St. John's Wort Extract Ze 117 and Escitalopram Alter Plasma and Hippocampal Lipidome in a Rat Model of Chronic-Stress-Induced Depression.

Chronic stress is a key factor in the development of depression. It leads to hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which in turn increases the formation of glucocorticoids (GCs). Chronically elevated GC levels disrupt neuroplasticity and affect brain lipid metabolism, which may, ultimately, contribute to the development of depression.

Extract Ze 440: Diterpene and Triterpene's Interactions with Dopamine D2 Receptor.

Pre-clinical studies suggest that extracts prepared from the fruits of (VAC) interact with dopamine D2 receptors, leading to reduced prolactin secretion. In previous experiments, dopaminergic activity was mostly evaluated using radioligand binding assays or via the inhibition of prolactin release from rat pituitary cells. Diterpenes featuring a clerodadienol scaffold were identified as major active compounds, but no conclusive data regarding their potency and intrinsic activity are available.

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication by Petasites hybridus CO2-extract (Ze 339).

Background: The intensified search for low-threshold herbal anti-viral drugs would be of great advantage in prevention of early stages of infection. Since the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has prevailed in western countries, the course has only been mild, but there are still no widely available drugs that can alleviate or shorten disease progression and counteract the development of Long-COVID. This study aimed to investigate the antiviral effects of a CO-extract from Petasites hybridus (Ze 339).

Impact of St. John's wort extract Ze 117 on stress induced changes in the lipidome of PBMC.

Background: Membrane lipids have an important function in the brain as they not only provide a physical barrier segregating the inner and outer cellular environments, but are also involved in cell signaling. It has been shown that the lipid composition effects membrane fluidity which affects lateral mobility and activity of membrane-bound receptors.

Methods: Since changes in cellular membrane properties are considered to play an important role in the development of depression, the effect of St.

Indigenous Yeasts from Rose Oil Distillation Wastewater and Their Capacity for Biotransformation of Phenolics.

The indigenous yeasts associated with the spontaneous fermentation of phenolic-rich rose oil distillation wastewater (RODW) generated after the industrial distillation of rose oil were studied. The ITS-rDNA sequence analysis of the samples collected from RODW fermented at semi-sterile conditions, a waste deposition lagoon and endophytic yeasts isolated from industrially cultivated suggests that the spontaneous RODW fermentation is caused by yeasts from the genus found also as endophytes in the rose flowers. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of the translation elongation factor (TEF1α) and 18S- and 26S- rRNA genes further confirmed the taxonomic affiliation of the RODW yeast isolates with the genus .