Study of the Effect of Baicalin from Scutellaria baicalensis on the Gastrointestinal Tract Normoflora and Helicobacter pylori.

The antimicrobial properties of baicalin against H. pylori and several probiotic cultures were evaluated. Baicalin was isolated from a dry plant extract obtained by extraction with water at 70 °C. For isolation, extraction was carried out with n-butanol and purification on a chromatographic column. The antimicrobial potential was assessed by evaluating changes in the optical density of the bacterial suspension during cultivation; additionally, the disk diffusion method was used. During the study, the baicalin concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL) and the pH of the medium in the range of 1.5-8.0 were tested. The test objects were: suspensions of H. pylori, Lactobacillus casei, L. brevis, Bifidobacterium longum, and B. teenis. It was found that the greater the concentration of the substance in the solution, the greater the delay in the growth of the strain zone. Thus, the highest antimicrobial activity against H. pylori was observed at pH 1.5-2.0 and a baicalin concentration of 1.00 mg/mL. In relation to probiotic strains, a stimulating effect of baicalin (1.00 mg/mL) on the growth of L. casei biomass at pH 1.5-2.0 was observed. The results open up the prospects for the use of baicalin and probiotics for the treatment of diseases caused by H. pylori.

Isolation of the Main Biologically Active Substances and Phytochemical Analysis of Ginkgo biloba Callus Culture Extracts.

The work reveals the results of studying the content of biologically active substances in samples of extracts of Ginkgo biloba callus cultures. Callus cultures grown in vitro on liquid nutrient media were the objects of the study. Considering various factors affecting the yield of the target components during extraction, the volume fraction of the organic modifier in the extracting mixture, the temperature factor, and the exposure time were identified as the main ones. The maximum yield of extractive substances (target biologically active substances with a degree of extraction of at least 50%) from the samples of callus culture extracts was detected at a ratio of extragent of 70% ethanol, a temperature of 50 °C, and exposure time of 6 h. Flavonoids, such as luteolin, quercetin, isoramentin, kaempferol, and amentoflavone, were isolated in the extract samples. As a result of column chromatography, fractions of individual biologically active substances (bilobalide, ginkgolide A, B, and C) were determined. The proposed schemes are focused on preserving the nativity while ensuring maximum purification from associated (ballast) components. Sorbents (Sephadex LH-20, poly-amide, silica gel) were used in successive stages of chromatography with rechromatography. The degree of purity of individually isolated substances was at least 95%.

Regulatory Action of Plasma from Patients with Obesity and Diabetes towards Muscle Cells Differentiation and Bioenergetics Revealed by the C2C12 Cell Model and MicroRNA Analysis.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are often combined and pathologically affect many tissues due to changes in circulating bioactive molecules. In this work, we evaluated the effect of blood plasma from obese (OB) patients or from obese patients comorbid with diabetes (OBD) on skeletal muscle function and metabolic state. We employed the mouse myoblasts C2C12 differentiation model to test the regulatory effect of plasma exposure at several levels: (1) cell morphology; (2) functional activity of mitochondria; (3) expression levels of several mitochondria regulators, i.e., Atgl, Pgc1b, and miR-378a-3p. Existing databases were used to computationally predict and analyze mir-378a-3p potential targets. We show that short-term exposure to OB or OBD patients' plasma is sufficient to affect C2C12 properties. In fact, the expression of genes that regulate skeletal muscle differentiation and growth was downregulated in both OB- and OBD-treated cells, maximal mitochondrial respiration rate was downregulated in the OBD group, while in the OB group, a metabolic switch to glycolysis was detected. These alterations correlated with a decrease in ATGL and Pgc1b expression in the OB group and with an increase of miR-378a-3p levels in the OBD group.

[Effectiveness and mechanism of action of a new plant complex drug in nonspecific inflammatory processes in the bronchopulmonary system]. / Effektivnost' i mekhanizm deistviia novogo kompleksnogo sredstva rastitel'nogo proiskhozhdeniia pri nespetsificheskikh vospalitel'nykh protsessakh v bronkholegochnoi sisteme.

The elixir Bronchofit is an aqueous-alcoholic extract from 7 kinds of plants. It is a balanced compound, rich in biologically active substances including essential oils and flavonoids, possessing a wide spectrum of pharmacological activity. On the model of frog's palate the elixir enhanced the transport function of the ciliated epithelium. On the model "karragenin edema" bronchofit showed a marked anti-inflammatory activity. A noticeable therapeutic effect was registered in rats with induced bronchopulmonary inflammation. Bronchial secretion contained reduced content of glycosaminoglycans while bronchial lavage did of histamine. Also, bronchofit demonstrated a prominent antioxidative activity, an antibacterial action in relation to Str. pyogenes and Bac. cereus. By a total complex of the activities bronchofit is a promising medicine against bronchopulmonary inflammation.

[Assessment of the efficacy and tolerance of delayed-action nifedipine as the monotherapy or in combination with metoprolol in patients with arterial hypertension]. / Otsenka éffektivnosti i perenosimosti nifedipina prolongirovannogo deistviia v vide monoterapii i v kombinatsii s metoprololom u bol'nykh arterial'noi gipertoniei.

