Anti-Trichomonas vaginalis activity from triterpenoid derivatives.

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated parasite that causes trichomonosis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the world. Worryingly, trichomonosis is associated to increased transmission of HIV. Due to high frequency of the infection during pregnancy and the development of metronidazole-resistant isolates, therapeutic alternatives to 5-nitroimidazole are being searched.

Biochemical characterization of an ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP, E.C. 3.1.4.1) from rat cardiac soluble and microsomal fractions.

In this study, we have reported the kinetic and biochemical characterization of ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP) activity in rat cardiac fractions, one soluble and the other enriched in vesicles derived from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Both fractions demonstrated E-NPP activities, which could be observed by extracellular hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-5'-thymidine monophosphate (p-Nph-5'-TMP) and other biochemical characteristics. The K(M) values for the hydrolysis of p-Nph-5'-TMP in soluble and microsomal fractions were 118.