Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins produced by fungi of the genus Claviceps, which infect cereal crops and grasses. The uptake of ergot alkaloid contaminated cereal products can be lethal to humans and animals. For food safety assessment, analytical techniques are currently used to determine the presence of ergot alkaloids in food and feed samples. However, the number of samples which can be analyzed is limited, due to the cost of the equipment and the need for skilled personnel. In order to compensate for the lack of rapid tests for the detection of ergot alkaloids, the aim of this study was to develop a specific recognition element for ergot alkaloids, which could be further applied to produce a colorimetric reaction in the presence of these toxins. As recognition elements, single-stranded DNA ligands were selected by using an iterative selection procedure named SELEX, i.e., Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment. After several selection cycles, the resulting aptamers were cloned and sequenced. A surface plasmon resonance analysis enabled determination of the dissociation constants of the complexes of aptamers and lysergamine. Dissociation constants in the nanomolar range were obtained with three selected aptamers. One of the selected aptamers, having a dissociation constant of 44 nM, was linked to gold nanoparticles and it was possible to produce a colorimetric reaction in the presence of lysergamine. This system could also be applied to small ergot alkaloids in an ergot contaminated flour sample.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3546743 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms131217138 | DOI Listing |
Curr Pain Headache Rep
January 2025
Northwell Health Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA.
Purpose Of Review: Exploration of the potential of serotonergic psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, as potential treatments for headache disorders. This review addresses the need for well-informed physician guidelines and discusses mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of these treatments. Further research, including the consideration of combination with psychotherapy, is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCephalalgia
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Background: Women with endometriosis are more likely to have migraine. The mechanisms underlying this co-morbidity are unknown. Prolactin, a neurohormone secreted and released into circulation from the anterior pituitary, can sensitize sensory neurons from female, but not male, rodents, monkeys and human donors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
January 2025
Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Rationale: Peliosis hepatis (PH) is a rare disease with few clinical reports and complex etiology. However, there have been no reports of hyperprolactinemia (HPRL) leading to PH at present. This paper, through case reports, expands the understanding of the etiology of PH and the pathological damage effect of prolactin (PRL).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban
July 2024
Department of Endocrinology &Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041.
Cushing's disease is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by hypercortisolism. Chronic elevated cortisol levels can lead to dysfunction or complications in multiple organs of systems, including cardiovascular, glucose, and bone metabolism, severely impacting patients' quality of life and posing life-threatening risks. Surgery is the first-line treatment for Cushing's disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Rural Health
January 2025
Drug Use & Behavior Lab, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA.
Background: Recent legislative initiatives in the United States have focused on the medical and legal status of psychedelics, prompting interest in understanding public perceptions of their risks. This study investigates rural-urban differences in the perception of LSD and cannabis risks using national survey data.
Methods: Data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) between 2015 and 2021 were analyzed.
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!