Crinum latifolium leave extracts suppress immune activation cascades in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and proliferation of prostate tumor cells.

Plants of the genus Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) are widely used in folk medicine in different tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The Indian species Crinum latifolium (L.) was traditionally used to treat rheumatism, fistula, tumors, earaches, rubefacient, tubercle and whitlow.

Platelet morphological, functional and rheological properties attributable to addictions.

Hemorheological abnormalities such as elevated whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte deformability and platelet aggregation, hematocrit and fibrinogen levels, are frequently examined as diagnostic tool and prognostic relevance in socially important hemorheological disorders. Distinct biological - morphological and functional platelet alterations, have been described in different addictions (heroin-, cocaine-, nicotine-, alcohol-, etc.).

Interferon-gamma-mediated pathways are induced in human CD34(+) haematopoietic stem cells.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines like interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) are considered to be important in the development of anaemia of chronic disease (ACD). Both, inhibitory and stimulatory activities of IFN-gamma on erythropoiesis have been observed in vitro earlier. IFN-gamma induces several biochemical pathways in human monocytes, among them neopterin formation by GTP-cyclohydrolase I (GTP-CH I) and tryptophan degradation by the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO).

Hemorheological changes and characteristic parameters derived from whole blood viscometry in chronic heroin addicts.

A group of 15 chronic opioid addicts (DA) with mean age 26.5+/-7.3 years was studied by means of a rotational Contraves Low Shear 30 viscometer and the results have been compared with a control group of 19 healthy subjects.

Use of neopterin as a bone marrow hematopoietic and stromal cell growth factor in tissue-engineered devices.

The in vitro response of early haematopoietic progenitors or stem cells (CD34+)--common for myeloid (granulocyte, eosinophil, megakaryocyte) and marrow stromal cell lineages, to neopterin, exogenously added to the liquid mouse bone marrow cultures, at doses 12.5-25 microg/ml culture medium, has been studied. The results obtained show a significant stimulation of common--myeloid and stromal/ mesenchymal progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation, as early as 24h to the 96h after the in vitro treatment with neopterin.