Effects of a Cocktail Supplement of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract on Cognitive Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, including cognitive impairment. Current treatments often involve synthetic drugs with significant side effects and potential for dependency. This study investigates the effects of a natural supplement combination of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract on cognitive symptoms in a 77-year-old male with PD. The participant underwent a three-month supplementation regimen, with cognitive function assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test before and after the intervention. The results indicated an improvement in cognitive scores, suggesting that the combination of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract may offer a promising alternative or adjunct to conventional PD treatments. This study highlights the potential of natural supplements in managing PD symptoms and calls for further research with larger sample sizes to confirm these findings. Human data was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki by the Roxbury District IRB Board (IRB Number: IRB00011767).

Study on the Inhibitory Mechanism of Sophora japonica N-hexane Extract on Microcystis aeruginosa

[Objective] The research aimed to analyze the inhibitory mechanism of Sophora japonica n-hexane extract which significantly inhibited Microcystis aeruginosa in the prior research.[Method] S.japonica n-hexane extract was used to treat M.aeruginosa.By inspecting chlorophyll a content,protein content,cell membrane permeability and superoxide dismutase（SOD） activity,the inhibitory mechanism of S.japonica n-hexane extract on M.aeruginosa was analyzed initially.[Result] S.japonica n-hexane extract destroyed the cell membrane system of M.aeruginosa,and increased the cell membrane permeability.The contents of chlorophyll a and protein respectively declined to 10% and 50% of that in the control group after cultivated for 7 d,which indicated the photosynthetic reaction system of M.aeruginosa was destroyed.In addition,under the effect of S.japonica n-hexane extract,SOD activity of M.aeruginosa increased in the early period and decreased in the latter period.[Conclusion] The possible inhibitory mechanism of S.japonica n-hexane extract on M.aeruginosa was destroying the cell membrane to increase the membrane permeability;destroying the photosynthetic reaction system to decrease the contents of photosynthetic pigment and protein;making SOD activity showing the phased variation.

Study on Tanshinone Extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. Dregs

[Objective]The aim was to extract tanshinone from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. dregs and to determine tanshinone components. [Method]Organic solvent method was adopted to extract tanshinone from S. miltiorrhiza dregs and TLC was used to determine the optimum extraction solvent. The components of tanshinone were measured with HPLC. [Result]Ether was the best solvent to extract tanshinone from S. miltiorrhiza dregs. After water immersion,dry dregs of S. miltiorrhiza and Panax notoginseng were extracted with ethanol to obtain fat-soluble extracts. Then with ether as the solvent for Soxhlet extraction,the yield of crude tanshinone was 2.17%. The HPLC detection showed that the contents of tanshinone Ⅱ A,methylene tanshinquinone,cryptotanshinone,tanshinone Ⅰ were 3.62%,1.02%,2.56%,2.75% respectively. [Conclusion]The components of tanshinone in S. miltiorrhiza dregs were basically the same as tanshinone in medicine S. miltiorrhiza. S. miltiorrhiza dregs could be used as a kind of tanshinone resource,which has the value of development and utilization.

Comparison of Molluscicide Activity of Ethanol Extract of Sapium sebiferum,Pterocarya stenoptera and Cryptomeria fortunei

[Objective] The aim was to compare the molluscicide activity of ethanol extract of Sapium sebiferum,Pterocarya stenoptera and Cryptomeria fortunei.[Method] The molluscicide activity of ethanol extract of S.sebiferum,P.stenoptera and C.fortunei was determined through poison test of Oncomelania hupensis in laboratory.[Result] S.sebiferum,P.stenoptera and C.fortunei had certain molluscicide effect,and S.sebiferum and C.fortunei had better effect with little difference than P.stenoptera;ethanol could extract the effective molluscicide component from plant more completely,and its molluscicide effect was better than that of plant infusion.[Conclusion] Our study could provide theory reference for the plant selection of controlling O.hupensis ecologically.

