Effects of cannabinoids on caffeine contractures in slow and fast skeletal muscle fibers of the frog.

The effect of cannabinoids on caffeine contractures was investigated in slow and fast skeletal muscle fibers using isometric tension recording. In slow muscle fibers, WIN 55,212-2 (10 and 5 microM) caused a decrease in tension. These doses reduced maximum tension to 67.

Daily intake of 100 mg ascorbic acid as urinary tract infection prophylactic agent during pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the role a daily intake of 100 mg of ascorbic acid plays in urinary infection prophylaxis during pregnancy.

Methods And Materials: A single-blind clinical trial was carried out on pregnant women randomly assigned to the following treatment groups - Group A: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day), folic acid (5 mg per day) and ascorbic acid (100 mg per day) for 3 months, and Group B: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day) and folic acid (5 mg per day) for 3 months. All patients were clinically evaluated, and a urine culture was carried out each month for a period of 3 months.

Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on excitation-contraction coupling in chicken slow skeletal muscle.

To evaluate the suitability of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent for muscle-contraction studies in the chicken, its effect on the slow muscle contracture induced by high-K(+) solution was explored using the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle from one-week-old chicks. Measurements were made of isometric tension and various characteristics of the contractures [peak tension, total tension (area under the curve), duration of contraction, drop in tension from peak to plateau, and resting tension], in the presence and absence of DMSO (20 mM). Exposure to DMSO led to a concentration-dependent reduction in resting tension of up to 9 +/- 1.