Effect of tween 40 and ethanol on the secretion, structure and antioxidant activities of exopolysaccharides from Inonotus rickii.

In this study, the effects of Tween 40 and ethanol supplementation on the secretion, structure and antioxidant activities of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from Inonotus rickii were investigated. It was observed that Tween 40 and ethanol displayed a stimulatory effect on EPS secretion. The EPSs obtained by the addition of Tween 40 (EPS-T), ethanol (EPS-E) and control (EPS-C) were purified by Sepharose CL-6B gel chromatography and molecular weights of EPS-T, EPS-E and EPS-C were estimated to be 22.1, 30.0, and 40.5 kDa, respectively. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that EPS-T, EPS-E and EPS-C were mainly composed of mannose and glucose. Furthermore, EPS-E exhibited better OH• and DPPH scavenging activities than those of EPS-C and EPS-T, which might be associated with its molecular characterization.

Effect of Carbon Source on Properties and Bioactivities of Exopolysaccharide Produced by Trametes ochracea (Agaricomycetes).

The effects of carbon source on properties and bioactivities of exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Trametes ochracea were investigated in this study. The results indicated that EPS production varied with five different carbon sources. After a fermentation period of 8 days, sucrose was the most suitable carbon source for biomass and EPS production. The predominant carbohydrate compositions in EPSs identified were glucose and mannose. The EPS fermented by sucrose has the highest glucose content. Then, FT-IR spectral analysis revealed prominent characteristic groups in EPSs. Each particular EPS possessed the specific bands at 808-809 cm-1 and 914-922 cm-1, indicating both α- and ß-configurations of the sugar units. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated the EPS with sucrose and glucose as carbon source showed different degradation behavior compared with the other three EPSs. The variation also affects antioxidant and antihyperlipemia activities investigated using hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging assay, and in hyperlipemia mice. Sucrose was the best carbon source from the viewpoint of OH and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and antihyperlipemia activity, probably due to the relatively high glucose content in EPS.

Antioxidant coumarin and pyrone derivatives from the insect-associated fungus Aspergillus Versicolor.

Two new compounds, versicolones A and B (1 and 2), and three known pyrone derivatives (3-5) were isolated from the insect-associated fungus Aspergillus versicolor. Their structures were elucidated through a combination of HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic analysis. Versicolone A (1) was revealed as a coumarin derivative with the rare 5-alkyl side chain substitution. Compound 5 exhibited significant antioxidant activity with EC50 value of 8.0 µM in the ABTS (2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay, which was more than 2-fold potency of the positive control trolox.

Proteoglycan isolated from Corbicula fluminea exerts hepato-protective effects against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.

Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam), a freshwater bivalve mollusk, has been consumed in China for centuries as a health food and traditional Chinese medicine for treating liver diseases and alcoholism. This study aimed to evaluate the hepato-protective effects and potential mechanisms of a proteoglycan (PSP) from C. fluminea on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Results showed that PSP pretreatment significantly antagonized the increases in serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triacylglycerides, and hepatic malondialdehyde levels; elevated the antioxidant enzyme activities and hepatic glutathione levels; and suppressed the levels of hepatic inflammatory cytokines in alcohol-induced liver injury in mice (P < 0.05). Histopathological observation further revealed the potential hepato-protective effect of PSP against alcohol damage. Particularly, PSP pretreatment resulted in significantly decreased expression of cytochrome P450 2e1 (CYP2E1) while significantly upregulating the expression of hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) (P < 0.05). These results suggested that PSP could protect the liver from hepatocyte injury induced by alcohol possibly by alleviating hepatic lipid metabolism, elevating antioxidant-enzyme activity, suppressing the immune inflammatory response, and reversing the expression levels of CYP2E1 and HO-1. Therefore, PSP may be developed as a food supplement that can be used to prevent liver diseases.

Contact and Repellant Activities of Zerumbone and Its Analogues from the Essential Oil of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith against Lasioderma serricorne.

