Effect of zinc chloride on picrotoxin-induced hyperkinesis depends on its concentration in solution injected into rat neostriatum.

The hyperkinekic effect (increase in spontaneous activity and development of choreomyoclonic hyperkinesis of the extremities and body) of picrotoxin injected into the rostral neostriatum of rats in a dose of 2 μg was reduced if the drug was injected together with ZnCl(2) in a concentration of 0.1 μg/μl. ZnCl(2) in a concentration of 1 μg/μl did not modulate the effects of picrotoxin, while in a concentration of 3 μg/μl it increased spontaneous motor activity in the open field test without affecting the symptoms of choreomyoclonic hyperkinesis.

Liquid chromatographic determination of total homocysteine in blood plasma with photometric detection.

A rapid and sensitive method for quantification of homocysteine total forms and glutathione levels in blood plasma via HPLC was developed. Dithiotreitol as a water soluble agent has been used as a reductant for both protein and nonprotein disulphides. Dithiotreitol reacts with the mixed disulphides under 60 degrees C treatment within 10 min.

[Antagonists of ionotropic glutamate receptors as the object of research in psychopharmacology].

Ionotropic glutamate receptors antagonists are now widely considered as potential medications for a variety of disorders, such as seizures, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and opiate tolerance and dependence. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the safest drugs are to be found amongst antagonists acting at glycine and polyamine sites of NMDA-receptor complex, low-affinity channel blockers, subtype-selective competitive NMDA-receptor antagonists, as well as non-NMDA glutamate receptors antagonists. These antagonists exhibit little or no abuse liability and are less likely to induce phencyclidine-like attention deficits and disruption of sensomotor gating.