Effect of N-Benzylpiperazine, Its Metabolite N-Benzylethylenediamine, and Its Disubstituted Analogue N,N'-Dibenzylpiperazine on the Acquisition, Formation, and Consolidation of Memory in Mice.

BACKGROUND: N-benzylpiperazine (BZP) belongs to a class of piperazine derivatives (PZDs) that have emerged as recreational drugs. These compounds increase the release of dopamine and serotonin. BZP mimics the psychoactive effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine. BZP is metabolized to N-benzylethylenediamine (BEDA) and benzylamine. The compound N,N'-dibenzylpiperazine (DBZP) is obtained as a byproduct during the synthesis of BZP. Some PZDs have shown effects on memory; however, there are no previous reports on the activity of BZP, BEDA, and DBZP on memory or on a description of their neuropharmacological profile. We evaluated the effects of these compounds on acquisition, formation, and consolidation memory and explored their neuropharmacological profile in mice. METHODS: We used the passive avoidance test to evaluate the nootropic effect and for memory experiments. We also evaluated the sedative, myo-relaxant, motor coordination, anxiogenic, and locomotor activity of these compounds. RESULTS: We showed that BZP, its metabolite BEDA, and the disubstituted analogue DBZP enhance the memory and show anxiogenic effects. BZP, as well as DBZP but not BEDA, showed a strong myo-relaxant effect without impairing motor coordination. CONCLUSIONS: BZP and BEDA enhanced the acquisition and consolidation of memory, whereas DBZP only enhances the acquisition of the memory. BEDA and DBZP have an anxiogenic profile similar to that of BZP. BEDA and DBZP represent new psychoactive compounds with the potential to be new BZP-like recreational entities.

Efecto de la hemina-arginina y el QF12 en la incorporación de 59 Fe en los eritrocitos de ratones / Effect of hemin-arginine and QF12 on the incorporation of 59 Fe in mice erythrocytes

Se estudió el efecto de 2 compuestos de hemina obtenidos en el Centro de Química Farmacéutica: la hemina-arginina y el QF12, en el porcentaje de incorporación de 59 Fe a los eritrocitos circulantes de ratones normales. Se observó diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre todos los grupos al segundo día (p = 0,022). En las pruebas a posteriori, se encontró que el porcentaje de incorporación de 59 Fe promedio del grupo que recibió el QF12 a 6 mg/kg fue significativamente mayor que el que se obtuvo con el placebo (p = 0,021) y significativamente mayor que los encontrados con la hemina-arginina a 3 mg/kg (p = 0,021) y con la hemina-arginina a 6 mg/kg (p = 0,016), al segundo día después de la inyección del 59 Fe. La obtención del QF12, primer compuesto hemínico cubano, y el éxito obtenido en su primer ensayo preclínico, permitieron realizar la solicitud de su patente

Three trearment schemes with colloidal bismuth subcitrate (Q-ULCER) in peptic ulcer with Helicobacter pylori

Background. Since the discovery, several decades ago, of the infection of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter pylory and its association with chronic antral gastritis and peptic ulcer, the treatment of ulcer illness has recently been revolutionized. Methods. In this study, the clinical effectiveness of three patients suffering from gastroduodenal peptic ulcer with helicobacter pylori were distributed randomly into three groups. Group I (n = 17) received 240 mg (CBS every 12 h for 6 weeks. Group II (n = 17) received 240 mg CBS every 8 h for 10 days. Group III (n = 19) received 240 mg CBS every 12 h for 6 weeks, plus metronidazole 500 mg every 8 h plus amoxicillin 750 mg every 12 h for 10 days. A duodenoscopy investigation with antrum biopsy for a morphologic study and detection of the germ was carried out by means of urease test and histological study (Warthin-Sarry and hematoxylin-eosin). Results. The three schemes of treat schemes of treatment were effective for ulcerous healing with 70.5 percent, 82.3 percent, and 78.2 percent, respectively, without significant differences. The highest clearing index (52.6 percent) was obtained in group III. Conclusions. With these treatment, the Helicobacter pylori eradication was only observed in 47.3 percent of the patients studied