Toxicology of a Peruvian botanical remedy to support healthy liver function.

Background: The purpose of these studies was to determine the safety of a botanical treatment for supporting healthy liver function developed in Peru. The formulation, A4+, contains extracts of Curcuma longa L. rhizome (A4R), Cordia lutea Lam.

Evaluation of the bioavailability of major withanolides of Withania somnifera using an in vitro absorption model system.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, shows several pharmacological properties which are attributed mainly to the withanolides present in the root. The efficacy of medicinally active withanolides constituents depends on the absorption and transportation through the intestinal epithelium.

A method for the analysis of ginsenosides, malonyl ginsenosides, and hydrolyzed ginsenosides using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and positive mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic separation coupled to diode array absorbance and positive mode electrospray mass spectrometric detection has been developed for the analysis of ginsenosides, malonyl ginsenosides, and hydrolyzed ginsenosides in extracts of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (P. quinquefolius). The method is capable of separating, identifying, and quantifying the predominant ginsenosides found in heated alcoholic extracts of Asian and American ginseng roots routinely sold as nutraceuticals.

A rapid, sensitive electron-capture gas chromatographic procedure for analysis of metabolites of N-methyl,N-propargylphenylethylamine, a potential neuroprotective agent.

Introduction: N-Methyl,N-propargyphenylethylamine (MPPE) is a novel analog of (-)-deprenyl, a drug prescribed for Parkinson's disease and shown to have neuroprotective and neurorescue properties in a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo models. MPPE is also neuroprotective, but has the advantage over (-)-deprenyl of not being metabolized to amphetamine or N-methylamphetamine.

Method: In this paper, extractive derivatization with pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride (PFBSC) followed by electron-capture gas chromatography was utilized to study the metabolism of MPPE.

Metabolism of monoamines in invertebrates: the relative importance of monoamine oxidase in different phyla.

A review of the occurrence of monoamine oxidase activity in invertebrates is presented. In contrast to vertebrates, invertebrates use a variety of enzymatic routes to metabolise monoamines. These routes include N-acetylation, gamma-glutamyl conjugation, sugar conjugation, sulphation, beta-alanyl conjugation as well as oxidative deamination.