No abstract

No abstract

Organic vegetable soups contained more salicylic acid than non-organic ones, suggesting that the vegetables and plants used to prepare them contained greater amounts of the phenolic acid than the corresponding non-organic ingredients. Consumption of organic foods may result in a greater intake of salicylic acid.

Aim-To examine sera for the presence of salicylic acid and 2,3-and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids (2,3-and 2,5-DHBA), in individuals not taking salicylate drugs. Methods-Extracts of acidified serum samples were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The chromatographic conditions were altered, and the retention times of the unknown compounds compared against authentic salicylic acid, 2,3-DHBA, and 2,5-DHBA. Serum samples (some spiked with salicylic acid) were incubated with salicylate hydroxylase and analyses undertaken. An extract of acidified serum was derivatised using N-methyl-Ntrimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide and the salicylic acid derivative identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results-Salicylic acid, 2,3-DHBA, and 2,5-DHBA were identified as being normal constituents of serum. Conclusions-Salicylic acid, 2,3-DHBA, and 2,5-DHBA possess anti-inflammatory properties. The finding that these compounds are present as normal constituents of serum, possibly arising from diet, raises important questions as to their role in the promotion of health. (J Clin Pathol 1998;51:502-505)

Of 49 schizophrenicpatientsfollowed up 12 monthsafter their first admissionto hospital, onlyabout 45% had experiencedno relapseand had no schizophrenicsymptoms;a poorer outcome was moreoften found in Feighnerpositivethan Feighnernegativeschizophrenic patients. The patients' overall level of unemployment had more than doubled to 51 %. In patients whose acute episodesrespondedto treatment, pimozidetaken once weekly as maintenance therapy was as effective as intramuscularflupenthixol decanoate, but tardive dyskinesiaappeared in two patients receivingweekly pimozide;the repeat psy chometric assessmentat 12 months found modest improvements, i.e. no evidence of intellectual decline, in Matrices, Block Design, and Digit Copying tests. Forty per cent of relativesstillshowed significantpsychological distress,which correlatedwith patients' schizophrenicsymptoms, and the relatives' socialfunctioningremainedpoorerthan that of a normal community sample.

Background Salicylic acid (SA) is present in the serum of people who have not taken salicylate drugs. Now we have examined the urine of these subjects and found that it contains SA and salicyluric acid (SU). We have established the identities of these phenolic acids and determined their concentrations.

The results do not support the hypothesis that TD is mediated through free radical damage to neurons, but suggest increased free radical activity in schizophrenia.

SynopsisSeventeen acute psychotic patients were studied in the course of chlorpromazine (CPZ) treatment. Blood samples were taken weekly both before and two hours after the morning CPZ dose. Plasma levels of CPZ, CPZ sulphoxide (CPZSO) monodesmethylated CPZ (NOR1CPZ) and 7-hydroxy CPZ (7OH CPZ) were estimated by gas chromatography. Plasma prolactin, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and oestrogens were measured by radioimmunoassay. Six of the seven patients who showed no clinical improvement had plasma CPZ levels equal to or higher than those of patients who improved. ‘Non-responders’ had a greater proportion of CPZ SO in pre-dosage samples. The occurrence of parkinsonian side effects was associated with a mean plasma CPZ of > 50 ng/ml and a mean plasma prolactin of > 30 ng/ml two hours after dosage. The elevation of prolactin preceded the onset of parkinsonian symptoms by 1–2 weeks. There was a significant positive correlation between mean plasma prolactin and mean plasma CPZ levels. The prolactin response may prove a useful index of the central antidopaminergic effect of neuroleptic drugs.