General pharmacological studies were performed on (6)-gingerol and (6)-shogaol which are the pungent constituents of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). Intravenous (i.v.) administration of (6)-gingerol (at 1.75-3.5 mg/kg) or (6)-shogaol (at 1.75-3.5 mg/kg) and oral administration of them (at 70-140 mg/kg) produced an inhibition of spontaneous motor activity, an antipyretic and analgesic effects, prolonged hexobarbital-induced sleeping time, and these effects of (6)-shogaol were mostly more intensive than that of (6)-gingerol. (6)-Shogaol showed an intense antitussive effect in comparison with dihydrocodeine phosphate. In the electro-encephalogram of cortex, the low amplitude fast wave pattern was observed for 5 min after i.v. administration of (6)-shogaol, and then changed to the drowsy pattern, which was restored after 60 min. In the gastro-intestinal system, (6)-shogaol intensively inhibited the traverse of charcoal meal through the intestine in contrast with (6)-gingerol after i.v. administration of 3.5 mg/kg, but (6)-shogaol facilitated such an intestinal function after oral administration of 35 mg/kg. Both (6)-shogaol and (6)-gingerol suppressed gastric contraction in situ, and the suppression by the former was more intensive than that by the latter. In the cardiovascular system, both (6)-shogaol and (6)-gingerol produced depressor response at lower doses on the blood pressure. At high doses, both drugs produced three phase pattern.

A monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to human neutrophils, designated 3H9, was established by screening for the inhibition of neutrophil adherence to plastic plates containing a medium supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS medium). The antigen recognized by 3H9 was shown to be present on human leukocytes and found at the highest levels on granulocytes. On Western blotting, 3H9 reacted with a molecule having a molecular weight of 80 kDa. When this MoAb was added at the same time as a neutrophil stimulant (fMLP), the inhibition of neutrophil adherence to plastic plates in the presence of FCS medium was observed after 60 min incubation. Furthermore, this MoAb enhanced not only fMLP-induced chemotaxis but random migration of neutrophils as well. The mechanisms of these phenomena are discussed.

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The hypoglycemic effect of Seishin-kanro-to (SK) was investigated in KK-Ay mice, one of the non-insulin dependent diabetic mellitus types. SK (1700 mg/kg) reduced the blood glucose of KK-Ay mice from 557 +/- 17 to 383 +/- 36 mg/100 ml 7 hours after single oral administration (P < 0.001). SK also decreased the blood glucose and improved glucose tolerance 5 weeks after repeated administration in KK-Ay mice. These results support, therefore, the use of SK in patients with diabetes and confirm its role as a traditional medicine. In addition, the active plants of SK were identified as the rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge and the radix of Rehmannia glutinosa Liboschitz.