PARADISE REGAINED!!!

Inhibitory activities of Puerariae Flos against testosterone 5α-reductase and its hair growth promotion activities.

Murata K, Noguchi K, Kondo M, Onishi M, Watanabe N, Okamura K, Matsuda H.
 

Crude drugs expected to have an estrogenic effect were screened for their inhibitory activity on testosterone 5α-reductase. Testosterone 5α-reductase is an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which possesses high affinity for the androgen receptor. Among the crude drugs tested, we focused on Puerariae Flos (the flowers of Pueraria thomsonii) due to its potent inhibitory activity and suitability for commercial use. The 50% ethanolic extract of Puerariae Flos (PF-ext) showed inhibitory activity of 60.2% at 500 μg/ml against testosterone 5α-reductase. Interestingly, it was more potent than that of Puerariae Radix (roots of Pueraria lobata). PF-ext also showed in vivo anti-androgenic activity using a hair growth assay in testosterone-sensitive male C57Black/6NCrSlc strain mice. We demonstrated saponins, including soyasaponin I and kaikasaponin III, to be active components in PF-ext. In addition, hair growth promotion activity in C3H/He mice at 2 mg/mouse/day of the topical administration of PF-ext was demonstrated. Thus, Puerariae Flos is a promising crude drug for treating androgenic alopecia.

J Nat Med. 2011 Aug 6. [Epub ahead of print]

Why is this cool?

 This may be the paper that leads to the cure to baldness!! Men have dreamed of this for untold millennia! My favorite time of year is winter because it gets cold enough here that I have to wear a hat. While capped, I enjoy looking at my reflection in windows because I look like I have hair. I feel comfortable and confident with the slightest illusion of HAIR!!

 Before we get too far, let's discuss the paper. It says that they tested "crude drugs" ( I don't know exactly what this means) for their ability to inhibit 5-alpha reductase. One of the crude drugs that they tested was the extract of the flowers of Pueraria thomsonii.

They found stellar inhibition and, when tested on mice that were genetically engineered to be bald, they found that there was HAIR GROWTH!! One of the interesting things is that they don't identify the exact compound that inhibits 5-alpha reductase activity, but they have some leads in saponins. More on that when I review the entire paper.

 Often I find myself jumping to what I think is the natural conclusion of an idea and right now that conclusion is the end of "old." When you think of old men, you have several thoughts:

1. Baldness

2. That remaining hair is gray

3. Weathered skin

 Science will have cured baldness! Lotion and lack of outdoor manual labor has done in weathered skin! Normal hair dye has masked grayness! What is the new old? Kevin Bacon. He is 53 years old and is kicking it like he was in Footloose!! Our ideas of masculine old men will have to adjust to the Bacon paradigm!!

THALIDOMIDE!!!

Pharmacological properties of thalidomide (alpha-phthalimido glutarimide), a new sedative hypnotic drug.
SOMERS GF.

Thalidomide (alpha-phthalimidoglutarimide, "Distaval," "Contergan") is a new sedative hypnotic drug which produces no toxic effects when administered orally to animals in massive doses. This lack of toxicity may be due to limited absorption. The drug has a quietening effect on the central nervous system, reducing the voluntary activity of laboratory animals and promoting sleep. Unlike the barbiturate drugs it does not cause an initial excitation in mice, incoordination or narcosis. It potentiates the actions of other central nervous system depressants, in particular the barbiturates. Its sedative effects are counteracted by central nervous system stimulants. It has no deleterious side effects and does not affect the heart, respiration or autonomic nervous system.

Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1960 Mar;15:111-6.

Thalidomide and congenital abnormalities.
SPEIRS AL.
Lancet. 1962 Feb 10;1(7224):303-5.

The Thalidomide Lesson.

Science.1962 Aug 17;137(3529):497.

Why is this cool?

 For those not in the know, thalidomide was originally a drug that was prescribed for nausea and the most nauseous people are pregnant. Naturally, pregnant women were prescribed the drug and for a while they felt better. Their sleepless nights ended with the drug, but began again once their children were born. It turns out that thalidomide causes very visible birth defects such as flippers and webbed hands.

 This is cool?!

 Let me explain why I think this is cool. Obviously, flipper babies are tragedies, but  I have an immense interest in understanding how it is that the DNA gets decoded into a human and the embryo is the biggest jump. Thalidomide gave us a peek into the world of the developing human!

 I also wonder how much stress the embryo can take before malformations occur. Is it possible that with the correct concentration and temporal administration of teratogens we can vastly alter human morphology while retaining all the psychological elements of humanity.

 THIS IS MASQUE!!! He produces teratogens and molds human flesh to his whim!!

 Delving into truly unattainable levels, what if teratogen therapy can be applied such that animal embryos, such as primates, could be create a human-esque being? Or human embryos altered to produce animals. Maybe more practically, teratogen therapy could be used to ensure parents with genetic malformations can treat their children in utero to prevent such malformations from manifesting. A chemical approach to genetic disorders as opposed to a genetic or stem cell approach!

Dinosaurs became birds!!!!

