Search

AbstractBackground:Curcumin, an extract from the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa(turmeric), has been widely used as a spice and herbal medicine in Asia. It has been suggested to have many biological activities, such as antioxidative, antiinflammatory, anticancer, chemopreventive, and antineurodegenerative properties. We evaluated the impact of curcumin on life span, fecundity, feeding rate, oxidative stress, locomotion, and gene expression in two different wild-type Drosophila melanogasterstrains, Canton-S and Ives, under two different experimental conditions.Results:We report that curcumin extended the life span of two different strains of D. melanogaster, an effect that was accompanied by protection against oxidative stress, improvement in locomotion, and chemopreventive effects. Life span extension was gender and genotype specific. Curcumin also modulated the expression of several aging-related genes, including mth, thor, InR, and JNK.Conclusions:The observed positive effects of curcumin on life span and health span in two different D. melanogasterstrains demonstrate a potential applicability of curcumin treatment in mammals. The ability of curcumin to mitigate the expression levels of age-associated genes in young flies suggests that the action of curcumin on these genes is a cause, rather than an effect, of its life span–extending effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methamphetamine (MAP) is one of the most commonly abused drugs in Asia, and previous studies suggest that serotonin 3 receptors (5-HT3) are involved in MAP-induced locomotion and reward. However, little is known about the role of 5-HT3 receptors in MAP-induced behavioral sensitization. Here, we measured the effects of MDL 72222, a 5-HT3 antagonist, and SR 57227 A, a 5-HT3 agonist, on the development and expression of MAP-induced behavioral sensitization, and alternations of 5-HT3 receptor binding labeled with the 5-HT3-selective antagonist, [3H]GR65630, in mice. In addition, we investigated the effects of MAP on 5-HT3A receptor channel activity in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing 5-HT3A receptors. We found that MDL 72222 attenuated both the development and expression of behavioral sensitization to MAP (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), and that this attenuating effect of MDL 72222 was reversed by pre-treatment with SR 57227 A. In oocytes expressing 5-HT3A receptor, MAP exhibited a dual modulation of 5-HT3A receptor channel activity, i.e. pre-treatment with a low dose of MAP (0.1 µm) enhanced 5-HT-induced inward peak current ( I5-HT) but a high dose of MAP (100 µm) inhibited I5-HT. The acute administration of MDL 72222 with MAP decreased [3H]GR65630 binding versus MAP alone in the mouse striatum. Our results suggest that MDL 72222 attenuates MAP-induced behavioral sensitization via 5-HT3 receptors in the caudate putamen, and that 5-HT3 receptor antagonists like MDL 72222 have potential as novel anti-psychotic agents for the treatment of MAP dependence and psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any human trials should be designed and conducted within the ethical framework of the "Declaration of Helsinki" stating that any new agent must be tested against standard, proven therapies when available. In the clinical development of antiepileptic drugs, a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study is generally considered the gold standard for establishing their clinical efficacy. However, placing patients with epilepsy on placebo is unethical because of negative impact of subsequent seizures resulting from "nontherapy". The ethical concern is relatively small in an add-on trial but becomes problematic when a monotherapy is designed. Asia is expected to play a key role for future clinical development of new antiepileptic drugs. Timely action and collaborations of Asian epilepsy communities for advances in future clinical trials seems high in priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]