1 The P-blocking effect of 4 P-adrenoceptor antagonists with different pharmacokinetic properties was studied after intravenous and intraportal administration to control rats and to rats with experimental inflammation. 2 In rats with inflammation the effects of propranolol and oxprenolol, which are mainly bound to a,-acid glycoprotein (ax-AGP), were significantly less after intravenous administration, but not after intraportal administration. In contrast, for metoprolol and atenolol, which are only negligibly serum bound, no difference was observed between control rats and rats with inflammation for either route of administration. 3 Total and unbound serum concentrations of propranolol were measured 20 min after intravenous and intraportal administration. 4 After intravenous administration, in the rats with inflammation total concentrations of propranolol were more than twice, and unbound concentrations less than half those of control rats. After intraportal administration the total concentrations were 8 times, and the unbound concentrations 3 times higher in the rats with inflammation. 5There was a significant correlation between the P-blocking effect and the unbound concentrations of propranolol after intravenous administration, but not after intraportal administration. The latter finding is probably because the unbound concentrations were supramaximal.

Pharmacists are frequently called upon to provide STI treatment but have limited knowledge of correct treatment recommendations. Training pharmacists to provide syndromic STI treatment may be one strategy to reduce STI morbidity and HIV transmission.

Effect of Tulbaghia violacea on the blood pressure and heart rate in male spontaneously hypertensive Wistar rats I. A. RAJITulbaghia violacea Harv. (Alliaceae) is a small bulbous herb which belongs to the family, Alliaceae, most commonly associated with onions and garlic. In South Africa (SA), this herb has been traditionally used in the treatment of various ailments, including fever, colds, asthma, paralysis, hypertension (HTN) and stomach problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methanol leaf extracts (MLE) of T. violacea on the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in anaesthetized male spontaneously hypertensive rats; and to find out the mechanism(s) by which it acts.The MLE of T. violacea (5 -150 mg/kg), angiotensin I (ang I, 3.1 -100 µg/kg), captopril (10 mg/kg), angiotensin II (ang II, 3.1 -50 µg/kg), losartan (30 mg/kg), phenylephrine T. violacea (60 mg/kg) and captopril (10 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally into iii some SHR for 21 days to investigate the chronic effect of these agents on plasma levels of aldosterone. The mean change, the mean of the individual percentage changes and the percentage difference (in mean) observed with each intervention was calculated and statistically analyzed using the Student's t test for significant difference (p < 0.05). The Microsoft Excel software was used for statistical analysis.T. violacea significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP;and HR dose-dependently. In a dose-dependent manner, ang I, ang II, phenylephrine significantly (p < 0.05) increased the BP, while propranolol, muscarine and atropine reduced the BP. The increases in BP due to dobutamine were not dose-dependent. In a dose dependent manner, phenylephrine and propranolol reduced the HR, while dobutamine increased the HR. The effect of ang I, ang II, muscarine and atropine on HR were not dose-dependent; with both increases as well as decreases observed with ang I, and II and atropine, while decreases were seen with muscarine. Captopril produced significant (p < 0.05) reduction in BP which were not associated with any change in HR.The co-infusion of ang I with the MLE produced significant (p < 0.05) reduction in BP, which were not associated with significant changes in HR. The co-infusion of ang II with the MLE did not produce any significant changes in BP or HR when compared to the infusion of the standard drug alone. The co-infusion of phenylephrine with the MLE did

BackgroundTulbaghia violacea Harv. (Alliaceae) is used to treat various ailments, including hypertension (HTN) in South Africa. This study aims to evaluate the contributions of muscarinic receptors and changes in plasma aldosterone levels to its anti-hypertensive effect.MethodsIn the acute experiments, methanol leaf extracts (MLE) of T. violacea (30–120 mg/kg), muscarine (0.16 -10 μg/kg), and atropine (0.02 - 20.48 mg/kg), and/or the vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and normal saline (NS)) were respectively and randomly administered intravenously in a group of spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) weighing 300 to 350 g and aged less than 5 months. Subsequently, T. violacea (60 mg/kg) or muscarine (2.5 μg/kg) was infused into eight SHRs, 20 min after atropine (5.12 mg/kg) pre-treatment. In the chronic (21 days) experiments, the SHRs were randomly divided into three groups, and given the vehicle (0.2 ml/day of DMSO and NS), T. violacea (60 mg/kg/day) and captopril (10 mg/kg/day) respectively into the peritoneum, to investigate their effects on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and plasma aldosterone levels. Systolic BP and HR were measured using tail-cuff plethysmography during the intervention. BP and HR were measured via a pressure transducer connecting the femoral artery and the Powerlab at the end of each intervention in the acute experiment; and on day 22 in the chronic experiment.ResultsIn the acute experiments, T. violacea, muscarine, and atropine significantly (p < 0.05) reduced BP dose-dependently. T. violacea and muscarine produced dose-dependent decreases in HR, while the effect of atropine on HR varied. After atropine pre-treatment, dose-dependent increases in BP and HR were observed with T. violacea; while the BP and HR effects of muscarine were nullified. In the chronic experiments, the T. violacea-treated and captropril-treated groups had signicantly lower levels of aldosterone in plasma when compared to vehicle-treated group. Compared to the vehicle-treated group, significant reduction in BP was only seen in the captopril-treated group; while no difference in HR was observed among the groups.ConclusionThe results obtained in this study suggest that stimulation of the muscarinic receptors and a reduction in plasma aldosterone levels contribute to the anti-hypertesive effect of T. violacea.

The aim of this study was to find out whether human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection and antiretroviral drugs influence multidrug-resistant (MDR)-tuberculosis (TBIn HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients MDR-TB treatment outcomes were, respectively as follows: 37 and 35% cure, 9 and 5% treatment failure, 20 and 25% lost to follow up, 11 and 17% mortality, 19 and 13% treatment completed, 6 and 5% transfer-out. The cure rate was 100% in children. In HIV-positive patients, MDR-TB cure rate was 35% in patients on ARVs and 34% in patients not receiving ARVs. The difference between these cure rates is not statistically significant (p-value = 0.79). The median (range) duration of ART before the start of MDR-TB treatment was 10.5 (1 to 60) months and did not influence MDR-TB treatment outcomes. In children, the full treatment was supervised in hospital. This could explain the 100% cure rate. Adults' treatment was supervised in hospital only during the intensive phase then followed up as out patients over 18 months. According to the results of this study, HIV-infection and antiretroviral therapy did not influence MDR-TB treatment outcomes.