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ObjectiveTo study the effect of flower removal on the content of three alkaloids in different parts of Fritillaria thunbergii from different regions and at different growth stages. MethodThe content of peiminine， peimine， and peimisine in the bulb， root， stem， and leaf of F. thunbergii after flower removal and with flower un-removed at different growth stages and in different regions were determined simultaneously by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection （UPLC-ELSD） method. The UPLC was conducted on ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column （2.1 mm × 150 mm， 1.7 μm） with the mobile phase of 0.02% triethylamine aqueous solution （A） and methanol （B）elution gradient（0-2 min， 45%A； 2-5 min， 45%-25%A； 5-7 min， 25%A； 7-17 min， 25%-10%A； 17-20 min， 10%A）， flow velocity of 0.20 mL·min-1， column temperature 35 °C， sample room temperature of 20 °C， and injection volume of 3 µL. The ELSD was carried out at drift tube temperature 45 °C and with the sprayer parameter of 40%. ResultThe flower removal significantly increased the yield of F. thunbergii. At the budding stage， the alkaloid content in the bulb of F. thunbergii from Ningbo in Zhejiang， Pan'an in Zhejiang， and Nantong in Jiangsu after flower removal were significantly higher than that of flowering un-removal treatment， while it showed no significant difference between the flower removal and un-removal treatments for the samples from Fengjie in Chongqing. At the flowering stage， the alkaloid content in the bulb of F. thunbergii from Nantong in Jiangsu after flower removal was significantly higher than that of flower un-removal treatment， while it showed an opposite trend for the samples from Pan'an in Zhejiang and Fengjie in Chongqing and had no significant difference between the two treatments for the samples from Ningbo in Zhejiang. At the bulb expansion stage， the alkaloid content in the bulb of F. thunbergii from Ningbo in Zhejiang and Pan’an in Zhejiang after flower removal were significantly higher than that of flower un-removal treatment， which was opposite for the samples from Nantong in Jiangsu and had no significant difference between the treatments for the samples from Fengjie in Chongqing. At the harvest stage， except for the samples from Pan'an in Zhejiang， the samples from the rest 3 regions showed decreased alkaloid content in the bulb after flower removal compared with that of flower un-removal treatment. The alkaloid content in the leaf was higher than that in the bulb of F. thunbergii at all growth stages and from different origins. ConclusionFlower removal can increase the yield of F. thunbergii. The alkaloid content in the bulb of F. thunbergii with flower removed was higher than that with flower un-removed at the budding stage， while this trend was reversed at the harvest stage. Both the yield and the alkaloid content of F. thunbergii from Pan'an in Zhejiang were increased by flower removal. The above-ground part of F. thunbergii has a potential development value.
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Objective:To analyze the main factors affecting the <italic>Ziziphus jujuba</italic> distribution and expand the understanding of its distribution and the corresponding influencing factors by comparing the distribution sites of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> predicted by models with those recorded in the literature. Method:More than 200 distribution sites of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> accompanied by 55 environmental factors were obtained from literature and specimen review. The environmental factors that affect the distribution of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> were explored by maximum entropy （MaxEnt） model， and the potential distribution areas of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> in China were analyzed by ArcGIS， followed by the verification of the main environmental factors using receiver-operating characteristic （ROC） curve and Jackknife method. Result:The area under the curve （AUC） values for the test data and training data were both greater than 0.9， which perfectly satisfied the standard， indicating that the research results were accurate and reliable. Conclusion:The annual average temperature， the average temperature in May， the average temperature in the warmest season， vegetation type， soil type， average temperature in June， average temperature in September， and average temperature in August are proved to be the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic>， which can be found almost all over China， except for Heilongjiang and Tibet. <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> is most suitable to be planted in southeastern Sichuan， Chongqing， southern Gansu， Ningxia， most areas of central Shaanxi， eastern and southwestern Shanxi， Henan， eastern and northern Hubei， northern and eastern Anhui， Shandong， Hebei， Beijing， Tianjin， western Liaoning， and Zhejiang. As revealed by literature review， the most suitable growing areas of <italic>Z. jujuba</italic> are southeastern Sichuan， central Shaanxi， southwestern Shanxi， western and northern Henan， Shandong， and southwestern and eastern Hebei.
