Toxkon, Vol . 23, No. 2, pp. 355-360, 1985.

0041-0101/BS 53 .00+ .00Printed in Great Brtuin .

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REVIEWS

RAINSFORD, K. D. and VHLO, G. (Eds .) Side-Fjferts of Anti-igJTammatory/Analgesic Drugs. Advances inI~jlammation Research, Vol. 6, 306 pp . New York: Raven Press (1984)

IN necEN~r years side effects of commonly used anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs have become animportant issue, leading to the withdrawal of the drugs involved from the market . The present volume of theseries Advances to IR/lammatlon Research contains the papers presented during an international meeting, heldin September 1982 in Verona, Italy (the delay bttween presentation and publication of the papers is remarkableand is another argument against publishing proceedings volumes) . In the treatment of arthritis such drugs areused uncontrolled over a long period of time, which raises serious questions on their long-term safety . The ninechapters include 33 papers dealing with various aspects of such drug side-effects: epidemiology, drugdistribution and post-marketing surveillance; gastrointestinal tract, renal, hepatic: clinical studies, studies inlaboratory animals, asthma and hypersensitivity reactions, special cases: unique side-effects from certain drugs(such as o-pcnicillamine, gold-salts, pyrazolones). Clinicians and pharmacologiste involved in this kind ofresearch will find this book informative.

D. Mens

GnEEFP, K. (Ed.) Cardiac Glyrnsides; Part ?: Pharmarnkinetics and Clinirnl Pharmacology, Handbook ofexperimental Pharmacology, Vol. 56, 394 pp . Berlin: Springer Verlag (1981).

THOSE DEALING With cardiac glycosides will already know this book which appeared in 1981 (we have justreceived our review copy}. Like most volumes ofthe Handbook ofExperimental Pharmacology it is an excellentintroduction, as well as review of the latest research in the respective field.

Cardiac glycosides are plant toxins moat effectively used in clinical medicine, being indispensible in treatingheart insufficiency . Whereas part 1 of this volume dealswlth the experimental pharmacology of these substances(it would have been more practical to review both parts in a close context), the second part containspharmacokinetic end clinical data on various glycosides (beside digitoxin) and their applications in variousclinical conditions.

D. MESS

GAEIM, H., JUNG, R., KRAI~R, M., MwxQuwanr, H. and OESCH, F. (Eds) Biochemical Basis of ChemkalCarcinogenesis, 13th Workshop Conference Hoechst, 325 pp. New York : Raven Press (1984) .

THE voLtn~ contains 26 papers presented during a workshop held in October 1982 in Grainau, Germany,dealing with aapats of chemical carcinogeniais, especially the biochemical processes leading to malignant cellgrowth . For those working with animal and plant toxins related to tumor promotion or growth inhibition thisbook has some value, giving an idea how toxic metabolites can act as mutagens, oncogens or carcinogens. Someof the moat advanced mC.hods used in this field, such as analysis of gene repair, etc., are outlined . The editorshave the intention of providing toxicologists (and also toxinologiata) with the neaaaary background to estimaterationally the risk of the carcinogenetic potential of a substance.

WESEty L. J. (Bd.) Aquatic Toxicology, Vol. 2, 240 pp . New York: Raven Press, (1984).

D. MESS

CHANGES in the aquatic environment due to human influenaa are of great importance for all kinds oforganisms, particularly fish . In the four chapters of this volume the effect oftoxicants on flab organ systems arereviewed: respiratory toxicology of flshea(SArct~LL, G. H.) ; interactions of xenobiotica with teleoet renalfunction (ParrcHAitn, J. B. and RENPteo, J. L.) ; fish neurotoxicology (SMITH, J. R.); cyanides in water -toxicohogical signiflcana (LEDUC, G.).

355

Although the main aspects are toxicants from pollution, such as heavy metals, organic compounds, oil spills,etc., the chapters provide an excellent introduction to the physiology of the specific fish organs and theirfunctional disturbance by various agents which might be easily applicable to toxins of natural sources, such asfrom red tide, algae, etc .

D. Msas

FIwet.~uv, J. M., Hwte~x, L. A., STRICHR, G. E. and Wawvsa, L. J. (Departments of Medidne and Pathology,University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98193, and Virginia Mason Research Foundation, Seattle, WA 98104,U.S.A .) Effects of lipoplysaccharide on human endothelial cells in culture . 77rromb . Res. 29 15 (1983) .

LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE (LPS) in concentrations up to 10 pg/ml did not induce detectable direst cytotoxidty inhuman umbilical vein, pulmonary artery or pulmonary vein endothelial cells By contrast, significant cytotoxidtywas observed in bovine aortic endothelial cells exposedto LPS at 0.01 pg/ml. Transmission electron microscopyof human umbilical vein cells exposed to 10 pg/ml LPS for 4 days revealed no significant ultraatructuralabnormalities compared to control cells. Whereas human umbilical vein endothelial cell cytotoxidty wasobserved when neutrophils were stimulated with phorbol myriatate acetate, LPS-stimulated neutrophils did notinduce significant cytotoxidty, even in the presence of freak human serum as a complement source . Moreover,human umbilical vein endothelial cell factor VIÜ-antigen and fibronectin release, angiotensin~onvertingenzyme activity and PGI= release were unaffected by a 24 hr exposure to LPS. Cytotoxidty, however, wasproduced when human umbilical vein endothelial cells were oo-incubated with LPS and cycloheximide. Theproliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was also inhibited after prolonged, continuous exposureto 10 pg/ml LPS.We conclude that LPS, with or without complement or neutrophils, does not indus significant human

endothelial cell lysis or detachment . Moreover, brief exposure to LPS has minimal direct effect on severalfunctions of human endothelial cells in vitro.(Author's abstract) H. P. Korst

HILL,R. A., BLANYBNSHIP, P. D., Core, R. J. and Setvnt:RS, T. H. (Department of Plant Pathology, Universityof Georgia, Tifton, GA 31793, and National Peanut Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Servis,U.S.Department of Agriculture, Dawson, GA 31742, U.S.A.) Effects of soil moisture aced temperature on prcharvestinvasion of peanuts by the Aspergillus flouas group and subsequent aflatoxin development . Appl. environ .Mlcrobiol. 45628 (1983) .

Foue soil temperature and moisture trcatmmt regimens were imposed on Florunner peanuts 94 days afterplanting in eaperimmtal plots in 1980 . At harvest (145 days after planting), the incidens of the Aspergillus,flaws group and the aflatoxin concentration were greatest in damaged kernels . Extensive colonization of soundmature kernels (SMK) by the A. Jlavus group occurred with the drought stress treatment (36% kernelscolonized) ; colonization was less in the irrigatedplot (7%) and the drought stress plot withcooled soil (11 %) andwas intermediate in theirrigated plot with heated soil (26%). Aflatoxin was virtuallyabsent from SMKwith thelast three treatments, but it was found at an average concentration of 244 ppb (ng/g) in drought-stressed SMK.Colonization of SMK by the A. flaws group and aflatoxin production were greater with hot dry conditions.Neither elevated temperature alone nor drought stress alone caused aflatoxin contamination in SMK. When theratio of SMKcolonized by A. flaws compared withA. nlger was>19:1, there was aflatoxin contamination, butthere was none if this ratiowas G9:1 . Irrigation caused a higher inddens ofA. nlgerthan drought did. This mayhave prevented the aflatoxin contamination of undamaged peanuts .(Author's abstract) H. P. Kotest

Forrrero, P. A., Bm~~ Rn , J ., BuwNEte, D. L. and CHU, F. S. (Departmentof Early Diagnosis, Physical SdenasDivision, U.S . Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21701, andthe Food Research Institute and Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology, University of Wisconsin,Madison, WI 33706, U.S.A .) Detection of T-2 Toxin by an improved radioimmunoaaay. Appl. environ.Microbiol. 45, 640 (1983) .

T/2 ~roxnv in serum, urine and saline was analyzed by a modified radioitnmunosesay procedure . The spedmenswere added directly to the assay tubes without extraction steps. The reaction between antibody and ligands wasoptimal at 1 hr . Albumin~oated duu~coal wasused to separate bound from free radioactivity . Quenching, whichoccurred with hemolyzed specimens, was corrected by a wet oxidation prose with 60% perchloric add and30% hydrogen peroxide . The shorter incubation times resulted in an assay that takes less than 6 hr to complete .The average affinity constant of the antibody (K,~ was 1.75 x 10'° liters/mole . The sensitivity wen 1 ngper assayor 10 ng/ml. Among the other trichotheaaes leafed, only H-T-2 crosrreaded significantly (10.3%) .

(Author's abstract)

H. P. Kor~t