Effect of the edible mushroom Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii on transient global ischemia-induced monoamine metabolism changes in rat cerebral cortex.

We performed a transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion on rats and investigated whether feeding an aqueous extract of Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii, an edible mushroom, affected metabolism of monoamines in the cerebral cortex, possibly protecting against ischemic damage. Seventeen days after the surgery, concentrations of the dopamine (DA) metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and of homovanillic acid (HVA) in the cerebral cortex of the M. aitchisonii-fed group (MV) were higher than in the control ischemia (CV) group. The turnover rate of DA, which was indicated by (DOPAC+HVA)/DA, for the CV group was significantly lower than for the MV group, and the MV group value was the same rate as the sham-operated group. These data indicate that M. aitchisonii affects the dopaminergic neuronal system following brain ischemia damage in the cerebral cortex.

Antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of Korean Red Ginseng.

The antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) were examined on rat carotid artery thrombosis in vivo, and platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo. Administration of KRG to rats not only prevented carotid artery thrombosis in vivo in a dose-dependent manner, but also significantly inhibited ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo, while failed to prolong coagulation times such as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT), indicating the antithrombotic effect of KRG might be due to its antiplatelet aggregation rather than anticoagulation effect. In line with the above observations, KRG inhibited U46619-, arachidonic acid-, collagen- and thrombin-induced rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 620 +/- 12, 823 +/- 22, 722 + 21 and 650 +/- 14 microg/mL, respectively. Accordingly, KRG also inhibited various agonists-induced platelet serotonin secretions as it suppressed platelet aggregation. These results suggest that KRG has a potent antithrombotic effect in vivo, which may be due to antiplatelet rather than anticoagulation activity, and KRG intake may be beneficial to the individuals with high risks of thrombotic and cardiovascular diseases.

[Experimental study of effect of tanshinone on artery restenosis in rat carotid injury model].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the preventive and therapeutic effect of tanshinone (TA) on artery restenosis in the rat carotid injury model and explor the mechanism. METHOD: Male SD rats were randomly divided into model control group, and low dose, moderate dose and high dose TA groups. Each group had 10 rats. The rats in the high, moderate and low dose groups were respectively fed with TA 120, 40,13.3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) by gast rogavage; the rats in the model control group were fed with the same volume solvent. Two days later, the rat's right carotid artery was injuried by balloon dilatation to induce intimal thickening for establishing the restenosis model. After 2 weeks of treatment, the artery was harvested and stained by hematoxylin-elsin (HE) and immunohistochemistry of PCNA, NF-kappaB and iNOS. The morphological changes were checked under microscope. The area of the intimal and medial layer of the vessels, and their ratios were analyzed with image analysis software. The expression level of PCNA, NF-kappaB and iNOS were used as the positive index. RESULT: The intimal area and intima-to-media ratio of the injuried artery increased obviously, suggesting the model was successful. Compared with the model group, TA significantly decreased the intimal area and intima-to-media ratio (P < 0.05), and also decreased the positive index of PCNA and the positive ratio of NF-kappaB and iNOS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TA can effectively inhibit intimal thickening and inflammation. This result suggestes that TA may play a positive role in the prevention of restenosis after PTCA.

Selective alteration of native, but not second language articulation in a patient with foreign accent syndrome.

The present study deals with a right-handed female polyglot suffering from a Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) which affects her native language (L1), but not her other languages learnt since the age of 12. She had a small infarct in the left corona radiata as the result of a carotid occlusion. Her L1 was Spanish, but she also had a good command of French, English and Catalan (L2). Aphasia tests did not reveal any other significant alteration in any language. Analyses of pre-morbid and post-morbid voice recordings revealed that FAS affected Spanish dramatically, but no important changes were observed for French. Results were interpreted as showing that different brain areas control articulation of L1 and L2 learnt after a critical period.