Antiviral drug rodopes: evaluation of wound healing activity.

A chemical investigation of plant Rhododendron ungernii revealed that its leaves are rich in phenolic compounds: flavonoids, catechins and leucoanthocyanidins. An ointment for external application containing 5% of crude phenolic compounds from R.ungernii leaves named Rodopes, was developed at the I. Kutatateladze Institute of Pharmacochemistry and approved for treatment of various forms of herpetic disease. Wound healing potential of Rodopes was investigated in an excision wound model in mice. Faster wound closure of excision wounds in Rodopes-treated animals in comparison with untreated controls due to the increased wound contracting ability, wound closure time, and regeneration of tissues at wound site was observed. Treatment with Rodopes in an animal model of wound healing caused the increased infiltration of macrophages, neutrophils, and fibroblasts in the wound bed compared to untreated wounds. Moreover, Rodopes exhibited the ability to accelerate scab rejection and full reepithelization in test wounds with no signs of bacterial contamination and to form smooth soft scars disappearing in just 1-2 days. We suggest that Rodopes ointment can find application in the treatment of wounds which require quick coverage of skin epithelial layers.

[Polymer films of antiviral preparation Rodopes for dental practice].

There was created new medical form of antiviral reparation Rodopes that surpassed previous forms - Rodopes adhesive ointment and Rodopes ointment - and also traditional preparations Zovirax and Interferon with its increased therapeutic effectiveness. Rodopes polymer films are much more comfortable way of clinical usage and can be successfully and widely used in stomatological practice.

[Synthesis from tigogenin and antituberculosis activity of some of the derivatives of 5alpha-ketosteroid hydrazones]. / Sintez iz tigogenina i protivotuberkuleznaia aktivnost' nekotorykh proizvodnykh gidrazonov 5alpha-ketosteroidov.

Isonicotinoylhydrazones and thiosemicarbazones of some 5alpha-ketosteroids were synthesized from tigogenin, and their structures were confirmed by NMR and IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Their antimycobacterial activities were studied, and it was shown that some of the synthesized isonicotinoylhydrazones exhibit a high antituberculosis activity. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 5; see also http: // www.maik.ru.

[Novel biologically active polymer of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid from two types of the comphrey Symphytum asperum and S. caucasicvum (Boraginoceae)]. / Novyi biologicheski aktivnyi polimer 3-(3,4-digidroksifenil)glitserinovoi kisloty iz dvukh vidov okopnika, Symphytum asperum i S. caucasicvum (Boraginoceae).

Two high-molecular water-soluble preparations with high anticomplement and antioxidant activity were isolated from the roots of Symphytum asperum and S. caucasicum. Their main chemical constituent was found to be poly[oxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylene] according to IR and NMR spectroscopy. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2002, vol. 28, no. 4; see also http://www.maik.ru.

Evaluation of the dietetic and therapeutic potential of a high molecular weight hydroxycinnamate-derived polymer from Symphytum asperum Lepech. Regarding its antioxidant, antilipoperoxidant, antiinflammatory, and cytotoxic properties.

A water-soluble hydroxycinnamate-derived polymer (>1000 kDa) from Symphytum asperum Lepech. (Boraginaceae) strongly reduced the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical (IC(50) approximately 0.7 microg/mL) and inhibited the nonenzymatic lipid peroxidation of bovine brain extracts (IC(50) approximately 10 ng). This polymer exhibited only a low hydroxyl radical scavenging effect in the Fe(3+)-EDTA-H(2)O(2) deoxyribose system (IC(50) > 100 microg/mL) but strongly decreased superoxide anion generation in either the reaction of phenazine methosulfate with NADH and molecular oxygen (IC(50) approximately 13.4 microg/mL) or in rat PMA-activated leukocytes (IC(50) approximately 5 microg/mL). The ability to inhibit both degranulation of azurophil granules and superoxide generation in primed leukocytes indicates that the NADPH oxidase responsible for this later effect is inhibited, pointing to the Symphytum asperum polymer as a potent antiinflammatory and vasoprotective agent. At all concentrations tested (0-200 microg/mL), we observed no cytotoxicity on normal human fibroblasts and neither antiproliferative effects nor proliferation activation on neoplastic cells.

Kaerophyllin, a new lignan from Chaerophyllum maculatum.

From the methanolic extract of roots of spotted cow parsley (Chaerophyllum maculatum Willd.) a new lignan, named kaerophyllin, has been isolated and identified as A-(trans-3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)- beta-(3,4-methylenedioxylbenzyl)-gamma-butyrolactone. Its structure has been established on the basis of the analysis of UV, IR-, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR and mass spectra.