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Objective:To study the effect of physical therapy and heel sound feedback on lower limbs motor function, mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) for stroke patients based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set. Methods:From April, 2018 to May, 2020, 113 stroke patients with motor dysfunction were divided into ischemia group (n = 67) and hemorrhagia group (n = 46) according to the cause of stroke. They received physical therapy for lower limbs and heel sound feedback for eight weeks, and assessed with ICF core set for stroke-gait, Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremities (FMA-LE), Timed 'Up and Go' Test (TUGT), and modified Barthel index (MBI) before and after intervention. Results:The main effect of time was significant for qualifiers of ICF core set for stroke-gait, the scores of FMA-LE and MBI, and TUGT time (F > 100.59, P < 0.001), and it improved time by time as Post Hoc test. The main effect of groups was not significant (F < 2.29, P > 0.05), nor as Post Hoc test. The interactive effect between time and groups was significant for TUGT time (F = 6.45, P < 0.01), perhaps improved more in the hemorrhagia group, however, the interactive effect was not significant for the others. Conclusion:Physical therapy and heel sound feedback can improve motor function of lower limb, mobility and ADL for stroke patients.
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Through market investigation, the adulteration of Zaocys dhumnades on markets was found out, and samples of authentic and adulterated Z. dhumnades on markets were collected. The origin and properties of the adulterated Z. dhumnades were studied in order to provide reference for the identification of Z. dhumnades. The counterfeit Z. dhumnades sold on markets were as follows: Ptyas korros, P. mucosus, Najanaja atra, Sinonatrix annularis, Dinodon septentrionalis, etc. It is found that there existed a obvious difference between the traits of the Z. dhumnades and counterfeits. Genuine Z. dhumnades with "sword ridge" "iron tail", strongly ribbed scales and other features, is the key point to identify the difference from adulterants.
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Animals , Drug Contamination , Materia Medica , Reference Standards , SnakesABSTRACT
Chalcone synthase( CHS) and chalcone isomerase( CHI) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of flavonoids. In this study,unigenes for CHS and CHI were screened from the transcriptome database of Arisaema heterophyllum. The open reading frame( ORFs) of chalcone synthase( Ah CHS) and chalcone isomerase( Ah CHI) were cloned from the plant by RT-PCR. The physicochemical properties,expression and structure characteristics of the encoded proteins Ah CHS and Ah CHI were analyzed. The ORFs of Ah CHS and Ah CHI were 1 176,630 bp in length and encoded 392,209 amino acids,respectively. Ah CHS functioned as a symmetric homodimer. The N-terminal helix of one monomer entwined with the corresponding helix of another monomer. Each CHS monomer consisted of two structural domains. In particular,four conserved residues define the active site. The tertiary structure of Ah CHI revealed a novel open-faced β-sandwich fold. A large β-sheet( β4-β11) and a layer of α-helices( α1-α7) comprised the core structure. The residues spanning β4,β5,α4,and α6 in the three-dimensional structure were conserved among CHIs from different species. Notably,these structural elements formed the active site on the protein surface,and the topology of the active-site cleft defined the stereochemistry of the cyclization reaction. The homology comparison showed that Ah CHS had the highest similarity to the CHS of Anthurium andraeanum,while Ah CHI had the highest similarity to the CHI of Paeonia delavayi. This study provided the basis for the functional study of Ah CHS and Ah CHI and the further study on plant flavonoid biosynthesis pathway.