Salvia miltiorrhiza extract may exert an anti-obesity effect in rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity by modulating gut microbiome and lipid metabolism

BACKGROUND Studies have shown that a high-fat diet(HFD) can alter gut microbiota(GM)homeostasis and participate in lipid metabolism disorders associated with obesity.Therefore, regulating the construction of GM with the balance of lipid metabolism has become essential for treating obesity. Salvia miltiorrhiza extract(Sal), a common traditional Chinese medicine, has been proven effective against atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and other dyslipidemia-related diseases.AIM To investigate the anti-obesity effects of Sal in rats with HFD-induced obesity, and explore the underlying mechanism by focusing on GM and lipid metabolism.METHODS Obesity was induced in rats with an HFD for 7 wk, and Sal(0.675 g/1.35 g/2.70g/kg/d) was administered to treat obese rats for 8 wk. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by body weight, body fat index, waistline, and serum lipid level. Lipid factors(cAMP, PKA, and HSL) in liver and fat homogenates were analyzed by ELISA. The effect of Sal on GM and lipid metabolism was assessed by 16S rRNAbased microbiota analysis and untargeted lipidomic analysis(LC-MS/MS),respectively.RESULTS Sal treatment markedly reduced weight, body fat index, serum triglycerides(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein, glucose, free fatty acid, hepatic lipid accumulation, and adipocyte vacuolation, and increased serum high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C) in rats with HFD-induced obesity. These effects were associated with increased concentrations of lipid factors such as c AMP, PKA, and HSL in the liver and adipose tissues, enhanced gut integrity, and improved lipid metabolism. GM analysis revealed that Sal could reverse HFD-induced dysbacteriosis by promoting the abundance of Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria, and decreasing the growth of Firmicutes and Desulfobacterita. Furthermore, LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that Sal decreased TGs(TG18:2/18:2/20:4, TG16:0/18:2/22:6), DGs(DG14:0/22:6, DG22:6/22:6), CL(18:2/18:1/18:1/20:0), and increased ceramides(Cers;Cer d16:0/21:0, Cer d16:1/24:1),(O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy fatty acids(OAHFAs;OAHFA18:0/14:0) in the feces of rats. Spearman’s correlation analysis further indicated that TGs, DGs, and CL were negatively related to the abundance of Facklamia and Dubosiella, and positively correlated with Blautia and Quinella, while OAHFAs and Cers were the opposite.CONCLUSION Sal has an anti-obesity effect by regulating the GM and lipid metabolism.

Fructus Broussonetae extract improves cognitive function and endoplasmic reticulum stress in Alzheimer's disease models

This study investigated the effects and possible targets of Fructus Broussonetiae extract, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on a model of Alzheimer＇s disease induced by beta-amyloid peptide 25 35 and D-galactose. The results revealed that intragastric administration of Fructus Broussonetiae significantly increased the expression of immunoglobulin-binding protein, a key factor in the endoplasmic reticulum stress-signaling pathway in rat hippocampus. In contrast, the treatment significantly decreased expression levels of PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase and C/EBP homologous protein, and substantially improved learning, memory and spatial recognition dysfunction in rats. This evidence indicates that Fructus Broussonetiae extract improves spatial learning and memory abilities in rats by affecting the regulation of hippocampal endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of the apoptosis pathway.

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Ameliorates Streptozotocin-induced Cognitive and Synaptic Plasticity Deficits by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Preserving AKT and ERK Activities

Progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment are the main clinical manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Currently,there is no effective drug available for the treatment of AD.Previous studies have demonstrated that the cognitive impairment of AD is associated with oxidative stress and the inhibition of AKT and ERK phosphorylation.Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract(GSPE)has been shown to have strong antioxidant effect and can protect the nervous system from oxidative stress damage.This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of GSPE on the cognitive and synaptic impairments of AD using a sporadic AD rat model induced by intracerebroventricular(ICV)injection of streptozotocin(STZ)(ICV-STZ).Rats were treated with GSPE(50,100,or 200 mg/kg every day)by intragastrical(ig.)administration for continuous 7 weeks,and ICV-STZ(3 mg/kg)was performed on the first day and third day of week 5.Learning and memory abilities were assessed by the Morris water maze(MWM)test at week 8.After behavioral test,hippocampal long-term potentiation(LTP)was recorded,and the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutases(SOD),glutathione(GSH)and the protein expression of AKT and ERK were measured in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of rats.Our study revealed that ICV-STZ significantly impaired the working learning ability and hippocampal LTP of rats,significantly increased the levels of MDA,and decreased the activity of SOD and GSH in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.In contrast,GSPE treatment prevented the impairment of cognitive function and hippocampal LTP induced by ICV-STZ,decreased the level of MDA,and increased the level of SOD and GSH.Furthermore,Western blot results showed that GSPE treatment could prevent the loss of AKT and ERK activities in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex induced by ICV-STZ.Our findings demonstrate that GSPE treatment could ameliorate the impairment of cognitive ability and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in a rat model of sporadic AD by inhibiting oxidative stress and preserving AKT and ERK activities.Therefore,GSPE may be an effective agent for the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with sporadic AD.

