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Background: An optimized method for indirect shoot organogenesis from the leaf explants of Hygrophila pogonocalyx, a rare and endemic species in Taiwan, was developed to supply enough quantity of plant materials for the first chemical and pharmacological investigation. Results: Incubation of the young leaves on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (0.5 mg/l) and indole-3-acetic acid (0.1 mg/l) resulted in the best multiplication rate for organogenesis. The average number of adventitious buds per leaf was 22.8 ± 1.9 after 8-week culture. The adventitious buds rooted and developed into plantlets when cultured simply on MS medium. Using this protocol, up to 37,600 plants were produced from a single leaf explant in one year. From the ethanol extract of the leaves of this micropropagated plant, 13 compounds were isolated and identified, including two flavones ( 1, 11), four flavonols ( 9, 10, 12, and 13), three phenylethanoid glycosides ( 6– 8), two alkylated glycosides ( 2– 3), and two steroids ( 4– 5). Of these, acteoside ( 7) exhibited anti-tyrosinase activity in human epidermal melanocytes and luteolin 7- O-β- d-glucopyranoside ( 11) exhibited the greatest neurocytoprotective activity. Conclusions: The method, indirect shoot organogenesis from leaf explants of H. pogonocalyx, could be developed to supply enough quantity of plant materials for the chemical and pharmacological investigation. In the present study, the isolated active compounds may develop for whitening agents or treating neurodegenerative diseases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chronic neurodegenerative disorders are having an increasing impact on public health as human longevity increases. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and is characterized by motor system disorders resulting in loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. Pueraria thomsonii Benth. (Fabaceae) is an herbal medicine that has traditionally been used as an antipyretic agent. In the present study, the active constituents, daidzein and genistein, were isolated from P. thomsonii. Both compounds exhibited neurocytoprotective effects against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cytotoxicity in nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cells. Neither daidzein nor genistein affected 6-OHDA-induced cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation according to flow cytometric analysis. Rather, they inhibited caspase-8 and partially inhibited caspase-3 activation, providing a protective mechanism against 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells. The present results imply that daidzein and genistein may be useful in the development of future strategies for the treatment of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Objective. To compare our pilot therapeutic results of patients with severe head injury treated either with standard therapy alone or with standard therapy plus amantadine sulphate. Design. Retrospective pilot study. Setting. Intensive Care Unit (ICU), University Hospital. Patients. All patients with severe head injury (GCS < 8) admitted to the ICU between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2001. The patients were divided into two groups based on the fact, whether they did or did not receive amantadine sulphate included in standard therapy. Group 1 consisted of 41 patients of average age 42.12 ± 16.8 years, of them 35 were males and 6 females. Group 2 included 33 patients of average age 43.91 ± 18.45 years consisting of the 30 males and 3 females. Intervention. Both groups were treated with the standard therapy of severe head injury accepted in our institution. In addition, group 1 patients received amantadine sulphate in a dose of 200 mg i.v. twice daily for 3 days, starting on day 3 of hospitalisation. The reason for amantadin sulphate administration was persistent comatos condition. Measurements and results. Glasgow Coma Scale in patients on admission (after resuscitation) and on discharge from the ICU and mortality rate were compared. In the group 1 the average income GCS was 4.47 ± 2.26 and the average outcome GCS was 9.76 ± 3.95. In the group 2 the average income GCS was 4.70 ± 2.14 and the average outcome GCS was 5.73 ± 3.57. In the amantadine sulphate group two patients out of 33 died (6.06%). There were 17 deaths (51.51%) out of 33 patients in the second control group. Conclusion. In the group of patients with severe brain injuries treated with standard therapy plus amantadine sulphate the outcome GCS was higher and the case fatality rate lower than in the group treated with standard therapy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]