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Biomedical subjects

S Lal

Publications and source records attributed to S Lal.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Comparison of the effect of apomorphine and L-DOPA on serum growth hormone levels in normal men.

Apomorphine hydrochloride (0.75 mg s.c.) has been compared with L-dopa (500 mg p.o.) in their effects on growth hormone secretion in a double blind cross-over study involving nine healthy men. Apomorphine increased serum GH levels above 10 ng/ml in all nine subjects 30-60 min after injection. In contrast, only six of these subjects showed a similar elevation with L-DOPA and in only three had the level increased above 6 ng/ml by 60 min. One subject failed to respond to L-dopa and in two others the peak was less than 6 ng/ml. GH levels were significantly higher at 30, 45 and 60 min following apomorphine than following L-dopa. Apomorphine-induced GH release was not related to changes in serum cortisol or blood sugar. Benztropine mesylate (1 mg i.m.) had no effect on apomorphine-induced GH release. These results suggest: (a) apomorphine may have advantages over L-dopa as a provocative agent to assess GH secretory capacity; (b) a dopaminergic mechanism subserves GH secretion; (c) cholinergic mechanisms do not antagonize dopaminergic-related GH release.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Relationships between tryptophan in serum and CSF, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in CSF of man: effect of cirrhosis of liver and probenecid administration.

Tryptophan was measured in the lumbar CSF and serum of patients undergoing neurological investigation (controls) and in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. Samples were taken from the fasting patients at 8:00 a.m. Under these conditions, in the controls the mean CSF, free )mpm-albumin-bound) and total serum tryptophan were in the approximate ratio 1:4:24. In this cross-sectional study, for the controls, CSF tryptophan was correlated significantly and positively with the total serum but not with the free serum tryptophan. In patients with advanced hepatic cirrhosis the mean CSF tryptophan concentration was greatly elevated. However, the mean total serum tryptophan was unchanged and the free serum tryptophan only slightly elevated. Administration of probenecid, which displaces tryptophan from binding sites on serum albumin, and thereby increases the proportion of serum tryptophan in the free form, did not affect CSF tryptophan.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Apomorphine and psychopathology.

Forty men, mainly alcoholics, were administered either the dopamine receptor agonist, apomorphine HCl (1 mg), or distilled water subcutaneously three times a day for 14 days in a double blind study. None of the subjects developed an endogenous depression or schizophrenic symptoms. Scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale, Zung Self Rating Scale, and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale showed improvement with both apomorphine and placebo. There were no significant differences between the two treatments on these rating scales. A significant incidence of spontaneous penile erections occurred after apomorphine treatment compared with placebo. Both treatments eliminated subjective craving for alcohol. Acute administration of apomorphine had no effect on psychomotor retardation or depressed mood in two patients with endogenous depression.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1975

Donovanosis (granuloma inguinale) of the oral cavity.

A female patient suffering from donovanosis of the oral cavity without associated lesions elsewhere is reported. The importance of remembering donovanosis in the differential diagnosis of chronic granulomatous ulceration of the mouth is emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

A controlled trial of bromhexine ('Bisolvon') in out-patients with chronic bronchitis.

Bromhexine, 16 mg. 3-times daily, was compared with placebo in a double-blind crossover trial in 41 out-patients with chronic bronchitis and irreversible airways obstruction, and who were considered to be in a steady state. Each treatment was given for 3 weeks with a week of placebo in between; in addition, all patients took oxytetracycline, 500 mg. twice daily, starting 1 week before the trial and continuing throughout the duration of it. All patients completed the trial but the results from 5 were excluded because during the first 3 weeks they developed an influenza-like illness accompanied by a decrease in FEV1,and peak expiratory flow rate. Results from the remaining 36 patients showed a statistically significant reduction in phlegm stickiness (p smaller than 0.05) as judged by the patient, and a significant improvement in overall clinical state (p smaller than 0.05) as judged by the physician during bromhexine treatment, but no significant change in symptoms like cough, chest tightness, ease of breathing or sputum volume, peak expiratory flow rate and FEV1 etc. Five patients reported 6 side-effects, 3 with bromhexine, 1 with placebo and 1 with both treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Effectof sex, oral contraceptives, and glucose loading on apomorphine-induced growth hormone secretion.

Apomorphine-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion less in women either on or off oral contraceptives than in men. Women on oral contraceptives have a significantly greater peak GH response to apomorphine than women on no medication. The reason for these differences is unclear. Prior glucose loading in men significantly decreases the GH response to apomorphine. This suggests that stimulation of glucoreceptors antagonises dopaminergic modulation of GH secretion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Effect of clonidine on growth hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum of normal men.

Clonidine (0.15 mg iv), a selective noradrenergic receptor agonist, increased serum growth hormone (GH) levels (greater than 6 ng/ml) on 8 out of 12 administrations to 6 normal men. This increase was independent of the hypotensive effects of the drug and unrelated to changes in serum cortisol. Clonidine induced a hyperglycemic effect in all subjects which was greatest 15 min after commencint the injection. No changes in blood sugar or GH occurred after placebo injection. Apomorphine, a selective dopamine receptor agonist, elevated GH in each of these 6 subjects (greater than 10 ng/ml). Clonidine had no effect on serum prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These data are compatible with a dual dopaminergic and noradrenergic mechanism modulating GH secretion in normal men and with the absence of a noradrenergic mechanism in the regulation of PRL, LH, FSH, or TSH.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Effect of amphetamine and apomorphine on brain monoamines and behaviour in the immature and young adult rat.

In the immature rat (12-day old), amphetamine (10 mg/kg i.p.) caused an initial increase in forward locomotion, followed 15 min later by intermittent stereotyped behaviour (SB). Fifty to 65 min after injection the animals entered a phase of sleep which lasted 1-3 hrs; after this period continuous SB emerged, lasting 2-3 hrs. Brain amphetamine levels (half-life = 150 min) were elevated throughout the sequence of behavioural effects. Peak amphetamine levels were lower in the immature rat than in the adult rat. In the immature animal amphetamine caused a decrease in brain dopamine (DA) 4 hrs after injection and a sustained decrease in noradrenaline (NA) which was evident at 90 min and persisted throughout the study; a significant increase in serotonin (5HT) was evident at 15 min but had returned to normal at 90 mins. In the young adult rat (5-6 wks old), amphetamine caused an increase in forward locomotion, followed in 10-15 min by continuous SB lasting 4-4.5 hrs. The half-life of brain amphetamine was 66 min. Amphetamine increased brain DA and NA within 15 min of injection. At 90 min 5HT was elevated, DA had returned to normal but NA was still increased; thereafter the concentration of NA declined to significantly lower levels than controls and 5HT returned to normal. In the immature rat, apomorphine (10 mg/kg i.p.) caused an initial increase in locomotion which was followed 10 min later by transient intermittent SB. Following this, the animals entered a phase of sleep which lasted about 40 min before intermittent SB reemerged; this persisted for 1-2 hrs. Apomorphine caused an increase in NA and a corresponding decrease in DA at 15 and 30 mins after injection after which the levels of these amines returned to normal; 5HT levels were unchanged. In the adult rat SB commenced immediately after injection of apomorphine and lasted 70 min. There were no changes in levels of brain monoamines. There was no clear correlation between behavioural observations and levels of brain monoamines after amphetamine or apomorphine.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Gradients of concentrations of tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

CSF from neurological and other patients was analyzed for its content of tryptophan, 5-HIAA and homovanilic acid (HVA). The gradients of concentration of these substances from ventricular spaces to lumbar sac indicate that tryptophan and 5-HIAA probably enter the CSF from all levels of the nervous system, but that HVA originates entirely in the brain. A study of CSF tryptophan in patients with hepatic cirrhosis provided no support for theories which implicate abnormal tryptophan metabolism as a cause of hepatic coma.

Homovanillic Acid↗
PubMed1974

Double-blind cross-over trial comparing intranasal beclomethasone dipropionate and placebo in perennial rhinitis.

Twenty-five patients with perennial rhinitis completed a double-blind cross-over trial of intranasal beclomethasone dipropionate 200 mug daily and placebo. Of these patients 19 preferred the active drug and two preferred placebo. There were significant reductions in symptom scores for nasal obstruction and rhinorrhoea and in the use of decongestant nasal drops when using the active drug. No changes in morning plasma cortisol levels occurred during the three-week treatment period.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1974

King's termination study. II. Contraceptive practice before and after outpatient termination of pregnancy.

A selection of psychological and social factors present in 360 women who underwent legal termination of pregnancy are related to their contraceptive practice. One-third of the group were ignorant about contraceptive methods, ignorance being more common in women from social classes IV and V and in those under the age of 19. Nearly half of those who had some knowledge of contraceptive practice became pregnant after knowingly taking a risk. A total of 41% had been using some form of contraception immediately before conception. The reliability of contraceptive methods used was found to be inversely related to neuroticism scores obtained from the Eysenck Personality Inventory, neuroticism being highest in women who had not used any form of contraception.Of 91% of the group seen three months after their termination 86% were using reliable contraceptive methods. A follow-up study one or two years after termination has shown that 81% of the 215 women contacted so far are using a reliable method of contraception; two unwanted pregnancies have occurred but both were due to contraceptive failure. This satisfactory outcome has been ascribed to the system of counselling all women before and after termination.

Abortion, Legal↗