A three-arm study comparing the efficacy of Kan Jang, a fixed herbal combination containing standardized Andrographis paniculata (N.) SHA-10 extract, with Immunal, a preparation containing Echinacea purpurea (L.) extract, in uncomplicated common colds was carried out in 130 children aged between 4 and 11 years over a period of 10 days. The study was designed as an adjuvant treatment of Kan Jang and Immunal with a standard treatment. The patients were assigned to one of the three groups. In control group C; 39 patients received only standard treatment. Kan Jang and Immunal were used as an adjuvant to this therapy in the other two groups. Adjuvant group A; 53 patients treated with Kan Jang tablets concomitant to standard treatment, and adjuvant control group B; 41 patients treated with concomitant Immunal. It was found that the adjuvant treatment with Kan Jang, was significantly more effective than Immunal, when started at an early stage of uncomplicated common colds. The symptoms of the disease were less severe in the Kan Jang group. The effect of Kan Jang was particularly pronounced in two objective parameters, amount of nasal secretion g/day and nasal congestion. Kan Jang also accelerated the recovery time, whereas Immunal did not show the same efficacy. The use of standard medication was significantly less in the Kan Jang adjuvant group than in either the Immunal or standard treatment group. Kan Jang treatment was well tolerated and no side effects or adverse reactions were reported.

One of the most known species of the genus Vaccinium (Ericaceae) is Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. or lingonberry. Leaves are included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (XIV-th edition) and the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Belarus (II-nd edition). The aim of this review is an analysis of data about a chemical content and types of pharmacological activities of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. to discuss the tendency of future investigations on this plant. The main parts of works describe researches of chemical contents of fruits as medicinal and edible plant material. The majority of researches describe results of in vitro experiments. A significant interest is the study of the neuroprotective activity of the Vaccinium vitis-idaea extracts as well as their anti-cytokine and antiapoptotic properties and metabolic effects. The main biologically active compounds are phenologlycosides, tannins, proanthocyanes, saponins etc. These results will be of great significance for the development of new drugs from this plant and use along with the fruits of other parts of the plant.

A series of 2-methoxy-and 2-oxyphenyl-1-dialkylaminoalkylimidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazoles have been synthesized and characterized with respect to pharmacological properties. Some of the synthesized compounds exhibit antioxidant, membranotropic, antiaggregant, hemorheological, anticalmodulin, and hypotensive properties, and behave as antagonists of serotonin (5-HT 2,3 ) and purine (P2Y 1 ) receptors. The obtained data show good prospects for the synthesis and screening of biologically active substances in this class of compounds. 579 0091-150X/05/3911-0579

A series of 9-dialkylaminoethyl-2-oxy(dioxy)phenylimidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazoles have been synthesized and their pharmacological properties have been studied. Some compounds exhibit pronounced antioxidant activity, as confirmed on experimental pathological models in animals. The tests also revealed membranotropic, spasmolytic, antiaggregant, hemorheological, anticalmodulin, antiulcer, and hypotensive activity, and the properties of serotonin 5-HT 2 and 5-HT 3 receptor antagonists. The results confirm good prospects for the synthesis and screening of biologically active substances among benzimidazoles of this series. 521 0091-150X/06/4010-0521

Taking into account the structure-activity relationship established previously for imidazobenzimidazole derivatives with high hemorheological activity, several new 9-R-2-halogenophenyl-substituted imidazo-[1,2-a]benzimidazoles with C 2 fluoro-, chloro-, dichloro-, or bromo-phenyl radicals have been synthesized. All substances were tested in vitro for various types of pharmacological activity characteristic of this class of drugs including hemorheological, antiplatelet, antiarrhythmic, antioxidant; 5-HT 2 -, 5-HT 3 -, P2Y 1 -, and H 1 -antagonist; and k-opioid-agonist.