http://www.3dchem.com Molecule of the Month Updates en-gb Sat, 4 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT Copyright: (C) Karl Harrison http://www.3dchem.com 12 http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=449http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=449Tretinoin is the acid form of vitamin A and so also known as all-trans retinoic acid or ATRA. It is a drug commonly used to treat acne vulgaris and keratosis pilaris. It is available as a cream or gel (brand names Aberela, Renova, Retin-A, Avita). Tretinoin is most commonly used as a form of acne treatment. It was the first retinoid developed for this type of topical use. Tretinoin is the best studied retinoid in the treatment of photoaging. ITopical tretinoin is also used to treat and reduce the appearance of stretch marks by increasing collagen production in the dermis.Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=450http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=450Astaxanthin is a carotenoid. It belongs to a larger class of phytochemicals known as terpenes. It is classified as a xanthophyll, which means "yellow leaves". Like many carotenoids, it is a colorful, fat/oil-soluble pigment. Astaxanthin can be found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans, and the feathers of some birds. Currently, the primary natural source for astaxanthin is haematococcus pluvialis (microalge). It seems to accumulate the highest levels of astaxanthin in nature; commercially more than 40 g of astaxanthin per kilo of dry biomass. The commercial production of astaxanthin comes from both natural and synthetic sources. Synthetic astaxanthin fetches $2000 a kilogram on the market, while the natural product is sold for over $7000 a kilo.Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=448http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=448Brilliant Blue FCF, also known under commercial names, is a colorant for foods and other substances to induce a color change. It is denoted by E number E133 and has a color index of 42090. It has the appearance of a reddish-blue powder. It is soluble in water, and the solution has a maximum absorption at about 630 nanometer. It is a synthetic dye derived from coal tar. It can be combined with tartrazine (E102) to produce various shades of green.Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=444http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=444Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylated unit). It has a number of commercial and possible biomedical uses. Chitosan is produced commercially by deacetylation of chitin , which is the structural element in the exoskeleton of crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, etc.). Chitosan's properties allow it to rapidly clot blood, and has recently gained approval in the USA for use in bandages and other hemostatic agents. Chitosan purified from shrimp shells is used in a granular hemostatic product, Celox, made by Medtrade Biopolymers Inc. of Crewe, England Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=447http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=447Ecdysone is a steroidal prohormone of the major insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone, which is secreted from the prothoracic glands. Insect molting hormones (ecdysone and its homologues) are generally called ecdysteroids. Ecdysteroids act as moulting hormones of arthropods but also occur in other related phyla where they can play different roles. Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=446http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=44620-Hydroxyecdysone (ecdysterone or 20E) is a naturally occurring ecdysteroid hormone which controls the ecdysis (moulting) and metamorphosis of arthropods. It is therefore one of the most common moulting hormones in insects, crabs, etc. It is also a phytoecdysteroid produced by various plants, including Cyanotis vaga, where its purpose is presumably to disrupt the development and reproduction of insect pests. Ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulate larval molts, onset of puparium formation, and metamorphosis. Being that these hormones are hydrophobic, they traverse lipid membranes and permeate the tissues of an organism.Sun, 7 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=445http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=445Quercetin is a flavonoid and, to be more specific, a flavonol. It is the aglycone form of a number of other flavonoid glycosides, such as rutin and quercitrin, found in citrus fruit, buckwheat and onions. Quercetin forms the glycosides quercitrin and rutin together with rhamnose and rutinose, respectively. It is also found in many dietary supplements.Sat, 9 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=443http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=443Methoxyisoflavone is a member of the family of flavonoids (isoflavones). In a 1979 U.S. patent, the developers of this substance claim, based on preliminary animal research, that it possesses muscle-building and bone-building (anabolic) effects without the side effects seen with either androgenic (male) hormones or estrogenic (female) hormones. Wed, 9 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=442http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=442Ipriflavone is a synthetic isoflavone which is used to maintain bone density and to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It is not used to treat osteoporosis. It slows down the action of the osteoclasts (bone-eroding cells), allowing the osteoblasts (bone-building cells) to build up bone mass. Plants use isoflavones and their derivatives as phytoalexin compounds to ward off disease-causing pathogenic fungi and other microbes. In addition, soybean uses isoflavones to stimulate soil-microbe rhizobium to form nitrogen-fixing root nodules.Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=441http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=441Dabigatran is an anticoagulant from the class of the direct thrombin inhibitors. It is being studied for various clinical indications, for some of which it may replace warfarin as the preferred anticoagulant. It is orally administered as the prodrug dabigatran etexilate (marketed as Pradaxa since April in European countries and Pradax in Canada). It was developed by pharmaceutical company Boehringer-Ingelheim.Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=431http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=431Rabeprazole is an antiulcer drug in the class of proton pump inhibitors. It was developed by Eisai Co. and is marketed by Janssen-Cilag as rabeprazole sodium under the brand names Aciphex and Pariet.Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=430http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=430Tadalafil is an orally administered drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction (impotence). It was initially developed by the biotechnology firm ICOS and subsequently developed and marketed worldwide by a joint venture of ICOS Corporation and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly ICOS LLC) under the brand name Cialis. In the United States, tadalafil has Food and Drug Administration approval and became available in December, 2003 as the third impotence pill after sildenafil (Viagra) and vardenafil (Levitra). Due to its 36-hour effect it is also known as the weekend pill. As with sildenafil and vardenafil, it is recommended that tadalafil be used no more than once daily. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=432http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=432Phentermine is an appetite suppressant of the amphetamine and phenethylamine class. It is approved as an appetite suppressant to help reduce weight in obese patients when used short-term and combined with exercise, diet, and behavioral modification. It is typically prescribed for individuals who are at increased medical risk because of their weight and works by helping to release certain chemicals in the brain that control appetite.Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=433http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=433Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor drug used for short-term treatment of erosion and ulceration of the esophagus caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=434http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=434Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor drug used for short-term treatment of erosion and ulceration of the esophagus caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=436http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=436Metoclopramide is primarily used to treat nausea and vomiting, and to facilitate gastric emptying in patients with gastroparesis. It is potent dopamine receptor antagonist used for its antiemetic and prokinetic properties. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=437http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=437Glucosamine is an amino sugar and a prominent precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. A type of glucosamine forms chitin, which composes the exoskeletons of crustaceans and other arthropods, cell walls in fungi and many higher organisms. Glucosamine is one of the most abundant monosaccharides. It is produced commercially by the hydrolysis of crustacean exoskeletons or, less commonly and more expensive to the consumer, by fermentation of a grain such as corn or wheat. Glucosamine is commonly used as a treatment for osteoarthritis, although its acceptance as a medical therapy varies.Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=438http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=438Dicycloverine is used to treat intestinal hypermotility, the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (also known as spastic colon). It relieves muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal tract by blocking the activity of a certain natural substance in the body. It is a smooth muscle relaxer.Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=439http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=439Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a natural steroid prohormone produced from cholesterol by the adrenal glands, the gonads, adipose tissue, brain and in the skin (by an autocrine mechanism). DHEA is the precursor of androstenedione, which can undergo further conversion to produce the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol. Regular exercise is known to increase DHEA production in the bodyTue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=440http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?id=440Creatine is nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to muscle and nerve cells. Creatine was identified in 1832 when Michel Eugène Chevreul discovered it as a component of skeletal muscle, which he later named creatine after the Greek word for flesh, Kreas. In the human body, approximately half of the daily creatine is biosynthesized from three different amino acids - arginine, glycine, and methionine. The rest is taken in by alimentary sources; mainly from fresh fish and meat. Ninety-five percent of creatine is later stored in the skeletal muscles, with the rest predominantly in the brain, heart, testes, inner ear and hair cells.Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT