Abstract: Total and partial esters of alginic acid which possess important bioplastic and pharmaceutical qualities and are useful in various fields including medical, surgical, cosmetics and foods.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to total and partial esters of gellan in which the esterifying alcohol component is derived from aliphatic, araliphatic, cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic alcohols, and salts of said partial esters with inorganic or organic bases, and compositions containing the same.

Abstract: It is provided biocompatible membranes constructed of materials of natural, synthetic or semisynthetic origin, and having a thickness of between 10 and 500.mu., characterised by containing an ordered series of holes of a constant size between 10 and 1000.mu., separated from each other by a constant distance of between 50 and 1000.mu., and obtained by perforation by mechanical, thermal laser or ultraviolet radiation means, they being suitable for use as a support for the in vitro growth of epithelial cells. Artificial skins obtained thereby and its use in grafts are also provided.

Abstract: Acidic polysaccharide esters containing carboxylic groups are useful for protecting against and curing ulcers of the gastro-enteric system. These esters include choline esters with acidic polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid, alginic acid, gellan, oxidized cellulose, oxidized chitin, carboxy-hydrocarbyl-cellulose, carboxy-hydrocarbyl-starch and carboxy-hydrocarbyl-chitin, wherein the term hydrocarbyl means the residue of a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of by alkyl, aralkyl and cycloalkyl.

Abstract: N-acyl-N,N'-di-lysogangliosides, N'-acyl-N,N'-di-lysogangliosides and N,N'-diacyl-N,N'-di-lysogangliosides, in which the acyl groups are derived from an organic acid of the aliphatic, aromatic, araliphatic, alicyclic or heterocyclic series and in which at least one of the two acyl groups is not aliphatic, and their preparation are disclosed. Also disclosed is the preparation of the esters, inner esters, amides and hydroxy peracylates of these compounds and salts thereof. These compounds are useful in the treatment of pathologies of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Abstract: Partial esters of alginic acid and salts thereof possess important bioplastic and pharmaceutical qualities and are useful in various fields including medical, surgical, cosmetics and foods.

Abstract: New carnitine derivatives are described having the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A=H, --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--CO--R.sub.1, n being 1 or 2, and B=--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --O--CO--R.sub.2, m being 1, 2, 3, or 4 with the limitation that when A=--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--CO--R.sub.1, m is 1 or 2, and in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, equal or different are radicals of aliphatic, aromatic, araliphatic, alicyclic or heterocyclic acids.The process for preparing said derivatives is also described and their use in the therapy of human pathologies associated with neuronal damages.

Abstract: Kynurenic acid derivatives useful as therapeutic agents in treating neurological disorders, for example, thiokynurenic acid, 7-chloro-thio-kynurenic acid, 7-trifluoromethyl-thiokynurenic acid, 7-methoxy-thiokynurenic acid and 5-fluoro-thiokynurenic acid.

Abstract: An agent for prevention or prophylaxis of general toxic effects or chronic neurotoxic effects which are caused by the administration of antineoplastic agents, which is to be given to patients prior to administration of said antineoplastic agents and which comprises as an active ingredient a mixture of gangliosides GM.sub.1, GD.sub.1a, GD.sub.1b and GT.sub.1b.

Abstract: A novel neuronotrophic factor having a molecular weight of about 14,000 to 17,000 daltons and an isoelectric point of about 10 is prepared by homogenization of mammalian brain tissue, particularly bovine brain tissue, acid precipitation of the homogenate thus produced, dialysis of the resulting supernatant with dialysis membranes having a molecular weight cut-off of between 5 and 10 kilodaltons and chromatographic fractionation upon molecular weight permeation of the dialyzed supernatant thus produced. The neuronotrophically active fractions may be further purified by cation exchange chromatography with a gradient of ammonium acetate buffer. The neuronotrophic factor of the invention is useful in the treatment of various neuropathological conditions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for the isolation of Human Nerve Growth Factor (HNGF) from human placenta. More particularly, the invention is directed to the method of isolation of the .beta.-subunit of Human Nerve Growth Factor and Compositions containing the same for the treatment of neuropathological conditions.

