Characteristic cardiac lesions, indicative of myocardial necrosis, were seen after isoprenaline aerosols in guinea-pigs. These changes were most marked in the one month treated group. and in animals that died during treatment. This was associated with an increase in chromaffin granules towards the periphery of the adrenal medulla with loss from the centre. These changes were minimal or absent in the three and six months treated group. The results obtained are discussed.

A possible relationship between brain dopamine and histamine in perphenazine catatonia was investigated in rats. The brain dopamine was reduced whereas the histamine level was found to be elevated when rats were sacrificed in stage IV of catatonia due to perphenazine. The results indicated that different stages of catatonia could be classified on the basis of brain histamine and not on brain dopamine levels. The antidepressants showed protective effect against perphenazine catatonia by preventing the lowering of dopamine levels. These agents in combination with a sub-effective dose of diphenhydramine potentiated the protective effect of the latter drug without further elevation of brain dopamine. This action of antidepressants could be due to the inhibition of release and/or uptake of dopamine by these drugs. The findings of this study suggest an inverse relationship between brain dopamine and histamine in drug induced catatonia.

Setaria cervi, obtained from the peritoneal cavity of cattle, was suspended in 20 ml bath et 37o C in modified Ringer's solution. Recordings were taken on a slow moving kymograph. At least 15 min were allowed to establish normal activity and 10 min were taken es sufficient time to determine whether the test substance affected the movements of the worm. Fresh worm was used to test each dose of the drug even though the substance had no effect. Acetylcholine stimulated the movements of the worm. Eserine neither potentiated the action of acetylcholine nor had any effect of its own. The effect of acetylcholine was imitated by nicotine. xylocaine and procaine and was antagonized by GABA but not by d-tubocurarine, hexamethonium and atropine. Adrenaline. histamine, 5-hydroxy tryptamine, picrotoxin, strychnine. eserine and glycine had no effect on the movements of the worm. Penrobarbitone and GABA caused depression of the worm movements.

The effect of oxy substituents, such as hydroxy acetoxy and methoxy at position 5 of indole-3-alkylamines and at position 6 of tetrahydro-(-carbolines on acetylcholine induced spasms on isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle was evaluated. 5- hydroxyindole-3-alkylamines and 6-hydroxytetrahydro-(-carbolines were found to exhibit anti-acetylcholine effect. The antagonism was found to be of the d-tubocurarine type, since the reversal of block of tetanic response caused by neostigmine on sciatic nerve-gastrocnemius muscle preparation of rat. was quickened in the presence of these compounds. Most of the unsubstituted indole-3-alkyl-amines and (- carbolines potentiated the acetylcholine response to varying degrees. The quaternary nature of the basic nitrogen, contrary to earlier reports is not an obligatory criterion for curariform activity. The environ of the Nb only influences the degree of the neuromuscular block and follows the order : quaternary > tertiary> secondary, primary nitrogen.

The present study incorporates various cardiovascular effects and ECG changes exhibited by Chlorpromazine and GO-33 1 5 (Ciba). Both the drugs increase QAS and QT intervals. Produce abnormal ventricular complexes cause hypotension and decrease the force of auricular and ventricular contractions. While chlorpromazine increases coronary flow, GO-331 5 has no effect. Similarly Chlorpromazine increases the heart rate while GO-331 5 causes a decrease.

A number of chromatographic fractions of Daucus Carota seeds possessing antifertility activity have been tested to find out the days of pregnancy on which it exerts their antifertility action in female albino rats. The chloroform and methanol fractions of the petroleum ether extract and the chloroform : methanol (9 : 1 v/v) fraction of the alcoholic extract acts mainly as antizygotic agent. The chloroform fraction of the aqueous extract acts as both blastocystotoxic and anti-implantation while ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract acts as anti-zygotic or/and blastocystotoxic agent.

Wild leguminous seeds of Albizria stipulata, Albizzia moluccana and Cassia fistula were investigated for their hypo-glycaemic activity. They were found to have marked hypoglycaemic activity on normal albino rats but not on alloxan produced diabetic albino rats. The hypoglycaemic effect is probably due to direct or indirect stimulation of (-cells of islets of langerhans to secrete more insulin as to produce hypoglycaemia in normal young albino rats.

Additional evidence for a close relationship between anti-inflammatory activity and L-tryptophan displacement property of some compounds and vice versa has been provided.

Additional evidence for a close relationship between anti-inflammatory activity and L-tryptophan displacement property of some compounds and vice versa has been provided.