Lycium barbarum extract promotes M2 polarization and reduces oligomeric amyloid-β-induced inflammatory reactions in microglial cells

Lycium barbarum(LB)is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been demonstrated to exhibit a wide variety of biological functions,such as antioxidation,neuroprotection,and immune modulation.One of the main mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease is that microglia activated by amyloid beta(Aβ)transform from the resting state to an M1 state and release pro-inflammatory cytokines to the surrounding environment.In the present study,immortalized microglial cells were pretreated with L.barbarum extract for 1 hour and then treated with oligomeric Aβfor 23 hours.The results showed that LB extract significantly increased the survival of oligomeric Aβ-induced microglial cells,downregulated the expression of M1 pro-inflammatory markers(inducible nitric oxide synthase,tumor necrosis factorα,interleukin-6,and interleukin-1β),and upregulated the expression of M2 anti-inflammatory markers(arginase-1,chitinase-like protein 3,and interleukin-4).LB extract also inhibited the oligomeric Aβ-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factorα,interleukin-6,and interleukin-1βin microglial cells.The results of in vitro cytological experiments suggest that,in microglial cells,LB extract can inhibit oligomeric Aβ-induced M1 polarization and concomitant inflammatory reactions,and promote M2 polarization.

Bougainvillea spectabilis flowers extract protects against the rotenone-induced toxicity

Objective:To investigate the effect of two extracts of Bougainvillea spectabilis(B. spectabilis) flowers with yellow and pink/purple on brain oxidative stress and neuronal damage caused in rats by systemic rotenone injection. Methods:Rotenone 1.5 mg/kg was given three times per week alone or in combination with B. spectabilis flowers extracts(25 mg or 50 mg) via the subcutaneous route for 2 weeks. Brain concentrations of the lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde(MDA),reduced glutathione,nitric oxide(nitrite),the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta(Il-1β) as well as butyrylcholinesterase,and paraoxonase-1(PON-1) activities,were determined. Histopathology and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry were also performed. Results:Rotenone resulted in significant increases of brain MDA(the product of lipid peroxidation),and nitric oxide content along with decreased brain reduced glutathione. There were also marked and significant inhibition of brain PON-1 and BCh E activities and increased Il-1β in brain of rotenone-treated rats. B. spectabilis flowers extract itself resulted in brain oxidative stress increasing both lipid peroxidation and nitrite content whilst inhibiting PON-1 activity. The yellow flowers extract inhibited BCh E activity and increased brain Il-1β. When given to rotenone-treated rats,B. spectabilis extracts,however,decreased lipid peroxidation while their low administered doses increased brain GSH. Brain nitrite decreased by the pink extract but showed further increase by the yellow extract. Either extract,however,caused further inhibition of PON-1 activity while the yellow extract resulted in further inhibition of BChE activity. Histopathological studies indicated that both extracts protected against brain,liver and kidney damage caused by the toxicant. Conclusions:These data indicate that B. spectabilis flowers extracts exert protective effect against the toxic effects of rotenone on brain,liver and kidney. B. spectabilis flowers extracts decreased brain lipid peroxidation and prevented neuronal death due to rotenone and might thus prove the value in treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Meta-analysis of Ginkgo biloba extract for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE：To evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on Alzheimer＇s disease using meta-analysis.DATA SOURCES：The following sources were used for articles concerning Ginkgo biloba extract for the treatment of Alzheimer＇s disease：Western biomedical journal literature databases,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database,Chinese Journal Full-text Database,Chinese Science and Technology Journal Full-text database.DATA SELECTION：Randomized controlled trials addressing Ginkgo biloba extract for the treatment of Alzheimer＇s disease were selected.The pathway and method of information collection were identical between treatment and control groups.Mild and moderate Alzheimer＇s disease patients scoring ≤ 26 points on the mini-mental state examination were included.Subjects met the diagnostic criteria for dementia by the American Psychiatric Association＇s ＂Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders＂ Fourth revised edition.The quality of included literature was assessed by two authors.Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan4.2 software which was provided by the Cochrane Collaboration.Heterogeneity,sensitivity analysis,and bias evaluation were conducted.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES：Scores of mini-mental state examination,ADAS-cog,and Syndrom-Kurztest.RESULTS：The five included randomized controlled trials contained 819 patients.Meta-analysis showed that the Syndrom-Kurztest score was significantly decreased（weighted mean difference =-2.32; 95%CI =-3.12,-1.52; P 〈 0.01） compared with the control group.No significant difference was found in the mini-mental state examination and ADAS-cog score（P 〉 0.05）.However,there was a tendency to elevate mini-mental state examination score and to reduce the ADAS-cog score.CONCLUSION：Ginkgo biloba extract shows good therapeutic effects for mild and moderate Alzheimer＇s disease.However,high-quality,randomized,double-blind,and controlled trials are needed to further confirm its therapeutic effects.

