Total Synthesis of (-)-Fasicularin.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-fasicularin was achieved in nine steps from a commercially available inexpensive material, by leveraging (1) an aryl radical-mediated, copper-catalyzed Sonogashira-type cross-coupling, (2) a Au-catalyzed tandem intramolecular alkyne hydroamination/iminium formation/intramolecular allylation, and (3) a tandem hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/intramolecular reductive amination as key transformations.

[Mechanisms of neuroprotective effects of therapeutic acetylcholinesterase inhibitors used in treatment of Alzheimer's disease].

Donepezil, galanthamine, and tacrine are therapeutic acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this paper is to review recent findings on their neuroprotective properties and the mechanisms of neuroprotection against glutamate neurotoxicity in rat cortical neurons. First, the hallmark of neurotoxicity induced by two different glutamate treatment conditions was examined, revealing that acute glutamate treatment (1 mM, 10 min) induces necrotic neuronal death and that moderate glutamate treatment (100 microM, 24 hr) induces apoptotic neuronal death.