the in vitro tests revealed no chromosome aberrations in metaphase cells, DNA damage was detected by comet assaying after 24 h of incubation at both concentrations. The frequency of DNA damage was higher at concentrations of 114.4 μg/mL. Furthermore, although mortality was not observed in in vitro tests, the highest dose of metformin suppressed bone marrow cells. However, no statistically significant differences were noted in micronuclei frequencies between treatments. In vitro results indicate that chronic metformin exposure may be potentially genotoxic. Thus, pregnant woman undergoing treatment with metformin should be properly evaluated beforehand, as regards vulnerability to DNA damage.     

Phase II study of two dose schedules of C.E.R.A. (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator) in anemic patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving chemotherapy

Background

C.E.R.A. (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator) is an innovative agent with unique erythropoietin receptor activity and prolonged half-life. This study evaluated C.E.R.A. once weekly (QW) or once every 3 weeks (Q3W) in patients with anemia and advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving chemotherapy.

Methods

In this Phase II, randomized, open-label, multicenter, dose-finding study, patients (n = 218) with Stage IIIB or IV NSCLC and hemoglobin (Hb) ≤ 11 g/dL were randomized to one of six treatment groups of C.E.R.A. administered subcutaneously for 12 weeks: 0.7, 1.4, or 2.1 μg/kg QW or 2.1, 4.2, or 6.3 μg/kg Q3W. Primary endpoint was average Hb level between baseline and end of initial treatment (defined as last Hb measurement before dose reduction or transfusion, or the value at week 13). Hematopoietic response (Hb increase ≥ 2 g/dL or achievement of Hb ≥ 12 g/dL with no blood transfusion in the previous 28 days determined in two consecutive measurements within a 10-day interval) was also measured.

Results

Dose-dependent Hb increases were observed, although the magnitude of increase was moderate. Hematopoietic response rate was also dose dependent, achieved by 51% and 62% of patients in the 4.2 and 6.3 μg/kg Q3W groups, and 63% of the 2.1 μg/kg QW group. In the Q3W group, the proportion of early responders (defined as ≥ 1 g/dL increase in Hb from baseline during the first 22 days) increased with increasing C.E.R.A. dose, reaching 41% with the highest dose. In the 6.3 μg/kg Q3W group, 15% of patients received blood transfusion. There was an inclination for higher mean Hb increases and lower transfusion use in the Q3W groups than in the QW groups. C.E.R.A. was generally well tolerated.

Conclusion

C.E.R.A. administered QW or Q3W showed clinical activity and safety in patients with NSCLC. There were dose-dependent increases in Hb responses. C.E.R.A. appeared to be more effective when the same dose over time was given Q3W than QW, with a suggestion that C.E.R.A. 6.3 μg/kg Q3W provided best efficacy in this study. However, further dose-finding studies using higher doses are required to determine the optimal C.E.R.A. dose regimen in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.     

The cardiovascular pharmacology of prostacyclin (PGI2) in the rat

Physiological roles have been suggested for prostacyclin in the cardiovascular system. Prostacyclin was administered by intravenous infusion to unanesthetized rats. Over a 24 hr period, 0.32 mg/kg/day caused only flushing of the ears. Larger doses (0.56 and 1 mg/kg/day) caused hypothermia, behavioral depression, and swelling of the paws. Cumulative dose-response curves for its depressor action were determined in both unanesthetized and anesthetized, vagotimized, ganglion-blocked rats. In unanesthetized rats, the threshold dose was about 0.1 μg/kg/min. Respiratory depression precluded doses larger than 1 μg/kg/min. In anesthetized rats, the threshold dose was about 0.001 μg/kg/min, and the maximally effective dose was about 0.1 μg/kg/min. At 0.032 μg/kg/min, blood pressure first fell and then rose slightly. This compensatory rise did not occur in nephrectomized rats, suggesting renin release as the mechanism. Intravenous infusion of 0.1 but not 0.01 μg/kg/min in unanesthetized rats doubled plasma renin activity. In saline-loaded unanesthetized rats, urine volume and urinary sodium excretion were decreased by 0.1 μg/kg/min of prostacyclin.     

Effects of intravenously administered Leu- or Met-enkephalin on arterial blood pressure

The purpose of these studies was to determine if two endogenous opioids, leucine (Leu) and methionine (Met) -enkephalin, alter blood pressure and, if so, by what mechanisms. Studies from our laboratory show that intravenous administration of Leu-enkephalin in doses of 0.032–320 μg/kg induced a biphasic response in pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. A transient rise in mean arterial pressure was followed by a more prolonged decline. Administration of Met-enkephalin caused only a decline in mean arterial pressure. Neither agent significantly altered heart rate, venous pressure or the EKG. Having determined that both enkephalins altered blood pressure and observed that the responses were qualitatively different, selected pharmacological antagonists were employed to see if the alterations in blood pressure could be blocked. Naloxone blocked the hypertensive responses and antagonized the hypotensive effects seen with the administration of Leu-enkephalin. Naloxone also shifted the dose-effect curve of Met-enkephalin to the right. Diphenhydramine attenuated both the hypertensive and hypotensive responses of Leu-enkephalin. However, diphenhydramine pretreatment did not alter the decline in blood pressure seen with the higher doses of Met-enkephalin. Propranolol exerted some antagonistic activity in association with the rise in blood pressure seen with Leu-enkephalin, but propranolol did not alter the drop in pressure observed with the administration of either enkephalin. These results show that intravenous administration of the enkephalins can alter blood pressure and these effects are not alike for each enkephalin. Additionally, the enkephalins are not blocked in the same fashion by antagonists, giving support to the hypothesis that the two enkephalins interact with different receptors.     

