Pharmacological effects of harmine and its derivatives: a review.

Harmine is isolated from the seeds of the medicinal plant, Peganum harmala L., and has been used for thousands of years in the Middle East and China. Harmine has many pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, and antitumor activities. Moreover, harmine exhibits insecticidal, antiviral, and antibacterial effects. Harmine derivatives exhibit pharmacological effects similar to those of harmine, but with better antitumor activity and low neurotoxicity. Many studies have been conducted on the pharmacological activities of harmine and harmine derivatives. This article reviews the pharmacological effects and associated mechanisms of harmine. In addition, the structure-activity relationship of harmine derivatives has been summarized.

Synthesis and evaluation of artificial antigens for astragaloside IV

The objective of this study was to produce artificial antigens for astragaloside IV that could be used to prepare antibodies against astragaloside IV screened in Radix astragali (Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bunge, Fabaceae) and its preparations, using an indirect ELISA. Astragaloside IV was coupled to carrier proteins, bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin using the sodium periodate method and was then evaluated using SDS-PAGE, MALDI-TOF MS and animal immunizations. The coupling ratio of astragaloside IV to bovine serum albumin ratio was determined to be thirteen, and the indirect ELISA demonstrated that three groups of mice immunized with astragaloside IV-bovine serum albumin produced anti-astragaloside IV- bovine serum albumin-specific antibody, with a minimum serum titer of 1:9600. A method for synthesizing highly immunogenic astragaloside IV artificial antigens was successfully developed thus indicating its feasibility in the establishment of a fast immunoassay for astragaloside IV content determination in Radix astragali and its products.

A case of phlebosclerotic colitis with involvement of the entire colon.

Phlebosclerotic colitis is a rare type of ischemic colitis caused by obstruction of the veins in the intestinal wall and adjacent mesentery, and is most commonly seen in the ascending colon. We report a 56-year-old woman presenting with intermittent abdominal pain and diarrhea for three years. She had a liver abscess and two episodes of pancreatitis during this time and experienced progressive body weight loss. Initial radiologic findings showed multiple tortuous threadlike calcifications in the region of the right side of the colon and transverse colon on plain abdominal radiographs and computed tomography images. A colonoscopy demonstrated brownish-black pigmentation on the right side of the colon with scattered hyperemic patches. The more distal along the colon, the more normal the color of the bowel appeared. Follow-up studies revealed calcifications not only alongside the colonic and mesenteric veins, but also extending into the superior and inferior mesenteric veins. These findings have not been reported previously. As noted in our patient, this disease entity may not be confined to the tributaries of the superior mesenteric vein. The entire colon may be involved in advanced disease.