Aromatic profiles and enantiomeric distributions of chiral odorants in baked green teas with different picking tenderness.

Suitable picking tenderness is an essential prerequisite for manufacturing tea. However, the influence of picking tenderness of fresh tea leaves on the aromatic components is still unclear. In this study, aromatic profiles and chiral odorants in fresh tea leaves and corresponding baked green teas with five levels of tenderness of two representative cultivars were analysed using stir bar sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. cis-Linalool oxide (furanoid) and methyl salicylate exhibited significantly increasing trends as samples of all series matured. The content of most chiral odorants was significantly high in the mature samples, and significant content variations of all enantiomers during baked green tea processing could be observed with different trends according to their precursors. In particular, the enantiomeric ratios of most chiral odorants were less influenced by the picking tenderness and processing, while drying (limonene), spreading and fixation (α-terpineol), and spreading (dihydroactinidiolide) influenced the chiral distribution of the aforementioned odorants.

Assessment of the contribution of chiral odorants to aroma property of baked green teas using an efficient sequential stir bar sorptive extraction approach.

Chiral volatile compounds are known to be distributed in teas at various enantiomeric ratios. However, the performance of each enantiomer, including aroma characteristics, aroma intensities, and contribution to the overall flavor of tea, is still unclear. In this study, aroma characteristics and intensities of 38 volatile enantiomers in standards and baked green teas with chestnut-like aroma and clean aroma were evaluated by an efficient sequential headspace-stir bar sorptive extraction (seq-HS-SBSE) approach combined with the enantioselective gas chromatography-olfactometry/mass spectrometry (Es-GC-O/MS) technique. Moreover, aroma recombination results for the two types of baked green teas using 14 chiral odorants and four achiral odorants indicated that the combinations of the detected odorants mainly contributed to the "floral", "sweet", and "chestnut-like" aromas. R-Linalool simultaneously enhanced the "floral", "sweet", and "chestnut-like" aromas; R-limonene mainly contributed to the "sweet" and "clean" aromas; and S-α-terpineol promoted the "sweet" and "floral" aromas of baked green tea.

Effects of Zhizi Chuanxiong Capsule () on the Abnormal Methylation in Rabbits with Atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Zhizi Chuanxiong Capsule (ZCC, ) on abnormal DNA methylation in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis (AS). METHODS: After 1 week of adaptive feeding, 48 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: a control group (n=12) fed with normal diet for 22 weeks; a model group (n=12) fed with high fat diet for 14 weeks followed by 8 weeks of normal diet feeding; a low-dose ZCC group (n=12) fed with high fat diet and low-dose ZCC for 14 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of normal diet and low-dose drug; a high-dose ZCC group (n=12) fed with high fat diet and high-dose drug for 14 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of normal diet and high-dose drug. After 22 weeks of feeding, blood samples were taken from the rabbit ear vein, and the genomic DNA was extracted for methylation immunoprecipitation sequencing (Medip-seq). The aorta tissues were collected for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. RESULTS: Eight rabbits died during the feeding process. HE staining showed that the size of the lipid deposition on vessel wall and atherosclerotic plaque formation were reduced in both low- and high-dose group. The Medip-seq results showed that there were 146 abnormally methylated genes (including both hypermethylated gene and hypomethylated genes) in the model group, compared with the control group. Gene Ontology (GO) and Pathway analysis showed that these abnormally methylated genes were found to be involved in multiple AS-related functions and pathways, such as protein kinase C activity, cholesterol transport, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, peroxisome proliferater-activated receptor signaling pathway, vascular smooth muscle contraction, inflammation and so on. The abnormal methylated genes in AS model group were altered in both low- and high-dose groups: low-dose ZCC could change 72 of the 146 abnormally methylated genes, high-dose ZCC could change 71. Through GO and Pathway analysis, these altered methylated genes were involved in protein kinase C activity, inflammatory pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway, etc. CONCLUSION: ZCC could treat AS through regulating the abnormal hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes in AS rabbit model.

