Protective effect of total flavonoids of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. leaves against radiation-induced intestinal injury in mice and its mechanism.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Irradiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII) often occurs during radiotherapy in patients, which would result in abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and even death. Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. leaves, a traditional Chinese herb, has unique anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and analgesic effects, is used to treat damp-heat diarrhea, hernia, and abdominal pain, and has the potential to protect against RIII. AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the protective effects of the total flavonoids of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. leaves (TFERL) on RIII and provide some reference for the application of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall. leaves in the field of radiation protection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of TFERL on the survival rate of mice was observed after a lethal radiation dose (7.2 Gy) by ionizing radiation (IR). To better observe the protective effects of the TFERL on RIII, a mice model of RIII induced by IR (13 Gy) was established. Small intestinal crypts, villi, intestinal stem cells (ISC) and the proliferation of ISC were observed by haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of genes related to intestinal integrity. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum of mice were assessed. In vitro, cell models of RIII induced by IR (2, 4, 6, 8 Gy) were established. Normal human intestinal epithelial cells HIEC-6 cells were treated with TFERL/Vehicle, and the radiation protective effect of TFERL on HIEC-6 cells was detected by clone formation assay. DNA damage was detected by comet assay and immunofluorescence assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell cycle and apoptosis rate were detected by flow cytometry. Oxidative stress, apoptosis and ferroptosis-related proteins were detected by western blot. Finally, the colony formation assay was used to detect the effect of TFERL on the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells. RESULTS: TFERL treatment can increase the survival rate and time of the mice after a lethal radiation dose. In the mice model of RIII induced by IR, TFERL alleviated RIII by reducing intestinal crypt/villi structural damage, increasing the number and proliferation of ISC, and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelium after total abdominal irradiation. Moreover, TFERL promoted the proliferation of irradiated HIEC-6 cells, and reduced radiation-induced apoptosis and DNA damage. Mechanism studies have found that TFERL promotes the expression of NRF2 and its downstream antioxidant proteins, and silencing NRF2 resulted in the loss of radioprotection by TFERL, suggesting that TFERL exerts radiation protection by activating the NRF2 pathway. Surprisingly, TFERL reduced the number of clones of colon cancer cells after irradiation, suggesting that TFERL can increase the radiosensitivity of colon cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that TFERL inhibited oxidative stress, reduced DNA damage, reduced apoptosis and ferroptosis, and improved IR-induced RIII. This study may offer a fresh approach to using Chinese herbs for radioprotection.

Electrospun Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofiber Dressings Loaded with Bioactive Ursolic Acid Promoting Diabetic Wound Healing.

The design and development of novel dressing materials are urgently required for the treatment of chronic wounds caused by diabetic ulcers in clinics. In this study, ursolic acid (UA) extracted from Chinese herbal plants was encapsulated into electrospun nanofibers made from a blend of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to generate innovative CS-PVA-UA dressings for diabetic wound treatment. The as-prepared CS-PVA-UA nanofiber mats exhibited randomly aligned fiber morphology with the mean fiber diameters in the range of 100-200 nm, possessing great morphological resemblance to the collagen fibrils which exist in the native skin extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition, the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber mats were found to possess good surface hydrophilicity and wettability, and sustained UA release behavior. The in vitro biological tests showed that the high concentration of UA could lead to slight cytotoxicity. It was also found that the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressings could significantly reduce the M1 phenotypic transition of macrophages that was even stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and could effectively restore the M2 polarization of macrophages to shorten the inflammatory period. Moreover, the appropriate introduction of UA into CS-PVA nanofibers decreased the release levels of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory factors, and suppressed oxidative stress responses by reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well. The results from mouse hepatic hemorrhage displayed that CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing possessed excellent hemostatic performance. The in vivo animal experiments displayed that the CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing could improve the closure rate, and also promote the revascularization and re-epithelization, as well as the deposition and remodeling of collagen matrix and the regeneration of hair follicles for diabetic wounds. Specifically, the mean contraction rate of diabetic wounds using CS-PVA-UA nanofiber dressing could reach 99.8% after 18 days of treatment. In summary, our present study offers a promising nanofibrous dressing candidate with multiple biological functions, including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, pro-angiogenesis, and hemostasis functions, for the treatment of hard-to-heal diabetic wounds.

Antimicrobial secondary metabolites from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus polyporicola.

