Sergei V. Dzyuba

Protection against β-amyloid induced abnormal synaptic function and cell death by Ginkgolide J.

A new Ginkgo biloba extract P8A (TTL), 70% enriched with terpene trilactones, prevents A beta(1-42) induced inhibition of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of mouse hippocampal slices. This neuroprotective effect is attributed in large part to ginkgolide J that completely replicates the effect of the extract. Ginkgolide J is also capable of inhibiting cell death of rodent hippocampal neurons caused by A beta(1-42). This beneficial and multi-faceted mode of action of the ginkgolide makes it a new and promising lead in designing therapies against Alzheimers disease.

Expeditious, mechanochemical synthesis of BODIPY dyes.

Summary BODIPY dyes have been synthesized under solvent-free or essentially solvent-free conditions, within about 5 minutes in an open-to-air setup by using a pestle and mortar, with yields that are comparable to those obtained via traditional routes that typically require reaction times of several hours to days.

Spectroscopic Studies on Tetracycline in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

Circular dichroism and steady-state fluorescence of tetracycline (1) were investigated in a series of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium room-temperature ionic liquids. The identity of the anion of the ionic liquids was found to modulate the conformation as well as the emission intensity of tetracycline over a wide range.

Lactone-free ginkgolides via regioselective DIBAL-H reduction

The lactone rings of ginkgolide A are converted into corresponding tetrahydrofuran moieties via DIBAL-H reduction followed by deoxygenation of the formed lactols with Et3SiH-BF3.Et2O to produce a series of lactone-free ginkgolides.

Expanding Structural Diversity of Terpene Trilactones from Ginkgo biloba Extract: Studies towards Core-modified Ginkgolides

Ginkgolides, the unique terpene trilactones from the Ginkgo biloba tree, are believed to enhance memory, improve blood circulation and exhibit beneficial effects in the treatment of dementia. Unfortunately, mechanisms of ginkgolide actions at the molecular level are still not determined. Ginkgolide skeleton modifications may provide a plausible approach to address subtle changes in the ligand-receptor interactions. Furthermore, the simplified structure of the ginkgolide skeleton may guide to the leads that will be attractive for drug development. This review covers the modifications of the ginkgolide skeleton, reported to date.