Paranormal health claims

Summary Faith in paranormal cures has always been the last hope of many sufferers from chronic or incurable diseases. Magico-religious rituals of healing are still around, but some have been replaced by pseudo-scientific systems, thinly disguising old superstitions in new obscurantism, more appealing to the half-educated. in medical quackery, inventiveness seems to be limitless, and only the main paranormal healing systems can be reviewed here. The increasing popularity of alternative healing indicates the extent of dissatisfaction with dehumanising aspects of modern, technological medicine and its preoccupation with curing the curable at the expense of caring for the incurable. This leaves the sufferers, and also healthy people labelled with non-existent diseases, bleeding prey for the sharks roving the seas of medical ignorance. Medicine came into the world with a twin brother called Charlatanism — Lavoisier     

Lack of effect of dihydroergotamine on endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation and endothelial cell prostanoid production

Summary The most important effect of dihydroergotamine is venoconstriction, but certain metabolic effects and changes in vessel prostanoid activity have also been suggested. In this study endothelial cell production of 6-keto PGF₁ and TxB₂ was quantitated in vitro. No evidence of altered prostanoid production was noted after incubation with dihydroergotamine (exposure ranging from 5×10^–3 to 5×10^–7 g/l). Similarly, no effect of dihydroergotamine on the growth rates of endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells in vitro was documented.     

Goniothalamicin and annonacin: Bioactive acetogenins fromGoniothalamus giganteus (Annonaceae)

Summary Using brine shrimp lethality for activity-directed fractionation, goniothalamicin (I), a new tetrahydroxy-mono-tetrahydrofuran fatty acid -lactone (acetogenin), has been isolated from ethanolic extracts of the stem bark ofGoniothalamus giganteus Hook. f., Thomas (Annonaceae). This novel compound was found to be cytotoxic and insecticidal and inhibited the formation of crown gall tumors on potato discs. Annonacin (II), the only other reported mono-tetrahydrofuran acetogenin, was also isolated; the previously reported 9ASK (astrocytoma reversal) activity ofII was confirmed, andII is now also found to be weakly active against 3PS murine leukemia.     

Determination of diel periodicity of sex pheromone release in three species of Lepidoptera by ‘closed-loop-stripping’

Summary By means of closed-loop-stripping and subsequent GC analyses the diel periodicity of release of (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate, (E)-8-dodecenyl acetate, and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, the main constituents of the respective sex pheromone blends ofMamestra brassicae, Cryptophlebia leucotreta andSpodoptera sunia females, was determined.Pheromones, 64. For the 63rd contribution we have taken from: Szöcs, G., Toth, M., Bestmann, H. J., Vostrowsky, O., Heath, R. R., and Tumlinson, J. H., Z. Naturforsch.42c (1987) 165; Pheromones, 62: Bestmann et al.¹³.     

Effect of protein kinase C activation and depletion on insulin stimulation of glycogen synthesis in cultured hepatoma cells

Summary Insulin stimulation of glycogen synthesis was nearly abolished in hepatoma cells shortly treated with 4 ß-phorbol 12 \-myristate, 13 -acetate (protein kinase C activation) but remained unmodified in cells chronically treated with the phorbol ester (protein kinase C depletion). Thus, although exogenous activation of protein kinase C results in an inhibition of insulin action, protein kinase C depletion has no influence on this process. The results suggest that, in hepatoma cells, no endogenous activation of protein kinase C may occur in response to the signal triggered by insulin.     

Pharmacodynamic profile of CQP 201-403, a novel 8α-amino-ergoline

Summary The profile of action in animals of CQP 201-403, a novel 8-amino-ergoline, is in most aspects that of a very potent dopaminomimetic, both as a prolactin secretion inhibitor, and at the levels of the CNS and the cardiovascular system. Qualitatively CQP 201-403 differs slightly from bromocriptine and apomorphine in its effects on the CNS (no influence on serotonin metabolism in the rat cortex; induction of masculine mounting behavior in rats) and the cardiovascular system of the dog (reflex tachycardia in response to a blood-pressure fall). In man the new compound proved to be highly active in lowering prolactin serum levels and to be more potent than bromocriptine (Parlodel^®).In memory of Dr Annemarie Closse, who died 14 June 1987.     

Proopiomelanocortin expression in the skin during induced hair growth in mice

We demonstrate for the first time a hair cycle-dependent gene and protein expression of proopiomelanocortin in mouse skin in vivo. Northern blot detected POMC mRNA with an apparent size of 0.9 kb in anagen but not telogen skin. Western blot emphasized a specific protein of 30–33 kDa recognized by anti -endorphin in late but not early anagen or telogen skin. By immunocytochemistry, -endorphin antigen was localized in the sebaceous gland in a hair cycle dependent manner.     

Definition of a consensus binding site for p53.

Recent experiments have suggested that p53 action may be mediated through its interaction with DNA. We have now identified 18 human genomic clones that bind to p53 in vitro. Precise mapping of the binding sequences within these clones revealed a consensus binding site with a striking internal symmetry, consisting of two copies of the 10 base pair motif 5'-PuPuPuC(A/T)(T/A)GPyPyPy-3' separated by 0-13 base pairs. One copy of the motif was insufficient for binding, and subtle alterations of the motif, even when present in multiple copies, resulted in loss of affinity for p53. Mutants of p53, representing each of the four "hot spots" frequently altered in human cancers, failed to bind to the consensus dimer. These results define the DNA sequence elements with which p53 interacts in vitro and which may be important for p53 action in vivo.     

C1 inhibitor hinge region mutations produce dysfunction by different mechanisms.

Heterozygosity for a mutant dysfunctional C1 inhibitor protein, a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) superfamily, results in type II hereditary angioneurotic oedema. We identified a "hinge" region mutation in C1 inhibitor with a Val to Glu replacement at P14 Val-432. Recombinant C1 inhibitors P10 Ala-->Thr and P14Val-->Glu did not form stable complexes with fluid phase C1s or kallikrein. The P14 Val-->Glu mutant, however, was cleaved to a 96K form by C1s, while the P10 Ala-->Thr mutant was not. The recombinant P10 mutant also did not complex with C1s, kallikrein or beta-factor Xlla-Sepharose. The two mutations, therefore, result in dysfunction by different mechanisms: in one (P14 Val-->Glu), the inhibitor is converted to a substrate, while in the other (P10 Ala-->Thr), interaction with target protease is blocked.