Two new nucleoside derivatives, kipukasins O (1) and P (2), one new cyclohexenone derivative, arthropsadiol D (5), and one new natural product, (+)-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-benzofuranone (6), together with eleven known compounds (3, 4, 7-15), were obtained from the culture broth of the endophytic fungus Aspergillus polyporicola R2 isolated from the roots of Synsepalum dulcificum. Among them, the absolute configuration of compound 5 was determined by quantum chemical calculations of NMR chemical shifts and ECD spectrum. The antimicrobial activities of these compounds were evaluated. Compound 11 exhibited obvious inhibitory activity against MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Botrytis cinerea, and Fusarium graminearum with MIC values of 4, 4, 4, 32, and 16 µg/mL, respectively. Compound 12 exhibited antibacterial activity against S. typhimurium and MRSA with MIC values of 4 and 16 µg/mL. Compound 6 exhibited antifungal activity against F. graminearum with MIC value of 32 µg/mL.

Secondary metabolites of the genus Nigrospora from terrestrial and marine habitats: Chemical diversity and biological activity.

Secondary metabolites produced by the ascomycetes have attracted wide attention from researchers. Their diverse chemical structures and rich biological activities are essential in medicine, food, and agriculture. The monophyletic Nigrospora genus belongs to the Apiosporaceae family and is a rich source of novel and diverse bioactive metabolites. It occurs as a common plant pathogen, endophyte, and saprobe distributed in many ecosystems worldwide. Researchers have focused on discovering new species and secondary metabolites in the past ten years. The host diseases caused by Nigrospora species are also investigated. This review describes 50 references from Web of Science, CNKI, Google Scholar and PubMed related to the secondary metabolites from Nigrospora. Here, a total of 231 compounds isolated from five known species and 21 unidentified species of Nigrospora from January 1991 to June 2022 are summarized. Their structures are attributed to polyketides, terpenoids, steroids, N-containing compounds, and fatty acids. Meanwhile, 77 metabolites exhibited various biological activities like cytotoxic, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antileukemic, antimalarial, phytotoxic, enzyme inhibitory, etc. Notably, this review presents a comprehensive literature survey focusing on the chemistry and bioactivity of secondary metabolites from Nigrospora.

New anti-influenza A viral norsesquiterpenoids isolated from feces-residing Streptomyces sp.

Three novel norsesquiterpenoids, (2R,4S,8aR)-8,8a,1,2,3,4-hexahydro-2-hydroxy-4,8a-dimethyl-2(2H)-naphthalenone (1), (1S,3S,4S,4aS,8aR)-4,8a-dimethyloctahydronaphthalene-1,3,4a(3H)-triol(2), (4S,4aS,8aS)-octahydro-4a-hydroxy-4, 8a-dimethyl-1(2H)-naphthalenone (3), as well as six other known analogues (4-9), were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. XM17, an actinobacterial strain inhabiting the fresh feces of the giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca. The chemical structures of 1-3 were elucidated comprehensively by NMR spectroscopic and MS analyses, furthermore, the stereochemical configurations were resolved by NOESY experiments, along with ECD spectral and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analyses. These compounds were then tested for their antiviral activities using the "pretreatment of virus" approach, which showed that most of these compounds were potent in inhibiting the entry of influenza A virus, with IC50 values ranging from 5 to 49 nM and selectivity indices all above 500.

