Use of pharmaceutical compositions containing mesembrenone
The use of mesembrenone and medicaments and dietary supplements containing mesembrenone. The applicant has surprisingly found that mesembrenone exhibits potent PDE-4 inhibition properties and, in addition to being useful in treating conditions that respond to treatment with a PDE-4 inhibitor, has dual activity on account of its serotonin-uptake inhibition properties. Mesembrenone is extracted and isolated, for example as a pure compound, from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae. Preferably a plant or plants from the genus Sceletium , more preferably, Sceletium tortuosum (L) N.E.Br is used.
1. A method of modulating PDE-4 activity in an individual, comprising administering to the individual mesembrenone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mesembrenone is extracted and isolated from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mesembrenone is in the form of a plant extract from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
4. The method of claim 3 , where the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the genus Sceletium.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the species Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mesembrenone or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered as a dietary supplement.
7. A method of inhibiting PDE-4 activitiy in an individual, comprising administering to the individual mesembrenone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
8. A method of inhibiting PDE-4 activity and 5HT-uptake in an individual, comprising administering to the individual mesembrenone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the individual is a healthy individual.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mesembrenone is extracted and isolated from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mesembrenone is in the form of a plant extract from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the genus Sceletium.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the species Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br.
14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the individual is a healthy individual.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mesembrenone is extracted and isolated from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mesembrenone is in the form of a plant extract from plant material of the plant family Mesembryanthemaceae.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the genus Sceletium.
18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mesembrenone is obtained from plant material of a plant or plants of the species Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br.
19. The method of claim 8 , wherein the individual is a healthy individual.