Mulberry leaves have been used as the sole food for silkworms in sericulture, and also as a traditional medicine for diabetes prevention. Mulberry leaf components, for example 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), inhibit the activity of -glucosidase and prevent increased blood glucose levels, and they are highly toxic to caterpillars other than silkworms. The -glucosidase inhibitory activity of mulberry leaves changes with the season, but it is unknown which environmental conditions influence the -glucosidase inhibitory activity. We investigated in this study the relationship between the -glucosidase inhibitory activity and environmental conditions of temperature and photoperiod. The results demonstrate that low temperatures induced decreasing -glucosidase inhibitory activity, while the induction of newly grown shoots by the scission of branches induced increasing -glucosidase inhibitory activity. These results suggest that the -glucosidase inhibitory activity was related to the defense mechanism of mulberry plants against insect herbivores. Key words:-glucosidase inhibitor; 1-deoxynojirimycine; mulberry; resistance to insect herbivore Mulberry leaves have been historically used as feed for silkworms and consumed as a beverage or health food by humans. Mulberry leaf components inhibit the activity of a kind of digestive enzyme for sugar absorption, -glucosidase, and promote slow absorption of glucose into the blood vessels. [1][2][3] The most important substance in mulberry leaves, 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), is known to be a strong intestinal -glucosidase inhibitor. Mulberry leaves contain 1-DNJ, 4) so that mulberry leaf products have been commercialized as health foods.In contrast, mulberry leaves are highly toxic to caterpillars other than the silkworm, Bombyx mori, because they contain 1-DNJ and other -glucosidase inhibitors that affect common insects. 5,6) The silkworm has evolved adaptive enzymes to circumvent the toxic effects of -glucosidase inhibitors and made it able to feed on mulberry leaves. 6,7) 1-DNJ and the -glucosidase inhibitor from mulberry leaves are therefore used to both improve the symptoms of diabetes mellitus, and to avoid caterpillars by inhibiting growth.Mulberry plants are distributed throughout the world, the number of mulberry cultivars in Japan alone being over 1,000. These cultivars match the climatic characteristics in various areas. The typical cultivars of mulberry plants are maintained and administered in Japan at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan) and the Experimental Farm of Textile Science and Technology of Shinshu University (Ueda, Nagano, Japan). It has been reported that the -glucosidase inhibitory activity and 1-DNJ concentration of mulberry leaves differ among various cultivars and seasons, [8][9][10][11] but it is unknown which environmental conditions influence the -glucosidase inhibitory activity. We therefore investigated in this study the relationship between the environmental conditions and -glucosidase inhibitory activity. Materia...

Background. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is a surgical treatment to reduce the “off” state motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Postural instability is one of the major impairments, which induces disabilities of activities of daily living (ADLs). The effectiveness of STN-DBS for postural instability is unclear, and the effect of rehabilitation following STN-DBS has remained uncertain. Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in balance ability, gait function, motor performance, and ADLs following 2 weeks of postoperative rehabilitation in PD patients treated with STN-DBS. Methods. Sixteen patients were reviewed retrospectively from February 2016 to March 2017. All patients were tested in their “on” medication state for balance and gait performance using the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) and the Timed “Up and Go” (TUG) test before the operation, after the operation, and during the discharge period. The UPDRS motor score (UPDRS-III) and Barthel Index (BI) were assessed before the operation and during the discharge period. Rehabilitation focused on muscle strengthening with stretching and proactive balance training. Friedman’s test and the post hoc Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test were used to analyze the balance assessments, and ANOVA and the post hoc Tukey’s test were used to analyze gait performance. The significance level was p<0.05. Results. During the discharge period, the Mini-BESTest and TUG were significantly improved compared with the preoperative and postoperative periods (p<0.05). There were no differences between preoperative and postoperative periods in the Mini-BESTest (p=0.12) and TUG (p=0.91). The BI and motor sections of the UPDRS did not differ significantly between the preoperative and postoperative periods (p=0.45, p=0.22). Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that postoperative rehabilitation improves balance and gait ability in patients with PD treated with STN-DBS.

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Background. The effects of subthalamic nuclear deep brain stimulation therapy (STN-DBS) and combined postoperative rehabilitation for patients with Parkinson’s disease with postural instability have yet to be well reported. This study investigated the effects of short-term postoperative rehabilitation with STN-DBS on physical function in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Methods. Patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who were admitted to our hospital for STN-DBS surgery were included in this study. Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative rehabilitation consisted of muscle-strengthening exercises, stretching, and balance exercises for 40–60 minutes per day for approximately 14 days. The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) seconds and steps, Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), seconds for 10 times toe-tapping, lower limb extension torque using StrengthErgo240, and center of pressure sway in the quiet standing posture were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively, and at discharge. Mini-BESTest changes were also evaluated in the two groups classified by the presence or absence of postural instability. One-way and two-way repeated measures analyses of variance were performed for each of the three periods of change, and paired t-tests with the Bonferroni method were performed as multiple comparison tests. A stepwise multiple regression model was used to identify factors associated with balance improvement. Results. A total of 60 patients with Parkinson’s disease were included, and there were significant increases in Mini-BESTest, TIS, StrengthErgo240, and postural sway during closed-eye standing compared to pre- and postoperative conditions at discharge ( p < 0.05 ), and they decreased significantly compared to the postoperative period ( p < 0.05 ). On stepwise multiple regression analysis, decreased steps of TUG and improvement of TIS scores were related to improvement of the Mini-BESTest ( p < 0.05 ). In addition, Mini-BESTest scores in both groups with and without postural instability were significantly increased at discharge compared to preoperative and postoperative conditions ( p < 0.01 ). Conclusion. Postoperative rehabilitation combined with STN-DBS may provide short-term improvements in physical function compared with the preoperative medicated status. The improvements in gait step length and trunk function may be important factors for obtaining improvement of postoperative postural stability.

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