The theropod ancestry of birds: new evidence from the late cretaceous of madagascar

Forster CA, Sampson SD, Chiappe LM, Krause DW.

A partial skeleton of a primitive bird, Rahona ostromi, gen. et sp. nov., has been discovered from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. This specimen, although exhibiting avian features such as a reversed hallux and ulnar papillae, retains characteristics that indicate a theropod ancestry, including a pubic foot and hyposphene-hypantra vertebral articulations. Rahona has a robust, hyperextendible second digit on the hind foot that terminates in a sicklelike claw, a unique characteristic of the theropod groups Troodontidae and Dromaeosauridae. A phylogenetic analysis places Rahona with Archaeopteryx, making Rahona one of the most primitive birds yet discovered.

Science. 1998 Mar 20;279(5358):1915-9.

Why is this cool?

Dinosaurs rock! Definitely not as much as dragons, but they are the closest we may ever get to real dragons. Today's paper is all about how dinosaurs have evolved into birds!! They present evidence that suggests several similarities between birds and dinosaurs (I say dinosaurs, but the author is specifically referring to Archaeopteryx). I will not go into the evidence, because it is fairly straightforward from the abstract.

 You may be thinking that birds are not awesome and their connection to dinosaurs only sullies the reputation of all thunder lizards, but you are so wrong. There are only three genres of flying animal: birds, bats, and insects. Insects are not animals, but you know what I mean. Insects and bats are both annoying, leaving only birds to be impressed by. 

If you need more reasons why birds rock, the great United States has declared that the most badass bird around, the Bald Eagle, represents the tenets of truth, liberty, and the American way.

 Just to be sure, here is a battle between a dragon and dinosaur. The dinosaur wins for being less fictional

Elephant Extinction!!!

Will Elephants Soon Disappear from West African Savannahs?

Philippe Bouché1*, Iain Douglas-Hamilton2,5, George Wittemyer2,3, Aimé J. Nianogo4, Jean-Louis Doucet1, Philippe Lejeune1, Cédric Vermeulen1

Precipitous declines in Africa's native fauna and flora are recognized, but few comprehensive records of these changes have been compiled. Here, we present population trends for African elephants in the 6,213,000 km2 Sudano-Sahelian range of West and Central Africa assessed through the analysis of aerial and ground surveys conducted over the past 4 decades. These surveys are focused on the best protected areas in the region, and therefore represent the best case scenario for the northern savanna elephants. A minimum of 7,745 elephants currently inhabit the entire region, representing a minimum decline of 50% from estimates four decades ago for these protected areas. Most of the historic range is now devoid of elephants and, therefore, was not surveyed. Of the 23 surveyed elephant populations, half are estimated to number less than 200 individuals. Historically, most populations numbering less than 200 individuals in the region were extirpated within a few decades. Declines differed by region, with Central African populations experiencing much higher declines (−76%) than those in West Africa (−33%). As a result, elephants in West Africa now account for 86% of the total surveyed. Range wide, two refuge zones retain elephants, one in West and the other in Central Africa. These zones are separated by a large distance (~900 km) of high density human land use, suggesting connectivity between the regions is permanently cut. Within each zone, however, sporadic contacts between populations remain. Retaining such connectivity should be a high priority for conservation of elephants in this region. Specific corridors designed to reduce the isolation of the surveyed populations are proposed. The strong commitment of governments, effective law enforcement to control the illegal ivory trade and the involvement of local communities and private partners are all critical to securing the future of elephants inhabiting Africa's northern savannas. 


PLoS One. 2011;6(6):e20619. Epub 2011 Jun 22.


Why is this sad?
 I have never been to Africa and my wife has underlined the clause in our marriage contract that prohibits me from dragging her there. So, I have never seen an elephant in the wild. As a child, I rode on an elephant at a circus, but I never learned his name or his family history.  Maybe it was a her. This all comes to the fact that I love elephants! Remember that song "Teddy Bear's Picnic"? I thought it was about elephants...until last year.  Somewhere I heard that elephants have great memories and that means they want picnics, so I just assumed the song had "elephants" everywhere "teddy bears" shows up.

 On that note, it saddens me to read that elephants will one day be extinct. It makes me think of that story "Welcome to the Monkeyhouse," where they describe how Kennedy's boat is now stuck in concrete.  What did the researchers do? They went over Africa for four decades and monitored the decline in the elephant population.  They found that elephant populations are declining all over the place!! Some by 76 %! They found that even elephants in refuges were declining! If the refuge were a mutual fund and the elephants were share price, people would take action if the fund manager let the stock slip in value by 76%...over four decades!

Ebenezer  "Ebony" Hide

  It is something like Elephantmen which everyone should read.  Mappo created human-animal hybrids as an army to conquer Europe and they did.  The fun ends when the UN raids the training/production facility and liberates the ~100,000 elephantmen. Not all of them at elephants though. There are crocodiles, elephants, hippopotami, zebras, giraffes, camels, rhinoceri, and warthogs. Curiously, no lions or hyenas.  The liberated elephantmen are rehabilitated and turned loose to slowly die out.  This connects to elephants because I feel that they are just dying out slowly and we are just watching them.