GC/GCMS analysis of the petroleum ether and dichloromethane extracts of Moringa oleifera roots

Objective:To explore the phytochemical constituents from petroleum ether and diehloromethane extracts of Moringa oleifera(M.oleufera)roots using GC/GC—MS.Methods:A total of 5.11 kg fresh and undried crashed root of M.oleifera were cut into small pieces and extracted with petroleum ether and diehloromethane(20 L.each) at room temperature for 2 d.The concentrated extracts were subjected to their GC—MS analysis.Results:The GC-MS analysis of the petroleum ether and diehloromethane extracts of M.oleifern roots,which showed promising biological activities,has resulted in the identification 102 compounds.These constituents belong to 15 classes of compounds including hydrocarbons,fatty acids,esters,alcohols,isolhioeyanate.thiocyanale,pyrazine,aromalics.alkamides.cyanides,steroids,halocompounds.urea and N-hydroxyimine derivatives,unsaturated alkenamides.alkyne and indole.GC/GC-MS studies on petroleum ether extraet of the roots revealed that it contained 39 compounds,belonging to nine classes.Cyclooctasulfur S8 has been isolated as a pure compound from the extract.The major compounds identified from petroleum ether extract were trans-13-clocosene(37.9%).nonacosane(32.6%).cycloartenol(28.6%) nonadecanoic acid(13.9%) and cyclooctasulfur S8(13.9%).Dichloromethane extract of the roots was composed of 63 compounds of which nasimizinol(58.8%) along with oleic acid(46.5%),N—benzyl-N-(7—cyanato heptanamide(38.3%),N—benzyl-N—(1—chlorononyl) amide(30.3%),bis[3—benzyl prop-2-ene]-1-one(19.5%) and N.N-dibeuzyl—2-ene pent 1.5—diamide(11.6%) were the main constituents.Conclusions:This study helps to predict the formula and structure of active molecules which can be used as drugs.This result also enhances the traditional usage of M.oleifera which possesses a number of bioactive compounds.

Determination of inhibitory activity of Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts on xanthine oxidase with a paper-based analytical device

A novel paper-based analytical device(PAD)was prepared and applied to determine the xanthine oxidase(XOD)inhibitory activity of Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts(SME).First,polycaprolactone was 3D printed on filter paper and heated to form hydrophobic barriers.Then the modified paper was cut according to the specific design.Necessary reagents including XOD for the colorimetric assay were immobilized on two separate pieces of paper.By simply adding phosphate buffer,the reaction was performed on the double-layer PAD.Quantitative results were obtained by analyzing the color intensity with the specialized device system(consisting of a smartphone,a detection box and sandwich plates).The 3Dprinted detection box was small,with a size of 9.0 cm×7.0 cm×11.5 cm.Color component G performed well in terms of linearity and detection limits and thus was identified as the index.The reaction conditions were optimized using a definitive screening design.Moreover,a 10%glycerol solution was found to be a suitable stabilizer.When the stabilizer was added,the activity of XOD could be maintained for at least 15 days under 4℃ or-20℃ storage conditions.The inhibitory activity of SME was investigated and compared to that of allopurinol.The results obtained with the PAD showed agreement with those obtained with the microplate method.In conclusion,the proposed PAD method is simple,accurate and has a potential for point-of-care testing.It also holds promise for use in rapid quality testing of medicinal herbs,intermediate products,and preparations of traditional Chinese medicines.

