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Biomedical subjects

R Malik

Publications and source records attributed to R Malik.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

A pharmacological study of group I muscle afferent terminals and synaptic excitation in the intermediate nucleus and Clarke's column of the cat spinal cord.

When administered microelectrophoretically GABA and piperidine-4-sulphonic acid depolarized the central terminations of muscle group Ia and Ib afferent fibres in the lumbar intermediate nucleus and Clarke's column of cats anaesthetised with pentobarbitone sodium. Both this depolarization, and primary afferent depolarization, generated by impulses in other primary afferent fibres which produce prolonged bicuculline-sensitive inhibition of the firing of group I afferent fibre-excited interneurones in the intermediate nucleus and cells in Clarke's column, are reduced by microelectrophoretic bicuculline methochloride. Systemically administered (+/-)-baclofen hydrochloride (maximum dose 8 mg kg-1) depressed the monosynaptic excitation of Clarke's column neurones by impulses in muscle and cutaneous afferent fibres. Microelectrophoretically administered (-)-baclofen reduced the bicuculline-sensitive primary afferent depolarization of group I terminations without, however, reducing the depolarizing action of GABA or piperidine-4-sulphonic acid. The depression by (-)-baclofen of the group I monosynaptic excitation of intermediate nucleus neurones is not reduced by concentrations of bicuculline methochloride adequate to suppress prolonged inhibition of these neurones.

Animals↗

Glycine antagonism by RU 5135.

In the spinal cord of the pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cat, microelectrophoretic RU 5135, a steroid derivative, was a potent strychnine-like glycine antagonist, having less effect on the inhibition by GABA of neuronal firing.

Action Potentials↗

Securinine alkaloids: a new class of GABA receptor antagonist.

Experiments were undertaken to determine the site of action of securinine and related convulsant indolizidines. All of these compounds induced tonic seizures in mice, with CD50 values ranging from 11 to 87 mg/kg. The CD50 for bicuculline was found to be 8 mg/kg. Equilibrium binding assays revealed that securinine and dihydrosecurinine inhibit [3H]GABA binding to rat brain membranes with an IC50 of approximately 50 microM, which is some 7 times less potent than bicuculline. Allosecurinine and virosecurinine have IC50 values greater than 1 mM. Both dihydrosecurinine and securinine inhibited GABA-stimulated benzodiazepine binding in rat brain membranes, though they were somewhat weaker than bicuculline in this respect. Other binding assays revealed that securinine and its analogs were inactive as inhibitors of bicuculline-insensitive GABA binding, benzodiazepine, cholinergic muscarinic, and beta-adrenergic receptor binding. In addition, while thiocyanate ion increased the apparent binding potency of bicuculline 10-fold, it had little effect on that of securinine. Extracellular electrophysiological studies on neurons in the cat spinal cord indicated that securinine and dihydrosecurinine blocked the inhibitory action of GABA while having no effect on that of glycine. Allo- and virosecurinine were much less active as GABA receptor antagonists in this test. These results suggest that, like bicuculline, securinine and dihydrosecurinine are selective antagonists of GABA recognition sites on mammalian central neurons.

Alkaloids↗

The differential effects of baclofen on segmental and descending excitation of spinal interneurones in the cat.

Intravenous baclofen (1-6.25 mg kg-1) substantially reduced the monosynaptic excitation of neurones in the intermediate nucleus of the cat spinal cord by impulses in group I extensor muscle primary afferent fibres, but had little or no effect on excitation by stimulating fibres of the ipsilateral dorsolateral funiculus or the contralateral red nucleus. Relatively low concentrations of baclofen thus appear not to influence the release of excitatory transmitter from the terminals of rubrospinal, corticospinal and long descending propriospinal fibres, in contrast to the reduction of the release of primary afferent transmitters.

Animals↗

Mycopathology of cerebral mycosis.

Seven cases of cerebral mycosis have been studied with respect to the pattern of distribution of the various cerebral fungi and the spectrum of histopathological changes. It has been found that aspergillosis is the most prevalent pathogen in our region unlike in the western world where candidosis dominates the picture. The relevant literature is discussed.

Adult↗

A neurophysiological analysis of the effect of kainic acid on nerve fibres and terminals in the cat spinal cord.

Kainic acid was administered micro-electrophoretically in relatively small amounts (approx. 0.15 nmol) near gastrocnemius motoneurones in the spinal cord of cats anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone. After initial excitation, extracellularly recorded orthodromic and antidromic field potentials were reduced. Such neurophysiological evidence for motoneuronal damage or death persisted for 5 h, the longest period of observation. At the site of administration, the terminations of gastrocnemius group Ia afferent fibres were electrically inexcitable for approximately 1 h. Subsequently, the number and excitability of these terminations appeared to be normal, as were the depolarizing actions at bicuculline-sensitive receptors of micro-electrophoretic piperidine-4-sulphonic acid and of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) released at axoaxonic synapses on these terminations. Central myelinated and non-myelinated fibres and terminals of muscle group Ia afferent fibres, and the synaptic release of GABA on these terminals at axo-axonic synapses formed by certain spinal interneurones, thus appear to be relatively insensitive to kainic acid administered in amounts which damage or destroy motoneurones.