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Acyltransferases , Chemistry , Genetics , Arisaema , Genetics , Cloning, Molecular , Intramolecular Lyases , Chemistry , Genetics , Plant Proteins , Chemistry , GeneticsABSTRACT
Aim To explore the mechanism of the protective effect of curcumin on advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction whether by elevating peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) or not.Methods The ratio of apoptotic cells was assayed by TUNEL;the mitochondrial membrane potential(△Ψm) was evaluated by Rhodamine-123 fluorescence.The ATP content was assayed by related kits.The activity of caspase-3 was detected by spectrophotometry.The expression of cytochrome C,Bax,and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot.The PPARγ expression was determined by Western blot and real-time PCR;in addition,its activity was assayed by DNA-binding method.Results AGEs could induce chondrocyte apoptosis and up-regulate the levels of cytochrome C and caspase-3.Simultaneously,AGEs decreased the levels of △ Ψm and ATP production.Mitochondrial permeability conversion pore inhibitor cyclosporine A could significantly protect the cells from apoptosis.In addition,both PPARγ specific agonist pioglitazone and curcumin significantly inhibited AGEs-induced chondrocytes apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction.However,pretreatment with PPARγ specific inhibitor GW9662 (10 μ mol · L-1) could significantly antagonize the protective effect of curcumin on mitochondrial damage induced by AGEs.Curcumin could also significantly increase PPARγtranscriptional activity induced by AGEs,together with a significant induction of PPARγprotein and mRNA expression.Conclusion Curcumin could effectively protect AGEs-induced chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction by upregulating PPARγ,thus protecting chondrocytes from apoptosis.
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BACKGROUND: In recent years, extensive studies on the pain management after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have identified different ways of analgesia. Among which, femoral nerve block (FNB) is the standard antalgic method post-TKA for its effective analgesia, but it may reduce the muscle strength of the quadriceps after TKA and cause serious consequences. Adductor canal block (ACB) is a novel antalgic method that provides fast functional recovery and good ability of pain control after TKA. OBJECTIVE: To compare the functional recovery and ability of pain control of ACB and FNB after TKA through a meta-analysis. METHODS: Databases of WanFang, CNKI, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for the literature concerning the analgesia and functional recovery after TKA published before March 2017. The articles were evaluated according to the Cochrane system and a meta-analysis was conducted on Revman 5.1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Twelve articles were included involving 802 patients with 872 knees. (2) Meta-analysis results showed that compared with FNB, ACB significantly reduced the Visual Analogue Scale scores at rest at 8 hours postoperatively (P < 0.001) and significantly improved the muscle strength of quadriceps femoris (P < 0.001) and motor capacity (Timed Up and Go test) (P < 0.05); but the scores at rest at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively, and the scores in activity at postoperative different time points, usage of opioids, and hospitalization time did not differ significantly between two groups. (3) ACB can achieve better analgesia at the early period (8 hours) after TKA, better motor capacity and stronger muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris; thereafter, it is a substitute for FNB after TKA.
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Both Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix are traditional Chinese herbal medicines. The herbal source and medicinal part of them are confusing in the herbal medicine market of China. To explore the evolution and transition of the herbal source and medicinal part of Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix, this paper systematically summarizes the record of the herbal source and medicinal part of them in ancient classics of herbal medicine in China. According to the findings, before Ming Dynasty, Patrinia Herba originated from the radix of the plants with yellow flowers of Patrinia. In Ming and Qing Dynasty, Patrinia Herba originates from the whole plant (including the radix)of the plant with white flowers of Patrinia. In Ming Dynasty, Patrinia Radix, stemming from the radix of the plants with yellow flowers of Patrinia, started to be used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which had the same herbal source with that of Patrinia Herba before Ming Dynasty. Therefore, Patrinia Herba and Patrinia Radix can be seen as the same traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and the genuine of Patrinia Herba should be the radix and the whole herba of P. scabiosaefolia and P. heterophylla.
