Cordycepin Decreases Compound Action Potential Conduction of Frog Sciatic Nerve In Vitro Involving Ca (2+) -Dependent Mechanisms

Astragaloside depresses compound action potential in sciatic nerve of frogs involved in L-type Ca2+-channel dependent mechanism

The sciatic nerve is the largest sensorimotor nerve within the peripheral nervous system (PNS), possessing the ability to produce endogenous neurotrophins. Compound nerve action potentials (CNAPs) are regarded as a physiological/pathological indicator to identify nerve activity in signal transduction of the PNS. Astragaloside (AST), a small-molecule saponin purified from Astragalus membranaceus, is widely used to treat chronic disease. Nonetheless, the regulatory effects of AST on the sciatic nerve remain unknown. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of AST on CNAPs of frog sciatic nerves. Here, AST depressed the conduction velocity and amplitude of CNAPs. Importantly, the AST-induced responses could be blocked by a Ca2+-free medium, or by applying all Ca2+ channel antagonists (CdCl2/LaCl3) or L-type Ca2+ channel blockers (nifedipine/diltiazem), but not the T-type and P-type Ca2+ channel antagonist (NiCl2). Altogether, these findings suggested that AST may attenuate the CNAPs of frog sciatic nerves in vitro via the L-type Ca2+-channel dependent mechanisms.

Biphasic action potential and chaos in a symmetrical Chua Corsage Memristor-based circuit

Neuromorphic computing provides unique computing and memory capabilities that could break the limitation of conventional von Neumann computing. Toward realizing neuromorphic computing, fabrication and synthetization of hardware elements and circuits to emulate biological neurons are crucial. Despite the striking progress in exploring neuron circuits, the existing circuits can only reproduce monophasic action potentials, and no studies report on circuits that could emulate biphasic action potentials, limiting the development of neuromorphic devices. Here, we present a simple third-order memristive circuit built with a classical symmetrical Chua Corsage Memristor (SCCM) to accurately emulate biological neurons and show that the circuit can reproduce monophasic action potentials, biphasic action potentials, and chaos. Applying the edge of chaos criterion, we calculate that the SCCM and the proposed circuit have the symmetrical edge of chaos domains with respect to the origin, which plays an important role in generating biphasic action potentials. Also, we draw a parameter classification map of the proposed circuit, showing the edge of chaos domain (EOCD), the locally active domain, and the locally passive domain. Near the calculated EOCD, the third-order circuit generates monophasic action potentials, biphasic action potentials, chaos, and ten types of symmetrical bi-directional neuromorphic phenomena by only tuning the input voltage, showing a resemblance to biological neurons. Finally, a physical SCCM circuit and some experimentally measured neuromorphic waveforms are exhibited. The experimental results agree with the numerical simulations, verifying that the proposed circuit is suitable as artificial neurons.

Therapeutic Potential and Biological Applications of Cordycepin and Metabolic Mechanisms in Cordycepin-Producing Fungi

Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine), a cytotoxic nucleoside analogue found in Cordyceps militaris, has attracted much attention due to its therapeutic potential and biological value. Cordycepin interacts with multiple medicinal targets associated with cancer, tumor, inflammation, oxidant, polyadenylation of mRNA, etc. The investigation of the medicinal drug actions supports the discovery of novel targets and the development of new drugs to enhance the therapeutic potency and reduce toxicity. Cordycepin may be of great value owing to its medicinal potential as an external drug, such as in cosmeceutical, traumatic, antalgic and muscle strain applications. In addition, the biological application of cordycepin, for example, as a ligand, has been used to uncover molecular structures. Notably, studies that investigated the metabolic mechanisms of cordycepin-producing fungi have yielded significant information related to the biosynthesis of high levels of cordycepin. Here, we summarized the medicinal targets, biological applications, cytotoxicity, delivery carriers, stability, and pros/cons of cordycepin in clinical applications, as well as described the metabolic mechanisms of cordycepin in cordycepin-producing fungi. We posit that new approaches, including single-cell analysis, have the potential to enhance medicinal potency and unravel all facets of metabolic mechanisms of cordycepin in Cordyceps militaris.

Aqueous extract of Cordyceps alleviates cerebral ischemia-induced short-term memory impairment in gerbils

Cerebral ischemia is caused by reduced cerebral blood flow due to a transient or permanent cerebral artery occlusion. Ischemic injury in the brain leads to neuronal cell death, and eventually causes neurological impairments. Cordyceps, the name given to the fungi on insects, has abundant useful natural products with various biological activities. Cordyceps is known to have nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic effects. We investigated the effects of Cordyceps on short-term memory, neuronal apoptosis, and cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus following transient global ischemia in gerbils. For this study, a step-down avoidance test, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 and 5-bromo-2′-de-oxyuridine, and western blot for Bax, Bcl-2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and tyrosin kinase B were performed. In the present study, Cordyceps alleviated cerebral ischemia-induced short-term memory impairment. Cordyceps showed therapeutic effects through inhibiting cerebral ischemia-induced apoptosis in the hippocampus. Cordyceps suppressed cerebral ischemia-induced cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus due to the reduced apoptotic neuronal cell death. Cordyceps treatment also enhanced BDNF and TrkB expressions in the hippocampus of ischemic gerbils. It can be suggested that Cordyceps overcomes cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis, thus facilitates recovery following cerebral ischemia injury.