In recent years, recreational use of Salvia divinorum (Lamiaceae), a herbal drug that contains a hallucinogenic ingredient, salvinorin A, has become a new phenomenon among young drug users. In Taiwan, as in many other...
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In recent years, recreational use of Salvia divinorum (Lamiaceae), a herbal drug that contains a hallucinogenic ingredient, salvinorin A, has become a new phenomenon among young drug users. In Taiwan, as in many other countries, dry leaves of S. divinorum and its related concentrated extract products are available via the Internet. Besides S. divinorum, there are many endemic Salvia species whose salvinorin A content is yet unknown. To understand the abuse liability of these products, the aim of this study was to assess the concentration of salvinorin A in endemic Salvia species and Internet-available salvinorin A-related products. Samples of S. divinorum were purchased via the Internet and samples of eight endemic species of Salvia were collected in Taiwan, including S. arisanensis Hayata, S. coccinea Juss. ex Murr, S. hayatana Makino ex Hayata, S. japonica Thumb. ex Murr, S. nipponica Miq. Var. formosana (Hayata) Kudo, S. scapiformis Hance, S. tashiroi Hayata. Icon. PI. Formosan, and S. keitaoensis Hayata. The content of salvinorin A was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Salvinorin A was extracted from the dry leaves of S. divinorum and endemic species of Salvia with methanol and analyzed on a C-18 column by isocratic elution with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water. Salvinorin A was detected in S. divinorum, but not in the endemic Salvia species of Taiwan. Therefore, endemic species of Salvia in Taiwan may not possess hallucinogenic potential. However, the potential harm from S. divinorum available via the Internet should be thoroughly assessed in Taiwan, and control measures similar to those implemented in many other countries should be considered. Copyright (C) 2014, Food and Drug Administration, Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly and advancing age is the major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease development. Telomere shortening represents one of the molecular causes of ...
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Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly and advancing age is the major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease development. Telomere shortening represents one of the molecular causes of ageing that limits the proliferative capacity of cells, including neural stem cells. Studies on telomere lengths in patients with Alzheimer's disease have revealed contrary results and the functional role of telomere shortening on brain ageing and Alzheimer's disease is not known. Here, we have investigated the effects of telomere shortening on adult neurogenesis and Alzheimer's disease progression in mice. The study shows that aged telomerase knockout mice with short telomeres (G3Terc(-/-)) exhibit reduced dentate gyrus neurogenesis and loss of neurons in hippocampus and frontal cortex, associated with short-term memory deficit in comparison to mice with long telomere reserves (Terc(+/+)). In contrast, telomere shortening improved the spatial learning ability of ageing APP23 transgenic mice, a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. Telomere shortening was also associated with an activation of microglia in ageing amyloid-free brain. However, in APP23 transgenic mice, telomere shortening reduced both amyloid plaque pathology and reactive microgliosis. Together, these results provide the first experimental evidence that telomere shortening, despite impairing adult neurogenesis and maintenance of post-mitotic neurons, can slow down the progression of amyloid plaque pathology in Alzheimer's disease, possibly involving telomere-dependent effects on microglia activation.
Congenital Cataracts with Facial Dysmorphisms and Neuropathy (CCFDN) is a complex autosomal recessive disorder characterized by bilateral congenital cataracts, developmental delay, peripheral;hypodemyelinating neuropa...
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Congenital Cataracts with Facial Dysmorphisms and Neuropathy (CCFDN) is a complex autosomal recessive disorder characterized by bilateral congenital cataracts, developmental delay, peripheral;hypodemyelinating neuropathy, mild facial dysmorphisms, and other rare signs. Cerebral and spinal cord atrophy is the main neuroimaging finding but other less common abnormalities have been previously described. We describe progressive focal lesions of supratentorial white matter in a 10-year-old boy affected by CCFDN. Other etiologies have been excluded and these lesions can be considered a new finding of the disease. We discuss a possible demyelinating mechanism affecting both peripheral and central myelin. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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