Efficacy of Otomicroscopy Combined with Otoendoscopy Double-Lens Technology-Assisted Tympanic Membrane Repair on Elderly Patients with Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of otomicroscopy combined with otoendoscopy double-lens technology-assisted tympanic membrane repair on elderly patients chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). METHODS: 120 elderly CSOM patients from January 2017 to July 2019 were selected and divided into the otomicroscopy group (n = 40), the otoendoscopy group (n = 40), and the double-lens group (n = 40) by the random number method. All patients were treated with tympanic membrane repair. The otomicroscopy group was assisted by otomicroscopy, the otoendoscopy group was assisted by otoendoscopy. and the double-lens group was assisted by otomicroscopy combined with otoendoscopy. The three groups of operations status, clinical efficacy, the incidence of adverse reactions, hearing improvement rate, and satisfaction rate with incision after 6 months were compared. RESULTS: The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, and VAS score of the otoendoscopy group and the double-lens group were all lower than those of the otoendoscopy group, and the operation time of the double-lens group was lower than that of the otoendoscopy group (P < 0.05). The clinical efficacy of the double-lens group was better than that of the otomicroscopy group and otoendoscopy group (P < 0.05). The adverse reaction rate of the otoendoscopy group and the double-lens group was lower than that of the otomicroscopy group, and the average postoperative air-bone conductance of the double-lens group was lower than that of the otomicroscopy group and the otoendoscopy group, and the hearing improvement rate was higher than that of the otomicroscopy and otoendoscopy groups (P < 0.05). The satisfaction rate with postoperative incision in the otoendoscopy group and double-lens group was higher than that in the otomicroscopy group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The double-lens technology-assisted tympanic membrane repair has an obvious effect on elderly patients with CSOM. Compared with the single-use otomicroscopy, the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, patient's dry ear condition, degree of surgical pain, clinical efficacy, adverse reaction rate, hearing improvement rate, and patient's incision satisfaction of the double-lens technology are better. Compared with the single-use otoendoscopy, the operation time, clinical efficacy, and hearing improvement rate of the double-lens technology are better.

Tiaochang Xiaoliu Decoction Granules prevent the recurrence of colorectal adenoma: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: With the changes in lifestyle and diet, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in China. CRC mainly develops from colorectal adenomas (CRAs). There is a lack of chemopreventative drugs with definite efficacy for CRAs. Tiaochang Xiaoliu Decoction (TXD) was developed by Professor Yunjian Luo and has been used clinically over the last ten years for the prevention of CRA recurrence. To facilitate its clinical use, TXD was further standardized and produced as "Tiaochang Xiaoliu Decoction Granules (TXDG)". A study was designed to investigate the preventive effects of TXDG on the recurrence of CRA. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, controlled, and multi-center experiment is proposed to assess the effectiveness and safety of TXDG. Patients with CRAs (after complete polypectomy under colonoscopy) will be randomly divided into two groups, one will be treated with TXDG (the TXDG group) and the other will be treated with a TXDG mimetic agent (the TXDG mimetic group). The patients will be treated for 6 months and followed up for 3 years. Follow-up colonoscopy is expected to be carried out within 1 to 3 years after the baseline examinations. The primary outcome measure is adenoma detection rate within 1 to 3 years. The secondary outcome measures are the number, location, and pathology of the adenomas, and the polyp detection rate. DISCUSSION: Reliable objective evidence will be provided to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TXDG as an accessorial therapy for CRA occurrence in post-polypectomy patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000035257.

Mannose modified zwitterionic polyester-conjugated second near-infrared organic fluorophore for targeted photothermal therapy.

Cancer resistance has been the huge challenge to clinical treatment. A photothermal therapy of second near-infrared (NIR-II) organic dye small molecule has been used to conquer the cancer resistance. However, the available NIR-II dye lacks selectivity and spreads throughout the body. It has toxicity and indiscriminate burn injuries normal cells and tissues during therapy. Hence, to improve the therapeutic outcomes, herein, for the first time, we report the mannose-modified zwitterionic nanoparticles loading IR1048 dye, aiming to overcome cancer cellular resistance. The targeting molecule mannose has been applied to modify zwitterionic polyester, and the obtained polyester is employed to load IR1048 to prolong the circulation time in the blood and improve the stability of loaded dye, due to the good cytocompatibility of polyester and the antifouling properties of zwitterions. In vitro experimental results show that the pH-responsive targeted nanoparticles display satisfactory photophysical properties, prominent photothermal conversion efficiency (44.07%), excellent photothermal stability, negligible cytotoxicity for normal cells and strong photothermal toxicity to drug-resistant cancer cells. Moreover, due to the mannose targeting effect, cancer cells can endocytose the nanoparticles effectively. All these results demonstrate potential application of this alternative hyperthermal delivery system with remote-controllable photothermal therapy of tumor for accurate diagnosis by NIR-II fluorescence imaging.

Chemical constituents and their antioxidant activities from the leaves of Synsepalum dulcificum.

Synsepalum dulcifificum is an evergreen shrub native of tropical West Africa. It is very effective against a variety of diseases. However, the phytochemical investigation on this plant is limited till now. In our current study, seventeen compounds were isolated and identified from the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves. All of the compounds were obtained from S. dulcifificum for the first time. Compounds 4 and 9 were isolated from natural source for the second time. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of compounds 1, 4, 5, 9-11, and 15 were evaluated firstly. Compounds 6, 7, 13, and 14 exhibited significant antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS + assays, suggesting their potential application for an antioxidant drug.

