. Forty healthy individuals and 70 psychiatric patients aged 25 to 45 years without previous history of TAB inoculation or enteric fever during last one year and serum negative for S. typhi and S. paratyphi (A & B) antibodies (titre<40) were selected. Group of 40 healthy individuals served as control. The psychiatric patients were started on chlorpromazine 2.5 mg three times a day orally. On 7th day 1 ml of formalised TAB vaccine (Glaxo) was injected subcutaneously. Blood was with-drawn on 15th and 30th days of inoculation and serum was tested for antibody titre by agglutination. The antibody titre was significantly lower in the chlorpromazine treated group against TO and TH on 15th day and against PA (H) and PB (H) also on 30th day. The parallel shift of the curves in the treated group as compared to the control suggests that only one mechanism is likely to be responsible for the reduction in antibody titre. It is concluded that chlorpromazine produces a significant immunological inhibition when administered for 7 days prior to TAB vaccine.

. To study the biochemical action of different betel nut constituents, aqueous extract and polyphenolic fraction of dried Mangalore betel nut were injected i. p. to Swiss mice and different biochemical parameters viz. nucleic acids, protein, sialic acid and glycogen were measured in liver, lung, kidney and muscle tissues. Arecoline and tannic acid were injected in the same manner for comparison. It was observed that polyphenolic fraction and tannic acid decreased nucleic acid and protein content in almost all the tissues. Both of them decreased glycogen and increased sialic acid in lung and kidney tissues. Many carcinogens behave similarly but the above reported changes may be merely a manifestation of the subtle toxic effects exerted by these extracts. In-depth studies on the various metabolic parameters may help to locate their precise mode of action.

. The effect of glucagon on various isolated arterial preparations has been studied. It has been shown to dilate superior mesenteric artery of rats, to constrict ear vessels of rabbits and umbilical arteries of man and to have no effect on femoral artery of rats. These effects of glucagon were not blocked by pretreating the preparation with adrenergic, cholinergic and serotonergic blockers. It is suggested that glucagon may have a direct musculotropic action.

. Role of spinal muscarinic cholinoceptors in vasomotor regulation was studied by observing the effect of m-holinoceptor agonists and antagonists on blood pressure and carotid occlusion response when the drugs were localised within the spinal cord by intrathecal injection in dogs. Intrathecal oxotremorine (1-10 (g) and neostigmine (100-200 (g) raised B. P. and potentiated carotid occlusion response while ethybenztropine (250-l000( (g) and atropine sulphate (g-12 mg) decreased the B. P. and inhibited carotid occlusion response. Furthermore, ethybaztropine prevented the rise in B.P. and potentiation of carotid occlusion response induced by oxotremorine. It is concluded that spinal m-cholinoceptors are excitatory in nature and that at least some of the descending excitatory neurons from supraspinal vasomotor apparatus are possibly m-cholinergic.

. ( -phenoxy- ( dimethyl aminomethyl propiophenone (U-0882) has been found to potentiate sympathetic nerve stimulation and catecholamine responses on spinal cat's blood pressure. Nictitating membrane and isolated rat vas deferens preparation. The adrenergic potentiation is not due to inhibition of the enzyme catechol-o-methyl transferase or blockade of the catecholamine reuptake mechanism or decentralisation. It appears that adrenergic potentiation by U-0882 is due to direct sensitisation of the adrenergic receptors.

. Safety index of ether and halothane was determined in mice pretreated with chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, flurazepam, nitrazepam and oxazepam administered alone or in combination with atropine or hyoscine. Chlordiazepoxide, nitrazepam and oxazepam raised the safety index of ether. Atropine or hyoscine combination did not affect their safety index raising activity.The safety index of halothane was raised by diazepam, nitrazepam and oxazepam when given alone and was unaffected by combination of these premedicants with atropine or hyoscine.

. The anti-inflammatory action is increased and the gastric ulcerogenic action is decreased by the addition of hydrochlorothiazide to phenylbutazone. Administration of hydrochlorothiazide also offsets the retention of water and sodium produced by phenylbutazone.

. The hypoglycaemic effects of some members of a series of aryloxyacetic acids and their derivatives synthesized as potential hypoglycaemic agents have been studied. Their structure-activity relationship has been discussed.

. Clinical studies have shown that a combination of glybenclamide and phenformin is more useful in control of diabetes than either drug used alone. This pharmacological study shows that phenformin had no significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal dogs. However, when phenformin is combined with glybenclamide, the effect was more marked and quicker than with glybenclamide alone. The different sites of action of the drugs may be responsible for this interesting response.

. Effect of aminoacids, DL - aspartic acid, DL - alanine and DL - glycine on carrageenin induced hind paw oedema (acute inflammation) and cotton pellet granuloma (chronic inflammation) has been studied. All these amino acids have shown promising anti-inflammatory activity in both the types of experimental inflammation.

. Aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica was investigated for its effects on blood glucose levels in dogs. It was found to have hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic effects.

. Modification by some sympathomimetic amines of the pressor response produced by i.v. guanethidine was studied in dog. Guanethidine was administered as a bolus i.v. injection in a dose of 3 mg/kg. The sympathomimetic amines used were mephentermine, amphetamine, tyramine, ephedrine, phenylephrine and methoxamine. These produced blockade of guanethidine pressor response to varying degrees. Mephentermine was found to be the most potent, while methoxamine the least potent in this respect. Structure activity relationship of sympathomimetic amines in relation to their ability to block guanethidine pressor response is discussed.

. Clinical studies have shown that a combination of glybenclamide and phenformin is more useful in control of diabetes than either drug used alone. This pharmacological study shows that phenformin had no significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal dogs. However, when phenformin is combined with glybenclamide, the effect was more marked and quicker than with glybenclamide alone. The different sites of action of the drugs may be responsible for this interesting response.