The contact toxicity and repellent activities of the essential oil extracted from the rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith (Zingiberaceae) was evaluated against cigarette beetles (Lasioderma serricorne). The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation was investigated by GC-FID and GC-MS. The main constituents of the essential oil were zerumbone (40.2%), α-caryophyllene (8.6%), humulene epoxide II (7.3%), camphene (5.9%) and fenchene (4.7%). Zerumbone and its analogues totally are accounting for 60.3% of the essential oil. It was found that the essential oil possessed contact toxicity against L. serricorne adults with a LD50 value of 48.3 µg/adult. α-Caryophyllene (LD50 = 13.1 µg/adult) exhibited stronger contact toxicity against L. serricorne than humulene oxide (LD50 = 31.2 µg/adult), ß-caryophyllene (LD50 = 35.5 µg/adult) and zerumbone (LD50 = 42.4 µg/adult). Moreover, α-caryophyllene possessed strong repellent activity (Class IV and V, respectively) against the beetles at 78.63 nL/cm2, after 2 and 4 h treatment. The results indicate that zerumbone and its analogues might be developed into natural insecticides or repellents for control of cigarette beetles, but their bioactivities are affected by their structures.

Chemical Compositions and Insecticidal Activities of Alpinia kwangsiensis Essential Oil against Lasioderma serricorne.

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from Alpinia kwangsiensis rhizomes was investigated by GC-MS. A total of 31 components representing 92.45% of the oil were identified and the main compounds in the oil were found to be camphor (17.59%), eucalyptol (15.16%), ß-pinene (11.15%) and α-pinene (10.50%). These four compounds were subsequently isolated and the essential oil and four isolated compounds exhibited potent insecticidal activity against Lasioderma serricorne adults. During the assay, it was shown that the essential oil exhibited both potential contact (LD50 = of 24.59 µg/adult) and fumigant (LC50 = of 9.91 mg/L air) toxicity against Lasioderma serricorne. The study revealed that the insecticidal activity of the essential oil can be attributed to the synergistic effects of its diverse major components, which indicates that oil of Alpinia kwangsiensis and its isolated compounds have potential to be developed into natural insecticides to control insects in stored grains and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Contact toxicity and repellency of the essential oil of Liriope muscari (DECN.) bailey against three insect tobacco storage pests.

In order to find and develop new botanical pesticides against tobacco storage pests, bioactivity screening was performed. The essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Liriope muscari was investigated by GC/MS and GC/FID. A total of 14 components representing 96.12% of the oil were identified and the main compounds in the oil were found to be methyl eugenol (42.15%) and safrole (17.15%), followed by myristicin (14.18%) and 3,5-dimethoxytoluene (10.60%). After screening, the essential oil exhibit potential insecticidal activity. In the progress of assay, it showed that the essential oil exhibited potent contact toxicity against Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne and Liposcelis bostrychophila adults, with LD50 values of 13.36, 11.28 µg/adult and 21.37 µg/cm2, respectively. The essential oil also exhibited strong repellency against the three stored product insects. At the same concentrations, the essential oil was more repellent to T. castaneum than to L. serricorne adults. The results indicate that the essential oil of Liriope muscari has potential to be developed into a natural insecticide or repellent for controlling insects in stored tobacco and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

[Research of herb components on scavenging harmful components and reducing cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke].

OBJECTIVE: To study the in vitro effect of herb components on scavenging harmful components of cigarette smoke such as radicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines in vitro, and its reducing effect on cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke. METHOD: spectrophotometry was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on DPPH free radicals, superoxide anion radical, and hydroxyl radical, and the results were compared with the anti-oxidation of ascorbic acid. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. UV spectrophotometry was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on volatile nitrosamines. MTT assay was used to examine cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke. RESULT: All the herb components showed a certain scavenging effect on DPPH free radicals, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile nitrosamines, espacially the ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), flavonoids of glycyrrhiza, procyanidine, total saponins in ophiopogonin, total saponins of astragalus and epimediun flavonoids. After these six herb components were added to cigarette, the cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke on BEP2D cells was remarkably reduced, by increasing cell survival fraction (SF, %) and mean lethal dose (DML). CONCLUSION: The herb components can scavenge harmful components of cigarette smoke such as radicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines, which reduce the damage of cigarette smoke on human being.

[Enhancement of thrombolytic activities of Carthamus tinctorius processed with fermentation with a bacillus sp. C2-13].

A processing method to enhance thrombolytic effect of Carthamus tinctorius using a fermentation technology with bacillus sp. C2-13 was investigated. The fibrinolysis and anticoagulation activity of thrombolytic extracts from an optimized fermentation process was studied using a carrageenan induced mice model. The fermented extracts resulted in significantly better thrombolytic activity, suggesting that the process was promising for use in the study and preparation of nature medicines.