Rapid and sustained antidepressant properties of an NMDA antagonist/monoamine reuptake inhibitor identified via transporter-based virtual screening.

Rational design of lead compounds targeting monoamine transporters (MATs) is critical to developing novel therapeutics to treat psychiatric disorders including depression and substance abuse. A 3-D dopamine transporter (DAT) computer model was used to virtually screen a commercially available small molecule library for high DAT affinity drug-like compounds. One hit, coded "MI-4", inhibited human dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters in vitro.

Zerumbone inhibits growth of hormone refractory prostate cancer cells by inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 pathway and increases paclitaxel sensitivity.

Zerumbone, a phytochemical isolated from Zingiber zerumbet has been shown previously to exhibit antineoplastic activity. But, the effect of zerumbone in prostate cancer has not been evaluated. Prostate cancer is frequently associated with elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which exerts its oncogenic effects through activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) followed by activation of the transcription factor STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3).