Anticancer Activities of C18-, C19-, C20-, and Bis-Diterpenoid Alkaloids Derived from Genus Aconitum.

Cancer is one of the most common lethal diseases, and natural products have been extensively studied as anticancer agents considering their availability, low toxicity, and economic affordability. Plants belonging to the genus Aconitum have been widely used medically in many Asian countries since ancient times. These plants have been proven effective for treating several types of cancer, such as lung, stomach, and liver cancers. The main effective components of Aconitum plants are diterpenoid alkaloids-which are divided into C18-, C19-, C20-, and bis-diterpenoid alkaloids-are reportedly some of the most promising, naturally abundant compounds for treating cancer. This review focuses on the progress of diterpenoid alkaloids with different structures derived from Aconitum plants and some of their derivatives with potential anticancer activities. We hope that this work can serve as a reference for further developing Aconitum diterpenoid alkaloids as anticancer agents.

[Effects of drought stress at different growth stages on photosynthetic efficiency and water consumption characteristics in sweet potato.] / ä¸åŒæ—¶æœŸå¹²æ—±èƒè¿«å¯¹ç”˜è–¯å ‰åˆæ•ˆçŽ‡å’Œè€—æ°´ç‰¹æ€§çš„å½±å“.

To investigate the effects of drought stress on the growth of sweet potato, photosynthesis, yield, and water consumption characteristics were investigated in field-grown sweet potato plants (Jishu 21, a drought-tolerant cultivar) at different growth stages in 2014-2015. There were five drought treatments, including the whole growth period (DS), the early stage of growth (rooting and branching period, DS1), the middle stage of growth (storage root initiation period, DS2), and the late stage of growth (storage root bulking period, DS3), and a normal irrigation treatment (WW) as control. The results showed that sweet potato plants in DS significantly decreased in dry mass, biomass, and harvest index during two years. The biomass of sweet potato under DS, DS1, DS2 and DS3 was decreased by 31.3%, 21.2%, 19.6% and 7.7%; the harvest index was decreased by 19.9%, 14.5%, 14.1% and 6.5%, and the dry mass was decreased by 45.3%, 33.1%, 31.3% and 14.2%, respectively. The leaf area index in DS, DS1, DS2 and DS3 was decreased by 77.1%, 60.1%, 39.2% and 17.1% at 100 days after transplanting (DAT), and the net photosynthesis was decreased by 56.7%, 26.6%, 18.7% and 9.5% at 90 DAT, respectively. Plants under drought stress reduced diurnal evaporation, transpiration rate, water consumption, daily water consumption, and soil water use efficiency, but increased irrigation water use efficiency. Drought stress decreased leaf area index, Pn, biomass and the allocation of biomass to storage root, resulting in a significant reduction of yield. The early drought and the long stress duration had significant impacts on leaf area index, Pn, biomass and harvest index, leading to a greater reduction in yield and water use efficiency. Therefore, drought stress at the early growth stages of sweet potato should be avoided during cultivation.

[Effects of potassium fertilization period on photosynthetic characteristics and storage root starch accumulation of edible sweetpotato].

Abstract: In this study, same amount of potassium (240 kg . hm-2) was applied as basal dressing (treatment 1) and as 1/2 basal dressing + 1/2 top-dressing at day 75 after planting (treatment 2), aimed to investigate the effects of potassium fertilization period on the photosynthetic characteristics of edible sweetpotato and the starch accumulation in storage root. As compared with treatment 1, treatment 2 improved the leaf photosynthetic rate and sucrose-phosphate synthase activity and the storage root's adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphortlase activity, enhanced the starch accumulation rate in storage root (with an average increment of 6. 7%), and increased the root tuber yield significantly by 8. 2%. Both of the potassium fertilization treatments improved the synthesis of sucrose in leaf and the transformation from sucrose to starch in storage root, as compared with no potassium fertilization.

[Effects of potassium humate on ginger root growth and its active oxygen metabolism].

A pool-culture experiment was conducted to study the effects of potassium humate on the growth and active oxygen metabolism of ginger root. The results showed that applying potassium humate increased the root fresh mass and root vigor significantly, and promoted the root growth especially in later period. Potassium humate application obviously increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), decreased the content of MDA, and delayed the senescence of ginger root. After applying potassium humate, the soluble protein content in root was increased by 49.18%, 25.89% and 13.26%, and the yield was increased by 61.29%, 48.13% and 9.92%, respectively, compared with the treatments CK, same application rate of humic acid, and same application rate of potassium monoxide.