Hypericin as a potential drug for treating Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes with a view to drug repositioning.

Aims: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are two of the most common diseases in elderly population and they have a high rate of comorbidity. Study has revealed that T2D is a major risk factor of AD, and thus exploring therapeutic approaches that can target both diseases has drawn much interest in recent years. In this study, we tried to explore drugs that could be potentially used to prevent or treat both AD and T2D via a drug repositioning approach.

A manganese-salen complex as dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

A manganese Schiff base complex with N,N'-1,2-phenylenediamine-bis(salicyladimine) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. This complex was administered intragastrically to alloxan-diabetic mice 3 weeks. In vivo tests showed that the complex significantly lowered serum glucose levels in alloxan-diabetic mice at doses of 77 mg V kg.

Inhibition of 3,5,2',4'-Tetrahydroxychalcone on Production of Uric Acid in Hypoxanthine-Induced Hyperuricemic Mice.

The mechanism of 3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone on lowing urate level is still unknown. Here we investigated the effects of 3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone on urate levels, xanthine oxidase/xanthine dehydrogenase (XOD/XDH) activities in hypoxanthine-induced hyperuricemic mice, as well as the effects of 3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone on the mRNA expression levels and content of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase (PRPS), phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase (PRPPAT) and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT). Our results demonstrated that 3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone (1.

Synthesis and characterization of oxidovanadium complexes as enzyme inhibitors targeting dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

Two oxidovanadium(IV) complexes carrying Schiff base ligands obtained from the condensation of 4,5-dichlorobenzene-1,2-diamine and salicylaldehyde derivatives were synthesised and characterised, including their X-ray crystallographic structures. They were evaluated as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These compounds were moderate inhibitors of DPP-IV, with IC values of ca.

Hypouricaemic action of mangiferin results from metabolite norathyriol via inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity.

Context Mangiferin has been reported to possess a potential hypouricaemic effect. However, the pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed that its oral bioavailability was only 1.2%, suggesting that mangiferin metabolites might exert the action.

Atorvastatin helps preserve pancreatic β cell function in obese C57BL/6 J mice and the effect is related to increased pancreas proliferation and amelioration of endoplasmic-reticulum stress.

Background: 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors or statins are competitive inhibitors of the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. Currently, statins are used as first-line therapy in the treatment of diabetic dyslipidemia. However, effects of statins on β cell function remains unclear.

A refined-JinQi-JiangTang tablet ameliorates prediabetes by reducing insulin resistance and improving beta cell function in mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Refined-JQ (JQ-R) is a mixture of refined extracts from three major herbal components of JinQi-JiangTang tablet: Coptis chinensis (Ranunculaceae), Astragalus membranaceus (Leguminosae), and Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae). Our previous studies have indicated that JQ-R could decrease fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic mice and insulin resistance mice. Investigating the hypoglycemic effect of JQ-R on prediabetes has practical application value for preventing or delaying insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and possibly the development of clinical diabetes.

[Interleukin-8 monoclonal antibody attenuates smooth muscle cell proliferation and balloon inflation-induced abdominal aorta stenosis in rabbits].

Objective: To observe the effects of interleukin-8 monoclonal antibody on smooth muscle cell proliferation and balloon inflation-induced abdominal aorta stenosis in rabbits.

Methods: Thirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to balloon inflation group (group A, n = 12), interleukin-8 monoclonal antibody pre-treated rabbits (2 mg/kg for 3 days before balloon inflation, group B, n = 12) and sham-operated control group (group C, n = 12). Peripheral blood was collected before experiment and at 4 h, 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post balloon inflation or sham operation and the levels of IL-8 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Effect of the chloro-substitution on lowering diabetic hyperglycemia of vanadium complexes with their permeability and cytotoxicity.

The effect of the chloro-substitution of dinuclear vanadium (V) complexes on lowering diabetic hyperglycemia was evaluated. The in vivo tests for hypoglycemic activity show that complex 2 at the dose of 10.0 and 20.

Mechanisms of improvement of left ventricle remodeling by trans-planting two kinds of autologous bone marrow stem cells in pigs.

Background: The necrosis of a large number of myocardial cells after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) results in a decrease of cardiac function and ventricle remodeling. Stem cell transplantation could improve cardiac function after AMI, but the involving mechanisms have not been completely understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of transplantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) via the coronary artery on the ventricle remodeling after AMI as well as the mechanisms of the effects of transplantation of different stem cells on ventricle remodeling.

[Insulino-mimetic effects of bis (alpha-furancarboxylato) oxovanadium (IV) in vitro].

To study insulino-mimetic effects of bis(alpha-furancarboxylato) oxovanadium (IV) (BFOV), a orally active antidiabetic vanadyl complex, on glucose uptake and lipogenesis in isolated rat adipocytes were determined by using 2-deoxy-D-[3H]-glucose and D-[3H]-glucose, respectively. Lipolysis was assayed by free fatty acids (FFA) released from isolated rat adipocytes treated with epinephrine. The results showed that BFOV, similar to insulin, concentration-dependently significantly enhanced the uptake of 2-deoxy-D-[3H]-glucose and the transformation from D-[3H]-glucose to lipid in isolated rat adipocytes, with the EC50 values of (0.

[Modulation effect of bis (alpha-furancarboxylato) oxovanadium (IV) on blood glucose in diabetic rats].

Aim: To study the hypoglycemic effect of bis (alpha-furancarboxylato) oxovanadium (IV) (VO-FA) in normal rats and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats.

Methods: Rats were injected intraperitoneally STZ 50 mg.kg(-1) to induce diabetes.

Two new coumarin derivatives from the roots of Heracleum rapula.

Two new coumarins, 13- O-[ beta- D-apiofuranosyl(1-->6)- beta- D-glucopyranosyl]-(12 R)-heraclenol ( 1) and (12 R,12" R)-diheraclenol ( 2) were isolated from the acetone extract of the fresh roots of Heracleum rapula. Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic analysis and, in the case of compound 1, the structure elucidation was supported by acid hydrolysis. Compound 1 is a coumarin glycoside while 2 is a coumarin dimer.