1. The effects of carnitine treatment on isoproterenol-induced activation of phosphorylase was studied in diabetic and non-diabetic rats. 2. Administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in rats caused a significant elevation of serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides whereas,serum insulin was significantly decreased 3. Carnitine treatment (3g/kg/day p.o.) did not alter serum-glucose or serum-insulin levels in diabetic rats, however, there was a significant decrease in serum-triglycerides and cholesterol in diabetic rats treated with carnitine. 4. An increase in triglycerides was fouud in cardiac membranes of diabetic rats. This increase was also prevented by carnitine treatment. 5. The total cardiac phosphorylase was not altered either by diabetic status or carnitine treatment. However, there was a significant increase in phosphorylase activation by isoproterenol in hearts obtained from diabetic rats. 6. Carnitine treatment failed to prevent this supersensitivity to isoproterenol-induced phosphorylase activation. 7. It is evident from the data that alterations in Ca2( homoestasis caused by diabetes may not be the cause for increased phosphorylase activation by isoproterenol in diabetic rats.

1. Effect of ambient temperature was studied on a battery of ten screening tests. 2. Drop in ambient temperature (-10oC) elicited striking effects on most of the observations. 3. Data from any screening programme for CNS effect, without adequate controls over ambient temperature, may therefore be considered suspect warranting caution in interpretation of results.

1. The effect of in vivo administration of norepinephrine on different days varying from 1 to 8 of immunization on primary humoral immune response to T-dependent antigen in poultry has been studied. 2. Norepinephrine (NE) 1 mg/kg-1 i.v. exhibited an enhancing effect, maximum being on day 4 of immunization.The levels of IgM increased in all the groups up to day 8 whereas levels of IgG increased only when NE was given on days 6,7 or 8 of immunization. 3. The enhancing effect was found to be (-adrenoceptor mediated as it could be blocked by propranolol, a (-adrenoceptor antagonist.The (-adrenoceptor antagonist, phenolamine, failed to block this effect.

1. Three categories of oral contraceptive agents viz., estrogen, progestogen and combination of these two were administered p.o. to separate groups of female albino rats for graded time schedules to evaluate the effects on stress-induced gastric lesions. 2. Under estrogen regime prolongation of drug therapy afforded increasing degree of protection. 3. Progestogen was ineffective in preventing the lesions in short-term medication, but produced even grater protection than with estrogen during long-term schedule. 4. In case of combination pill therapy, the results were opposite to that of progestogen. 5. Varying degrees of effects on gastric acidity, mucus secretion and possible inhibitory influence on hypothalamic control could be responsible for the differential effects of the agents used.

1. A prospective study of prescribing pattern in the out-patient departments of the only teaching hospital in Nepal, was conducted. All prescriptions which came to the hospital pharmacy were analysed. 2. Out of 404 prescriptions analysed, the average number of drugs per prescription was two. Analgesics and antibacterials were most frequently prescribed. Vitamins and minerals were prescribed in more than 20 percent of cases. Most of drugs were prescribed under brand-names. 3. The present study is focussed on the prescribing pattern of drugs without looking into the effectiveness of the use of efficacious drugs but it can point out that educational, regulatory and managerial interventions might improve the quality of out-patient medical care and rational use of drugs.

1. The effect of ambient temperature (Ta) on rectal temperature (Tr) of rats during rest and physical exercise and of antipyretics on exercise-induced hyperthermia in rats and rabbits has been investigated. 2. Body temperature increases with increase in Ta. 3. Physical exercise increases body temperature and the thermal equilibrium reached is proportional to exercise. Increase in Ta causes greater hyperthermia during exercise. 4. The exercise hyperthermia is not due to an elevation in body temperature set-point as aspirin and indomethacin do not block exercise-induced hyperthermia as they do the pyrogen fever. 5. The rise in body temperature is the limiting factor for the continuation of exercise.

