Vol 22, No 10 (2019)

This article provides information on the most frequently encountered parasitic diseases. Classification and clinical picture of the course of each type of disease, such as teniasis, cysticercosis, trichinosis, echinococcosis, alveococcosis as well as their diagnosis and necessary prevention. Possible methods of treatment of diseases caused by helminthiases, as well as the types of drugs that can be used for this. The treatment of parasitic diseases to date remains an urgent problem of modern medicine. Its goal is the eradication of the parasite and the elimination of the clinical manifestations of invasion. The use of etiotropic treatment often leads to a massive breakdown of parasites and the absorption of degradation products into the bloodstream, which can lead to increased toxicity and body sensitization. The aim of the development is to obtain the drug in the form of a solid dosage form for oral administration based on an innovative biologically active synthetic copolymer of vinylpyridine series. The novelty of the proposed approach to the treatment of the above diseases lies in the fact that it is aimed at activating "dormant" phagocytic cells, which, among other things, are part of the parasite tissue membranes. According to the results of animal studies (white rats and white mice, guinea pigs, ferrets), it was shown that the inclusion of such a copolymer in vaccines provides a higher immunogenic activity, unlike vaccines without using a copolymer. Copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone with 2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine have a number of unique properties, such as high hydrophilicity, which makes it easy to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, the ability to complex, good adhesion to biological tissues, as well as its own biological activity - including due to the action of the links of the second comonomer, which leads to activation of the host macrophages and the ability to affect not only the mature helminth, but also the oncosphere and Finn shells during extraintestinal invasions, the lack of toxicity allows you to take long-term drugs containing this substance, without showing significant side effects observed in drugs used in anthelmintic therapy at the present time. This allows the use of such copolymers for various purposes in the pharmaceutical industry.

Objectives: The objective of this project was the comparison of neuroprotective effects of the cardiotonic steroids (CTS) ouabain and bufalin in a primary culture of rat cortical neurons in conditions of glucose-oxygen deprivation. In addition, investigation of the activation of intracellular singnaling cascades associated with the viability of rat cortical neurons in a primary culture was conducted. Material and methods: Modeling of 4-hour glucose-oxygen deprivation, followed by a 20-hour re-oxygenation, was performed on a primary culture of rat cortical neurons (10-12 days in vitro). Ouabain and bufalin in concentrations of 10 nM and 100 nM were administrated 30 min before glucose-oxygen deprivation. Oxidative stress was induced through a 24-hour long incubation of the cul ture with 20 mkM rotenone. Viability of the culture after the experimental procedures was evaluated using the MTT-test. The level of Akt kinase activation was evaluated by comparing the ratio of phosphorylated Akt protein to total protein of the Akt kinase using Western Blot. Results: 30-minute preincubation with 10 nM and 100 nM ouabain, unlike bufalin, protected neurons from death. At the same time, ouabain did not prevent neuronal death when oxidative stress was induced using 20 mkM rotenone. Unlike bufalin, ouabain caused an increase in Akt kinase activation. Conclusion: Ouabain, but not bufalin, has a neuroprotective effect in conditions of glucose-oxygen deprivation. Simultaneously, in our experiments ouabain does not have a neuroprotective effect under direct induction of oxidative stress. The neuroprotective effect of ouabain is likely due to its ability to activate the Akt kinase, which bufalin does not do.

This review shows that to obtain high yields of ergoalkaloids (EA) in saprophytic culture, it is imperative to obtain highly productive strains of the Claviceps fungi - producers of peptide EA, which are stable in physiological and biochemical parameters. After obtaining the producer strain EA, it is necessary for it to create such nutrient media and cultivation conditions under which the realization of its potential possibilities will be most favorable. It is important to note that nutrient media and culture conditions are strain-specific and that the qualitative and quantitative composition of nutrient media, additional introduction of EA precursors into culture medium and culture conditions can stimulate the biosynthesis capacity of EA or suppress it.

Aim. The aim of the study was to investigate the ability of water-ethanol extracts of tarragon Artemisia dracunculus L. and black parsnip Pastinaca sativa L. to increase the body's antitumor resistance to transplanted tumor cells and have an antitumor effect on the growth and metastasis tumors in mice. Material and Methods. In the study mice with metastatic Lewis carcinoma, were used. The inhibitory effect of tarragon Artemisia dracunculus L., "Izumrud" cultivar and parsnip Pastinaca sativa L. was evaluated by inhibition of tumor growth and reduction of metastases in mice lung. Results. A comprehensive study of the chemical composition of tarragon Artimisia dracunculus L. and parsnip Pastinaca sativa L. has identified a wide range of biologically active substances capable to participate in anti-carcinogenic protection. It was shown that water-alcohol extract of tarragon Artemisia dracunculus L. did not significantly affect the growth of tumors and potent metastasizing in mice with carcinoma of Lewis. Water-alcohol extract of parsnip Pastinaca sativa L. (3.2%) demonstrated a significant inhibition of tumor growth and had a pronounced anti-metastatic effect. Conclusion. The results indicate the prospect of further study of the anticancer properties of black parsnip and its biologically active compounds.