Lavender oil-potent anxiolytic properties via modulating voltage dependent calcium channels

Recent clinical data support the clinical use of oral lavender oil in patients suffering from subsyndromal anxiety. We identified the molecular mechanism of action that will alter the perception of lavender oil as a nonspecific ingredient of aromatherapy to a potent anxiolytic inhibiting voltage dependent calcium channels (VOCCs) as highly selective drug target. In contrast to previous publications where exorbitant high concentrations were used, the effects of lavender oil in behavioral, biochemical, and electrophysiological experiments were investigated in physiological concentrations in the nanomolar range, which correlate to a single dosage of 80 mg/d in humans that was used in clinical trials. We show for the first time that lavender oil bears some similarities with the established anxiolytic pregabalin. Lavender oil inhibits VOCCs in synaptosomes, primary hippocampal neurons and stably overexpressing cell lines in the same range such as pregabalin. Interestingly, Silexan does not primarily bind to P/Q type calcium channels such as pregabalin and does not interact with the binding site of pregabalin, the α2δ subunit of VOCCs. Lavender oil reduces non-selectively the calcium influx through several different types of VOCCs such as the N-type, P/Q-type and T-type VOCCs. In the hippocampus, one brain region important for anxiety disorders, we show that inhibition by lavender oil is mainly mediated via N-type and P/Q-type VOCCs. Taken together, we provide a pharmacological and molecular rationale for the clinical use of the oral application of lavender oil in patients suffering from anxiety

Untersuchung der kryoprotektiven Wirkung von nicht zytotoxischen Substanzen an Geweben

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die kryoprotektive Wirkung der Kombination aus Dimethylsulfoxid + fetalem Kälber Serum, 1,2-Propandiol + Methylzellulose, 1,2-Ethandiol + Hydroxyethylstärke, Hydroxyethylzellulose + Hydroxyethylstärke und Trehalose + Polyvinyl-pyrrolidon für porcine Hornhäute und humane Mundschleimhautkonstrukte untersucht. Des Weiteren erfolgte die Testung der Einzelsubstanzen Polyvinylpyrrolidon und Trehalose. Die Überprüfung der kryokonservierenden Wirkung dieser Medien wurde anhand der Revitalisierung von Hornhäuten und Gewebeäquivalenten nach dem Einfrieren und Auftauen beurteilt. Dazu wurden verschiedener histologische und morphologische Parameter untersucht und ein Proliferationsassay durchgeführt. Unter Verwendung statistischer Analysen ließen sich signifikante Zusammenhänge zum Überleben des Cornea-Endothels sowie zur Revitalisierung der Gewebeäquivalente erkennen. Nach gründlicher Prüfung aller Ergebnisse, erwiesen sich einerseits die Kombination aus Hydroxyethylzellulose + Hydroxyethylstärke und andererseits die Substanz Polyvinylpyrrolidon geeignet zu Kryokonservierung beider Gewebe

Sharp interface analysis of a diffuse interface model for cell blebbing with linker dynamics

We investigate the convergence of solutions of a recently proposed diffuse interface/phase field model for cell blebbing by means of matched asymptotic expansions. It is a biological phenomenon that increasingly attracts attention by both experimental and theoretical communities. Key to understanding the process of cell blebbing mechanically are proteins that link the cell cortex and the cell membrane. Another important model component is the bending energy of the cell membrane and cell cortex which accounts for differential equations up to sixth order. Both aspects pose interesting mathematical challenges that will be addressed in this work like showing non-singularity formation for the pressure at boundary layers, deriving equations for asymptotic series coefficients of uncommonly high order, and dealing with a highly coupled system of equations