AIM: To compare efficacy and safety of nifedipin-retard (cordaflex-retard, Egis, Hungary) used in monotherapy and in combination with metoprolol (egilok, Egis, Hungary) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 20 patients with AH stage I-II (12 males, 8 females, mean age 57.3 years, mean duration of the disease 8.6 years). Nifedipin-retard was given in a daily dose 40 mg/day (20 mg twice a day) in monotherapy and 20 mg/day in combination with metoprolol which was administered 50 mg twice a day (a daily dose 100 mg/day). The control examination consisted of a physical examination, measurement of arterial pressure (AP) by Korotkov, registration of heart rate, ECG, 24-h AP monitoring, echocardiography. RESULTS: By 24-h AP monitoring, a 4-week treatment with nifedipin-retard alone resulted in lowering of systolic arterial pressure. The combined treatment produced a more pronounced fall both in systolic and diastolic pressure. Diastolic left-ventricular function improved in combined therapy. Side effects observed in nifedipin-retard monotherapy got much more weaker when this drug combined with metoprolol. CONCLUSION: Combination of nifedipin-retard with metoprolol provides better clinical response and tolerance than monotherapy with nifedipin-retard.

[Benzylpenicillin efficacy for neutropenic infection prophylaxis in patients with cancer and postcytostatic neutropenia]. / Effektivnost' naznacheniia benzilpenitsillina dlia profilaktiki neitropenicheskoi infektsii u bol'nykh s opukholevymi zabolevaniiami i posttsitostaticheskoi neitropeniei.

Evaluation of benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) effect for infection prophylaxis at the oncological patients with severe postcytostatic neutropenia was performed. All the patients with neutrophils levels lower than 0.5 x 10(9)/L were recommended to use antibiotics for infection prophylaxis. Test-group (n = 40) used ciprofloxacin (0.5 g twice daily, per os) combined with benzylpenicillin (1.0 g four times daily, i/v); control group was treated by ciprofloxacin in the same dose only. Combination with benzylpenicillin resulted in statistically significant reduction of infections frequency among oncological patients.

Involvement of endogenous digitalis-like factors in voluntary selection of alcohol by rats.

This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous digitalis-like factor (DLF) is involved in the development of alcohol dependence in rats. In 33 male Wistar rats in conditioned place preference (CPP) experiment, ethanol evoked increase in time spent in the ethanol-associated compartment (702+/-82 in ethanol-treated vs. 426+/-86 sec in the controls). Digoxin pretreatment (125 microg/kg, i/p) did not affect the time spent in the water-associated compartment (476+/-80 sec), but prevented the acquisition of ethanol CPP (385+/-112 sec in ethanol-paired side, P<0.05). In a two bottle choice test, where rats (n=6 per group) chose between drinking water and 9% ethanol, immunization against two putative DLFs, marinobufagenin and ouabain (MBG and OLC) resulted in a 60% increase of ethanol consumption. Acute intragastric administration of 9% ethanol to the rats was associated with increased OLC in cerebrospinal fluid, and stimulated urinary excretion of MBG and OLC. Thus, in rats, digoxin, which mimics the effects of DLFs, suppresses the free choice of alcohol, while immunization against DLFs is associated with alcohol seeking behavior.

[Changes in the mouth mucosa during local UHF-hyperthermia and radiotherapy of malignant tumors of the maxillofacial region]. / Izmeneniia slizistoi obolochki rta pri lokal'noi SVCh-gipertermii i luchevoi terapii zlokachestvennykh opukholei cheliustno-litsevoi oblasti.

Morphological investigations under experimental conditions have demonstrated that local UHF-hyperthermia at 42-43 degrees C for 30 min does not cause alterative changes of the oral mucosa in animals. The revealed signs of activization of metabolic processes can probably increase radiosensitivity of tumors and their reparation. A favorable course of radiation mucositis was noted after experimental local hyperthermia and irradiation. Morphological changes of the oral mucosa, determined mainly by exposure to radiation, are characterized in the early period by alternative and dystrophic changes, and later on (in 3 mos.) by atrophy and sclerosis. In patients local UHF-hyperthermia had a radiosensitizing effect on the oral mucosa at 40-41,5 degrees C for 30 and 60 min. However it did not prevent the completion of a radical split course in the regimen of dynamic dose fractionation nor did it increase the number of postradiation complications. Under this temperature-time regimen the time of development and a degree of expression of radiation reactions did not depend on the succession of hyperthermia and irradiation, and the time of heating.

[A decrease in the content of immunoreactive alpha- and gamma-endorphins in the blood and the suppression of their hypersecretion under the influence of dexamethasone in emotional stress in monkeys]. / Umen'shenie soderzhaniia immunoreaktivnykh al'fa- i gamma-éndorfinov v krovi i podavlenie ikh gipersekretsii pod vliianiem deksametazona pri émotsional'nom stresse u obez'ian.