Anticancer activity of Mahonia leschenaultii methanolic root extract and berberine on Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma in mice

Objective: To evaluate the effects of methanol root extract of Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine of Mahonia leschenaultii on Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma in Swiss Albino mice. Methods: The methanol root extracts of Mahonia leschenaultii(200 and 400 mg/kg) were given orally, and berberines(10 and 20 mg/kg) were injected intra-peritoneally for 14 successive days in tumor bearing mice. Hematological parameters(white and red blood cells, haemoglobin level, granulocytes, and agranulocytes), lipid parameters(total cholesterol and triglycerides), serum enzymes(serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases, and alkaline phosphatise) and mean survival and solid tumor growth were determined and compared with untreated mice. 5-fluorouracil(20 mg/kg) was used as a reference standard drug. Results: Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine reduced the hematocrit significantly. Furthermore, Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine improved the survival of mice significantly and restored the affected hematological and lipid parameters similar to the normal levels. Conclusions: These observations show a strong anticancer effect of methanol root extract of Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine in suppressing Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma cancer cell growth in a mouse model by controlling haematological, lipid, serum enzymes, and other derived parameters effectively.

Zinc extraction from sewage sludge with [S,S]-EDDS

An environmentally friendly biodegradable chelant,[S,S]-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid(EDDS),was used to separate heavy metals from sewage sludge based on chemical extraction technology.The extraction of zinc from sewage sludge with an aqueous solution of EDDS was studied under various conditions.It is found that the extraction efficiency of zinc using EDDS is equivalent to that using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)at the molar ratio of chelant to total heavy metals of 1:1 over pH range of 5-9.EDDS is capable of extracting zinc from the sludge.The extraction efficiency is improved obviously and reaches a higher value within pH range from 3 to 10.The extraction efficiency maintains at about 65% when pH≥4.5 and the ratio of 10:1.By comparing the species contents of the zinc in sewage sludge before and after the extraction,it is found that the extracted zinc mainly comes from the acid soluble,reducible and oxidizable fractions.

Dyeing of S/J Cotton Knit Fabric with Natural Dye Extracts from Green Walnut Shells: Assessment of Mordanting Effect on Fastness Properties

In this study, aqueous extraction method is used because of its high extraction ratio, light fastness and also functional properties. In 1st phase, for dyeing S/J cotton knit fabric with green walnut power ferrous sulfate is considered as a mordant. In this study, three different mordanting methods such as pre-, meta-, and post-mordanting are conveyed the dyeing process with the state of metallic mordant and without metallic salt mordants. In 2nd phase, in dyeing for fixation ferrous sulfate was considered as mordants. Furthermore, the analysis and evaluation of each colour dyed material was done through following two terms for instance CIELAB (L*, a*, and b*) and K/S values. According to AATCC test methods, colour fastness to washing, crocking, perspiration of the dyed samples is determined whereas according to the ISO standard, the colour fastness to light was estimated and tested. When dyeing was carried out on S/J cotton knit fabric through considering optimum parameter like at 80&degC for 60 min and at pH 4 which showed optimum results. From the results we can see, very good wash fastness was obtained while there is no fading of the colour, whereas the outstanding and moderate level of colour fastness to light and crocking is achieved.

Neuronal-like differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells induced by striatal extracts from a rat model of Parkinson's disease

A rat model of Parkinson＇s disease was established by 6-hydroxydopamine injection into the medial forebrain bundle. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells （BMSCs） were isolated from the femur and tibia, and were co-cultured with 10% and 60% lesioned or intact striatal extracts. The results showed that when exposed to lesioned striatal extracts, BMSCs developed bipolar or multi-polar morphologies, and there was an increase in the percentage of cells that expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）, nestin and neuron-specific enolase （NSE）. Moreover, the percentage of NSE-positive cells increased with increasing concentrations of lesioned striatal extracts. However, intact striatal extracts only increased the percentage of GFAP-positive cells. The findings suggest that striatal extracts from Parkinson＇s disease rats induce BMSCs to differentiate into neuronal-like cells in vitro.

