[Pharmacological prophylaxis of vestibulo-autonomous syndrome (motion sickness) in model investigations]. / Farmakologicheskaia profilaktika vestibulovegetativnogo sindroma (bolezni dvizheniia) v model'nykh issledovaniiakh.

The authors summarize results of multiyear investigations at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of induced motion sickness and development of prophylactic medicaments representing various classes of biologically active substances (choline blocking agents, sympathomimetics, antihistamines etc.) prescribed singularly or in an combination based on the knowledge of MS-provoking inter-receptor interactions and therapeutic effects of drugs.

[The pharmacological correction of hemodynamics during the simulation of the early period of adaptation to weightlessness]. / Farmakologicheskaia korrektsiia gemodinamiki pri modelirovanii rannego perioda adaptatsii k nevesomosti.

Investigations of volunteered subjects in whom antiorthostatic hypokinesia was modeled by tilting the cranial end of the body by -15 degrees were to answer whether pharmacological countermeasures of the vestibular/autonomous syndrome (motion sickness, sea sickness) alter the orthostatic tolerance and cardiovascular parameters. As was stated, the drugs allow controlled correction of hemodynamic resistance to the head-down tilt. Ephedrine, phencarol, ephedrine combined with scopolamine and pipolphen, and stugeron normalized cerebral circulation. Medicaments were unable to moderate the sympathoadrenal reaction to the head-down tilt; however, blood concentrations of catecholamines were significantly lower than in the control. The greatest effect was achieved using ephedrine and ephedrine plus pipolphen.

[Effect of pharmacological agents to prevent the motion sickness syndrome on the cardiovascular system in simulating the early period of adaptation to weightlessness]. / Vliianie farmakologicheskikh sredstv profilaktiki sindroma ukachivaniia na serdechno-sosudistuiu sistemu pri modelirovanii rannego perioda adaptatsii k nevesomosti.

The application of pharmacological agents, preventing the motion sickness syndrome in modelling the early stages of adaptation to weightlessness by means of 6-hour antiorthostatic influence (-15 degrees), does not exert a negative action on the human cardiovascular system. The given agents normalize partially cerebral circulation, eliminating changes induced by antiorthostatic influence.

[Participation of endogenous opioid peptides in the pathogenesis of motion sickness]. / Ob uchastii éndogennykh opioidnykh peptidov v patogeneze bolezni dvizheniia.

Investigations were performed with 19 healthy male volunteers to specify a possible role of endogenous opioid peptides in the pathogenesis of motion sickness. For this purpose the test subjects were administered naloxone, a specific antagonist of opiates and opioids, before rotation and during rotation in a BU-4 armchair at a rate of 30 rpm. In addition, the content of beta-endorphin in blood plasma was measured. It was discovered that naloxone exerts both prophylactic and therapeutic effects as regards the simulated motion sickness. In this respect it was more efficacious than the reference drug scopolamine. After rotation there was a significant increase in the beta-endorphin content in the blood plasma of the test subjects. It is assumed that endogenous opioid peptides (in particular beta-endorphin) may be directly involved in the genesis of vestibulo-vegetative disorders in motion sickness.

[Effect of beta-adrenergic blockaders and trental on plasma levels of renin and aldosterone in healthy persons during antiorthostatic hypokinesia]. / Vliianie beta-adrenergicheskikh blokatorov i trentala na soderzhanie renina i aldosterona v plazme krovi zdorovykh lits v usloviiakh antiortostaticheskoi gipokinezii.

Plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels were measured radioimmunologically in 30 normal individuals subjected to antiorthostatic hypokinesia (at a - 15 degrees angle). Hormonal effects of some drugs (beta-blockers, trental, venotonics) were examined. The short-term antiorthostatic position was associated with a disordered hormonal control, reduced plasma aldosterone and enhanced plasma renin activity, as compared to the respective parameters of the reclining position. The use of beta-adreno-blockers alone or in combinations with other drugs decreases plasma renin activity in conditions of antiorthostatic hypokinesia which can be related to the inhibition of beta-adrenergic activity.

[Content of biogenic amines and their precursors in human blood during head-down tilt and in taking pharmacological agents to prevent the motion sickness syndrome]. / Soderzhanie biogennykh aminov in ikh predshestvennikov v krovi cheloveka pri antiortostaze i prieme farmakologicheskikh sredstv profilaktiki sindroma ukachivaniia.

The 6-hour exposure to head-down tilt at --15 degrees was accompanied by an increased blood content of adrenaline and noradrenaline, thus indicating the activation of the sympathoadrenal system. The catecholamine concentration was shown to be proportional to the head-down tilt time. The exposure also led to an increase of the content of serotonin and left the content of 5-hydroxytryptophan, tryptophan, histamine and histidine unchanged. After administration of ephedrine and especially, ephedrine in combination with pipolphen the increase in the concentration of catecholamines and serotonin became significantly less pronounced.

[Problems and prospects of space pharmacology]. / Problemy i perspektivy kosmicheskoi farmakologii.

The paper reviews the Soviet and foreign literature on the pharmacological support of manned space flights with emphasis on pharmacological prophylaxis and therapy of adverse effects of the space environment. The paper discusses future development of pharmacological studies as part of space medicine.