Isolated third-nerve palsy associated with frontal sinus mucocele.

Isolated third-nerve palsies are seen most commonly with aneurysms, vascular disease, trauma, or neoplasms (1-5). Sinus mucoceles have been known to cause orbital symptoms including proptosis and cranial nerve palsies. Rarely, an oculomotor nerve abnormality may be seen in the setting of mucoceles of the paranasal sinuses.

Fourth ventricular hemangioblastoma associated with pheochromocytoma and renal medullary fibroma.

Intraventricular hemangioblastomas are exceptionally rare. Of the cases described in the literature, very few were associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. We present a highly unusual case of a fourth ventricular hemangioblastoma associated with a pheochromocytoma and a renal medullary fibroma.

The clinical implications of first-pass metabolism: treatment strategies for the 1990s.

The first-pass effect is real. It may pose obstacles to the treatment of disease, and strategies need to be developed to address the problem that first pass can cause. First we have to look at identifying the problem, and this symposium has helped to further emphasize that the problem exists and awareness is increasing.

Risk factors not addressed in antihypertensive therapy based solely on blood pressure control.

There has been a considerable revolution in the field of hypertension therapy. We have gone through an era in which patients with severe hypertension and those with accelerated hypertension had a very short life expectancy. Currently blood pressure can be readily controlled with a marked improvement in longevity.

Use of oral sodium polyacrylate in rat gastrointestinal alkali burns.

Alkali-induced injuries of the esophagus and stomach are currently medically managed with steroids and antibiotics. We investigated whether treatment with sodium polyacrylate (PANa), a proposed mucosal protectant, could decrease the deleterious effect of alkali injuries or prevent alkali injuries. Rats were randomized in 4 groups.

Histologic changes in the guinea pig gastrointestinal tract following 1 weeks' administration of chlorpromazine, haloperidol or atropine.

A comparison was made between the toxic effects of chronic chlorpromazine, haloperidol or atropine on the guinea pig intestinal tract. Chlorpromazine, administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day, IP for 7 days, produced marked pathologic changes in the guinea pig cecum, consisting of inflammation, edema and hemorrhage. None of these effects were noted when haloperidol, 2 or 10 mg/kg/day or atropine 30 mg/kg/day were similarly administered.

Histamine release as the basis for morphine action on bile duct and sphincter of Oddi.

We have investigated the mechanism by which morphine contracts hog bile duct and sphincter of Oddi. Morphine contraction is antagonized by naloxone, competitively on the sphincter, noncompetitively on the bile duct. Diphenhydramine at low concentration (3.

Inhibition by indomethacin of naloxone-precipitated opiate withdrawal contraction in isolated guinea pig myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation.

The isolated myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation from guinea pigs which had previously been administered morphine chronically 100 mg/kg/day, 7 days) shows a pronounced contraction when exposed to naloxone. Exposure of the preparation to indomethacin (6.7 micrograms/ml) for 10 minutes prior to naloxone inhibits this withdrawal response.

Methionine-enkephalin and beta-endorphin levels in brain, pancreas, and adrenals of db/db mice.

Levels of methionine-enkephalin immunoreactivity (MEI) and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (BEI) were measured by means of a specific RIA in pituitary, hypothalamus, pancreas, and adrenal glands of db/db and control mice. We found significantly higher levels of MEI in the pituitaries of db/db mice than in either littermate or background strain controls. There was no significant difference in MEI levels in pancreas, adrenal glands, and hypothalamus.

Analgesic properties of enkephalinase inhibitors: animal and human studies.

D-phenylalanine, bacitracin and puromycin produce long-lasting, naloxone-reversible analgesia in mice. Analgesic potency parallels potency of these compounds as inhibitors of met-enkephalin degradation by mouse brain enzymes. D-phenylalanine potentiates acupuncture analgesia in mice and humans and has been used to ameliorate a variety of human chronic pain conditions.

Pharmacology of enkephalinase inhibitors: animal and human studies.

We have shown that a number of compounds which inhibit the degradation of met-enkephalin can produce naloxone-reversible analgesia in mice. These compounds also potentiate the analgesia produced by acupuncture, foot shock, and transcutaneous nerve stimulation in animals and humans. The potency of their effectiveness as analgesics or potentiators parallels their potency as inhibitors of mouse brain enkephalinase.

D-phenylalanine and other enkephalinase inhibitors as pharmacological agents: implications for some important therapeutic application.

A number of compounds have been shown to inhibit the degradation of enkephalins. As expected, these compounds produce naloxone reversible analgesia and potentiate the analgesia produced by enkephalins and by acupuncture. One of these, D-phenylalanine, is also anti-inflammatory.

Effects of lithium chloride on peripheral acetylcholine release and brain acetylcholine levels in the guinea-pig.

Lithium chloride administered acutely or chronically to guinea-pigs had no effect on brain level of acetylcholine or on peripheral release of acetylcholine from longitudinal muscle of the ileum. The results suggest differences between in vitro and in vivo action of lithium.

Phenothiazine effect on gastrointestinal tract function.

Clinical evidence indicates that phenothiazines, specifically chlorpromazine (CPZ), used extensively in the treatment of patients with mental and/or neurologic disorders produce an ileus characterized by pseudoobstruction with an extended barium transit time of eight to ten days. Postoperatively, these patients have a protracted ileus, lasting from ten to fourteen days. In our present study we investigated the mechanism of action by which phenothiazines block gastrointestinal tract function as well as the possible reversal of this effect by pharmacologic agents.

Effect of lithium chloride on electrically stimulated guinea-pig longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus.

Lithium chloride, in the concentration range of 10(-4)M to 10(-2)M, increases the height of electrically induced contractions of guinea-pig longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus preparation. Higher concentrations of the salt cause a progressive block of contractions. Sodium chloride shows no augmentation of contraction height, but concentrations above 10(-2)M only cause block of contractions.

Mechanism of morphine block of electrical activity in ganglia of Auerbach's plexus.

A study was made of the effect of morphine on electrical activity within single ganglia of Auerbach's plexus of guinea pig longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus as monitored by means of external electrodes. Morphine produces a concentration dependent block of single spike activity. This effect is competitively antagonized by naloxone.

Block of electrically induced contractions of guinea pig longitudinal muscle by prostaglandin synthetase and receptor inhibitors.

Inhibitors of prostaglandin synthetase as well as prostaglandin receptor inhibitors block electrically induced contractions of the longitudinal muscle of the guinea pig ileum. This blockade is selectivety reversed by some prostaglandins, particularly those of the E series. There is a very close parallel between the potency with which the synthetase inhabitors block transmission and inhibit the enzyme.