[Orienting study of the modification of age-related changes by procaine in the pig]

In 3 and 14 years old mini pigs age dependent changes as well as the opportunity to modify them with a combination of procaine and haemotoporphyrine, administered daily over 6 weeks in doses of 150 mg procaine hydrochloride per animal (3-5 mg/kg b.w.), were tested. In serum a small age dependent increase in catecholamine concentration was recognized, while the concentration of cortisol was distinctly increased in the older pigs. The monoamine oxidase activity was increased in the liver of the 14 years old pigs while no differences were found in cerebral cortex. Under procaine the old animals showed a clear decrease in monoamine oxidase activity as well as in cholinesterase activity. Furthermore an age dependent decrease of the thymidine triphosphate incorporation rate as well as the amino acid incorporation rate was found in liver, cerebral cortex, small intestine and spleen. Jejunal enzyme activities also were decreased age dependently. Otherwise procaine hydrochloride induced an increase in intestinal enzyme activities of both animal groups. These findings demonstrate that different intermediary processes change age dependently. Also it is shown, that procaine hydrochloride develops intermediary effects.