Steam-dried ginseng berry fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum controls the increase of blood glucose and body weight in type 2 obese diabetic db/db mice.

This study examined whether steam-dried ginseng berries fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum (FSGB) could improve the indices of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in obese db/db mice. FSGB was shown to have an effect on body weight and blood glucose/serum parameters when administered at a dose of 0.5 g/kg. In the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT), FSGB was clearly shown to improve insulin tolerance and glucose tolerance. Moreover, FSGB was shown to enhance immune activities by increasing the immune cell population, and glucose transpoter 1 (GLUT1) mRNA expression in L6 cells was up-regulated, suggesting that FSGB can increase glucose transport activity in target cells. These results indicate that steam- and dry-processed ginseng berries fermented with L. plantarum can be used to effectively control blood sugar metabolism via improving insulin and glucose tolerance and body weight gain in db/db mice.

Alternative therapeutic advantages of catfish bile on atopic dermatitis: protection of T cell-mediated skin disease via antioxidant activities.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we aimed to examine the anti-atopic properties of bile from the cat fish, Silurus asotus, to determine its possible use as a pharmaceutical product. METHODS: The anti-atopic activities of cat fish bile were examined in a non-cell antioxidant, in-vitro assay (splenocytes and mast cells) and a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis-like mouse model. RESULTS: The results of these experiments revealed that Silurus asotus bile (SAB) scavenges radicals and protects proteins from superoxide attacks, suggesting that SAB suppresses the T helper (Th) type 2-skewed immune response. Th1/Th2 mRNA cytokines (interleukin (IL)-2, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-4) from mouse splenocytes were effectively inhibited, and the release of ß-hexosaminidase in RBL-2H3 mast cells was significantly suppressed by SAB. These results were supported by screening the Th1/Th2 cytokine mRNAs (IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-4) from lymph nodes in DNCB-treated mice. More dramatic results were observed in the histological changes at higher SAB concentrations (5%) compared to the therapeutic control, visualized using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented in this study suggest that SAB may provide functional advantages with regard to treating atopic dermatitis because of its antioxidant and immune-suppressive effects.

A facile one-pot preparation of organoselanyltrifluoroborates from dihalobenzenes and their cross-coupling reaction.

Potassium organoselanyltrifluoroborates have been prepared from the corresponding dihalobenzene compounds in 56-92% yields through a facile one-pot, multicomponent reaction. The microwave-promoted Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of these substrates with various aryl and alkenyl bromides in the presence of 3.0 mol % of Pd(PPh(3))(4) and 3.0 equiv of K(2)CO(3) in aqueous 1,4-dioxane at 130 degrees C provided the desired compounds in 54-91% yields.

Tetrazole synthesis via the palladium-catalyzed three component coupling reaction.

The synthesis of tetrazoles was achieved via the palladium-catalyzed three component coupling (TCC) reaction; The TCC reaction of malononitrile derivatives, allyl acetate and trimethylsilyl azide proceeds very smoothly under a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh3)4 to give 2-allyltetrazoles, and further the TCC reaction of various activated cyano compounds, allyl methyl carbonate and trimethylsilyl azide proceeds readily under a catalytic amount of Pd2(dba)3 x CHCl3 and (2-furyl)3P to give 2-allyltetrazoles. pi-Allylpalladium azide complex is proposed as a key intermediate in the catalytic cycle and the [3 + 2] cycloaddition between the pi-allylpalladium azide complex and cyano compounds most probably gives the tetrazole frameworks. The deallylation of the derived allyltetrazoles was attained via the two-step procedure; the ruthenium-catalyzed isomerization and ozonolysis.

Synthesis of N-cycloalkenylazoles.

N-(1-Cycloalkenyl)pyrroles 3a,b, -pyrazoles 6a,b, and -imidazoles 9a,b were synthesized via elimination of benzotriazole or 5-phenyltetrazole from the corresponding 1-[1-(heterocycyl)cycloalkyl]benzotriazoles 2, 5, and 8 or 1-[1-(heterocycyl)cyclohexyl]-5-phenyltetrazole (12 and 14). Intermediates 2, 5, 8, 12 and 14 were obtained by cyclizations of dihaloalkanes with N-(benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)heterocycles, 1-imidazol-1-ylmethyl-5-phenyltetrazole (11), or 1-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl-5-phenyltetrazole (13) in the presence of n-BuLi.