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Eighteen compounds were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of fresh tubers of Dioscorea bulbifera by column chromatography over silica gel,Sephadex LH-20, and ODS. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis as 6-hydroxy-2,10,10-trimethoxy-anthracen-9-one(1), diosgenin (2), stigmasterol(3), 3, 7-dimethoxy-5, 3', 4'-trihydroxyflavone(4), 2, 7-dihydroxy-3, 4-dimethoxyphenanthrene(5), 3, 7-dihydroxy-2, 4-dimethoxy phenanthrene(6), 2, 7-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenanthrene (7), 2, 7-dihydroxy-3, 4-dimethoxy-9, 10-dihydroxy phenanthrene(8), azelaic acid (9), 8-epidiosbulbin E acetate (10), 1, 7-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4E, 6E-heptadien-3-one(11), diosbulbin B(12), pentacosanoic acid 2', 3'-dihydroxypropyl ester(13), 2, 7-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-9, 10-dihydroxy-phenanthrene (14), 1, 7-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1E, 4E, 6E-heptatrien-3-one (15), 6-ethoxy-1H-pyrimidine-2, 4-dione (16), 3, 5, 4'-trihydroxy-bibenzyl (17), and diosbulbin F (18). Compound 1 is a new compound, and compounds 7, 9, 13, and 16 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
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1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) is the second rate-limiting enzyme of terpenoid biosynthesis in the methylerythritol-4-phosphate pathway. According to the transcriptome database of Cinnamomum camphora, the DXR cDNA was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) from C. camphora, and was named CcDXR1 (GenBank number:KU886266). The ORF of CcDXR1 is composed of 1 413 bp, and it encodes 470 amino acids. The bioinformatics analysis suggests that the molecular weight of the encoded protein is 51.1 kD and the theoretically isoelectric point is 6.62, and there is no signal peptide and transmembrane structure in putative protein. The analysis of sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree showed that the CcDXR1 belonged to the DXR family. The results of the realtime PCR indicated that expression level of CcDXR1 in mature leaves was higher than tender leaves, which in roots was similar to leaves and the lowest in branches. The camphor is divided into five chemotypes, according to the main chemical compounds in C. camphora. It also showed that the expression level of CcDXR1 in borneol C. camphora was highest than that in cineol, iso-nerolidol, camphor and linalool. Our results revealed that the expression level of CcDXR1 exhibits diversity among plant tissues, growth periods and five chemical types, and the research provides foundation for further study of the terpenoids biosynthetic pathway in C. camphora.
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Herbarium specimens are the basis for the plant classification and indispensable media in teaching, scientific research and resources investigation. They have also played an important role in identifying and producing traditional Chinese medicine. High-quality herbarium specimens shall meet high requirements for integrity, smoothness, color and fabricating efficiency. Therefore, we designed a rapid setting and drying device for herbarium specimens, which could make the herbarium specimens smooth, colorful and not easy to mildew. In this paper, we pointed out the deficiency of traditional methods in making herbarium specimens, and introduced the structure and working principle of the device. Besides, we also discussed the effect of the device in setting and drying herbarium specimens and its application in the fourth national survey of the Chinese material medica resources (CMMR) in Anhui province. As a result, the device provides new ideas for producing herbarium specimens, with a reasonable design, good uniformity, high efficiency, safety and portability, and so is worthy of promotion and application in the national survey of CMMR.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To conduct preliminary investigation to the species and reserves of medicinal plants in Huangfu Mountain, and to provide references to the general survey of those plants for medicine.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Combined with global positioning system (GPS), the program of investigation with grid sampling was used in this resource survey of medicinal plants.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After the preliminary investigation of the plants for medical use of Huangfu Mountain, it is found that there are 103 families with 313 kinds of plants. There are many medicinal plants and large distribution, such as Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Semiaguilegia adoxoides and Pinellia ternate.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Huangfu Mount, with so many different kinds of medicinal plants and comfortable environment for part of the medicinal plants to grow, could be developed as a base for planting Chinese herbal medicines.</p>