A pollen-specific polygalacturonase from lily is related to major grass pollen allergens.

A pollen-specific gene from lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb. cv. Snow Queen), designated LLP-PG, was characterized. Southern blots of lily genomic DNA indicated that LLP-PG is a member of a small gene family. A thorough sequence analysis revealed that the LLP-PG gene is interrupted by two introns and encodes a protein of 413 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 44 kDa, and a pI of 8.1. Evaluation of the hydropathy profile showed that the protein has a hydrophobic segment at the N-terminus, indicating the presence of a putative signal peptide. A sequence similarity search showed a significant homology of the encoded protein to pollen polygalacturonases (PGs) from various plant species and to an important group (group 13) of grass pollen allergens. The LLP-PG transcript is pollen-specific and it accumulates only at the latest stage during pollen development, in the mature pollen. In contrast to other "late genes" LLP-PG transcript can neither be induced by abscisic acid (ABA) nor by dehydration. Immunoblot analyses of pollen protein extracts from lily, timothy grass and tobacco with IgG antibodies directed against LLP-PG and against the timothy grass pollen allergen, Phl p 13, indicated that lily LLP-PG shares surface-exposed epitopes with pollen PGs from monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses and inhibition ELISA assays with patients' IgE demonstrated a very low IgE reactivity of lily rLLP-PG and a lack of cross-reactivity between rLLP-PG and the timothy grass pollen allergen, rPhl p 13. These data demonstrated that despite the significant sequence homology and the conserved surface-exposed epitopes LLP-PG represents a low-allergenic member of pollen PGs.

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of punicalagin and punicalin on acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats.

Punicalagin and punicalin were isolated from the leaves of Terminalia catappa L., a Combretaceous plant distributed throughout tropical and subtropical beaches, which is used for the treatment of dermatitis and hepatitis. Our previous studies showed that both of these compounds exert antioxidative activity. In this study, the antihepatotoxic activity of punicalagin and punicalin on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in the rat liver was evaluated. After evaluating the changes of several biochemical functions in serum, the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were increased by acetaminophen administration and reduced by punicalagin and punicalin. Histological changes around the hepatic central vein and oxidative damage induced by acetaminophen were also recovered by both compounds. The data show that both punicalagin and punicalin exert antihepatotoxic activity, but treatment with larger doses enhanced liver damage. These results suggest that even if punicalagin and punicalin have antioxidant activity at small doses, treatment with larger doses will possibly induce some cell toxicities.

Effects of punicalagin and punicalin on carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats.

Punicalagin and punicalin were isolated from the leaves of Terminalia catappa L. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of punicalagin and punicalin carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats. After evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects, the edema rates were increased by carrageenan administration and reduced by drug treatment. After 4 hr of carrageenan administration, the best effect group was the punicalagin (10 mg/kg) treated group (inhibition rate was 58.15%), and the second was the punicalagin (5 mg/kg)-treated group (inhibition rate was 39.15%). However, even if the anti-inflammatory activity of punicalagin was the same as punicalin at the 5 mg/kg dose, the inhibition effect from larger doses of punicalagin was increased, but there was a decrease with a larger dose of punicalin. The data showed that both punicalagin and punicalin exert anti-inflammatory activity, but treatment with larger doses of punicalin may induce some cell damages.

Antioxidant activity of tannin components from Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

Reactive oxygen molecules have been implicated as important pathological mediators in many clinical disorders and periodontal disease. To provide possible alternative treatment of periodontal disease, six tannins isolated from Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. were evaluated for anti-lipid peroxidation, anti-superoxide formation and free radical scavenging activity. The results showed that cinnamtannin B1 displayed the strongest anti-lipid peroxidation activity, proanthocyanidin A-1 displayed the strongest superoxide scavenging activity, and epicatechin-(4beta--> 6)-epicatechin-(4beta-->8, 2beta-->O--> 7)-catechin had the strongest anti-superoxide formation effect. We conclude that tannins isolated from V. vitis-idaea L. exhibited multiple antioxidant activity, and could be used for the treatment of periodontal disease.

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of punicalagin and punicalin on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in rats.

Punicalagin and punicalin, isolated from the leaves of Terminalia catappa L., are used to treat dermatitis and hepatitis. Both compounds have strong antioxidative activity. The antihepatotoxic activity of punicalagin and punicalin on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced toxicity in the rat liver was evaluated. Levels of serum glutamate-oxalate-transaminase and glutamate-pyruvate-trans-aminase were increased by administration of CCl4 and reduced by drug treatment. Histological changes around the liver central vein and oxidation damage induced by CCl4 also benefited from drug treatment. The results show that both punicalagin and punicalin have anti-hepatotoxic activity but that the larger dose of punicalin induced liver damage. Thus even if tannins have strong antioxidant activity at very small doses, treatment with a larger dose will induce cell damage.