Antiviral and antioxidant activity of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins from Crataegus sinaica

The antiviral and antioxidant activity of some fractions and of a series of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins obtained from Crataegus sinaica (Rosaceae) was evaluated. The O-glycosidic flavonoids and the oligomeric proanthocyanidins exhibited significant inhibitory activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which was shown to be due to an extracellular mechanism for procyanidin C-1. Procyanidin C-1 also had the highest antioxidant activity in both the microsomal lipid peroxidation and the hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. In addition to the previously reported phenolic compounds, the pentacyclic triterpenoid ursolic acid (1) and a tetrameric (2) and pentameric procyanidin (3) are reported for the first time.     

Visual illusion induced by sound

We present the first cross-modal modification of visual perception which involves a phenomenological change in the quality-as opposed to a small, gradual, or quantitative change-of the percept of a non-ambiguous visual stimulus. We report a visual illusion which is induced by sound: when a single flash of light is accompanied by multiple auditory beeps, the single flash is perceived as multiple flashes. We present two experiments as well as several observations which establish that this alteration of the visual percept is due to cross-modal perceptual interactions as opposed to cognitive, attentional, or other origins. The results of the second experiment also reveal that the temporal window of these audio-visual interactions is approximately 100 ms.     

Case report. An unusual case of cutaneous sporotrichosis and its response to weekly fluconazole

Cutaneous sporotrichosis is clinically divided into two main types: lymphocutaneous and fixed plaque type. Our report represents an unusual case with both types simultaneously. Fluconazole 150 mg once weekly was used as the treatment. The fixed type lesions responded very well and were healed after 4 months, but the lymphocutaneous lesions were not controlled even after 6 months of the treatment.     

Pharmacological evaluation of the beta-adrenoceptor agonist properties of N-benzyl substituted trimetoquinol analogues

The beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist properties of trimetoquinol (TMQ, I) and N-benzyl ring substituted TMQ analogues (II, 4'-methylbenzylTMQ; III, 4'-chloro-benzylTMQ; IV, 4'-methoxybenzylTMQ; V, 4'-nitrobenzylTMQ; VI, 3',4'-dichlorobenzylTMQ; and VII, 4'-aminobenzylTMQ) were studied in guinea pig atria and trachea. All compounds gave concentration-dependent responses in atria and trachea, and the rank order of beta-adrenoceptor agonist potency was I greater than VII greater than II greater than V greater than IV greater than VI greater than III and I greater than VII greater than IV = VI greater than V greater than III greater than II, respectively. Whereas the N-benzyl substitution reduced potency for beta-agonist activity, the beta 2/beta 1-selectivity ratio was enhanced by addition of groups to the N-benzyl ring, and the rank order of beta 2-selectivity was VI (10-fold) greater than III (8-fold) = IV (8-fold) greater than VII (3-fold) greater than V = I greater than II. The results show that varying the nature of substituents on the N-benzyl ring of TMQ produces compounds which retain greater beta 2-selectivity.