Digestion of human collagen III by the recombinant human scabies mite aspartic protease N23SsAP.

<p>Recombinant N23SsAP was tested for its ability to digest human collagen III. Reactions were run on a 15% non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel and stained with coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Lane 1, molecular weight marker; lane 2, collagen III alone; lanes 3 and 5, collagen III plus N23SsAP; lanes 4 and 6, collagen III plus N23SsAP and pepstatin A, after 4 hours incubation (lanes 3 and 4) and 13 hours incubation (lanes 5 and 6).</p

Digestion of human fibrinogen by the recombinant human scabies mite aspartic protease N23SsAP.

<p>Recombinant N23SsAP was tested for its ability to digest human fibrinogen. Reactions were run on a 15% non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel and stained with coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Lane 1, molecular weight marker; lane 2, fibrinogen alone; lanes 3 and 5, fibrinogen plus N23SsAP; lanes 4 and 6, fibrinogen plus N23SsAP and pepstatin A, after 4 hours incubation (lanes 3 and 4) and 13 hours incubation (lanes 5 and 6).</p

Digestion of human haemoglobin by the recombinant human scabies mite aspartic protease N23SsAP.

<p>The haemoglobinolytic activity of N23SsAP was detected using native human haemoglobin as substrate at pH% non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel and stained with coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Lane 1, molecular weight marker; lane 2, haemoglobin alone; lanes 3–6, haemoglobin plus N23SsAP, incubated for 1 hour (lane 3), 2 hours (lane 4), 4 hours (lane 5) or 12 hours (lane 6).</p

Digestion of human serum albumin by the recombinant human scabies mite aspartic protease N23SsAP.

<p>Recombinant N23SsAP was tested for its ability to digest human serum albumin. Reactions were run on a 15% non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel and stained with coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Lane 1, molecular weight marker; lanes 2–6, serum albumin plus N23SsAP, incubated for 15 minutes (lane 2), 1 hour (lane 3), 2 hours (lane 4), 4 hours (lane 5) or 12 hours (lane 6).</p

Detection of aspartic protease activity in scabies mite extract using a fluorescent substrate.

<p>The fluorescence signal was recorded at 60 second intervals, commencing after 10 minutes.</p

Digestion of human fibronectin by the recombinant human scabies mite aspartic protease N23SsAP.

<p>Recombinant N23SsAP was tested for its ability to digest human fibronectin. Reactions were run on a 15% non-reducing SDS-PAGE gel and stained with coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Lane 1, molecular weight marker; lane 2, fibrinonectin alone; lanes 3 and 5, fibrinonectin plus N23SsAP; lanes 4 and 6, fibrinonectin plus N23SsAP and pepstatin A, after 4 hours incubation (lanes 3 and 4) and 13 hours incubation (lanes 5 and 6).</p

<i>Cinnamomum cassia</i>: an implication of serotonin reuptake inhibition in animal models of depression

<p>The aim of the study was to explore the traditional use of <i>Cinnamomum cassia</i> against depression. The standardised methanolic extract of the bark of <i>C. cassia</i> was evaluated for antidepressant activity using various behavioural tests, i.e. tail suspension test (TST), forced swim test (FST) and locomotor activity test. The serotonergic and noradrenergic modulation was assessed using 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)-induced head twitches and yohimbine potentiation tests, respectively. The fluoxetine and phenelzine were used as positive controls in the study. The <i>C. cassia</i> extract significantly decreased the immobility time in TST (maximum effective dose tested was 50 mg/kg) while no effect was observed in FST and locomotor activity test. The extract significantly increased the 5-HTP-induced head twitches while yohimbine-induced lethality remained unaltered. The aforementioned results are similar to that caused by fluoxetine. The standardised methanolic extract of <i>C. cassia</i> demonstrated antidepressant activity that can be attributed to rise in serotonin levels.</p