Treatment of primary cultured adipocytes with 20 mM glucose resulted in a progressive increase in specific 125I-insulin binding that began almost immediately (no lag period) and culminated in a 60% increase by 24 h. This effect was dose-dependent (glucose ED50 of 4.6 mM) and mediated by an increase in insulin receptor affinity. Moreover, it appears that glucose modulates insulin receptor affini...

YM060, (R)-5-[(1-methyl-3-indolyl)carbonyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-benzimidazole hydrochloride, is a new serotonin (5HT)3-receptor antagonist. We examined the effects of YM060 on chemotherapeutic agent-, apomorphine- and copper sulfate-induced emesis. Intravenous YM060 potently prevented cisplatin (10 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced emesis with ED50 values of 0.06 (0.05-0.07) micrograms/kg, i.v. in ferrets...

This study aimed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch extract (HAWE) on phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) gene expression and cyclic guanosine 3',5' monophosphate (cGMP) signaling in the MCF-7 and MDA-Mb-468 cell lines. The effective dose (ED50) of HAWE was examined in both cell lines using a 3-(4,5-dimethylhiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide viability test,...

Epilepsy is the most frequent nearological affiction and afflicts 1% about of the world's population. Currently there is an urgent need for the development of novel anticonvulsants with higher levels of potency and lower levels of toxicity. In this paper, a series of new 6-(substituted-phenyl)thiazolo[3,2-b][1,2,4]triazole derivatives were synthesized and tested for their anticonvulsant activit...

BACKGROUND Moxonidine, a novel imidazoline-alpha2-adrenergic receptor-selective analgesic, was recently identified as antinociceptive but has yet to be evaluated in neuropathic pain models. alpha2-adrenergic receptor-selective analgesics, and high-efficacy opioids, effectively inhibit neuropathic pain behaviors in rodents. In contrast, morphine potency and efficacy decreases in states of neurop...

GABA-potentiating neuroactive steroids such as pregnanolone have potent protective effects in the pentylenetetrazol seizure test. We sought to determine if tolerance develops to the anticonvulsant activity of pregnanolone with chronic administration. Mice were treated with two daily injections of a 2 x ED50 dose of pregnanolone (25 mg/kg, i.p.) for 7 days. On the day after the chronic treatment...

Troglitazone, a thiazolidinedione derivative, is a widely used antidiabetic drug that binds and activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and enhances insulin sensitivity. It induces differentiation of adipocytes, which highly express PPARgamma. We report that human prostate cancer cells expressed PPARgamma at prominent levels and normal prostate tissues had very lo...

The development and pharmacology of a new potent growth hormone (GH) secretagogue, ipamorelin, is described. Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2), which displays high GH releasing potency and efficacy in vitro and in vivo. As an outcome of a major chemistry programme, ipamorelin was identified within a series of compounds lacking the central dipeptide Ala-Trp of growth h...

BACKGROUND The genus Trichuris includes parasites of major relevance in veterinary and human medicine. Despite serious economic losses and enormous impact on public health, treatment options against whipworms are very limited. Additionally, there is an obvious lack of appropriately characterized experimental infection models. Therefore, a detailed parasitological characterization of a Trichuris...

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine ED50 and ED95 of remifentanil for intubation combined with propofol in nonparalyzed Chinese children. METHODS Forty-seven American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I children aged 4-11 years weighing 14-33.5 kg underwent general anesthesia with 2.5 mg·kg(-1) of intravenous propofol followed by remifentanil in Wenzhou, China. The initia...