Abstract: The invention concerns the esters of hyaluronic acid in which all or only a portion of the carboxylic groups of the acid are esterified, and the salts of the partial esters with metals or with pharmacologically acceptable organic bases. The compounds possess interesting and precious bioplastic and pharmaceutical properties and may be used in innumerable fields, including cosmetics, surgery and medicine. The invention also includes pharmaceutical preparations containing, as an active ingredient, one or more hyaluronic acid esters, or a salt thereof as described above, as well as medicaments containing:1) a pharmacologically active substance or an association of pharmacologically active substances and2) a carrying vehicle containing a total or partial ester of hyaluronic acid. The invention includes also various uses of the hyaluronic esters or of the above mentioned medicaments, such as in medicine, surgery or cosmetics.

Abstract: A method and pharmaceutical composition are provided for the treatment of autonomic nervous system abnormalities caused by Chagas' diseases by the administration of gangliodises, particularly a mixture of ganliosides GM.sub.1, GD.sub.1a, GD.sub.1b, and GT.sub.1b.

Abstract: The use of monosialoganglioside GM.sub.1, of its pharmacologically acceptable salts and of its internal ester derivative for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for preventing the development in man of tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine, of chemically correlated opiates, and of methadone and its derivatives is described.

Abstract: Two pharmaceutically useful fractions of hyaluronic acid are obtained comprising a first fraction with a molecular weight between 50,000 and 100,000 which is useful for wound healing, and a second fraction having a molecular weight between 500,000 and 730,000 which is useful for intraocular and intraarticular injections.In addition, pharmaceutical preparations for topical administration are provided containing a pharmacologically active substance together with hyaluronic acid or a molecular weight fraction thereof. The hyaluronic acid may be in the form of the free acid or may be a salt with an alkali or alkaline earth metal, magnesium, aluminum or ammonium, or in the form of a salt with one or more pharmacologically active substances.

Abstract: Total esters of alginic acid with aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols possess important bioplastic and pharmaceutical qualities and are useful in various fields including the sanitary and surgical fields.

Abstract: We describe the use of phospholipidic carnitine derivatives of general formula ##STR1## in their racemic or optically active form, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, equal or different, are radicals of linear or branched, saturated or monoor poly-unsaturated, aliphatic acids with 1 to 20 C for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions having an activity as reproductive agent of the nerve fibers in the therapy of human pathologies associated with neuronal damages, more particularly in the therapy of peripheral neuropathies, of cerebrovascular diseases, of cerebral level traumas and of chronic neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract: New polysaccharide esters are disclosed, and more precisely esters of acidic polysaccharides chosen from the group formed by carboxymethylcellulose, carboxymethyl starch and carboxymethylchitin. These new esters and some esters of the type already known are useful as medicaments, for the manufacture of pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, in the field of biodegradable plastic materials and, therefore, for the manufacture of medical, surgical and sanitary articles, as well as numerous other industrial sectors in the place of acidic polysaccharides now in common use.

Abstract: The device comprises a support structure movable along at least a first reference axis, a feeler member carried by the structure so as to be able to effect limited relative displacements along the axis relative to a predetermined rest position, and detector means for providing electrical signals indicative of the magnitude and direction of the movements of the feeler member relative to the structure. According to the invention, the feeler device comprises at least a first intermediate structure supported by the structure by first blades which can be bent in a plane parallel to the reference axis; the feeler member is also supported by this intermediate structure by second blades having bending characteristics substantially the same as those of the first blades in a plane parallel to the references axis. The feeler device may be made so as to be able to detect movements of the feeler member relative to the support structure along two or three independent axes as well.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the purification of Nerve Growth Factor (.beta. subunit) by subunit exchange chromatography.