1. Two types of patients, viz (i) suffers of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, DUB and (ii) those who came for medical termination of pregnancy, MTP, were selected for the study. In addition, (iii) a third type, viz, healthy female MBBS course students were also studied. 2. One group of DUB patients received a low dose (LD) of orally effective progesterone (P) while the other group of DUB patients received a moderate dose (MD) of orally effective P. The LD consisted of 1 tab BD (10 mg/day) and the MD consisted of 2 tab BD (20 mg/day) of standard preparations of P like primolut N (norethisterone) or farlutal (medroxy progesterone). 3. It was noted that the group receiving the MD showed a rise of maximum ventilatory volume (MVV), respiratory quotient (RQ) and a fall of EEG voltage, but the LD group showed no such changes. It was concluded that the demonstrable and objective extragenital effects of P begin to appear at the MD (but not at the LD) level in human subjects. 4. EEG records taken 5 days after the abortion, showed a rise of EEG voltage in MTP cases. 5. Young healthy medical students showed a rise of MVV and RQ in their luteal phase. 6. It appears that the currently popular loading dose of P given on the first day of DUB is likely to produce extragenital effects. Further, the possible significance of voltage drop of EEG, rise of MVV and RQ, due to P, have been discussed.

1. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) an insiduous, chronic disease affects the oral cavity and on progression may result in partial or even total closure of mouth. 2. 82 patients of OSMF selected from OPD's of ENT and Dental surgery, J. N. Medical College Hospital, Aligarh were selected for the study to evaluate the therapeutic role of zinc alone or in combination with either vitamin A or local cortisone in OSMF. 100 healthy volunteers of matching age and sex served as control. 3. Oral zinc therapy either alone or in combination with pharmacological doses of oral vitamin A proved to be significantly better for the treatment of grade I and II patients. 4. Oral zinc in combination with local cortisone therapy proved to be significantly better than currently preferred local cortisone therapy in grade III patients 5. Study proves a beneficial role of oral zinc in therapy of OSMF.

1. Serum zinc (Zn) level in normal healthy women of child bearing age was 12.44ñ l.93 ' mol/L. The level was not different when values of samples drawn from women in 1st trimester of pregnancy and those in labour were pooled together. 2. However serum zinc levels were significantly low (p<001) during first and second trimester of pregnancy as compared to non pregnant controls. 3. The levels of serum Zn were higher in the third as compared to first and second trimester and were comparable with those obtained in non pregnant subjects. 4. Serum Zn levels were significantly high (p<0.0l) during labour.

1. Haloperidol is known to produce miosis by acting on receptors present in the iris. This study domonstrates the presence of dopamine receptors in the iris. 2. Dopamine given intracamerally produced dose-related mydriasis, and haloperidol was found to competitively antagonize this effect. 3. Apomorphine, another dopamine agonist, also produced dose-related mydriasis. 4. These observations suggest the presence of dopamine receptors in the iris. 5. Since the mydriasis was completely abolished after reserpinization and competetively antagonixed by phentolamine, it is proposed that these dopamine receptors are present presynaptically at the sympathetic nerve endings and are excitatory for norepinephrine release.

1. Antifertility effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Alstonia scholaris, Cleistanthus collinus and Terminalia bellirica and root extract of Murraya paniculata were observed in male albino rats after oral administration (100 mg/kg/day per animal for 21 days). 2. None of these extracts interfered with spermatogtnesis but females mated by males treated with A. scholaris, M. paniculata and T. bellirica showed significant luteolytic and anti-implantational effect. 3. Abortifacient effect was shown by M. paniculata only. 4. A significant reduction in sex desire (libido) was also observed in males treated with C. collinus.

1. Haemolysis induced by a Polypropylene material was minimum in acid citrate dextrose anticoagulated rabbit's blood, as compared to sodium citrate, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid or heparin treated blood. 2. This supports the use of acid citrate dextrose as the anticoagulant when blood is to be circulated through biomedical devices made of the polypropylene material.

1. Alcoholic extract of whole plant Coldenia procumhens (AECP) produced central nervous system depression and significant prolongation of pentobarbitone sleeping time. 2. AECP exhibited significant analgesic effect by tail clip method, but not when tested by acetic acid writhing syndrome or by radiant heat method. 3. It has no anticonvulsant effect, and did not alter body temperature or abolish conditioned avoidance response.

1. The effect of 50% ethanolic extract of roots of Boerhaavia diffusa on country made liquor (C. M. L.) induced hepatotoxicity was studied in albino rats. 2. B. diffusa (100 mg/100 g body weight/day) protected the rats from hepatotoxic action of C. M. L. as evidenced by changes in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Triglycerides (TG), Cholesterol and total lipid levels in both serum and tissues. 3. Histopathological studies showed marked reduction in fat deposits in animals receiving B. diffusa along with C. M. L.