Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition and its use in the treatment of cerebral edema are provided wherein the composition comprises an atrial natriuretic peptide having an amino acid sequence of 28 amino acids and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient.

Abstract: An aqueous solution containing a physiologically active substance, which is produced by recombinant DNA technique and which has cytotoxic activity against L-M cells and is capable of inducing hemorrhagic necrosis of transplanted Meth A sarcoma in the BALB/c mouse, can be effectively, efficiently purified by column chromatography using a column packed with a dye-bonded crosslinked agarose gel.

Abstract: A totally porous activated gel which comprises a matrix of a totally porous crosslinked copolymer comprising as main components vinyl alcohol monomer units and crosslinkable monomer units and having a specific surface area of 5 to 1000 m.sup.2 /g and an reactive group linked to said matrix by a covalent bond. The present activated gel is very useful for effectively separating bio-substances due to the peculiar behavior of the reactive group of the activated gel. The activated gel is rigid, and is excellent in mechanical strength, resistance to chemicals, high pH, low pH, high temperature and low temperature, and is very effective in specific adsorption of bio-substances. The activated gel can be subjected to freeze-drying sterilization, heat sterilization and radiation sterilization, so that it can be utilized for the medical treatment by extracorporeal perfusion of, for example, blood.

Abstract: A method for stabilizing a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), which comprises adding at least one member selected from the group consisting of an albumin, a gelatin, a globulin, a protamine and a salt of protamine to an aqueous solution or powder containing TNF, and a stable aqueous solution or powder which contains TNF and an effective amount of such a protein. The aqueous solution or powder containing TNF can be stored for a prolonged period of time without losing its activity, and is stable on freezing, thawing, lyophilization or the like.

Abstract: A dried, sterilized column containing a carrier-fixed .gamma.-globulin capable of specifically combining with various harmful substances found in blood of patients suffering from certain diseases and acting as an antibody. The .gamma.-globulin fixed column according to the present invention has a prolonged storage stability, and an excellent activity and safety even after the storage for a prolonged period of time as compared with unsterilized columns. Therefore, the .gamma.-globulin fixed column according to the present invention may be advantageously used for medical instrument applications.