Antiviral properties of extracts of Streptomyces sp. SMU 03 isolated from the feces of Elephas maximus.

Actinobacteria are historically and continued to be an important source for drug discovery. The annual epidemics and periodic pandemics of humans induced by influenza A virus (IAV) prompted us to develop new effective antiviral drugs with different modes of action. An actinobacterium of Streptomyces sp. SMU 03 was identified from the feces of Elephas maximus in Yunnan Province, China. By employing an H5N1 pseudo-typed virus drug screening system, the anti-IAV effect of the dichloromethane extracts (DCME) of this bacterium was investigated. DCME showed broad and potent activities against several influenza viruses, including the H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes and influenza B virus, with IC50 values ranging from 0.37 ± 0.22 to 14.44 ± 0.79 µg/mL. A detailed modes-of-action study indicated that DCME might interact with the HA2 subunit of hemagglutinin (HA) of IAV by interrupting the fusion process between the viral and host cells' membranes thereby inhibiting the entry of the virus into host cells. Furthermore, the in vivo anti-IAV activity test of DCME showed that compared with the no-drug treated group, the survival rates, appearances, weights, lung indices and histopathological changes were all significantly alleviated. Based on these results, the chemical constituent study of DCME was then investigated, from which a number of antiviral compounds with various structural skeletons have been isolated and identified. Overall, these data indicated that the DCME from Streptomyces sp. SMU 03 might represent a good source for antiviral compounds that can be developed as potential antivirus remedies.

Sequential vertical flow trickling filter and horizontal flow multi-soil-layering reactor for treatment of decentralized domestic wastewater with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate.

Sequential vertical flow trickling filter and horizontal flow multi-soil-layering bioreactor were investigated for the treatment of decentralized domestic wastewater at various concentrations of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). Results have shown that the removal rate of COD could reach 92.1% at initial COD concentration of 960 mg/L (800 mg/L was provided by SDBS). NH4+-N concentration could be reduced from 52.4 to 9.71 mg/L without aeration. Besides, a quadratic function model was fit to describe the relationship between the relative activity of amylase and the protein content in extracellular polymer substance. SDBS could inhibit the transport and metabolisms of amino acids, lipids and carbohydrates in biofilms. The analysis of three-dimensional fluorescence diagram indicated that the peak in excitation/emission wavelengths = 310-340/370-430 nm was the characteristic peaks of some active substances such as some enzymes in EPS. Only Microbacterium could totally offset the toxicity of SDBS degradation products.

Antibacterial Activity and Anti-Quorum Sensing Mediated Phenotype in Response to Essential Oil from Melaleuca bracteata Leaves.

The prominent antibacterial and quorum sensing (QS) inhibition activity of aromatic plants can be used as a novel intervention strategy for attenuating bacterial pathogenicity. In the present work, a total of 29 chemical components were identified in the essential oil (EO) of Melaleuca bracteata leaves by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The principal component was methyleugenol, followed by methyl trans-cinnamate, with relative contents of 90.46% and 4.25%, respectively. Meanwhile, the antibacterial activity and the QS inhibitory activity of M. bracteata EO were first evaluated here. Antibacterial activity assay and MIC detection against seven pathogens (Dickeya dadantii Onc5, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25933, Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Serratia marcescens MG1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC31532) demonstrated that S. aureus ATCC25933 and S. marcescens MG1 had the higher sensitivity to M. bracteata EO, while P. aeruginosa PAO1 displayed the strongest resistance to M. bracteata EO. An anti-QS (anti-quorum sensing) assay revealed that at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs), M. bracteata EO strongly interfered with the phenotype, including violacein production, biofilm biomass, and swarming motility, as well as N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) production (i.e., a signaling molecule in C. violaceum ATCC31532) of C. violaceum. Detection of C6-HSL indicated that M. bracteata EO was capable of not only inhibiting C6-HSL production in C. violaceum, but also degrading the C6-HSL. Importantly, changes of exogenous C6-HSL production in C. violaceum CV026 revealed a possible interaction between M. bracteata EO and a regulatory protein (cviR). Additionally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis demonstrated that the expression of QS-related genes (cviI, cviR, vioABCDE, hmsNR, lasA-B, pilE1, pilE3, and hcnB) was significantly suppressed. Conclusively, these results indicated that M. bracteata EO can act as a potential antibacterial agent and QS inhibitor (QSI) against pathogens, preventing and controlling bacterial contamination.

