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Biomedical subjects

L Capocaccia

Publications and source records attributed to L Capocaccia.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

[Effect of cathionine (alpha-aminopropiophenone) on rat EEG activity].

We have studied the effect induced by the injection of Cathinone (alpha-aminopropiophenone) into the cerebral ventricle. This substance has recently been isolated from the leaves of the Catha Edulis. The chemical structure of Cathinone is similar to that of amphetamine. However, Cathinone does not modify cerebral electric activity in sense of a typical activation seen with amphetamine. Cathinone has evoked, at high doses, seizures comparable to epileptic activity.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1980

Individual serum bile aids in patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemias.

Fasting serum concentrations of the individual bile acids were measured by gas chromatography in 27 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia (8 type IIa, 7 type IIb and 12 type IV) and in 14 healthy subjects. Total serum bile acid levels were 1618 +/- 244 ng/ml (SE) in type IIa, 1296 +/- 251 ng/ml in type IIb and 15609 +/- 263 ng/ml in type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. These values did not differ significantly from values in the control group (1505 +/- 200 ng/ml). Serum levels of cholic acid were significantly higher in patients with type IIa (551 +/- 78 ng/ml) than in those with type IIb (190 +/- 57 ng/ml, P < 0.01) and type IV (240 +/- 57 ng/ml, P < 0.02), while intermediate values were recorded in the control group (384 +/- 49 ng/ml). Ursodeoxycholic acid was found in larger amounts in hyperlipidemic patients than in controls. No significant differences with respect to other bile acids were observed between the groups examined. According to the current concepts on the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids, the findings support the hypothesis that the intestinal absorption of cholic acid may differ in various types of hyperlipoproteinemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

An improved gas-chromatographic method for the determination of sulfated and unsulfated bile acids in serum.

This study has been aimed at improving some steps in the gas-liquid chromatographic determination of sulfated bile acids. The best conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis with cholylglycine hydrolase of sulfolithocholylglycine and sulfolithocholyltaurine are described. Recoveries of more than 85% were obtained after prolonging the incubation to 12 h. A single-step procedure for solvolysis and methylation of bile acids was achieved by using, as a water scavenger, 2,2-dimethoxypropane added directly to the hydrolysis mixture. This procedure avoided the difficulty of the extraction of sulfated bile acids from aqueous solutions.

Amidohydrolases↗
PubMed1979

Influence of phenylethanolamine on octopamine plasma determination in hepatic encephalopathy.

Octopamine and phenylethanolamine levels were measured by a radioenzymatic procedure in 30 cirrhotic patients with and without hepatic coma and in 15 normal controls. Octopamine data were obtained either by direct extraction with 40% isoamyl alcohol in toluene according to Molinoff et al. (Molinoff, P.B., Landsberg, L. and Axelrod, J. (1969) J. Pharm. Exp. Ther. 170, 253), or after pre-extraction of phenylethanolamine with 3% isoamyl alcohol in toluene. Phenylethanolamine was statistically correlated with the grade of hepatic encephalopathy. Octopamine levels also appeared to parallel the grade of coma, although the values obtained after pre-extraction were lower and less significant than those obtained with 40% isoamyl alcohol in toluene extraction. The higher values of directly extracted octopamine are due to contamination of other beta-hydroxylated phenylethylamines, among which is phenylethanolamine.

2-Hydroxyphenethylamine↗
PubMed1979

Influence of portacaval anastomosis on serum and biliary unsulfated bile acid composition in patients with liver cirrhosis.

UNLABELLED: Serum and biliary unsulfated bile acids were studied using a gas chromatographic method in 8 patients before and 2 months after portacaval anastomosis. Total serum bile acids were 21.6 +/- 3.6 mumol/liter before and 68.0 +/- 8.6 mumol/liter after surgery (P less than 0.005). Cholic acid rose from 26.5 +/- 3.4% to 33.8 +/- 4.8% (P less than 0.02) of the total serum bile acids, while chenodeoxycholic acid decreased from 67.9 +/- 4.1% to 60.8 +/- 4.3% (P less than 0.05). The relative concentration of cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids in bile increased slightly but not significantly after surgery, while deoxycholate fell from 8.5 +/- 1.7% to 2.1 +/- 0.6%. CONCLUSIONS: (1) in cirrhosis the serum and biliary bile acid composition are markedly different, the cholic-chenodeoxycholic ratio being much lower in serum than in bile; (2) after portacaval anastomosis serum and biliary bile acid patterns tend to become similar; (3) percent biliary deoxycholate decreases significantly after surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Differences in serum bile acid composition between unoperated cirrhotic patients and patients with portacaval or mesocaval shunt.

