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Biomedical subjects

M Evans

Publications and source records attributed to M Evans.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

The nurse.

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Community Health Nursing↗

Guinea-pig liver tryptophan pyrrolase. Absence of detectable apoenzyme activity and of hormonal induction by cortisol and possible regulation by tryptophan.

1. When assayed in fresh homogenates, guinea-pig liver tryptophan pyrrolase exists only as holoenzyme. It does not respond to agents that activate or inhibit the rat liver enzyme in vitro. Only by aging (for 30min at 5 degrees C) does the guinea-pig enzyme develop a requirement for ascorbate. 2. The guinea-pig liver enzyme is activated by the administration of tryptophan but not cortisol, salicylate, ethanol or 5-aminolaevulinate. 3. The tryptophan enhancement of the guinea-pig liver pyrrolase activity is prevented by 0, 34 and 86% by pretreatment with actinomycin D, cycloheximide or allopurinol respectively. 4. The guinea-pig liver tryptophan pyrrolase is more sensitive to tryptophan administration than is the rat enzyme. On the other hand, the concentrations of tryptophan in sera and livers of guinea pigs are 45-52% less than those in rats. 5. It is suggested that tryptophan may regulate the activity of guinea-pig liver tryptophan pyrrolase by mobilizing a latent form of the enzyme whose primary function is the detoxication of its substrate.

Aging↗

The incidence and causes of postoperative jaundice. A prospective study.

Jaundice often complicates recovery after surgery. We have studied 180 patients undergoing 218 major operations and found an incidence of 3.7% severe jaundice and 16.5% mild jaundice. The causes of the jaundice were diverse, but the most important was a bilirubin overload (primarily from blood transfusion) which could not be excreted effectively by a liver whose cellular metabolism was disturbed. We found no evidence of a relationship between halothane and liver damage.

Adult↗

Alcoholism.

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Alcoholism↗

The mechanism of inhibition of rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase activity by 4-hydroxypyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine (Allopurinol).

1. Allopurinol (4-hydroxypyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine) selectively inhibits the apotryptophan pyrrolase activity in homogenates of rat liver in vitro and after intraperitoneal administration. The inhibition is abolished by an excess of haematin. The allopurinol metabolite alloxanthine has no effect on the pyrrolase activity in vitro or after administration. Allopurinol also inhibits the activation of the enzyme in vitro by ascorbate, ethanol plus NAD(+), NADH, hypoxanthine or xanthine. It is suggested that these agents cause the conversion of a latent form of the pyrrolase into the apoenzyme, and that xanthine oxidase is not involved in this process. 2. The raised total pyrrolase activity observed after the administration of cortisol, cyclic AMP, tryptophan, salicylate or ethanol is lowered by allopurinol in vitro to the corresponding holoenzyme values. A similar effect is observed when allopurinol is administered shortly before cortisol or cyclic AMP. Pretreatment of rats with allopurinol completely prevents the enhancement of the pyrrolase activities by tryptophan, salicylate or ethanol. 3. It is suggested that allopurinol inhibits rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase activity in vitro and after administration by preventing the conjugation of the apoenzyme with its haem activator. The possible usefulness of combined allopurinol-tryptophan therapy of affective disorders is discussed.

Allopurinol↗

The effects of chronic phenobarbitone administration and subsequent withdrawal on the activity of rat liver tryptohan pyrrolase and their resemblance to those of ethanol.

Chronic phenobarbitone administration inhibits the apo-(tryptophan pyrrolase) activity in homogenates of rat liver and subsequent withdrawal enhances the enzyme activity by 2.5-fold. Similar effects have been previously produced by chronic ethanol administration and withdrawal, but, whereas NADH may cause the ethanol inhibition, that by phenobarbitone may be mediated by NADPH.

Animals↗

The effects of chemical porphyrogens and drugs on the activity of rat liver tryptophan pyrrolase.

1. Drugs such as phenobarbitone and phenylbutazone, which increase the concentration of microsomal haem and cytochrome P-450, also increase the saturation of rat liver apo-(tryptophan pyrrolase) with its haem activator, as does the haem precursor 5-aminolaevulinate. 2. At 4h after the administration of the porphyrogens 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide, 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine and griseofulvin, the total pyrrolase activity is increased whereas the haem saturation of the apoenzyme is decreased. This decreased saturation is prevented by pretreatment of the animals with the inhibitor of drug-metabolizing enzymes, SKF 525-A. 3. Pretreatment of rats with the above porphyrogens inhibits the rise in holo-(tryptophan pyrrolase) activity produced by subsequent administration of cortisol, tryptophan and 5-aminolaevulinate with two single exceptions, the possible reasons for which are discussed. 4. At 24h after the administration, in starved rats, of a single daily injection of the above porphyrogens for 1 or 2 days, the holoenzyme activity is significantly increased. 5. It is suggested that the saturation of rat liver apo-(tryptophan pyrrolase) with its haem activator can be modified by treatment known to cause destruction, inhibition of synthesis, increased utilization and enhanced synthesis of liver haem. The possible involvement of the latter phenomenon in the aetiology of mental disorders in some patients with porphyria is discussed.

Acetamides↗