Effect of ginseng saponins on the survival of cerebral cortex neurons in cell cultures

The effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and saponins isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Mayer on the survival of chick and rat embryonic cerebral cortex neurons were examined. Ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1) exerted a survival-promoting effect on both chick and rat cerebral cortex neurons in cell cultures. Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) also had an effect in the rat and displayed some influence in the chick. NGF alone exerted no effect on both neurons, although it did potentiate the GRb1 effect on chick embryonic cerebral cortex neurons, but did not alter the GRb1 effect on rat embryonic cerebral cortex neurons. NGF did not alter the survival-promoting effect of GRg1 on either chick or rat embryonic cerebral cortex neurons. The other saponins alone or with NGF exerted no effect on the survival of cerebral cortex neurons in either the chick or rat.     

Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy of heterocyclic compounds—III : A 20 MHz study of chemical shifts and carbon-proton coupling constants for the methyl coumarins

Complete assignments of chemical shifts and extensive assignments of carbon-proton coupling constants are presented for the 3-, 4-, 6-, 7- and 8-methylcoumarins, together with similar parameters for 5,8- and 6,8-dimethylcoumarin. Shifts in 6,8-dimethylcoumarin can be predicted with high precision from the substituent effects observed in the 6- and 8-methyl derivatives, and shifts are predicted for the 5-methyl derivative, which was not studied.     

Comparative pharmacokinetics of 67Ga among the different routes of injection

The pharmacokinetic study of 67Ga-citrate (67Ga) following intravenous (i.v.), subcutaneous (s.c.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection was performed in anesthetized rats using the repeated blood sampling method by cannulation technique into the external jugular vein. The disappearance of 67Ga from the blood following i.v. and s.c. injection was best fit a three-exponential equation. There was no significant difference between the areas under the curves following i.v. and s.c. injection of 67Ga. In the case of i.p. injection, the disappearance of 67Ga from the blood was described by a two-exponential equation. However, the maximum blood radioactivity was very low, and the disappearance rate of 67Ga from the blood was extremely slow compared to the other routes of injection. The conclusion from these results was that s.c. injection was as suitable as i.v. injection, but i.p. injection was not appropriate for the distribution study of 67Ga such as scintigraphy or autoradiography. However, i.p. route may be available for a special experiment which needs the long-time retention of 67Ga in the blood.