[Studies on the chemical constituents of Ficus microcarpa].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the Ficus microcarpa. METHODS: Isolation and identification were carried out by using various chromatography techniques and spectral methods. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated. Their structures were identified as beta-amyrone (I), lupeol (II), lupeol acetate (III), maslinic acid (IV), epifriedelinol (V), stearic acid (VI), beta-sitosterol (VI), daucosterol (VI). CONCLUSION: Compounds I, II, VI are isolated from this plant for the first time.

[The comparison of different processing methods of Dendrobium loddigesii].

OBJECTIVE: To study the 4 different processing methods of Dendrobium loddigesii. and find a optimal method. METHODS: Drying in the shade, fire drying at different temperature, twist and fire drying, to scald by boiling water then twist and fire drying were used to process D. loddigesii and determined the content of polysaccharide after processed. RESULTS: The rate of dryed medical material was about 36%, and the content of polysaccharide was 16.39% which was scald by boiling water then twist and fire drying was higher than others. CONCLUSION: The method scald by boiling water then twist and fire drying is good for medical materials dried and the remaining of active component. It provide a scientific evidence to Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2005 and offer quantization index to the processing of Dendrobium loddigesii.

Protective effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore on cadmium hepatotoxicity in mice.

The medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum has been shown to have hepatoprotective effects. G. lucidum contains triterpenes and polysaccharides, and the Sporoderm-broken G. lucidum powder is particular beneficial. This study utilized G. lucidum spore to examine its effect on [Cd(II)]-induced hepatotoxicity in mice and the mechanism of the protection. Mice were pretreated with G. lucidum spore (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 g/kg, po, for 7 days), and subsequently challenged with a hepatotoxic dose of Cd(II) (3.7 mg/kg, ip). Liver injury was evaluated 8h later. G. lucidum spore protected against Cd(II)-induced liver injury in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and histopathology. To examine the mechanism of protection, subcellular distribution of Cd(II) was determined. G. lucidum spore decreased Cd(II) accumulation in hepatic nuclei, mitochondria, and microsomes, but increased Cd(II) distribution to the cytosol, where Cd(II) is sequestered by metallothionein, a protein against Cd(II) toxicity. Indeed, G. lucidum spore induced hepatic metallothionein-1 mRNA 8-fold, and also increased metallothionein protein as determined by the Cd(II)/hemoglobin assay. Cd(II)-induced oxidative stress was also decreased by G. lucidum spore, as evidenced by decreased formation of malondialdehyde. In summary, G. lucidum spore is effective in protection against Cd(II)-induced hepatotoxicity, and this effect is due, at least in part, to the induction of hepatic metallothionein to achieve beneficial effects.