Identification of Two Phenanthrene Derivatives from Australasian Allied Species in Genus Dendrobium.

Genus Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) contains numerous species. Phylogenetic analyses based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequences indicated that this genus is divided into two major groups: Asian and Australasian clades. On the other hand, little is known about the phytochemical differences and similarities among the species in each clade. In this study, we selected 18 Dendrobium species (11 from the Asian clade and 7 from the Australasian clade) and constructed HPLC profiles, arrays composed of relative intensity of the chromatographic peaks. Next, orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was applied to the profile matrix to classify Dendrobium species into the Asian and Australasian clades in order to identify the peaks that significantly contribute to the class separation. In the end, two phenanthrenes, 4,9-dimethoxyphenanthrene-2,5-diol 1 and 1,5-dimethoxyphenanthrene-2,7-diol 2, which contributed to the class separation, were isolated from the HPLC peaks. The existence of 2 was limited to the genetically related Australasian species.

Effects of the herbal medicine composition "Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-To" on the function of endothelial progenitor cells in hypertensive rats.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are known to repair vascular injuries. Recent studies suggest that Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-To (SKRBT), a traditional herbal medicine that has been used to treat stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, has protective effects on cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were fed diets containing lyophilized SKRBT extract for 6 weeks. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated and cultured to assay EPC colony formation. Oxidative stress in MNCs was evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay and flowcytometric analyses. Treatment with SKRBT increased EPC colony numbers significantly (p<0.05) with decrease in oxidative stress and without affecting blood pressure in SHRs. Treatment with SKRBT did not reduce the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunits in cardiovascular organs. Serum IL-6 level was significantly reduced. SKRBT is a feasible herbal medicine that protects against cardiovascular diseases through an increase in EPC function along with anti-oxidative effects, and may affect the link between chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Identification of dendrobium species used for herbal medicines based on ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequence.

Stems of genus Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) have been traditionally used as an herbal medicine (Dendrobii Herba) in Eastern Asia. Although demand for Dendrobium is increasing rapidly, wild resources are decreasing due to over-collection. This study aimed to identify plant sources of Dendrobii Herba on the market based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA. We constructed an ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequence database of 196 Dendrobium species, and the database was employed to identify 21 herbal samples. We found that 13 Dendrobium species (D. catenatum, D. cucullatum, D. denudans, D. devonianum, D. eriiflorum, D. hancockii, D. linawianum, D. lituiflorum, D. loddigesii, D. polyanthum, D. primulinum, D. regium, and D. transparens) were possibly used as plant sources of Dendrobii Herba, and unidentified species allied to D. denudans, D. eriiflorum, D. gregulus, or D. hemimelanoglossum were also used as sources. Furthermore, it is clear that D. catenatum is one of the most important sources of Dendrobii Herba (5 out of 21 samples).

Marine-derived n-3 fatty acids and atherosclerosis in Japanese, Japanese-American, and white men: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine whether marine-derived n-3 fatty acids are associated with less atherosclerosis in Japanese versus white populations in the U.S. BACKGROUND: Marine-derived n-3 fatty acids at low levels are cardioprotective through their antiarrhythmic effect. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study in 281 Japanese (defined as born and living in Japan), 306 white (defined as white men born and living in the U.S.), and 281 Japanese-American men (defined as Japanese men born and living in the U.S.) ages 40 to 49 years was conducted to assess intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and serum fatty acids. RESULTS: Japanese men had the lowest levels of atherosclerosis, whereas whites and Japanese Americans had similar levels. Japanese had 2-fold higher levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids than whites and Japanese Americans in the U.S. Japanese had significant and nonsignificant inverse associations of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids with IMT and CAC prevalence, respectively. The significant inverse association with IMT remained after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Neither whites nor Japanese Americans had such associations. Significant differences between Japanese and whites in multivariable-adjusted IMT (mean difference 39 mum, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 21 to 57mum, p < 0.001) and CAC prevalence (mean difference 10.7%, 95% CI: 2.9% to 18.4%, p = 0.007) became nonsignificant after we adjusted further for marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (22 mum, 95% CI: -1 to 46 mum, p = 0.065 and 5.0%, 95% CI: -5.3% to 15.4%, p = 0.341, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Very high levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids have antiatherogenic properties that are independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and may contribute to lower the burden of atherosclerosis in Japanese, a lower burden that is unlikely the result of genetic factors.