Effects of enkephalins on perfusion pressure in isolated hindlimb preparations

A series of studies were conducted to determine the effects of leucine-(leu-) enkephalin and methionine-(met-) enkephalin on perfusion pressure. These experiments utilized isolated perfused femoral arterial preparations in pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. The enkephalins were administered intraarterially into the femoral artery and changes in perfusion pressure recorded. Leu-enkephalin in doses of 1 μg to 320 μg produced significant dose-dependent decreases in perfusion pressure (4.0 ± 1.3% with 1 μg to 19.1 ± 2.1% with 320 μg). Similar declines in perfusion pressure (5.2 ± 2.4% with 1 μg to 21.7 ± 4.1% with 320 μg) were observed following the administration of met-enkephalin. Pretreatment with naloxone (3 mg/kg) antagonized the effects of both enkephalins. Diphenhydramine (2 mg/kg) effectively antagonized the leu-enkephalin elicited decline in perfusion pressure but blocked the effects of met-enkephalin only at lower agonist doses. Propranolol treatment (4 mg/kg) did not alter the pressure responses to either enkephalin. The results of the study show that intraarterially administered enkephalins exert a vasodilatory effect on vasculature in skeletal muscle which may be direct, indirect or both. The differential antagonism of the effects of the two enkephalins suggest that the two opioids act through different receptors or multiple receptors.     

Hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia following neurotensin administration

Neurotensin (NT), a tridecapeptide of bovine hypothalamic origin, was injected into anesthetized rats to clarify the mechanism of its hyperglycemic effects. A dose-related hyperglycemic response was observed at 15 and 30 min after intraarterial injection of 2.5 and 5 μg/kg. Hyperglucagonemia was present with the higher dose and, in some experiments, with the lower dose. Minimal insulin responses were observed. In contrast, injection of NT into the lateral cerebral ventricle did not increase plasma glucose, insulin, or glucagon. Adrenal autotransplantation partially inhibited the hyperglycemia, markedly enhanced the insulin response, and did not affect the hyperglucagonemia. NT effects were unaltered by propranolol (2 mg/kg) whereas the effects of phentolamine (2 mg/kg) were similar to those of adrenal autotransplantation. Somatostatin infusion (1.5 μg/kg/min) blocked the glucagon and insulin responses to NT but only partially suppressed the hyperglycemia. The results suggest that NT hyperglycemia is mediated by effects on the pancreatic islets, the adrenal medulla, and possibly the liver, though effects on the sympathetic nervous system have not been excluded. The physiologic significance of NT in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism remains to be determined.     

Fetotoxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) for rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

The fetotoxic and teratogenic potential of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) for rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) was tested through oral administration to monkeys early in pregnancy. A single or divided dose, 1 μg of TCDD/kg of body weight, was followed by abortion in 13 of 16 pregnant monkeys treated between days 20 and 40 of gestation. One of four aborted at 0.2 μg/kg, and two of two at 5 μg/kg. None of the mothers given 0.2 μg/kg showed signs of toxicity. Eight of the monkeys aborting at 1 μg/kg showed clinical toxicity 44 to 111 days after aborting, and three died. Both given 5 μg/kg became toxic soon after abortion and died. No malformations except for two minor palatal abnormalities of questionable significance were found in the six fetuses that were not aborted at doses of 0.2 and 1.0 μg/kg. These results indicate (1) that TCDD is fetotoxic at doses that frequently have delayed toxicity to the mother, but that conclusions about teratogenicity cannot be drawn, and (2) that pregnant rhesus females are more sensitive to the toxic effects of TCDD than any species tested but the guinea pig.     

Isoflurane but not halothane minimum alveolar concentration-sparing response of dexmedetomidine is enhanced in rats chronically treated with selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist

Halothane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)-sparing response is preserved in rats rendered tolerant to the action of dexmedetomidine. It has been shown that halothane and isoflurane act at different sites to produce immobility. The authors studied whether there was any difference between halothane and isoflurane MAC-sparing effects of dexmedetomidine in rats after chronic administration of a low dose of this drug. Twenty-four female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups of six animals: two groups received 10 μg/kg intraperitoneal dexmedetomidine for five days (treated groups) and the other two groups received intraperitoneal saline solution for five days (naive groups) prior to halothane or isoflurane MAC determination (one treated and one naive group of halothane and one treated and one naive group of isoflurane). Halothane or isoflurane MAC determination was performed before (basal) and 30 min after an intraperitoneal dose of 30 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine (post-dex) from alveolar gas samples at the time of tail clamp. Administration of an acute dose of dexmedetomidine to animals that had chronically received dexmedetomidine resulted in a MAC-sparing effect that was similar to that seen in naive animals for halothane; however, the same treatment increased the MAC-sparing response of dexmedetomidine for isoflurane. Isoflurane but not halothane MAC-sparing response of acutely administered dexmedetomidine is enhanced in rats chronically treated with this drug.     

Influence of serotonergic and adrenergic antagonists on TRH-induced prolactin release in the monkey.

The influence of methysergide, cyproheptadine and SQ 10,631 (serotonergic receptor blockers) at the dose of 35 μg/kg, 50 μg/kg and 5 mg/kg, respectively, and propranolol, phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine (adrenergic receptor blockers) at the dose of 1 mg/kg on TRH-induced prolactin release was studied in sexually mature female monkeys. The serotonergic antagonists had no effect on TRH-induced prolactin release. Both β and α adrenergic antagonist gave a similar potentiation of the TRH-induced prolactin response but only phenoxybenzamine plus TRH was statistically different (P < 0.05) from TRH alone. The effect of the adrenergic receptor blockers is believed to be due to actions on dopamine receptors.