Serum bile acids were determined in 13 cirrhotic patients with portacaval shunt and in 15 with mesocaval shunt. 20 nonshunted cirrhotics were used as controls. Serum bile acid levels were higher in portacaval (26.7 +/- 14.3 micrograms/ml) than in mesocaval shunt patients (16.9 +/- 8.1 micrograms/ml) and controls (14.1 +/- 11.5 micrograms/ml). The cholic/chenodeoxycholic ratio was lower after portacaval shunt than after mesocaval shunt (0.36 +/- 0.15 and 0.63 +/- 0.26, respectively). It is hypothesized that these findings may be consistent with a larger hepatic blood flow present in mesocaval shunted patients and with chenodeoxycholic absorption in the upper small intestine.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Plasma amino acids imbalance in patients with liver disease.

The venous plasma amino acid patterns have been determined in 12 normal individuals and in 71 shunted and nonshunted cirrhotics in various grades of hepatic encephalopathy. The free amino acids have been determined by an amino autoanalyzer; the total and free tryptophan have been measured by a spectrophotofluorimetric method. In 14 instances, arterial plasma amino acid patterns have been measured simultaneously. High levels of aromatic and sulfurated amino acids and low levels of branched-chain amino acids have been constantly found in all cirrhotics. Methionine, phenylalanine, valine, leucine, tyrosine, and free tryptophan showed a statistical difference between controls and all other groups. These altered patterns did not correlate either with the grade or the evolution of the coma or with the presence of the surgical anastomosis. No statistical differences were found between arterial and venous values. The only amino acid which statistically correlated with the grade and evolution of the hepatic encephalopathy was free tryptophan. The molar ratios between the amino acids sharing the same transport system across the blood-brain-barrier have been considered. A very good correlation with the grade of the mental disorder was found with the ratios free tryptophan/phenylalanine-tyrosine-methionine-valine-leucine-isoleucine and free tryptophan/branched-chain amino acids.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1978

Plasma phenylethanolamine in hepatic encephalopathy.

It has been suggested that amines other than octopamine may be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. Plasma phenylethanolamine has been determined by a radioenzymatic method in twenty-six biopsy-proven cirrhotics with or without encephalopathy and in seven normal adults. Phenylethanolamine plasma levels correlated statistically with the presence of liver cirrhosis and severe coma. These results are consistent with the false neurotransmitter hypothesis of hepatic encephalopathy.

2-Hydroxyphenethylamine↗
PubMed1977

Octopamine and ammonia plasma levels in hepatic encephalopathy.

It has been recently proposed that hepatic encephalopathy could be due to the accumulation of octopamine acting as a false neurotransmitter, and the increase of ammonia might reflect this accumulation. The simultaneous determination of octopamine and ammonia was performed in 88 cases with or without encephalopathy. The correlation between the two substances appeared to be good (P less than 0.01; r = 0.5), except in shunted patients. All the cases with low octopamine and high ammonia were patients who had been submitted to surgical portal-systemic anastomosis. This finding does not seem to be coincidental; in this type of patients, the mechanism of hepatic encephalopathy could involve other beta-hydroxyphenylethanolamines in addition to octopamine. The presence of the inhibition of the reaction of transmethylation constantly observed during octopamine plasma assay is in favour of this hypothesis.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1977

Fasting and postprandial serum bile acids as a screening test for hepatocellular disease.

Postprandial serum bile acid estimation was recently proposed as the most sensitive test of liver function. In our study, the fasting and postpranidal serum bile acid measurements were performed on 19 normal subjects, 20 patients with cirrhosis, 10 with acute hepatitis, 4 with resolving viral hepatitis, and 6 with chronic active hepatitis. A gas-chromatographic method was used. One healthy subject had postprandial serum bile acid levels above the normal range, while 7 patients with liver disease had postprandial levels within normal limits. Of the latter group, 2 had chronic active hepatitis in remission and 3 had resolving viral hepatitis. Significant correlations were seen between serum bile acid levels and most of the conventional "liver function" tests. Our data indicate that the postprandial serum bile acid determination is better than any of the other conventional tests taken separately, but no better than their combined use. No significant modification of the cholic acid/chenodeoxycholic acid ratio was observed between the fasting and the postprandial determinations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Octopamine plasma levels and hepatic encephalopathy: a re-appraisal of the problem.

An investigation on the blood levels of octopamine was carried out on 70 adult individuals. There was a statistically significant correlation between the levels of octopamine and hepatic encephalopathy. Normal subjects had values below 1 ng/ml, while patients with grade 3 or grade 4 encephalopathy constantly showed values above 3.2 ng/ml. In these two groups the distribution was fairly homogeneous. Through the differences between cirrhotics without neurologic involvement and those with grade 1 or 2 hepatic encephalopathy displayed statistical significance, distribution of values in these groups was rather non-homogeneous. Octopamine levels paralleled variations in mental state in 3 out 4 cases. No difference was found between venous and arterial values. The reaction of transmethylation used in the assay of octopamine was constantly found to be inhibited by the presence of plasma. This inhibition is probably due to the presence of one or more beta-hydroxyphenylethanolamines other than octopamine.

Adult↗