The Effects of Standardized Ginkgo Biloba Extracts (GBE) on Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) in Middle-Aged Adults: A Review

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is defined as the presence of self-reported cognitive complaints with unimpaired performance in neuropsychological cognitive tests. SCD has been identified as a precursor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and potentially represents the earliest clinical sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Standardized extracts of Ginkgo biloba (GBE) are widely used as a treatment for cognitive impairment. Nonetheless, most of the available review articles focus on the effects of GBE in MCI and dementia but not in SCD and its specific cognitive effects. Thus, this review collects and discusses the available published clinical data for the effects of standardized GBE on the early stages of cognitive decline among an age group where SCD becomes a topic—the middle-aged adults. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs), systematic reviews and meta-analyses of standardized GBEs in cognitive decline subjects were searched using PubMed/MEDLINE, Science direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar until January 2019. Data from relevant RCT were critically evaluated to determine the potential effects of GBE on SCD. The results showed that the number of available GBE studies on SCD is small. Eight studies were selected in which subjects reported memory impairment, in some cases with concerns (worries), and with an average age at onset SCD of 60 years. Six studies gave a proof of efficacy for GBE for the treatment of SCD in at least one cognitive parameter. One study is inconclusive, however, a post-hoc analysis demonstrates efficacy in preventing AD with intake >4 years. The most common GBE dosage used was 240 mg GBE/day over a minimum period of 8 weeks. Hence, there might be beneficial effects of GBE to prevent, improve or delay SCD in the generation of 50 years or older. However, larger, well-defined RCTs using SCD criteria are necessary to further substantiate this effect in SCD subjects.

Influence of flavone extract from cultivated saussurea on learning and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease A comparison with estradiol benzoate

The present study established a mouse model of Alzheimer＇s disease, and investigated the effects of treatment with flavone extract from artificially cultivated saussurea. A positive control group was treated with estradiol benzoate, and learning and memory ability were examined in the 8-arm radial maze. The learning and recognition ability of mice with Alzheimer＇s disease treated with flavone extract was significantly improved and the number of hippocampal neurons was significantly increased in the flavone-treated and positive control groups compared with the model group. The results indicate that flavone extract from artificially cultivated saussurea can improve learning and memory deficits in mice with Alzheimer＇s disease, exerting effects similar to those of estradiol benzoate.

Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

The present study analyzed the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PC12 cell apoptosis in a model of Parkinson＇s disease. The results showed that Ginkgo biloba extract had a potent cytoprotective action and inhibited apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. Ginkgo biloba extract decreased the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 and markedly inhibited the activation of p53 and caspase-3. These experimental findings indicate that Ginkgo biloba extract may significantly reduce the effects of oxidative stress induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in PC12 cells and suppress cell apoptosis. The potential effects of Ginkgo biloba extract might be greater than those of levodopa in the treatment of Parkinson＇s disease.

Anti-inflammation Activities of Essential Oil and Anti-microbial Activities Of Ethanol Extraction from China's Rosemary

Rosemary(Rosmarius officinalis L.), an endemic plant species in south region of China, is traditionally used as a spice. In this research, the anti-inflammatory activities of essential oil and the antibacterial activities of ethanol extraction were determined, respectively. Results showed that based on the GC-MS analysis there were 35 kinds of active ingredients in the essential oil in totally, mainly including D-limonene(24.158 ml/L), α-Pinene(23.325 ml/L), Camphor(9.855 ml/L),Camphene(7.076 ml/L), Verbenone(6.685 ml/L), Borneol(5.580 ml/L), etc. The LCUV determination indicated that the main components in the ethanol extractionwere rosmarinic acid(3 910 mg/kg) and carnosic acid(2 970 mg/kg). By mice peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis of chicken erythrocytes experiment, the essential oil of rosemary was shown having a significant role in anti-inflammation. And the ethanol extraction had broad-spectrum antibacterial effects, but had no effect on mold by the agar diffusion method of 8 bacteria. As a result, both rosemary essential oil and ethanol extraction had good potential medicinal values.