In vivo: |
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 01 Nov 1992, 40(11):2114-2122. | Oxidation of chlorogenic acid, catechins, and 4-methylcatechol in model solutions by apple polyphenol oxidase.[Reference: WebLink] | Emerging evidence suggests that dementia and depression, two clinical symptoms commonly associated, share the disorder of neuroplasticity in their neural/molecular pathology. Maintenance of sufficient neurostructural remodelling/neurotrophic activity may be central to cognition/antidementia and a balanced mood.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Here, we show that intra-cerebroventricular (i.c.v.) 4-methylcatechol (4-MC), a stimulator of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and an indirect PKC activator significantly enhanced spatial learning and memory in rats and produced an antidepressant effect. Both effects were eliminated by co-administration of function-blocking anti-BDNF antibody.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results further support the hypothesis that memory processing and mood regulation share common mechanisms and thus therapeutic targets. BDNF enhancers may represent one of the new drug strategies in the fighting against depression associated with memory impairments. | Pharmacological Reports, 2015, 67(2):317-325. | Neurotrophic and antioxidant effects of silymarin comparable to 4-methylcatechol in protection against gentamicin-induced ototoxicity in guinea pigs.[Pubmed: 25712657] | Despite that gentamicin is a very effective aminoglycoside, its potential ototoxicity which is of irreversible nature makes a challenge and limitation for its use. This study was designed to investigate possible neurotrophic and antioxidant effects of silymarin comparable to 4-methylcatechol in protection against gentamicin-induced ototoxicity.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty pigmented guinea pigs were divided into four equal groups, where group I served as normal control group. The other groups received gentamicin (120 mg/kg/day, ip) for 19 days where group II given vehicle of 1% CMC, group III and group IV were pre-treated 2h before gentamicin by 4-methylcatechol (10 μg/kg, ip) and silymarin (100mg/kg, oral gavage), respectively. The main findings indicated that silymarin exhibited restoration of nerve growth factor (NGF) levels and increased tropomyosin-related kinase receptors-A (Trk-A) m-RNA expression in cochlear tissue and preservation of hair cells of organ of Corti by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with significant decrease in auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold compared to 4-methylcatechol. Only silymarin caused significant amelioration in oxidative stress state by reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increasing catalase activity.
CONCLUSIONS: Silymarin exerts superiority over 4-methylcatechol when recommended as protective agent against gentamicin ototoxicity based on its efficient neurotrophic and antioxidant activities. |
|