Table 1 Pharmacological effects of ecdysteroids on mammals or humans (see also Sláma and Lafont, 1995 for additional references - in red : references to patents)

Biological area Ecdysteroid Effects References Growth Slight stimulation of growth in mice (by dietary 20E or cyasterone) Hikino et al., 1969 No effect of dietary ponA, 20E and inokosterone on rat growth Matsuda et al., 1970 Stimulation of growth in rats (by dietary viticosterone E, 20E, turkesterone and turkesterone tetraacetate) Syrov and Kurmukov, 1975a, 1976a,b Stimulation of growth in sheep by E Purser and Baker, 1994 Simulation of growth in quails by dietary 20E Koudela et al., 1995; Sláma et al., 1996 Stimulation of growth in pigs Krátky et al., 1997 Stimulation of growth in mice (by 20E injections) Stopka et al., 1999 Cell proliferation and differentia-tion Dietary 20E (5mg/kg) accelerates bone fracture healing process in rats Syrov et al., 1986a 20E possesses wound healing and skin regenerating properties Lin and Lin, 1989; Meybeck and Bonté, 1990, 1993; Meybeck et al., 1994 20E (100 µg/ml) promotes keratinocyte differentiation in vitro Detmar et al., 1994 E induces breast and lung neoplastic lesions in mice El-Mofty et al., 1994 20E as skin metabolism-activating and anti-wrinkling agent Tsuji et al. 1995a PonA in a hair tonic preparation Tsuji et al., 1995b Dietary ecdysteroids (20E, cyasterone, turkesterone, 5 mg/kg) accelerate wound healing in rats Syrov and Khushbaktova, 1996 20E and some analogues inhibit psoriasis Inaoka et al., 1997 20E (200 µg/ml) stimulates proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells Lin et al., 1997 Dietary ecdysteroids (20E, turkesterone,...) enhance erythro-poiesis in rats Syrov et al., 1997b Phytoecdysteroids use for the treatment of burns and wounds Darmograi et al., 1998 20E promotes proliferation of osteoblast-like cells Gao et al., 2000 Reproduction, development 20E and polypodine B show embryotoxicity Kosar et al., 1997 Ecdysteroids might increase milk production in mammals Khalitova and Syrov, 1998 Dietary 20E (5-10 mg/kg) enhances sexual function in rats Mirzaev et al., 1992, 2000 Protein metabolism Injected ecdysteroids (20E, 5 mg/kg) stimulate protein synthesis in mouse liver; this effect corresponds to a stimulation of translation Okui et al., 1968; Otaka et al., 1968, 1969 a,b 20E stimulates protein synthesis in mouse organs Todorov et al., 2000 Carbohydrate metabolism Hypoglycaemic formulation containing 20E Uchiyama and Ogawa, 1970 Injection of 20E (0.1 - 10 mg/kg) in mice reduces hyperglycaemia provoked by alloxan or glucagon, and increases glucose incorporation into glycogen and proteins Yoshida et al., 1971 Dietary 20E (5 mg/kg) for 25 days increases glycogen content in heart, liver and muscles of rats Syrov et al., 1975a; Aizikov et al., 1978 Antidiabetic agents containing 20E or inokosterone Takahashi and Nishimoto, 1992 Dietary administration of 20E (5 mg/kg) or other ecdysteroids reduces alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia in rats Syrov et al., 1997a 20E in oral antidiabetic preparations Yang et al., 2001 Lipid metabolism Injections of E (10-50 µg/kg) reduce de novo cholesterol biosynthesis in rats Lupien et al., 1969 Dietary 20E (0.1 mg/kg/day) for 30 days prevents (= has antiradical properties) free-radical lipid peroxidation of membranes in tissues from vitamin D-deficient rats Kuzmenko et al., 1997 20E in vitro prevents lipid peroxidation in liposomes micelles Osynskaya et al., 1992; Kuzmenko et al., 2001 Nervous system Analgesics containing 20E Takemoto et al., 1988 20E exerts a neuromodulatory action on GABAA receptor of rat cortical neurons Tsujiyama et al., 1995; Sasa et al., 1996; Okada et al., 1998 Cerebral neuron protective effects of 20E Aikake et al., 1996 20E has antiepileptic effects on rats Hanaya et al., 1997 20E has protective effects on amnesia induced by diazepam and alcohol Xu et al., 1999 Heart and circulatory system Phytoecdysteroids have antiatherosclerotic effects Syrov et al., 1983 20E can eliminate arrhythmia induced by occlusion of the left coronary descending branch or by aconitine or calcium chloride Kurmukov and Yermishina, 1991 20E can eliminate arrhythmia induced by aconitine Yang et al., 1996 20 E (0.25-2.5 mg/kg) can restore normal rheologic indices (fibrinogen concentration and viscosity) of blood from rats with a "high blood viscosity syndrome" induced by cerebral ischemia Plotnikov et al., 1998 20E can counteract the damages induced by TNF on human umbilical vein endothelial cells Wu et al., 1998b 20E can be used in preparing medicine for angiocardiopathy Wu, 2001 Defence systems Dietary 20E (10-20 mg/kg/day) has anti-inflammatory properties in mice and rats Kurmukov and Syrov, 1988 Dietary 20E protects gastric mucosa against ulcerogenic chemicals Syrov et al., 1989 Dietary 20E stimulates primary immune reaction Kuzmitsky et al., 1990 20E (1 pM - 10 µM) and other ecdysteroids enhance DNA synthesis in mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes in vitro Fomovska et al., 1992 20E (10-9 - 10-5 M) inhibits histamine release by mast cells Takei et al., 1991 Dietary 20E promotes thymus weight increase in rats Gizatullina et al., 1994 20E (7.5.10-13 - 7.5.10-8 M) activate human lymphocytes in vitro (E-rosette formation, agar migration test) Trenin et al., 1996 Dietary 20E (5 mg/kg) has no effect on experimentally induced inflammatory processes (pleuresia, arthritis) in rats Taniguchi et al., 1997 20E (1 µM) stimulates T-cell CD2 presentation in vitro Trenin and Volodin, 1999 Antibiotic activity 20E can be used for the treatment of herpes zoster Vargas Gonzalez, 1986 Administration of 20E to rabbits reduces infection by protozoa (Lamblia duodenalis, Flagellates) Syrov et al., 1990 20E (200 µg/ml) possesses antibacterial and antifungal activities Ahmad et al., 1996 20E and its acetates have antimicrobial activities Volodin et al., 1999