Patent ID: 8058268

Claim:
A method for reducing the amount of active GSK-3B or increasing the amount of phosphorylated Akt in a neural cell comprising contacting the cell with an effective amount of a compound having the structure wherein bond Î± is present or absent; R 1 and R 2 is each independently H, O âˆ’ or OR 9 , where R 9 is H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aryl, or R 1 and R 2 together are â•O; R 3 and R 4 are each different, and each is OH, O âˆ’ , OR 9 , SH, S âˆ’ , SR 9 , where X is O, S, NR 10 , or N + R 10 R 10 , where each R 10 is independently H, alkyl, substituted C 2 -C 12 alkyl, alkenyl, substituted C 4 -C 12 alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl where the substituent is other than chloro when R 1 and R 2 are â•O, â€”CH 2 CN, â€”CH 2 CO 2 R 11 , â€”CH 2 COR 11 , â€”NHR 11 or â€”NH + (R 11 ) 2 , where each R 11 is independently alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl, each of which is substituted or unsubstituted, or H; R 5 and R 6 is each independently H, OH, or R 5 and R 6 taken together are â•O; and R 7 and R 8 is each independently H, F, Cl, Br, SO 2 Ph, CO 2 CH 3 , or SR 12 , where R 12 is H, aryl or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl, or a salt, enantiomer or zwitterion of the compound so as to thereby reduce the amount of GSK-3B or increase the amount of phosphorylated Akt in the neural cell.