The present study examined effects of alpha-mangostin (α-MG) supplementation on the retinal microvasculature, including ocular blood flow (OBF) and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) permeability in a type 2 diabetic animal model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: normal control and diabetes with or without α-MG supplementation. Alpha-mangostin (200 mg/Kg/day) was administered by gavage feeding for 8 weeks. The effects of α-MG on biochemical and physiological parameters including mean arterial pressure (MAP), OBF, and BRB leakage were investigated. Additionally, levels of retinal malondialdehyde (MDA), advance glycation end products (AGEs), receptor of advance glycation end products (RAGE), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated. The elevated blood glucose, HbA1c, cholesterol, triglyceride, serum insulin, and HOMA-IR were observed in DM2 rats. Moreover, DM2 rats had significantly decreased OBF but statistically increased MAP and leakage of the BRB. The α-MG-treated DM2 rats showed significantly lower levels of retinal MDA, AGEs, RAGE, TNF-α, and VEGF than the untreated group. Interestingly, α-MG supplementation significantly increased OBF while it decreased MAP and leakage of BRB. In conclusion, α-MG supplementation could restore OBF and improve the BRB integrity, indicating its properties closely associated with antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiglycation activities.

OSA had no significant effect on serum BDNF, cortisol, triglyceride, or total cholesterol levels while LDL-c and HDL-c levels in OSA patients compared to control were significantly different at p = 0.04, and p = 0.008, respectively.

BackgroundLeptospirosis, one of the most widespread zoonotic infectious diseases worldwide, is caused by spirochetes bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The present study examined inhibitory activity of purified xanthones and crude extracts from Garcinia mangostana against both non-pathogenic and pathogenic leptospira. Synergy between γ-mangostin and penicillin G against leptospires was also determined.MethodsMinimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of crude extracts and purified xanthones from G. mangostana and penicillin G for a non-pathogenic (L. biflexa serovar Patoc) and pathogenic (L. interrogans serovar Bataviae, Autumnalis, Javanica and Saigon) leptospires were determined by using broth microdilution method and alamar blue. The synergy was evaluated by calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index.ResultsThe results of broth microdilution test demonstrated that the crude extract and purified xanthones from mangosteen possessed antileptospiral activities. The crude extracts were active against all five serovars of test leptospira with MICs ranging from 200 to ≥ 800 μg/ml. Among the crude extracts and purified xanthones, garcinone C was the most active compound against both of pathogenic (MIC =100 μg/ml) and non-pathogenic leptospira (MIC = 200 μg/ml). However, these MIC values were higher than those of traditional antibiotics. Combinations of γ-mangostin with penicillin G generated synergistic effect against L. interrogans serovars Bataviae, Autumnalis and Javanica (FIC = 0.52, 0.50, and 0.04, respectively) and no interaction against L. biflexa serovar Patoc (FIC =0.75). However, antagonistic activity (FIC = 4.03) was observed in L. interrogans serovar Saigon.ConclusionsCrude extracts and purified xanthones from fruit pericarp of G. mangostana with significant antibacterial activity may be used to control leptospirosis. The combination of xanthone with antibiotic enhances the antileptospiral efficacy.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to conserved epitopes on the G glycoprotein of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) subgroup A fail to neutralize the virus in cell culture in the absence of complement, but are protective in rodent models of infection. They may have potential as prophylactic agents in human infants. In order to investigate the role of Fc-dependent pathways in protection by one such antibody, 1C2, the V H and V L genes were isolated by RT-PCR and assembled with human k light-chain and human c1 heavy-chain constant-region genes to form two mouse-human chimaeras, which were expressed in NS0 cells. One of the chimaeras carried a wild-type c1 chain, whilst the other had an aglycosyl mutation in the C H 2 domain rendering the antibody defective in complement activation and FccR binding. Whilst both chimaeric antibodies exhibited similar avidity for HRSV in ELISA, only the fully glycosylated wild type was capable of neutralizing the virus in the presence of complement. In mice passively immunized with either murine or wild-type c1 chimaeric antibody, no virus could be recovered from the lungs 4 days after intranasal inoculation of HRSV. In mice immunized with the aglycosyl c1 chimaera, however, virus was present in the lungs following challenge, although virus titres were significantly reduced compared with controls (P<0?005). These results indicate that the protective effect of this antibody is mediated by both Fc-dependent and Fc-independent pathways.

Four medicinal plants (Quercus infectoria, Kaempferia galanga, Coptis chinensis and Glycyrrhiza uralensis) as well as one traditional Thai treatment for aphthous ulcers based on these four plants were tested for antimicrobial activity. MIC values for a range of bacteria and Candida albicans were determined, with both type strains and clinical isolates being used. Antioxidant activity was determined using the ABTS radical scavenging assay. Among the four plants, Q. infectoria showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC of 0.41 mg/mL, while C. chinensis showed antifungal activity against C. albicans with an MIC of 6.25 mg/mL. Activity was also shown against a range of other organisms including Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. The antimicrobial activity of the traditional aphthous ulcer preparation (a powder) was comparable to that for the individual plant extracts, however, incorporation of the powder into a gel formulation resulted in the loss of almost all activity. All extracts, with the exception of K. galanga, also showed good antioxidant activity. This study supports the traditional use of these plants and suggests that they may also be useful in the treatment of other infections.

No abstract

Abstract:Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of linalool in chronically stressed rats on their behaviour as related to depressive disorders and BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) protein in the hippocampus. Methods: Either Tween 80 or linalool (50, 160, 500 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to rats, daily, for two weeks. Some rats were housed in home cages but the others were induced with chronic restrained stress (15 min daily). At the end of the treatment, the rats were assessed for depressive-like behaviour using the forced swimming test. At the end of the behaviour test, the animals were immediately decapitated and the hippocampus of each animal was removed for the measurement of the BDNF protein by ELISA. Result: The immobility time was significantly increased (p < 0.05) but time of climbing was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The restrained rats treated with linalool, 500 mg/kg, displayed immobility times less than those of their controls (p < 0.05) while these rats showed significantly more climbing than in the control rats (p < 0.05). Linalool showed no effect on the BDNF protein in the hippocampus. Conclusions: linalool decreases behaviour related to depressive disorders but it has no effect on the BDNF protein in chronic restrained stress.