Baicalein and baicalin are components of Sho-saiko-to (SST), a Chinese medical drug which is claimed to be therapeutically effective in treating HIV-infected patients. Although 20 μg/ml of baicalin was not cytotoxic to CEM cells, a cultured T cell line, it proved to be cytotoxic to HIV-infected CEM cells (CEM-HIV) with a higher HIV-releasing capacity and DNA fragmentation was detected within 24 hr of incubation. However, after incubation of CEM-HIV with a lower dose of baicalin (0.1, 0.3 and 2 μg/ml) for 24 and 48 hr, the viable cell number increased by about 25% and the p24 release into the medium was 25% lower than that of the control. After further incubation in the presence of the agent for 6 and 9 days, only cells with a lower HIV-releasing capacity survived. Baicalin might selectively induce apoptosis of CEM-HIV cells which have a high virusreleasing capacity, and stimulate proliferation of CEM-HIV which have a relatively lower capacity of HIV-production.

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The effect of chloramphenicol (CAP) on the intestinal motility of mice was studied. Acute and chronic CAP treatment significantly increased the food transit time. CAP produced concentration-dependent inhibition of motility of the isolated ileum of mice. Prazosin, propranolol, atropine, ouabain and chlorpromazine all failed to modulate or counteract the CAP-induced inhibition of ileal motility. However, naloxone and hexamethonium slightly modified the inhibitory response of CAP. The inhibitory response of CAP was markedly counteracted by cystine, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. CAP increased the activity of Ca⁺⁺-ATPase in the ileum in all experiments. Our results suggest that the CAP-induced inhibition of the intestinal motility is not mediated through adrenergic, cholinergic and cAMP or through inhibition of the electrogenic pump. Compared to thiamphenicol (TAP), CAP, with a p-NO₂ group in its structure, exhibited more pronounced alteration of both intestinal motility and Ca⁺⁺-ATPase activity. We, therefore, suggest that greater inhibition of ileal motility induced by CAP is possibly a p-NO₂-cGMP-Ca⁺⁺-ATPase-mediated mechanism.

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To evaluate seasonal fluctuations of Dermatophagoides species (sp.) in residential houses in Mie Prefecture, Japan, we employed the ELISA inhibition method with rabbit polyclonal antibody to eggs and adult mites. House dust accumulated for seven days in vacuum cleaners was collected from 14 houses of atopic patients every month for one year. The one-week-dust samples weighed from 2.5 to 117 g (mean 35.9 g) . The density of Dermatophagoides spp. in the dust samples were 5 to 755 mites per gram (mean 109) . During one week, 100 to 20, 400 (mean 4, 200) mites of Dermatophagoides sp. were collected. Among 142 samples in one year, 50 (35.2%) contained more than 100 mites per gram, which is a critical number for atopic symptoms. From December to February, 12 (34.5%) out of 35 samples contained more than 100 mites per gram. These results suggest that Dermatophagoides sp. have become a year-round allergen in Japan.

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Antibody production in mice after immunization with diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine was investigated. Six lots of the vaccine produced in the same year by six manufacturers in Japan were chosen. Production of IgE antibody specific to either diphtheria or tetanus toxoid varied among vaccine preparations used, although there was no apparent difference in IgG antibody production after immunization. In addition, the level of IgE antibody specific to diphtheria toxoid was correlated with that of IgG1 antibody and inversely with that of IgG2 antibody. These results suggest that each vaccine preparation may induce a distinct pattern of antibody production and, therefore, the type of immune response induced by vaccination may vary among vaccine preparations.

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