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The effects of the stereochemically pure psychoactive cannabinoid (-)-11-OH-delta 8-tetrahydrocannabinol-dimethylheptyl (HU-210) on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were determined in rats. In pentobarbital-anesthetized animals, the compound produced dose-related, long-lasting hypotension and bradycardia at doses between 10 and 1,000 micrograms/kg. BP began to decrease immediately after drug administration, and in no case was an initial pressor response observed. Previous vagotomy (VX) or pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) did not affect hypotension. Bradycardia was inhibited by VX, but only 60 min after administration of HU-210; it was enhanced by 6-OHDA. The cannabinoid blocked reflex bradycardia induced by phenylephrine (PE). HU-210 also decreased BP and HR in conscious rats. Hypotension lasted 2 h, whereas bradycardia was still present 8 h after drug administration. HU-210 thus shares with delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the ability to decrease BP and HR, but is 5-10 times more potent than the natural compound. Its lack of an initial pressor effect, such as that described for THC, could be related to its specificity for the type-1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor. Hypotension and bradycardia after HU-210 administration are not due to sympathetic withdrawal. Enhanced parasympathetic tone is involved in bradycardia only at a late stage of the response.

Argininemia is a rare hereditary disease due to a deficiency of hepatic arginase, which is the last enzyme of the urea cycle and hydrolyzes arginine to ornithine and urea.

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373logical abnormalities including impaired function of lymphocytes, the presence of lupus erythematosus cells and thrombocytopenia. Immunological dysfunctions such as impaired functions of T and B cells, hypofunction of suppressor T cells, and abnormal proliferation of B cells are thought to be due to amino acid imbalance in tissue and cells (Nagata et al 1987).Congenital thymic hypoplasia detected at autopsy is rather interesting and has not been reported in LPI before. The coincidence of this abnormality and LPI is not excluded. In conclusion, these patients must be investigated for further immunological abnormalities including structural thymic disorders. Long-chain I.-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) deficiency (McKusick 143450), is a disorder of the/3-oxidation spiral which has been documented with considerable heterogeneity. We report the case of a second child of a healthy unrelated couple whose first child, a boy, died suddenly on the 2nd day of life. Our patient was born after a normal pregnancy and delivery, with a weight of 2100g and a length of 48cm. At 48h of life he became hypotonic and pale. Hypoglycaemia was diagnosed and easily treated. REFERENCESBy 3 months of age he was admitted to hospital because of poor feeding, lethargy and hepatomegaly. Anaemia, metabolic acidosis and raised transaminases were tbund. The plasma showed a slight increase of ammonia and lactate as well as elevation of proline, alanine and glycine. There was a generalized hyperaminoacidm%. Urinary organic acids showed traces of adipic and suberic acids. In interpreting these results the malnutrition of