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical study on Wufuxinnaoqing Soft Capsule () in treatment of chronic stable angina patients with blood stasis syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the efficacy and safety of Wufuxinnaoqing Soft Capsule (, WSC) in the treatment of chronic stable angina (blood stasis syndrome). METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with superiority test was designed. A total of 240 patients with chronic stable angina (blood stasis syndrome) from multiple centers were randomly and equally assigned to the treatment group and the control group. Based on standard treatment of Western medicine, the treatment group was given WSC, while the control group was given WSC mimetic, both for 12 weeks. Observed indicators included the efficacy in angina, the efficacy in Chinese medicine syndrome, the withdrawal or reduce rate of nitroglycerin and routine safety indices. RESULTS: After 12-week treatment, the significant effective rate and total effective rate of the treatment group were significantly better than those of the control group (23.5% vs. 9.2%, 64.7% vs. 30.8%), respectively, with statistically significant difference (P<0.01). After 12-week treatment, the decreased points and the decreased rate of angina symptom score in the treatment group were better than in the control group (5.1±4.2 points vs. 2.8±3.5 points, 44.9%±37.2% vs. 25.4%±30.7%) respectively, with significant difference (P<0.01). After 12-week treatment, the significant effective rate and total effective rate of the treatment group were better than the control group (respectively, 30.3% vs. 15.0%, 67.2% vs. 45.0%,P<0.01). After 8- or 12-week treatment, the decreased points and the decreased rate of Chinese medicine syndrome score in the treatment group were better than the control group (P<0.05 orP<0.01). After 12-week treatment, nitroglycerin withdrawal rate and the withdrawal or reduce rate in treatment group were better than the control group (P<0.01). On safety evaluation, the incidence of adverse events (7.563% vs. 7.500%) and the incidence of cardiovascular events (0.840% vs. 0.000%) in the treatment group were similar with the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: In treatment of chronic stable angina (blood stasis syndrome), WSC can reduce angina attacks and consumption of nitroglycerin, decrease angina severity degree, effectively relieve the blood stasis syndromes, such as chest pain, chest tightness, palpitations, dark purple tongue and other symptoms. Besides, adverse events and cardiovascular adverse events in the treatment group and the control group showed no difference. All shows that the drug is safe and effective. [This study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), with registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-14005158.].

Effects of combined therapy of Xuezhikang Capsule and Valsartan on hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy and heart rate turbulence.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of combined therapy with Xuezhikang Capsule (XZK) and Valsartan on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) in hypertensive patients. METHODS: Ninety primary hypertensive patients with LVH were randomly assigned to three groups. Basic treatment, including aspirin, beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, etc. were administered to all patients. Additionally, Valsartan (VS, 80 mg once a day) was given to the 30 patients in the VS group. Valsartan (in the same dosage) and XZK (600 mg, twice a day) were given to the 32 patients in the Chinese medicine (CM) group, while none was given to the 28 patients in the control group. The therapeutic course lasted for 24 months. Changes in left ventricular mass index (LVMI) measured by cardiac ultrasonic indices, HRT parameters, including the original heart rate (TO) and slope coeffificient (TS), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), as well as blood cholesterol level (TC) were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, TO and LVMI were lowered, while TS increased in both the VS group and the CM group (P<0.01), but changed insignificantly in the control group. Significant differences between the CM group and the control group were shown in terms of TO, LVMI, SBP, DBP and TS (P<0.01); and between the CM group and the VS group in terms of TO, LVMI and TS (P<0.01). Moreover, HRT parameters showed an evident correlation with LVMI (r=0.519-0.635, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Combined therapy with XZK and Valsartan can improve hypertensive LVH and HRT parameters, and lessen the damage on the autonomous nervous system.

Stable expression of foot-and-mouth disease virus protein VP1 fused with cholera toxin B subunit in the potato (Solanum tuberosum).

The expression vector, pBI121CTBVP1, containing the fusion of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP1 gene and the cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) gene was constructed by fused PCR and transferred into potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformed plants were obtained by selecting on kanamycin-resistant medium strictly and regenerated. The transgenic plantlets were identified by PCR, Southern-blot and the production of fused protein was confirmed and quantified by Western-blot and ELISA assays. The results showed that the fused genes were expressed stablely under the control of specific-tuber patatin promoter. The expressed fused proteins have a certain degree of immunogenicity.