Recent Insights into the Nutritional Antioxidant Therapy in Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Vascular Complications: A Comprehensive Review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and DM-induced vascular complications are significant global healthcare problems, causing a decrease in patient quality of life. The main reason for the disability and mortality of patients is rapidly progressing micro-and macroangiopathies. Currently, free radical oxidation is recognized as one of the main mechanisms in the development of DM and associated complications.

[Topological similarity of antagonist binding sites in biogenic amine receptors].

The influence of physical and chemical properties of some sites of transmembrane receptor domains on the receptors ability to interact with nonspecific antagonists was investigated mathematically. The properties of sites located in 3rd and 7th transmembrane domains are most likely to explain pharmacological characteristics of the receptors. The possibility of receptor blocking by nonspecific antagonists not by competing with agonists but by influencing the receptor conformation is discussed.

[Effect of imipramine and ftoracizin on platelet aggregation and smooth muscle contraction of the ureter].

The influence of the tricyclic antidepressants imipramine and ftoracizin on platelet aggregation and smooth muscle contractility was investigated in comparison with action of known smooth muscle relaxant and platelet aggregation inhibitor, papaverine. It has been shown that the tricyclic antidepressants possess potent spasmolytic activity but unlike papaverine have no effect on platelet aggregation. The biochemical mechanisms of the non-specific action of tricyclic antidepressants as well as some other structurally related-drugs are discussed.

Physico-chemical similarity of neurotransmitter receptor and transporter transmembrane domains.

Receptor and transporter of neurotransmitters similarity in ability of ligand-binding makes us consider them to possess the sites of similar structure and physico-chemical characteristics. However direct analysis of amino acid sequences alignment did not allow revealing such sites. For functionally similar proteins that differ in primary structure, the similarity extent is satisfactory estimated as based on physico-chemical properties of individual domain.

Effects of haloperidol and chlorpromazine on smooth muscle contractility, platelet aggregation and neuronal calcium current.

Effects of chlorpromazine, haloperidol (neuroleptics and calmodulin antagonists), and verapamil on rat platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, on calcium current in snail neurones and on both tonic tension of high potassium contracture and phasic contraction of isolated guinea-pig ureter preparations were studied. Moreover, droperidol, sulpiride and prazosine effects were studied for models of phasic contractility and platelet aggregation. Sulpiride and prazosine were ineffective, verapamil was ineffective on platelet aggregation, while droperidol was the most potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation.