Bioactivity of Essential Oil of Zingiber purpureum Rhizomes and Its Main Compounds against Two Stored Product Insects.

The insecticidal and repellent activities of the essential oil extracted from Zingiber purpureum Roscoe rhizomes were evaluated against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Lasioderma serricorne (L.) adults. During our screening program for agrochemicals from Chinese medicinal herbs and wild plants, the essential oil of Z. purpureum rhizomes was found to possess strong contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne adults, with LD50 values of 39.0 and 16.3 µg per adult, respectively, and also showed strong fumigant toxicity against the two grain storage insects with LC50 values of 13.6 and 9.3 mg/liter of air, respectively. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main components of the essential oil were identified to be sabinene (48.1%), terpinen-4-ol (25.1%), and γ-terpinene (6.7%), followed by α-terpinene (4.3%), ß-thujene (3.4%), and α-phellandrene (2.7%). Sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, and γ-terpinene were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Terpinen-4-ol showed the strongest contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LD50=19.7 and 5.4 µg per adult, respectively) and also the strongest fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LC50=3.7 and 1.3 mg/liter of air, respectively). Otherwise, sabinene and terpinen-4-ol were strongly repellent against T. castaneum as well as the essential oil, while γ-terpinene exhibited weaker repellency against T. castaneum compared with the positive control, DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). Moreover, only the essential oil exhibited strong repellency against L. serricorne, the three compounds exhibited weaker repellency against L. serricorne relative to DEET.

Root-soil air gap and resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface of Robinia pseudoacacia.

During periods of water deficit, growing roots may shrink, retaining only partial contact with the soil. In this study, known mathematical models were used to calculate the root-soil air gap and water flow resistance at the soil-root interface, respectively, of Robinia pseudoacacia L. under different water conditions. Using a digital camera, the root-soil air gap of R. pseudoacacia was investigated in a root growth chamber; this root-soil air gap and the model-inferred water flow resistance at the soil-root interface were compared with predictions based on a separate outdoor experiment. The results indicated progressively greater root shrinkage and loss of root-soil contact with decreasing soil water potential. The average widths of the root-soil air gap for R. pseudoacacia in open fields and in the root growth chamber were 0.24 and 0.39 mm, respectively. The resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface in both environments increased with decreasing soil water potential. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that soil water potential and soil temperature were the best predictors of variation in the root-soil air gap. A combination of soil water potential, soil temperature, root-air water potential difference and soil-root water potential difference best predicted the resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface.

Allitridum mimics effect of ischemic preconditioning by activation of protein kinase C.

AIM: To investigate whether allitridum has the effect of pharmacological preconditioning and whether protein kinase C (PKC) plays a role in myocardial protection. METHODS: Thirty-four isolated rabbit hearts which subjected to 30 min of regional myocardial ischemia and 2 h reperfusion, were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group, ischemic preconditioning (PC) group, allitridum (A) group, polymyxin B (Poly B) group, allitridum + polymyxin B (A + Poly B) group. Infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining. RESULTS: Pharmacological preconditioning in hearts with a 5 -min allitridum infusion 10 min before the prolonged regional ischemia resulted in significantly smaller infarcts (7 % +\- 6 % of risk area) than in control hearts (25 % +\- 7 %, P < 0.05). There is no significant difference in infarct size between (A+Poly B) group and control hearts (23 % +\- 5 % vs 25 % +\- 7 %, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that allitridum can precondition rabbit ischemic myocardium and this protection can be effectively blocked by administration of Poly B, an inhibitor of PKC, implying that PKC has an important role in preconditioning.

Regulation of Ich-1 pre-mRNA alternative splicing and apoptosis by mammalian splicing factors.

The importance of alternative splicing in regulating apoptosis has been suggested by findings of functionally antagonistic proteins generated by alternative splicing of several genes involved in apoptosis. Among these, Ich-1 (also named as caspase-2) encodes a member of the caspase family of proteases. Two forms of Ich-1 are produced as a result of alternative splicing: Ich-1L, which causes apoptosis, and Ich-1S, which prevents apoptosis. The precise nature of Ich-1 alternative splicing and its regulation remain unknown. Here, we show that the production of Ich-1L and Ich-1S transcripts results from alternative exclusion or inclusion of a 61-bp exon. Several splicing factors can regulate Ich-1 splicing. Serine-arginine-rich proteins SC35 and ASF/SF2 promote exon skipping, decreasing the ratio of Ich-1S to Ich-1L transcripts; whereas heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 facilitates exon inclusion, increasing this ratio. Furthermore, in cultured cells, SC35 overexpression increases apoptosis; whereas heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 overexpression decreases apoptosis. These results provide the first direct evidence that splicing factors can regulate Ich-1 alternative splicing and suggest that alternative splicing may be an important regulatory mechanism for apoptosis.

Regulation of the fibrinolytic potential of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells: astragaloside IV downregulates plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and upregulates tissue-type plasminogen activator expression.

