[Folic acid: new indications for an old well-known drug].

Unlabelled: This review deals with the well known drug--folic acid, for which new indications have been discovered in recent years. The drug was used for 50 years in anemia megaloblastia, other anemias with bone marrow hypofunction, in leucopenia and granulocytopenia, in celiac disease and sprue and folic acid deficit during oral anticonceptive drug use. From recent investigations follows that there are strong indications for the use of folic acid in a periconceptual period and during pregnancy (at least 600 micrograms per day) and during lactation--to prevent neural tube defects.

Comparison of behavioural effects of venlafaxine and imipramine in rats.

The experiments outlined in this paper examined the effects of the novel antidepressant venlafaxine (VEN) (CAS 9930-78-4) in several behavioural and memory tests in comparison with the classic antidepressant imipramine (IMI) (CAS 113-52-0). The tests were carried out on male Wistar rats of about 200 g. The drugs were administered orally 30 min before the tests during 14 days.