Four new glucosides from the aerial parts of Mediasia macrophylla

As part of our chemical studies on the medical plants in Uzbekistan aimed at searching for new drug leads, we have examined the aerial parts of Mediasia macrophylla. This has resulted in the isolation of four new glucosides, together with 30 known compounds. The structures of new compounds were elucidated as (1′S)-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane-1′,2′-diol 2′-O-β-glucopyranoside (1), 3-(4′-methoxyphenyl)-propanol 1-O-β-glucopyranoside (2), 2-methoxy-3-hydroxy-5-(E)-propenyl-phenol 1-O-β-glucopyranoside (3), 1-O-angeloyl-β-glucopyranose (4), on the basis of spectral analysis.     

Trichoblastoma in a Child

Abstract:   A trichoblastoma is a benign adnexal neoplasm composed of follicular germinative cells. It most commonly presents as a solitary nodule on the scalp, face, or perineum and occurs equally in males and females. It is diagnosed most commonly between the fourth and the sixth decades, and it is extremely rare in childhood. To our knowledge there is no prior case report of a primary trichoblastoma occurring outside the setting of a nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn in a child before adolescence. Herein we report a case of trichoblastoma of the right cheek in an 11-year-old Korean girl.     

An insertion mutation of the CHRNA4 gene in a family with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy

Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) is the first, and to date only, idiopathic epilepsy for which a specific mutation has been found. A missense mutation in the critical M2 domain of the alpha4 subunit of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA4) has been recently identified in one large Australian pedigree. Here we describe a novel mutation in the M2 domain of the CHRNA4 gene in a Norwegian family. Three nucleotides (GCT) were inserted at nucleotide position 776 into the coding region for the C-terminal end of the M2 domain. Physiological investigations of the receptor reconstituted with the mutated CHRNA4 subunit reveal that this insertion does not prevent the receptor function but increases its apparent affinity for ACh. In addition, this mutant receptor shows a significantly lower calcium permeability that, at the cellular level, may correspond to a loss of function. Comparison of the two mutations identified so far in families with ADNFLE illustrates that different mutations can result in similar phenotypes.      

An open study comparing manual therapy with the use of cold packs in the treatment of post-traumatic headache

One year after head trauma, 23 patients with post-traumatic headache entered a prospective clinical controlled trial to find out if specific manual therapy on the neck could reduce the headache. The study was completed by 19 patients (83%). Ten patients were treated twice with manual therapy and nine patients were treated twice with cold packs on the neck. The pain index was calculated blindly. Two weeks after the last treatment the mean pain index was significantly reduced to 43% in the group treated with manual therapy compared with the pretreatment level. At follow-up five weeks later, the pain index was still lower in this group compared with the group treated with cold packs, but this difference was not statistically significant. The pain index for all 19 patients was significantly correlated to the use of analgesics as well as to the frequency of associated symptoms (number of days per week with dizziness, visual disturbances and ear symptoms). It is concluded that the type of manual therapy used in this study seems to have a specific effect in reducing post-traumatic headache. The result supports the hypothesis of a cervical mechanism causing post-traumatic headache and suggests that post-traumatic dizziness, visual disturbances and ear symptoms could be part of a cervical syndrome.     

Benzoylphloroglucinol derivatives from Hypericum scabrum

Nine new polyprenylated benzoylphloroglucinol derivatives, hyperibones A-I (1-9), were isolated from the aerial parts of the Uzbekistan medicinal plant Hypericum scabrum. Their structures were determined mainly on the basis of spectroscopic evidence (2D NMR and HRMS). Compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed mild in vitro antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistance Staphylococus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococus aureus (MSSA).     

Polysulfide derivatives from Ferula foetida

The ethyl acetate-soluble fraction from a methanol extract of Ferula foetida has afforded six new sulfide derivatives, (E)-3-methylsulfinyl-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide A) (1), (Z)-3-methylsulfinyloxy-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide B) (2), (E)-3-methylsulfinyloxy-2-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (foetisulfide C) (3), bis(3-methylthio-2E-propenyl) disulfide (foetisulfide D) (4), 3,4,5-trimethyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid (foetithiophene A) (5), 3,4,5-trimethyl-2-(methylsulfinyloxymethyl)thiophene (foetithiophene B) (6), along with six known compounds. The structures of 1-6 were established on the basis of spectroscopic studies, with the elucidation of 5 confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.     

The presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody in human immunodeficiency virus-positive hemophilic men undergoing HCV "seroreversion"

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of transfusion-induced chronic liver disease in hemophiliacs, with 70% to 90% being anti-HCV positive. Seroreversion or loss of antibody response to HCV has been observed in a small proportion of human immunodeficiency virus-positive [HIV(+)] anti-HCV(+) hemophilic men. Despite the seroreversion to an anti-HCV- negative state, such patients continue to show serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations and biopsy evidence of cirrhosis and/or chronic active hepatitis. To determine the cause for the loss of anti-HCV antibody, we compared first- and second-generation anti-HCV enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA 1.0 and 2.0), second-generation recombinant immunoblot (RIBA 2.0), and HCV-RNA amplification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 19 "seroreverters" before and after seroreversion. There was no difference between 19 seroreverters and 59 persistently anti-HCV-positive hemophiliacs in mean ALT (1.1 +/- 0.1 XUL v 2.0 +/- 0.2 XUL; chi 2 = 1.80, P > .05), in mean CD4 (188 +/- 36/microL v 232 +/- 28/microL; t = 0.965, P > .05), or in the rate of progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (13 of 19 [68.4%] v 30 of 59 [50.9%]; chi 2 = .987, P > .05, respectively). Before seroreversion, all 19 seroreverters (100%) were positive for EIA 1.0 and 2.0 and PCR, and all but 2 of 19 (89.5%) were RIBA 2.0 positive, whereas, after seroreversion, none were positive for EIA 1.0, 15 of 19 (78.9%) were positive for EIA 2.0, 8 of 18 (44.4%) were positive for RIBA 2.0, and 18 of 19 (94.7%) were positive for PCR. There was a lower CD4 lymphocyte number after seroreversion in those who were RIBA 2.0 negative as compared with those who were RIBA 2.0 positive (32 +/- 10/microL v 171 +/- 52/microL; t = 2.638, P > .05). These results indicate that HIV(+) anti-HCV(+) hemophilic men who undergo "HCV seroreversion" are truly infectious and anti-HCV positive by second- generation tests. Anti-HCV detection in immunosuppressed hosts is significantly improved by second-generation EIA and RIBA assays.