Daily administration of 12 mg of dexamethasone to monkeys during 10 days resulted in decrease of the levels of alpha- and gamma-endorphins and cortisol 7 days after the first injection. The titers of these peptides in plasma of monkeys. exposed to two hours of immobilization stress were elevated twice above basal levels. The maximum elevation took place 6 hours after the beginning of immobilization. This effect wasn't detected in monkeys, which received 12 mg of dexamethasone during 10 days.

[Morphometric and electrophysiologic research on the parafascicular complex of the thalamus in early ontogeny in the rabbit]. / Morfometricheskoe i élektrofiziologicheskoe issledovanie parafastsikuliarnogo kompleksa talamusa v rannem ontogeneze krolika.

Electrophysiological, morphometric and behavioural studies have been made on the role of parafascicular complex in regulation of nociceptive sensitivity in 45 rabbits from the 1st to the 16th day of their postnatal life. The evoked potential to nociceptive stimulation was recorded already in 1-day animals. Analysis of amplitude-temporal parameters of the EPs in acute experiments revealed a sharp increase in their positive phase at the 7-8th day of life. As it was shown in the behavioural experiments, that is just the period of maximum generalized reaction to nociceptive stimulation. It was found that to this age, the surface of neurones in the complex significantly increases, their density remaining still high. The data obtained are discussed in relation to factors which account for ontogenetic changes in electrophysiological correlates of neuronal responses in the parafascicular complex to peripheral nociceptive stimulation.

[Reversible inhibition of cholinesterases by salts of pyrilium, thiopyrilium and selenopyrilium derivatives]. / Obratimoe ingibirovanie kholinésteraz soliami proizvodnykh piriliia, tiopiriliia i selenopiriliia.

Salts of pyrilium, thiopyrilium and selenopyrilium derivatives at pH 7.5 and temperature of 25 degrees C are studied for their effect on the catalytic activity of acetyl cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) of human blood erythrocytes and butyryl cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) of horse blood serum which is measured by the method of potentiometric titration. All enumerated salts are established to be strong reversible inhibitors of mixed-type cholinesterases, that is testified by small values of the inhibitory constants: competitive Ki, noncompetitive K'i and generalized K epsilon. Pyrilium and selenopyrilium salts inhibit acetyl cholinesterase of human blood erythrocytes to a higher extent than butyryl cholinesterase of horse blood serum, and thiopyrilium salts inhibit the latter to the highest extent. By the value of the inhibitory effect on acetyl cholinesterase of human blood erythrocytes thiopyrilium salts exceed the analogous pyrilium salts, whereas in experiments with butyl cholinesterase of horse blood serum there is an opposite dependence.

[Effect of lysine on cephalosporin biosynthesis and morphogenesis in Acremonium chrysogenum]. / Vliianie lizina na biosintez tsefalosporina i morfogenez Acremonium chrysogenum.

The effect of exogenic lysine on production of cephalosporin by auxotrophic and prototrophic strains of A. chrysogenum and their development was studied. It was shown that lysine added to the medium at a concentration of 0.5 or 1 mg/ml partially eliminated the effect of catabolic repression by glucose and had a stimulating effect on production of cephalosporin in the presence of sucrose. Both phenomena were most pronounced in the prototrophic strain 309-A. High concentrations of lysine (10 mg/ml) inhibited cephalosporin biosynthesis more intensively in the auxotrophic strain 291-A than in the prototrophic strain 309-A. Marked differences in the character of the culture development in media supplemented with 1 or 10 mg/ml of lysine were also observed.

[Structure of teichoic acid of a poly(glycerophosphate) nature from Streptomyces levoris K-3053 and its biological properties]. / Struktura teikhoevoi kisloty poli(glitserofosfatnoi) prirody Streptomyces levoris K-3053 i nekotorye ee biologicheskie svoistva.

The wall teichoic acid from S. levoris was studied. It is a poly(glycerophosphate)polymer consisting of 15-20 nonsubstituted glycerophosphate units coupled by the phosphodiether bonds according to the 1, 3 type. It was shown that the acid had antitumor activity and high cardiotoxicity evident from a clear-cut negative ionotropic effect on the cardiac papillar muscle in dogs.

[Development of atherosclerosis in alternating prolonged electrostimulation of the negative and positive hypothalamic emotiogenic zones]. / O razvitii ateroskleroza pri cheredovanii dlitel'noi élektrostimuliatsii otritsatel'nykh i polozhitel'nykh émotsiogennykh zon gipotalamusa.

Rabbits kept under conditions of free behavior were exposed to long-term electrostimulation of negative and positive emotiogenic zones of the hypothalamus by means of a special autonomous nutrition system. It is shown that long-term electrostimulation of the negative emotiogenic hypothalamic zones followed by rest causes disorders of lipid metabolism and vascular permeability and the development of atherosclerosis. The development of atherosclerosis intensifies in alternated electrostimulation of the negative and positive emotiogenic zones and rest. Electrostimulation of the positive emotiogenic hypothalamic zones does not induce atherogenic changes in the vessels. It is suggested that the atherogenic lipoproteins infiltrate into the aorta after the cessation of negative emotional stress attended by the development of positive emotional states and rest.