Subcutaneous injections, peripheral cells

Recent studies have shown that cyanide releases catecholamines from rat pheochromocytoma cells and brain slices (Kanthasamy et al. 1991b), from isolated bovine adrenal glands (Borowitz et al. 1988), and from the adrenals of mice following subcutaneous injection of high doses of potassium cyanide (Kanthasamy et al. 1991b). Thus, it was proposed that the cardiac and peripheral autonomic responses to cyanide are partially mediated by an elevation of plasma catecholamines (Kanthasamy et al. 1991b). 

Subcutaneous injection of rabbits with 2 ml of g-cymene for 2 days caused an increased number of immature hematopoietic cells in the peripheral blood. 

The fact that rectal administration in humans only partially avoids delivery of the drug to the portal system has been suggested as an advantage of rectal administration of insulin over parenteral administration.Delivery of insulin to the portal blood system is suggested to be more physiological than delivery to the peripheral cells from subcutaneous injections. 

I. Pharmacology. Epinephrine is an endogenous catecholamine with alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonist properties, used primarily in emergency situations to treat anaphylaxis or cardiac arrest. Beneficial effects include inhibition of histamine release from mast cells and basophils, bronchodilation, positive inotropic effects, and peripheral vasoconstriction. Epinephrine is not active after oral administration. Subcutaneous injection produces effects within 5-10 minutes, with peak effects at 20 minutes. Intravenous or inhalational administration produces much more rapid onset. Epinephrine is rapidly inactivated in the body, with an elimination half-life of 2 minutes. 

In cancer patients regular subcutaneous injections (four weeks) of the optimal dose of VAA-1 (1 ng per kg body weight (bw), twice a week) yielded notable increases in the apparent numbers of certain lymphocyte subsets such as pan T cells, helper T cells and NK cells [63]. However, controlled investigations of the immunological efficacies of this plant lectin revealed several difficulties as mentioned above [61]. Still, a phase I dose-finding study in tumor patients showed significant differences between 0.2, 1 and 5 ng/kg bw doses of VAA-1 (Fig. 3). Only a 1 ng/kg dose of VAA-1 was able to increase the NK and LAK activity in peripheral blood [64]. 

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (Neupogen 48 Mio U, F.Hoffmann-La Roche, Switzerland) was dissolved in 0,85% NaCl with 0,1% bovine serum albumin (Sigma) and was injected subcutaneously (25 pg/kg in 0,2 ml of 0,85% NaCl) once a day for 4 days. White blood cells (WBC) count and the hemogram of the peripheral blood were analyzed before and one day after each course. Seven courses were performed during half-year. 

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