Extracts and compounds active on TRP ion channels from Waldheimia glabra, a ritual medicinal plant from Himalaya

BACKGROUND

Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Regel is a wild plant from the Himalayan Mountains, commonly known as Smooth Ground Daisy. This plant is traditionally used by local populations in religious rituals (incense) or in traditional herbal medicine to treat skin diseases, headache, joint pain and fever. In literature few data are available on the investigation of this aromatic plant.

PURPOSE

The present work aims at deepening knowledge about the chemical composition of W. glabra extracts and incense, as well as its activity on TRP ion channels.

METHODS

Extracts and incense of W. glabra were analyzed by using HS-SPME GC/MS, GC/MS and NMR analysis. Tests on the activity of W. glabra extracts and isolated compounds (+)-ludartin 1 and B-ring-homo-tonghaosu 2 on TRP channels were also performed.

RESULTS

Some extracts and pure compounds from W. glabra showed an interesting activity in terms of efficacy and potency on rat TRPA1, an ion channel involved in several sensory mechanisms, including pungency, environmental irritation and pain perception. Activity is discussed and compared with that of other known TRPA1 natural agonists with different chemical structures. All compounds showed only a negligible inhibition activity on rat TRPM8 ion channel.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that W. glabra is involved in the receptor activation mechanism and therefore represents a new natural product potentially useful in pharmaceutical and agrifood research.

CYP2B6*6 is associated with increased breast cancer risk

The cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is involved in the metabolism of testosterone. Functional changes in this enzyme may influence endogenous hormone exposure, which has been associated with risk of breast cancer. To assess potential associations between two functional polymorphisms CYP2B6_516_G>T (rs3745274) and CYP2B6_785_A>G (rs2279343) and breast cancer risk, we established a specific matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry assay. The GENICA breast cancer case-control study showed associations between the variant genotypes CYP2B6_516_TT and CYP2B6_785_GG and breast cancer risk with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.34 (p = 0.001) and 1.31 (p = 0.002), respectively. A similar effect was observed for carriers of the CYP2B6_516_T allele in a validation study including four independent studies from Germany, Sweden and USA. In a pooled analysis of all five studies involving 4,638 breast cancer cases and 3,594 controls of European ancestry, carriers of the CYP2B6_516_G and the CYP2B6_785_G variant had an increased breast cancer risk with ORs of 1.10 (p = 0.027) and 1.10 (p = 0.031), respectively. We conclude that the genetic variants CYP2B6_516_G and CYP2B6_785_G (designated CYP2B6*6), which are known to decrease activity of the CYP2B6 enzyme, contribute to an increased breast cancer risk.

Specific PCR detection of Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Arcobacter skirrowii, and Arcobacter cibarius in chicken meat

An enrichment PCR assay using species-specific primers was developed for the detection of Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Arcobacter skirrowii, and Arcobacter cibarius in chicken meat. Primers for A. cryaerophilus, A. skirrowii, and A. cibarius were designed based on the gyrA gene to amplify nucleic acid fragments of 212, 257, and 145 bp, respectively. The A. butzleri-specific primers were designed flanking a 203-bp DNA fragment in the 16S rRNA gene. The specificity of the four primer pairs was assessed by PCR analysis of DNA from a panel of Arcobacter species, related Campylobacter, Helicobacter species, and other food bacteria. The applicability of the method was then validated by testing 42 fresh retail-purchased chicken samples in the PCR assay. An 18-h selective preenrichment step followed by PCR amplification with the four Arcobacter primer sets revealed the presence of Arcobacter spp. in 85.7% of the retail chicken samples analyzed. A. butzleri was the only species present in 50% of the samples, and 35.7% of the samples were positive for both A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus. A. skirrowii and A. cibarius were not detected in any of the chicken samples analyzed. The enrichment PCR assay developed is a specific and rapid alternative for the survey of Arcobacter contamination in meat.

In vitro effects of reproterol upon tracheo- bronchial, cardiac and cerebral adenylcyclase

In vitro researches documented that reproterol, as well as salbutamol, is a powerful stimulant of adenyl cyclase activity in the trachea and bronchi but less potent than isoprenaline. The stimulation was antagonized by beta-blockers.

N-Substituted 1,7,7-trimethyl-2-piperidinobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene 5-carboxamides and 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one 3-carboxamides with hypotensive and other activities

The synthesis of N-substituted 1,7,7-trimethyl-2-piperidinobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene 3 carboxamides (II) by reaction of 1,7,7-trimethyl-2-piperidinobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (I) with alkyl and aryl isocyanates, as well as the alkaline hydrolysis of (II) to N-substituted 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one 3 carboxamides (III), are described. A number of compounds (II) and (III) showed strong hypotensive and bradycardiac activities in rats, as well as weak infiltration anesthesia and antiarrhythmic activity in mice. Antiacetylcholine activity in vitro is also reported.

[Phosphocreatine and skeletal musculature: in vivo research]

Phosphocreatine has been shown having significant effects on striated skeletal musculature. In fact, it was shown, by experimental researches, that phosphocreatine interfered with the state of fatigue induced in the Mus musculus and in rats, by the swimming test.