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Alpha interferon is available worldwide as at least six dif-Alpha interferons have been used widely to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection. These include recombinant inter-ferent products made by as many pharmaceutical companies. It is approved for human use in the European Union and the ferons, purified natural leukocyte, and lymphoblastoid inter-ferons. Alpha interferon is administered by subcutaneous or United States for several medical conditions, including hairy cell leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, Kaposi's sar-intramuscular injection either daily or three times weekly for a period of 6 to as long as 24 months. A wide array of adverse coma, condylomata acuminata, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, basal cell effects of alpha interferon have been described. Several side effects such as fever, headache fatigue, arthralgias, and myal-carcinoma, chronic hepatitis B, and chronic hepatitis C. Both recombinant as well as lymphoblastoid and natural leukocyte gias are common, especially with the initial injections. These early side effects of interferon are predictable and are encoun-alpha interferons have been used to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection. tered in the majority of patients. These may not require dose modification, but can be problematic for a significant propor-PHARMACOKINETIC DATA tion of patients. Other adverse events effects may require dose modification or even discontinuation of therapy in 2% to 10% Alpha interferon is usually administered by subcutaneous of patients. Neuropsychiatric side effects such as depression or intramuscular injection. Maximum serum levels occur 3 and irritability can be most troublesome; their mechanisms to 12 hours after injection, and serum levels are usually are not well understood. Granulocytes, platelets, and red below the limit of detection by 16 hours. 1 The elimination blood cell counts decrease during treatment, but the decreases half-life of interferon after both subcutaneous and intramus-are usually mild, although they can be dose limiting if cell cular injections is 2 to 3 hours, and clearance from the sys-counts are low initially. Interferon has important immuno-temic circulation is primarily by renal catabolism. After intra-modulatory properties, and treatment can induce autoimmune venous administration, serum levels of interferon are phenomena, the most frequent being autoimmune thyroiditis maximal at the end of the infusion, becoming undetectable with either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, especially within 4 hours of the infusion. The elimination half-life is in predisposed patients. Other autoimmune disease can be approximately 2 hours. Measurement of serum concentra-aggravated by interferon therapy. Severe and even life-threat-tions of different preparations of alpha interferon is problem-ening side effects of interferon occur in 0.1% to 1% of patients; atical because the levels achieved are low after injection of these include thyroid, visual, auditory, renal, and cardiac im-typical doses of 3 ...

A spirometer was used to deliver marihuana and placebo smoke to human subjects. This procedure produced linear dose-effect curves on heart rate and replicable dose effects in individual subjects. No differences were observed between experienced and inexperienced smokers in responsiveness to heart rate increases produced by marihuana.

1The pharmacological potencies of the resins from three different samples of Brazilian marihuana (A, B and C) were determined through corneal areflexia in rabbits, decrease of spontaneous motor activity and induction of catatonia in mice, and decrease of rope climbing performance of rats. 2 The A9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (A9 THC) content of the marihuanas, measured by gas chromatography, was 0.82, 2.02 and 0.52%, respectively, for samples A, B and C. Approximately 2% cannabinol was present in samples A and B whereas the content of cannabidiol was approximately 0.1%. 3 The petroleum ether extraction of the samples A, B and C yielded, respectively, 12.06, 14.56 and 4.26% of resin. 4 In all animal tests resin B was nearly twice as active as resin A, whereas C was the weakest. 5 The smoke of the marihuana samples was inhaled by 33 human subjects, under a double-blind standardized procedure. Pulse rate, a time production task and an evaluation of psychological effects were recorded. 6 The smoke of 250 mg of sample B provoked disruption of the time production task, increased pulse rate, and induced strong psychological reactions in four of the six subjects who received it. Similar effects, although slightly smaller, were obtained with 500 mg of sample A. On the other hand, 500 mg of sample C did not differ from placebo. 7 It is suggested that it is possible by means of animal tests to predict the potency of a marihuana sample in man. 8 In parallel experiments, A9-THC was administered to other human subjects and to laboratory animals in a manner similar to that in which the marihuana samples were administered. 9 Comparison of the results between the marihuanas and A9 -THC showed that in man and in the laboratory animals marihuanas A and B induced effects two to four times greater than expected from their A9 -THC content.