1, The synthesis, biological activity and secondary structure of nenropeptide Y and its 4-Norleu analogue are discussed, The neuropeptides were synthesized by step-wise solid phase synthesis. 2. Secondary structures in aqueous solutions were investigated by CD and Raman spectroscopy. Chou-Fasman predictive algorithm were indicative of a N-terminal B turn segment followed by eithe u-helical or p-sheet sub-domain, which was consistent with experimental studies. 3. 4-Norleu-neuropeptide Y was more potent in inhibiting heart pace maker activity and coronary flow but less potent in inhibiting the cardiac contractility than native neuropeptide Y. The importance of the 4 positions in NPY in the cardiac activity is suggested. 4. A tentative secondary structural model for neuropeptide Y is proposed from the above studies.

1. Pharmacokinefic studies of metronidazole in goats after single dose oral and i. v. administration at 50mg and 20 mg/kg respectively were carried out. 2. The mean blood level time profile obtained after oral administration showed maximum concentration C (max) at 2 b and the therapeutic concentration C (ther) in blood above 0.70 (g/ml persisted upto 6 h. 3. Metronidazole administered i. v. produced shorter duration of C (ther) with levels ranging from 2.29( 1.4 to 37.36( 1.5 Kg/ml till 2 h ; the drug attained C (maxI in milk at 1 b and Cm (ther) interestingly was maintained upto 12 h following i. v. administration. 4. The semilogrithmic plot of blood level time profiIe of metronidazoie administered i. v. showed biphasic decline which was suggestive of 'two compartment open model kinetics. 5. The elimination half life (t 0.5 ()and the apparent volume of distribution (V.d) were found to be 56(2.45 min and 0.93(0.96 L/kg respectively and the ratio of the microscopic rate constants (K12+K21)/K2 was also wider. 6. The extent of plasma protein bound drug ranged between 25.50 to 36.27 %

1. The epinephrine (E) content in white leg horn ( WLH ) chicken liver was estimated to be three-times less then norepinephrine (NE). 2. The liver slices were able to accumulate high concentration of E from the incubation media and this was found to be a concentration and time dependent phenomenon with peak accumulation occuring after 45 min. of incubation at 10-4M concentration of the amine. This process could be significantly blocked by cocaine, metanephrine and phenoxybenzamine. Following maximum accumulation, the amine showed linear disappearance when incubated in amine free media. 3. In tissue slices taken from reserpine treated group, the rate constant of disappearance (K) was much faster, decreasing its half life, as compared to control.

1. Comparative bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and dosage regimen of three different commercial preparations of oxytetracyclime (Preparations X & Z-oxytetracycline hydrochloride; Preparation Y-oxytetracycline dihydrate) equivalent 0.5 mg/kg of base were studied post i. m. injection of the drugs in dairy cows. 2. Preparations Y and Z maintained a significantly low plasma concentration between 0.5 to 1 h and 2 to 8 respectively, as compared to preparation X. 3. No significant difference was observed for the drug concentration in milk among these preparations. 4. Kinetic parameters such as extrapolated zero time concentration during elimination phase (B), area under curve of plasma (AUC) were significantly lower while volume distribution (VdB ) and total body clearance (ClB ) were observed to he significantly higher for preparation Z as compared to preparation X. 5. There was no significant difference between the kinetic parameters of preparation X versus Y and Y versus Z. 6. The calculated dosage regimen of these preparations showed a significantly higher loading dose (D*) for preparation Z at the dosage interval of 12 h for maintaining C(pmin (MIC) of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5(g/ml as compared to preparation X only.

1. Some of the pharmacological studies were performed on Joshina, a herbal polypharmaceutical, Unani Syrup given for cough, cold & catarrh. 2. The drug has significant antitussive activity against cough induced in guinea pigs by mechanical stimulation which is comparable with codeine (2Omg/kg, p. 0.). 3. Joshina is also found to have high potential as an antiinflammatory, decongestant and expectorant in experimental models. These activities are comparable with that of standard drugs such as phenylbutazone (85mg/kg., s. c.) and nor-adrenaling (l(g).

1. Cuticuiar wax from the leaves of Polyalthia longifoiiu, Benth. & Hook. F. contains (a) hydrocarbons (C17-C35), (b) osters (C44-C58,) of long chain n-acids (C20-C30) and long chain O-aikanois (C24-C58), (c) biterpene alcohols consisting of , á-amyrin, ( -amyrin and taraxasteroi and (d) pbytosterois consisting of , (-sitosterol, stigmasteroi, campesteroi and cholesterol. 2. The occurrence of tritriacontane (C33H58), in suhstantiai amounts (29.4%) is a unique feature of this plant. 3. The long chain hydrocarbons, triterpene alcohols and phytosterols exhibited concentration dependent inhibitory activity against eight types of bacteria.

1. Protein binding of rifampicin to varying albumin concentrations was carried out in vitro. Effect on other antitubercular drugs on protein binding of rifampicin was also studied. 2. The results indicated that rifampicin binding was influenced by albumin concentration, suggesting that it was chiefly bound to albumin. 3. Presence of other antitubercular drugs along with rifampicin decreased the percentage of bound rifampicin.