Protective effects of the aerial parts of Salvia officinalis, Melissa Officinalis and Lavandula angustifolia and their constituents against enzyme-dependent and enzyme-independent lipid peroxidation.

The antioxidant effects of aqueous methanolic extracts from three medicinal Lamiaceae species were investigated in enzyme-dependent and enzyme-independent lipid peroxidation systems. All these extracts caused a considerable concentration-dependent inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Phenolic components present in the plant extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity and were found effective in both tests. Their concentrations in each extract were determined by TLC-densitometry.

Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation and plant regeneration via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from cotyledon leaves in eggplant (Solanum melongena L. cv. 'Kecskeméti lila').

Novel and efficient protocols for plant regeneration and genetic transformation from longitudinally-halved cotyledons ofin vitro raised seedlings in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) are described. After co-cultivation withAgrobacterium vectors harboring neomycin phosphotransferase (nptll) as selectable marker, transgenic plantlets were regenerated on selective media containing 100 mg/l kanamycin. Transformants were recovered from embryogenic calli induced by 4 mg/lα-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and from organogenic calli induced by the addition of 2 mg/l zeatin plus 0.01 mg/l NAA. Nineteen independent transgenic lines were grown to maturity. The structural integrity, expression and sexual transmission of the introduced genes for neomycin phosphotransferase and ß-glucuronidase (gus) were investigated.

A comparative study with indomethacin and combined indomethacin sodium-salicylate in rheumatoid arthritis.

A double-blind cross-over clinical trial was performed to compare clinical effectiveness of indomethacin (3 x 25 mg/day) alone to that of a combination of indomethacin + sodium-salycylate (3 x 25 mg/day and 3 x 250 mg/day, respectively) in rheumatoid arthritis. It was established that enteral blood loss was significantly reduced by combined treatment as determined by Cr51 labelled erythrocytes in comparison to that after treatment with indomethacin alone. Therapeutic effect was maintained in both groups, no significant disparities were observed. Occurrence of subjective complaints was less frequent in the combined treatment group. It was concluded that the combined preparation consisting of indomethacin and sodium-salicylate has a favourable effect in rheumatoid arthritis.

Reduction of indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal blood loss by sodium salicylate in man.

The gastrointestinal bleeding during treatment with indomethacin, aspirin, phenylbutazone and sodium salicylate in healthy human subjects was determined. Gastrointestinal blood loss was determined by the Cr51-labelled erythrocyte method. The method was modified by us. Collected stool was incinerated and radioactivity of ashes was determined. Furthermore, rheumatic patients were treated for 4 weeks with indomethacin alone or with indomethacin combined with sodium salicylate. The gastrointestinal blood loss was determined on the last 4 days of treatment. It was found that blood loss was significantly reduced by combined treatment in comparison to monotherapy with indomethacin, while combined treatment had a marked anti-rheumatic effect.