Solid State NMR Study of the Mixing Degree Between Ginkgo Biloba Extract and a Soy-Lecithin-Phosphatidylserine in a Composite Prepared by the Phytosome® Method

Leaves extract of Ginkgo biloba, known in China since the most ancient times, has been widely used in the area of senile dementia thanks to its improving effects on cognitive function. A promising formulation of this botanical ingredient consists in a Ginkgo biloba-soy-lecithin-phosphatidylserine association obtained by the Phytosome® process. The precise assessment of the mixing degree between Ginkgo biloba and soy-lecithin-phosphatidylserine in this formulation is an important piece of information for understanding the reasons of its final performances. To this aim in the present study we carried out for the first time a Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance investigation on Ginkgo biloba-soy-lecithin-phosphatidylserine association, on its constituents and on a mechanical mixture. The analysis of different observables highlighted a very intimate mixing (domains of single components not larger than 60 nm) of Ginkgo biloba and soy-lecithin-phosphatidylserine in their association obtained by Phytosome® process, together with a slight modification of their molecular dynamics, not observed in the case of the mechanical mixture.

Dermatomyositis-Like Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis: A Clinical Clue to Verify Underlying Malignancy

Herein, an otherwise healthy 63-year-old Caucasian woman with a three month-history of progressive symmetrical swelling and of the fingers, lumbal and abdominal pain, proximal muscle weakness, and heliotropic rash resembling V- neck, histologically verified as multicentric reticulohistiocytosis (MRH), is presented. Multiple computer tomography scans failed to detect ovarian cancer despite elevated Ca 125, however, it was verified six months later by magnetic resonance investigation. Multicentric reticulohistocytosis (MRH) is a rare systematic disease that targets skin, mucoses and synovium, resulting in skin nodules, mucosal lesions and deforming painful mutilating polyarthritis. Twenty – five percent of all patients are associated with internal malignancies, hence, MRH paraneoplastic nature remains extremely controversial. Our case showed a peculiar dermatomyositis-like clinical subtype, which we consider suggestive for verification of an underlying malignancy.