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Aristolochic acid-I in the swallowtail butterfly Pachlioptera aristolochiae (Babr.) (Papilionidae)
lethal toxicity in mice of 8 MLD of L. semifasciata venom. All the mice injected i.m . with 1 MLD of crude venom recovered following i .v . administration of gamma globulin 5 min after the venom injection. The in vivo neutralizing effect of the gamma globulin was retained 3-6 days after its administration . The same gamma globulin fraction was found to also neutralize the toxicity of the venom of Taiwan cobra NaJa naJa atra. A.O . SAwAI, Y., TsENo, C. S., Kuo, T. P. and Wu, C. S. (Japan Snake Inst ., Gunma Prefecture, Japan and U. S. NAMRU-2, Taipei, Taiwan). Snakebites in Kao-Hsiung Prefecture, Taiwan . The Snake 2, 13, 1970 .
Tfus report is based on 150 cases of venomous snakebite recorded from January 1968 to August 1969, in certain districts of southwestern Taiwan . The morbidity in some of the mountainous districts was greater than 1:1000. Most of the bites (87 per cent) were ascribed to 7}imeresurus mucrosguamatus and T. stejnegeri. No fatalities were caused by these snakes, but a few patients had residual motor disturbances . Two deaths were due to the bite of Bungarus multicinctus and two that of Agkistrodon acutus. Necrosis was frequent following Naja ngja atra bites. The highest incidence of bites was from June through September, and 36 per cent occurred in the home or on roads. Most bites were on the toes, fingers, or feet . Males were bitten about twice as frequently as females. Few of the patients were treated with antivenin. S.A .M . JAcxsoN, D. B. (Abbott Labs ., Dept . Gen.Pharmacol., N. Chicago, Ill.) . Effect of tetrodotoxin on electrically-induced release of autonomicmediatorsin therabbit sinoatrial node .We Sciences 9, 383, 1970 .
ELEcrRicAL stimulation of the sinoatrial node of therabbit elicits a biphasic response ; first a decrease in beat rate due to acetylcholine release then an increase due to an adrenergic release. Tetrodotoxin (7 x l0-° g per ml) reduces both effects, but theadrenergic portion of the biphasic response is reduced more than thecholinergic part . In a concentration of 2 x 10-° g per ml tetrodotoxin blocks both responses but has no effect on the spontaneous beat frequency or force ofcontraction . It does not affect theresponse to exogenous norepinephrine A.V.H . Euw, J. V., RmcHaTEIN, T. and RoTHscHn.D, M. (Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Basel, Switzerland and Ashton, Peterborough, England) . Aristolochic acid-1 in the swallowtail butterfly Pachlioptera aristolochiae (Babr .) (Papilionidae) . Israel J. Chem . 6, 659, 1968 .
IN A NICE series of experiments the authors isolated aristolochic acid-I in amounts of approximately 0-1 mg per butterfly. Extracts of the butterfly were then fed and injected into other animals and their toxicological effectsnoted.The larvae ofthis swallowtail are said to feed exclusivelyon plants of thefamily Aristolochiaceae. The acid is apparently carried through the pupal stage to the adult butterfly, where it is thought to play a significant role in the protection of the insect . F.E .R . KAY, D., RorrHscHn.D, M. and ApLN, R. (Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford,
England) . Particles present in the haemolymph and defensive secretions of insects. J. cell. Sci. 4, 369,1%9.
THB DEFEvscvE fluids, hemolymphs and egg fluids of several insects were found to contain particles of 100150 A across which had square or rectangular outlines. These particles were thought to be proteins . They correspond in size to the 16 S component of the hemocyanins of Limulus and Homarus, and the protein particles found in Calliphora. F.E .R . JARcKo, S. (Associate Attending Physician, Mt . Sinai Hospital, New York, New York). The correspondence of Morgagni and Lancisi on the death of Cleopatra. Bull. Hist. Med. 43, 299, 1969 .
A BEAUTIFULLY written and fascinating account of the letters between Morgagni and Lancisi on the probable death of Cleopatra. F.E .R .
Tfus report is based on 150 cases of venomous snakebite recorded from January 1968 to August 1969, in certain districts of southwestern Taiwan . The morbidity in some of the mountainous districts was greater than 1:1000. Most of the bites (87 per cent) were ascribed to 7}imeresurus mucrosguamatus and T. stejnegeri. No fatalities were caused by these snakes, but a few patients had residual motor disturbances . Two deaths were due to the bite of Bungarus multicinctus and two that of Agkistrodon acutus. Necrosis was frequent following Naja ngja atra bites. The highest incidence of bites was from June through September, and 36 per cent occurred in the home or on roads. Most bites were on the toes, fingers, or feet . Males were bitten about twice as frequently as females. Few of the patients were treated with antivenin. S.A .M . JAcxsoN, D. B. (Abbott Labs ., Dept . Gen.Pharmacol., N. Chicago, Ill.) . Effect of tetrodotoxin on electrically-induced release of autonomicmediatorsin therabbit sinoatrial node .We Sciences 9, 383, 1970 .
ELEcrRicAL stimulation of the sinoatrial node of therabbit elicits a biphasic response ; first a decrease in beat rate due to acetylcholine release then an increase due to an adrenergic release. Tetrodotoxin (7 x l0-° g per ml) reduces both effects, but theadrenergic portion of the biphasic response is reduced more than thecholinergic part . In a concentration of 2 x 10-° g per ml tetrodotoxin blocks both responses but has no effect on the spontaneous beat frequency or force ofcontraction . It does not affect theresponse to exogenous norepinephrine A.V.H . Euw, J. V., RmcHaTEIN, T. and RoTHscHn.D, M. (Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Basel, Switzerland and Ashton, Peterborough, England) . Aristolochic acid-1 in the swallowtail butterfly Pachlioptera aristolochiae (Babr .) (Papilionidae) . Israel J. Chem . 6, 659, 1968 .
IN A NICE series of experiments the authors isolated aristolochic acid-I in amounts of approximately 0-1 mg per butterfly. Extracts of the butterfly were then fed and injected into other animals and their toxicological effectsnoted.The larvae ofthis swallowtail are said to feed exclusivelyon plants of thefamily Aristolochiaceae. The acid is apparently carried through the pupal stage to the adult butterfly, where it is thought to play a significant role in the protection of the insect . F.E .R . KAY, D., RorrHscHn.D, M. and ApLN, R. (Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford,
England) . Particles present in the haemolymph and defensive secretions of insects. J. cell. Sci. 4, 369,1%9.
THB DEFEvscvE fluids, hemolymphs and egg fluids of several insects were found to contain particles of 100150 A across which had square or rectangular outlines. These particles were thought to be proteins . They correspond in size to the 16 S component of the hemocyanins of Limulus and Homarus, and the protein particles found in Calliphora. F.E .R . JARcKo, S. (Associate Attending Physician, Mt . Sinai Hospital, New York, New York). The correspondence of Morgagni and Lancisi on the death of Cleopatra. Bull. Hist. Med. 43, 299, 1969 .
A BEAUTIFULLY written and fascinating account of the letters between Morgagni and Lancisi on the probable death of Cleopatra. F.E .R .