A review of the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of Ephedra herb / 中国天然药物

Ephedra herb is a traditional Chinese medicine with a long history. Conventionally, it was used as a folk phytomedicine in many ancient medical books and traditional prescriptions. Up to date, a variety of specific ingredients have been found in Ephedra herb, mainly including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, polysaccharides, organic acids, volatile oils, and many other active compounds. These components from Ephedra herb account for its use as the accurate treatment of cold, cough, cardiovascular and immune system disease, cancer, microbial infection, and other diseases. Moreover, with the fast development of novel chemistry and medicine technology, new chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Ephedra herb are increasingly identified, demonstrating their great potential for various diseases treatment. Therefore, further detailed understanding and investigation of this ancient herb will offer new opportunities to develop novel therapeutics. This study systematically reviews its progress of phytochemistry, traditional and modern pharmacology based on research data that have been reported, aiming at providing useful insight for commercial exploitation, further study and precision medication of Ephedra herb in future.

Differential pathway and gene expressions of endophytic Phialocephala fortinii inoculated on Rhodiola crenulata / 药学学报

The development and metabolism of medicinal plant is affected by many factors, among which the effect from endophytic fungi has been noticed recently and has become one of hot fields. In order to explore the effect of endophytic fungi on gene expression in R. crenulata, RNA-sequencing was used to find genes involved in metabolic pathways, and the differential genes were verified by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The method of 2-△△Ct was used to analyze the relative expression levels of genes in related metabolic pathways, which was used to verify the result of transcriptomics sequencing. The results showed that the endophytic fungus, P. fortinii, could up-regulate the gene expression in lipid metabolic pathway of R. crenulata. In signal transduction pathway, the genes were influenced at different level but the gene expressions were significantly increased under control of Notch signaling pathway, which was 34 times of that in control. The gene expressions of environmental adaption pathway were up-regulated in R. crenulata after inoculation of P. fortinii. This study could provide help for further understanding on mechanism of plant-fungus interaction, root cause of geoherbalism of medicinal plant and exploring bio-function of endophytic fungi.

Genetic diversity of wild plants in Rhodiola L. with two molecular marker methods of RAPD and ISSR / 中草药

Objective: The interspecific genetic relationships of the plants in Rhodiola L. were analyzed by RAPD and ISSR molecular markers. Methods: The genomic DNA was extracted by CTAB method. Eleven RAPD primers and 11 ISSR primers were selected to analyze the genetic diversities of four kinds of wild plants in Rhodiola L., which were obtained from different regions of China. Results: A total of 96 bands were amplified by 11 RAPD primers, and the percentage of polymorphism was 90.62%; And 102 bands were amplified by 11 ISSR primers, and the percentage of polymorphism was 100%. So the polymorphism detection ability of ISSR marker is higher than that of RAPD marker. Clustering analysis indicated that the samples were clustered into three categories by ISSR, RAPD + ISSR, and four categories by RAPD. Conclusion: Both ISSR and RAPD markers are efficient methods at revealing in interspecific or intraspecific genetic differences and diversity of the plants in Rhodiola L.

Effect of endophytic fungus on expression of key enzyme genes in pathway of salidroside biosynthesis in Rhodiola crenulata / 药学学报

One strain of endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1 was obtained for the capacity of promoting production of salidroside in Rhodiola crenulata. To explain the mechanism of salidroside biosynthesis in host plant, eight housekeeping genes were evaluated, and the evaluation method was created for the expression activities of four key enzyme genes PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), TyDC (tyrosine decarboxylase), TAT (tyrosine transaminase), UDPGT (UDP-glucosyltransferase) referenced double reference genes in biosynthesis pathway of salidroside in R. crenulata. Stabilities of housekeeping genes were confirmed by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR technology and three softwares including geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper, then relative expressions of key enzyme genes were analysized by the 2-ΔΔCt method. The results showed that the most stable gene was GAPDH, followed by PCS, and the most appropriate reference of internal genes were combination with two genes in R. crenulata inoculated with endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1. Under symbiosis conditions, regularity changes of key enzyme genes affected by endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1 were as follows:the relative expression activity of PAL attached to peak value, which was 4.9 times as that of control group when inoculated ten days. The relative expression of TyDC reached the maximum value, which was 2.8 times of that control after inoculating 12 days. The relative expression of UDPGT actually reach 17.1 times than that of control after inoculating 8 days. However, the relative expression of TAT was not affected by this fungus. The changes of four key enzyme genes are positively correlated with the changes of salidroside content in R. crenulata.

In vitro screening and identification of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria against pathogen causing Astragalus root rot / 中国中药杂志

The antagonistic effect of Bacillus spp. against Fusarium solani was evaluated by living body dual culture and Oxford cup method. The plant growth promoting properties of those strains that had obvious and stable antifungal activity were then tested. The results showed that the living body and bacteria-free fermentation filtrate of strain G10 both had obvious and stable antifungal effect to F. solani. Besides, the strain possessed such growth promoting properties as phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and production of IAA, amylase and HCN. Strain G10 was classified and identified as B. subtilis by a combination of morphological, physiological and biochemical tests, 16 SrDNA gene sequence analysis and the BBL CrystalTM bacteria identification. In conclusion, B. subtilis G10 has the basic characteristics of multifunctional strains and could be one of the microbiological resources for developing special bio-control agent against Astragalus root rot.

Research progress in root rot diseases of Chinese herbal medicine and control strategy by antagonistic microorganisms / 中国中药杂志

In recent years, root rot diseases of Chinese herbal medicine have been posing grave threat to the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry. This article presents a review on the occurring situation of the root rot disease, including the occurrence of the disease, the diversity of the pathogens, the regional difference in dominant pathogens,and the complexity of symptoms and a survey of the progress in bio-control of the disease using antagonistic microorganisms. The paper also discusses the existing problems and future prospects in the research.

Synthesis and antitumour activity of metal complexes of bacteriochlorophyll / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To find a new PDT sensitizer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>There were four complexes (Cu, Zn, Co, Ni) synthesized through reaction of metal and deprivating-Mg bacteriochlorophyll in the organic solvent. Their antitumor action was detected by MTT.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ultraviolet-visual spectrum and the fluorescence spectrum of these complexes showed that synthesis of these four complexes was succeeded. And these metal complexes have potent antitumor action on two kinds of leukaemic cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Metal bacteriochlorophylls as PDT sensitizers have very good properties and this is a way to develop new PDT sensitizers.</p>

Interaction of metal complexes of bacterial chlorophyll with DNA / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>Understanding the modes and activities of metal bacterial chlorophylls as PHD sensitizers with DNA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The modes and activities of the interaction of DNA and metal complexes of bacterial chlorophyll, which have been prepared by extraction and synthesis reaction, have been discussed according to the ultraviolet-visual spectrum and nucleic acid electrophoresis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It indicates that the system of DNA and metal complexes have enchanced the interaction by the ultraviolet-visual spectrum. At the same time, it also indicates that metal complexes of bacterial chlorophyll and DNA have different combining way and have strong cutting effect in illumination by the nucleic acid electrophoresis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This paper proved that metal bacterial chlorophylls as PHD sensitizers have great advantage.</p>