Enhanced activation of peroxymonosulfte by LaFeO3 perovskite supported on Al2O3 for degradation of organic pollutants.

In this study, the effect of various supports on activation of peroxymonosulfate and consequent degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) in aqueous solutions was examined at the presence of LaFeO3 perovskite as catalyst. Results showed that the AO7 degradation efficiency by LaFeO3 supported on different supports was in an order of LaFeO3/Al2O3 (86.2%) > LaFeO3 (70.8%) > LaFeO3/CeO2 (59.0%) > LaFeO3/SiO2 (52.3%) > LaFeO3/TiO2 (32.2%). Moreover, the pseudo first-order rate constant for AO7 degradation by LaFeO3/Al2O3 was 3.2 times than that by LaFeO3. The enhancement was attributed to its large surface area, abundant chemisorbed surface-active oxygen, redox property and faster electron transfer. AO7 degradation and the leaching of iron ions decreased with the increase of pH. Data of electron spin resonance spectroscopy and quenching experiments revealed that sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were generated on LaFeO3/Al2O3 surface, while sulfate radicals were identified to be the main reactive species responsible for AO7 degradation. Mechanisms for peroxymonosulfate activation were consequently proposed. Furthermore, LaFeO3/Al2O3 catalyst exhibited a superior stability after five cycles. This work provides a new approach for design of iron-based perovskite catalysts with high and stable catalytic activity for removal of organic pollutants from aqueous solutions.

Large-Scale and Rapid Preparation of Nanofibrous Meshes and Their Application for Drug-Loaded Multilayer Mucoadhesive Patch Fabrication for Mouth Ulcer Treatment.

Electrospinning provides a simple and convenient method to fabricate nanofibrous meshes. However, the nanofiber productivity is often limited to the laboratory scale, which cannot satisfy the requirements of practical application. In this study, we developed a novel needleless electrospinning spinneret based on a double-ring slit to fabricate drug-loaded nanofibrous meshes. In contrast to the conventional single-needle electrospinning spinneret, our needless spinneret can significantly improve nanofiber productivity due to the simultaneous formation of multiple jets during electrospinning. Curcumin-loaded poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) nanofiber meshes with various concentrations and on the large scale were manufactured by employing our developed needleless spinneret-based electrospinning device. We systematically investigated the drug release behaviors, antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory attributes, and cytotoxicity of the curcumin-loaded PLLA nanofibrous meshes. Furthermore, a bilayer nanofibrous composite mesh was successfully generated by electrospinning curcumin-loaded PLLA solution and diclofenac sodium loaded poly(ethylene oxide) solution in a predetermined time sequence, which revealed potent antibacterial properties. Subsequently, novel mucoadhesive patches were assembled by combining the bilayer composite nanofibrous meshes with (hydroxypropyl)methyl cellulose based mucoadhesive film. The multilayered mucoadhesive patch has excellent adhesion properties on the porcine buccal mucosa. Overall, our double-ring slit spinneret can provide a novel method to rapidly produce large-scale drug-loaded nanofibrous meshes to fabricate mucoadhesive patches. The multiple-layered mucoadhesive patches enable the incorporation of multiple drugs with different targets of action, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial compounds, for mouth ulcer or other oral disease treatments.

A new phthalazinone derivative and a new isoflavonoid glycoside from lichen-associated Amycolatopsis sp.

A new phthalazinone derivative, named amycophthalazinone A (1), and a new isoflavonoid glycoside, 7-O-methyl-5-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosylgenestein (2), along with an isoflavonoid glycoside, 7-O-α-D-arabinofuranosyl daidzein (3) firstly found from natural sources, and eight known compounds (4-11), were isolated from the culture broth of the lichen-associated Amycolatopsis sp. YIM 130642. The structures of new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 was the first example of naturally occurring phthalazinone derivative. The antimicrobial activities of all compounds towards five pathogenic strains were evaluated by a broth microdilution assay. Compound 1 exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans with MIC values of 32, 32, and 64 µg/mL, respectively.

Histological and Cytological Characterization of Anther and Appendage Development in Asian Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.).

