TRPM4 blocking antibody reduces neuronal excitotoxicity by specifically inhibiting glutamate-induced calcium influx under chronic hypoxia.

Excitotoxicity arises from unusually excessive activation of excitatory amino acid receptors such as glutamate receptors. Following an energy crisis, excitotoxicity is a major cause for neuronal death in neurological disorders. Many glutamate antagonists have been examined for their efficacy in mitigating excitotoxicity, but failed to generate beneficial outcome due to their side effects on healthy neurons where glutamate receptors are also blocked.

Regulation of phase I and phase II neurosteroid enzymes in the hippocampus of an Alzheimer's disease rat model: A focus on sulphotransferases and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases.

Neurosteroids have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases because they are involved in the modulation of neurotransmitter, neurotropic and neuroprotective actions. Emerging evidence suggests that the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of neurosteroids change during the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study aimed to assess the changes in phase I and II enzymes involved in the metabolism of neurosteroids of the progestogen, androgenic and estrogenic steroidogenic pathways and the possibility that the neurosteroids are actively converted into the most abundant metabolites (i.

Virgin Coconut Oil-Induced Neuroprotection in Lipopolysaccharide-Challenged Rats is Mediated, in Part, Through Cholinergic, Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways.

Neuroinflammation is associated with neuronal cell death and could lead to chronic neurodegeneration. This study investigated the neuroprotective potential of virgin coconut oil (VCO) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytotoxicity of neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The findings were validated using Wistar rats, which were fed with 1-10 g/kg VCO for 31 days, exposed to LPS (0.

TRPM4 inhibition improves spatial memory impairment and hippocampal long-term potentiation deficit in chronic cerebral hypoperfused rats.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) been well characterized as a common pathological status contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. CCH is an important factor that leads to cognitive impairment, but the underlying neurobiological mechanism is poorly understood and no effective treatment is available. Recently, transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) cation channel has been identified as an important molecular element in focal cerebral ischemia.

Apoptosis induced by desmethyl-lasiodiplodin is associated with upregulation of apoptotic genes and downregulation of monocyte chemotactic protein-3.

There is growing interest in the discovery of bioactive metabolites from endophytes as an alternative source of therapeutics. Identification of their therapeutic targets is essential in understanding the underlying mechanisms and enhancing the resultant therapeutic effects. As such, bioactive compounds produced by endophytic fungi from plants at the National Park, Pahang, Malaysia, were investigated.

Induction of apoptosis against cancer cell lines by four ascomycetes (endophytes) from Malaysian rainforest.

Endophytic fungi have been shown to be a promising source of biologically active natural products. In the present study, extracts of four endophytic fungi isolated from plants of the National Park, Pahang were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity and the nature of their active compounds determined. Those extracts exhibiting activity with IC(50) values less than 17 μg/ml against HCT116, MCF-7 and K562 cell lines were shown to induce apoptosis in these cell lines.

Cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of endophytic fungi isolated from plants at the National Park, Pahang, Malaysia.

Background: Endophytes, microorganisms which reside in plant tissues, have potential in producing novel metabolites for exploitation in medicine. Cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of a total of 300 endophytic fungi were investigated.

Methods: Endophytic fungi were isolated from various parts of 43 plants from the National Park Pahang, Malaysia.