Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 2010 (vol. 8), issue 1
Original Research Article
Antidiabetic and antioxidative effects of hydro-methanolic extract of sepals of Salmalia malabarica in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats
Debasis De, Kausik Chatterjee, Kazi Monjur Ali, Suvra Mandal, Bikashranjan Barik, Debidas Ghosh
J Appl Biomed 8:23-33, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0004-x 
Natural products with antidiabetic activities provide important sources for the development of new drugs in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. This present work focuses on the antidiabetic activity of a hydro-methanolic (2:3) extract of the sepals of Salmalia malabarica on the blood glucose, the carbohydrade metabolic enzyme, oxidative stress, glycated haemoglobin and transaminase activity in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats show a significant diminution in the activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and an elevation in the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver and skeletal muscle. Administration...
In vitro screening of blood-brain barrier penetration of clinically used acetylcholinesterase reactivators
Jana ®ďárová Karasová, Petr Stodůlka, Kamil Kuča
J Appl Biomed 8:35-40, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0005-9
In this in vitro study, using the HPLC method, we determined the ability of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivators, used clinically, to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We evaluated pralidoxime, HI-6, obidoxime, trimedoxime and methoxime - reactivators varying in the position of the oxime group on the pyridinium ring and linker connecting the pyridinium rings. Our results indicated that pralidoxime, a monoquaternary AChE reactivator, was the oxime with the most penetration. Molecular weight seems to be the most important factor for passive transport through the BBB. From the structural perspective, the connecting linker also plays...
Pesticide sorption in typical Central European soils evaluated using a photometric microplate assay based on acetylcholinesterase inhibition
Miroslav Pohanka, Vítězslav Vlček, Kamil Kuča, Hana Bandouchová, Jiří Pikula
J Appl Biomed 8:41-46, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0006-8
Sorption isotherms were estimated for two model organophosphorus pesticides - methamidophos and paraoxon-ethyl - and four typical Central European soils endangered by these pesticides: haplic Chernozems, Cambisols, Luvisols, and Fluvisols. A photometric microplate assay based on the recognition capability of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase toward organophosphorous pesticides was used for the construction of sorption isotherms. The sorption capacity of each soil was then determined and it was found that the soils with the highest content of humic acid (haplic Chernozems and haplic Luvisols) sorbed pesticides most. Pesticides in concentrations over the...
Inhibition of Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma by ethyl acetate extract from the flower of Calotropis gigantea L. in mice
Muhammad Rowshanul Habib, Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Muhammad Rezaul Karim
J Appl Biomed 8:47-54, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0007-7
As part of a scientific appraisal of some of the folkloric and ethnomedical uses of Calotropis gigantea L. (Family: Asclepiadaceae), the present study was designed to evaluate the antitumour activity of the Calotropis gigantea flower against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) by using a crude ethyl acetate extract from the flower of Calotropis gigantea (designated as EECF) in Swiss mice. EECF was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. Bleomycin (0.3 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. EECF treatment significantly decreased both viable tumour cells and body weight gain induced by the tumour...
Reviews
The kiss-1-kisspeptin-gpr54 complex: a critical modulator of GnRH neurons during pubertal activation
César Alberto Meza-Herrera, Francisco Gerardo Veliz-Deras, Maria Wurzinger, Bernardo López-Ariza, Gerardo Arellano-Rodriguez, Rafael Rodriguez-Martinez
J Appl Biomed 8:1-9, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0001-0
Establishment of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-gonadal function is dependent on the highly controlled and dynamic interactions between regulatory signals from the brain, pituitary and gonads, all of them leading to the attainment of reproductive capacity, where a coordinated and timely activation of GnRH neurons must occur. The GnRH neurons extend their neurosecretory axons to the hypothalamus where GnRH is released into the pituitary portal vessels to elicit the secretion of LH and FSH, which in turn, will promote gonadal development and support reproductive physiology. Genetic studies have demonstrated that disabling mutations and targeted deletions...
Biomedically relevant chemical constituents of Valeriana officinalis
Jiří Patočka, Jiří Jakl
J Appl Biomed 8:11-18, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0002-z
Valerian is used to treat sleeping disorders, restlessness and anxiety, but it seems only to work when taken over long periods (several weeks). Some studies have demonstrated that valerian extracts interact with the GABA and benzodiazepine receptors. Valerian is also used traditionally to treat gastrointestinal pain and spastic colitis. There are no long term safety studies. Valerian contains over 150 chemical constituents and many of them are physiologically active, mainly pyridine alkaloids, some organic acids and terpenes, especially the so called valepotriates, esterified iridoid-monoterpenes. As valepotriates may be potential mutagens, valerian...
Alternative haematotoxicological testing
Josef Berger
J Appl Biomed 8:19-22, 2010 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-009-0003-y
Standard haematological procedures in preclinical subchronic and chronic toxicity studies are carried out on dogs, rats and other mammals. In vitro clonic assays CFU-GM, BFU-E, CFU-E, CFU-Mgkr and pluripotent stem cells are used in screening candidate compounds to predict acute cytopenias, but they are not able to reveal the risk of suppression which can develop after repeated administration. No in silico studies have yet been published in haematotoxicology. More recent haematotoxicological in vivo models represent invertebrates: they can be used in both ecotoxicology and in the screening of myelotoxicity.