Treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders with deep brain stimulation; raising hopes and future challenges.

The technology of Neural Stimulation in recent years has become the focus of the research and treatment, although it has been around for many years. The potential use of stimulating the brain and nerves ranges from the spinal cord stimulation to the implantations of cochlear and bionic eyes with a large discrepancy between the clinical readiness for these various uses. Electrical high-frequency Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) was developed as an alternative option to treat a few neurological disorders. However, with advancing in surgical procedures, technologies and safeties, the applications of DBS are expanding not only for therapeutic purposes but also for research. Although the exact mechanisms of action/s are not fully understood, the outcome of the ongoing research and clinical trials are promising. DBS has been used to treat the essential tremor since 1997, Parkinson's disease (PD) since 2002 and dystonia since 2003. It has also been used to treat various disorders, including major depression. The therapeutic effect of DBS in PD is well established but for other diseases such as epilepsy the outcomes are unclear and ambiguous. This article is a succinct review of the literature, focusing on PD, epilepsy and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Bio-activity of natural polymers from the genus Pistacia: a validated model for their antimicrobial action.

The polymers from mastic gum of Pistacia lentiscose and subspecies of Pistacia atlantica, (sp. kurdica, mutica and cabolica) have been isolated and characterised by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 13C NMR spectroscopy as cis-1,4-poly-?-myrcenes. They were screened against Helicobacter pylori and other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria to evaluate their antimicrobial action. In order to further test their hypothesised mode of action, two polymer types were synthesized: one from myrcene, and four from polyvinyl alcohols of different molecular weights, derivatised with p-hydroxybenzoate. The anti-microbial activity of these polymers, evaluated through their 'kill' kinetics, was found to be related to their functional groups, their molecular weight and their solubility.

Isolation, analysis and antimicrobial activity of the acidic fractions of Mastic, Kurdica, Mutica and Cabolica gums from genus Pistacia.

The chemical entities of Mastic, Kurdica, Mutica and Cabolica gums from genus Pistacia have been isolated and characterised by GC-Mass Spectrometry, High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Column Chromatography. These chemical entities were screened for anti-microbial activities against nine strains of Helicobacter pylori and some other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The most bioactive components were structurally analysed. These components mimic steroid compounds, in particular, the known antibiotic Fusidic acid.  Some of these chemical entities have produced promising data that could lead to the development of a novel class of antimicrobial agents that may have application in the treatment of infectious disease. Kill kinetics have been also performed, and the produced data were evaluated by Generalized Multiplicative Analysis Of Variance (GEMANOVA) for the bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities which can be clinically significant. The isolated components were all bactericidal.