We have investigated whether the saponin astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylcycloastragenol, purified from the Chinese herb drug Astragalus membranaceus, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases, might affect the fibrinolytic potential of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). When HUVECs were conditioned with AS-IV, a dose (0.01-100 microg AS-IV/ml)- and time-dependent decrease in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and an increase in tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) synthesis were observed, which were significant from 1 microg AS-IV/ml and from 12 h of incubation with 100 microg AS-IV/ml. PAI-1 antigen decreased from 641 +/- 86 to 318 +/- 18 ng/10(5) cells/24 h, whereas t-PA antigen increased from 4.1 +/- 0.3 to 9.7 +/- 0.4 ng/10(5) cells/24 h after addition of 100 microg AS-IV/ml. PAI-1 activity decreased to 30% of control level, whereas t-PA activity and t-PA-PAI-1 complexes reached a maximum stimulation of 3- and 5-fold over control levels, respectively, in the conditioned media of HUVECs treated with 100 microg AS-IV/ml for 24 h. PAI-1-specific mRNA expression decreased to 55% (2.2 kb) and 72% (3.2 kb), 66% (2.2 kb) and 88% (3.2 kb), and 19% (2.2 kb) and 41% (3.2 kb) of control values after incubation for 6, 12 and 18 h, respectively, whereas t-PA-specific mRNA increased 2-, 2.5- and 1.4-fold in HUVECs treated with 100 microg/ml AS-IV for 6, 12, and 18 h, respectively. In conclusion our data give evidence that in fact AS-IV can increase the fibrinolytic potential of cultured HUVECs not only by upregulating the expression of t-PA as NG-R1 does, but also by downregulating the expression of PAI-1.

[Mildewproof of Chinese traditional medicinal materials].

A study on the anti-mold activity of BCM, cinnamaldehyde and clove oil, was made by means of ultramicrostructural observation. The results show that both cinnamaldehyde and clove oil have strong anti-mold activity, (the former being even stronger), while BCM works well only in cases of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Trichoderma. SME and TME have found out that cinnamaldehyde is able to destroy the wall of fungal cells, the coagulate plasma and dissolve the cell organs.

[A study on pulmonary artery compliance and hemodynamics in patients with lung-distention].

A simultaneously comparative study on pulmonary artery compliance (Cpa) and pulmonary artery mean pressure (PAMP) in 89 patients with Lung-Distention in TCM by impedance pulmonary rheogram, tricuspid valve echocardiogram and right heart catheterization. Then according to Syndrome Differentiation of TCM, Lung-Distention was sub-divided into four groups. The results showed that PAMP were gradually increased and Cpa decreased in these groups. It revealed that the pulmonary circulation of Lung-Distention patients has disturbed.

[Single channel analysis on calcium channel blockade action of panaxadiol and panaxatriol saponins on cultured rat ventricular myocytes].

Wistar rat ventricular myocytes were isolated. Panaxadiol saponins 1500 micrograms.ml-1, panaxatriol saponins 300 micrograms.ml-1, verapamil 37.5 micrograms.ml-1, or BAY k 8644 5 mumol.L-1 were added into the bath solution separately. The single channel activities of L, T, and B type calcium channels were recorded before and after the administration, using voltage patch-clamp technique in cell-attached configuration. The calcium channel blockade effect of these 2 groups of ginsenosides was authenticated verified. The mechanism existed in the decrease in both the open time and the open-state probability of the calcium channel.

Effects of copper and selenium on electric parameters of cultured myocardial cells damaged by xanthine-xanthine oxidase.

Addition of xanthine 0.42 mmol.L-1 and xanthine oxidase 5.3 nmol.L-1 (X-XO) to the culture medium increased the amplitude of ESR spectra of myocardial cells, demonstrating an increase in free radical contents; diminished the action potential parameters significantly and reduced the input impedances from 0.34 +/- 0.11 to 0.24 +/- 0.1 M omega, expressing a typical electrical appearance of membrane damage. Supplying Cu 62.5 ng.ml-1 and/or Se 173 ng.ml-1 to the medium brought all of the electric parameters and the free radical content of myocardial cells back to normal. The results indicate that both the two trace elements are able to scavenge free radicals, thus antagonizing X-XO, which induces damage to myocardial cells.

Protective action of selenium and manganese on xanthine and xanthine oxidase induced oxidative damage to cultured heart cells.

Ventricular myocytes from neonatal Wistar rats were cultured with 80% Dulbecoo's modified Eagle medium and 20% fetal bovine serum. An appropriate amount of xanthine and xanthine oxidase was added to the culture medium to increase the content of free radicals in cardiac cells. Variation in action potential and input impedance of cardiac myocytes indicated the oxidative damage to the membrane. The ultrastructure of heart cells, characteristically the myofilaments and mitochondria, was damaged. Electron spin resonance measurement demonstrated that xanthine and xanthine oxidase elevated the free radical content, while selenium (Se) and manganese (Mn) reduced the free radicals in cultured heart cells. Supplementation of 0.173 microgram/ml Se and 0.1 microgram/ml Mn into the culture medium separately or simultaneously antagonized the damage induced by xanthine and xanthine oxidase. The possible mechanism might be the production of superoxide anion free radical leading to free radical damage to cardiac cells. Se and Mn might play a role as scavengers through glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase respectively and thus protect cardiac cells from free radical damage.