The loss of the ability for learning and memory is a prominent feature of dementia, which affects millions of individuals all over the world, due to either neurodegenerative diseases or brain injury. Although a lot of information is known about the pathology involved, treatment remains elusive at best. The Black Seed of Nigella sativa has been historically and religiously used for thousands of years for preventing and treating many different kinds of diseases. This review article looks at Nigella sativa and its potential role in facilitating learning and memory. The possible use of this seed's extract or compounds isolated from it, such as thymoquinone, for treating damaged brain neural tissue is discussed. The evidence presented in this paper appears to be supporting the hypothesis that this plant and/or its bioactive constituents can enhance learning and memory in health and disease in animals and humans.
Context: During diabetes mellitus, non-enzymatic reaction between amino groups of protein and carbonyl of reducing sugars (Millard reaction) is responsible for the major diabetic complications. Various efforts have been made to influence the process of protein glycation. Objectives: This review article provides an extensive survey of various studies published in scientific literature to understand the process of protein glycation and its measurement. Moreover, evaluation and identification of potential inhibitors (antiglycation agents) of protein glycation from natural and synthetic sources and their mechanism of action in vitro and in vivo are also addressed. Method: In this review article, the mechanism involved in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is discussed, while in second and third parts, promising antiglycation agents of natural and synthetic sources have been reviewed, respectively. Finally, in vivo studies have been addressed. This review is mainly compiled from important databases such as Science, Direct, Chemical Abstracts, SciFinder, and PubMed. Results: During the last two decades, various attempts have been made to inhibit the process of protein glycation. New potent inhibitors of protein glycation belonging to different classes such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, benzenediol Schiff bases, substituted indol, and thio compounds have been identified. Conclusion: Antiglycation therapy will be an effective strategy in future to prevent the formation of AGEs for the management of late diabetic complications Current review article highlighted various compounds of natural and synthetic origins identified previously to inhibit the protein glycation and formation of AGEs in vitro and in vivo.
The current study was aimed at investigating the potential antidepressant activity of Areca catechu nut ethanol extract and its various fractions using behavioral (acute and sub-chronic forced swim tests) and biochemical (monoamines and their metabolite levels using high performance liquid chromatography) tests. The areca nut ethanol extract and its aqueous fraction exhibited antidepressant activity in both acute and sub-chronic forced swim tests (IC₅₀ ~ 50 and 20 mg/kg, respectively), which was further confirmed by unaltered locomotor (horizontal and vertical) activities of rats in the activity cage. Phytochemical analysis revealed that saponins of areca nut may be the active component in its antidepressant action. The rats treated sub-chronically with areca nut extract displayed toxic effects, whereas its active aqueous fraction was non-toxic, indicating the presence of different constituents for antidepressant and toxic effects. In the hippocampus of rats, the areca nut extract (50 mg/kg) and aqueous fraction (20 mg/kg) caused a significant elevation of serotonin (around 35%) and noradrenaline (around 30%) compared with the control (261 ± 25 and 512 ± 29 ng/g, respectively). In conclusion, the areca nut possesses potential antidepressant effect via the elevation of serotonin and noradrenaline.
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic, autoimmune, cholestatic liver disease with a slowly progressive course. Without treatment, most patients eventually develop fibrosis of the liver and may need liver transplantation in the late stage of disease. Fatigue and pruritus are the most common symptoms of PBC, but the majority of patients are asymptomatic at first presentation. There is no specific treatment for fatigue in PBC, but modafinil has shown some potential beneficial effects, such as increased energy levels and decreased total sleep time. This Review article discusses the natural history and the measurement of fatigue in patients with PBC. The central and the peripheral mechanisms that have been suggested for the pathogenesis of fatigue in PBC are also discussed and treatment options are reviewed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.