The lotus (Nelumbo Adans.) is a perennial aquatic plant with important value in horticulture, medicine, food, religion, and culture. It is rich in germplasm and more than 2000 cultivars have been cultivated through hybridization and natural selection. Microsporogenesis and male gametogenesis in the anther are important for hybridization in flowering plants. However, little is known about the cytological events, especially related to the stamen, during the reproduction of the lotus. To better understand the mechanism controlling the male reproductive development of the lotus, we investigated the flower structure of the Asian lotus (N. nucifera). The cytological analysis of anther morphogenesis showed both the common and specialized cytological events as well as the formation of mature pollen grains via meiosis and mitosis during lotus anther development. Intriguingly, an anatomical difference in anther appendage structures was observed between the Asian lotus and the American lotus (N. lutea). To facilitate future study on lotus male reproduction, we categorized pollen development into 11 stages according to the characterized cytological events. This discovery expands our knowledge on the pollen and appendage development of the lotus as well as improving the understanding of the species differentiation of N. nucifera and N. lutea.

The bioenergetics mechanisms and applications of sulfate-reducing bacteria in remediation of pollutants in drainage: A review.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), a group of anaerobic prokaryotes, can use sulfur species as a terminal electron acceptor for the oxidation of organic compounds. They not only have significant ecological functions, but also play an important role in bioremediation of contaminated sites. Although numerous studies on metabolism and applications of SRB have been conducted, they still remain incompletely understood and even controversial. Fully understanding the metabolism of SRB paves the way for allowing the microorganisms to provide more beneficial services in bioremediation. Here we review progress in bioenergetics mechanisms and application of SRB including: (1) electron acceptors and donors for SRB; (2) pathway for sulfate reduction; (3) electron transfer in sulfate reduction; (4) application of SRB for economical and concomitant treatment of heavy metal, organic contaminants and sulfates. Moreover, current knowledge gaps and further research needs are identified.

Polyoxygenated Cyclohexenoids with Promising α-Glycosidase Inhibitory Activity Produced by Phomopsis sp. YE3250, an Endophytic Fungus Derived from Paeonia delavayi.

Seven new polyoxygenated cyclohexenoids, namely, phomopoxides A-G (1-7), were isolated from the fermentation broth extract of an endophytic fungal strain Phomopsis sp. YE3250 from the medicinal plant Paeonia delavayi Franch. The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic interpretation. The absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 4 were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis and chemical derivative approach. All isolated compounds showed weak cytotoxic activities toward three human tumor cell lines (Hela, MCF-7, and NCI-H460) and weak antifungal activities against five pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Pyricularia oryzae, Fusarium avenaceum, and Hormodendrum compactum). In addition, compounds 1-7 showed a promising α-glycosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 1.47, 1.55, 1.83, 2.76, 2.88, 3.16, and 2.94 mM, respectively, as compared with a positive control of acarbose (IC50 = 1.22 mM).

Antiviral anthraquinones and azaphilones produced by an endophytic fungus Nigrospora sp. from Aconitum carmichaeli.

A new hydroanthraquinone derivative, 6-O-demethyl-4-dehydroxyaltersolanol A (1), and two new azaphilones, 8,11-didehydrochermesinone B (6) and (7S)-7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-isochromene-6,8-dione (8), along with five known analogues (2-5 and 7), were isolated from the culture broth of Nigrospora sp. YE3033, an endophytic fungus obtained from Aconitum carmichaeli. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Biological activity test indicated that compounds 1-3, and 7 exhibited the inhibitory effects on influenza viral strain of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) with the IC50 values of 2.59, 8.35, 7.82, and 0.80µg/mL, respectively, while the low cytotoxicity of 7 with the CC50 value of 184.75µg/mL, displaying a promising potential of 7 in the development of anti-influenza A virus drugs.

Bioactive metabolites produced by the endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. YM355364.

A new compound, 16-acetoxycytosporone B (1), along with four known ones, dankasterone A (2), dankasterone B (3), 3beta,5alpha,9alpha-trihydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one (4), and cyclonerodiol oxide (5), were isolated from Phomopsis sp. YM355364, an endophytic fungus of Aconitum carmichaeli. Their structures were characterized by spectral analysis. Compound 2 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against influenza A/Thailand/Kan353/2004(H5N1) pseudovirus with all IC50 value of 3.56 microM. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed either moderate or weak antifungal activities against four pathogenic fungi.