Action Potentials↗

The effect of GABA on lumbar terminations of rubrospinal neurons in the cat spinal cord.

Although GABA and piperidine-4-sulphonic acid depolarize I a afferent terminations in the cat spinal cord by activation of bicuculline-sensitive GABA receptors, no evidence was obtained for a bicuculline-sensitive alteration by either gabamimetic of the electrical threshold of rubrospinal terminations in the spinal intermediate nucleus. The terminal axonal arborizations in the spinal cord of neurons in the red nucleus thus do not have GABA receptors similar to those on the cell bodies. The results are discussed in relation to the depolarizing action of GABA on some central neurons, and on neurons with peripheral cell bodies, and to probable differences in the intracellular chloride content of neurons having peripheral or central cell bodies, and thus of different embryological origin. A presynaptic depolarizing inhibitory process mediated by GABA appears to be confined to the terminals of primary afferent fibres in the mammalian central nervous system.

Afferent Pathways↗

The effects of naloxone, morphine and methionine enkephalinamide on Ia afferent terminations in the cat spinal cord.

Naloxone, morphine, Met5-enkephalinamide (MENKA) and procaine were administered microelectrophoretically near extracellularly stimulated extensor muscle group Ia afferent fibres and terminations in the lumbar spinal cord of cats anaesthetized with pentobarbitone sodium. Observations were made of effects on the electrical threshold, on the depolarizing action of GABA or piperidine-4-sulphonate (P4S), and on bicuculline-sensitive primary afferent depolarization (PAD) generated by tetanic stimulation of flexor muscle low threshold afferents. All 4 agents reversibly elevated the threshold of Ia fibres in the dorsal column and Ia terminations in the ventral horn. The depolarizations of terminations by GABA or P4S were also reduced, an effect, which for all except MENKA, probably accounted for a concomitant reduction in PAD. In the absence of a consistent effect on either threshold or depolarization by GABAmimetics, MENKA reversibly diminished PAD, an action blocked by naloxone. Intravenously administered naloxone, in doses known to enhance spinal monosynaptic excitation in the cat, had no effect on GABAergic PAD and little or no effect on Ia termination threshold. The results are discussed in relation to a naloxone-sensitive effect of MENKA which reduces transmitter release from GABAergic axo-axonic synapses on Ia terminals, but which does not account for the enhancement of spinal reflexes by naloxone.

Afferent Pathways↗

The effect of GABA on the terminations of vestibulospinal neurons in the cat spinal cord.

Although GABA and piperidine-4-sulphonate depolarize Ia afferent terminations in the lumbar spinal cord by activation of bicuculline-sensitive GABA receptors, no evidence was obtained for a bicuculline-sensitive alteration by either GABAmimetic of the excitability of vestibulospinal terminations. This suggests that the terminal arborizations of vestibulospinal fibers, unlike their cell bodies, are devoid of GABA receptors having properties similar to those on either central neuron cell bodies, primary afferent cell bodies or their central terminations.

Animals↗

Post-excitatory depression of neuronal firing by acidic amino acids and acetylcholine in the cat spinal cord.

In the spinal cord of cats anaesthetized with pentobarbitone, the excitation of interneurones and Renshaw cells by acidic amino acids or acetylcholine (Renshaw cells) is followed by a period of depressed excitability. This depression appears to be the consequence of prolonged repetitive firing rather than of the enzymic or chemical conversion of the excitants to neuronal depressants.

Acetylcholine↗

Actions of midazolam in the spinal cord of the cat.

Midazolam, which induces anaesthesia in humans at intravenous doses of 0.3 mg/kg, did not anaesthetize cats at doses of 20 mg/kg. Nevertheless, intravenous doses as small as 0.3 mg/kg enhanced spinal primary afferent depolarization and presynaptic inhibition of spinal monosynaptic reflexes, and both intravenous and microelectrophoretic administration of midazolam enhanced the inhibitory effect of GABA on spinal neurones and the depolarization of Ia afferent terminations by GABA and piperidine-4-sulphonate. Some degree of specificity was demonstrated for the inhibitory effect of GABA in relation to those of glycine and noradrenaline, and the enhancement by midazolam of inhibition by GABA was blocked by R015-1788, which alone was inactive. Although these results are consistent with proposals that depressant benzodiazepines enhance the effectiveness of GABA as a central transmitter, such an effect alone may not fully account for the anaesthesia produced by midazolam in humans.

Afferent Pathways↗