Inhibitory effect of lingonberry extract on HepG2 cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion.

Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) extract contains various active ingredients with strong inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth. HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of lingonberry extract, cell inhibition rate was measured by CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis rate by annexin-propidium iodide double-staining assay. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, and cell migration and invasion by transwell assay. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR and western blotting were employed to analyze the expression of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 3 (CXCL3). Ki-67, TUNEL, and transwell assays were used to verify the relationship between CXCL3 expression and cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The composition of lingonberry extract was: 37.58% cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, 10.96% kaempferol 3-O-arabinoside, 4.52% epicatechin, 4.35% chlorogenic acid, 3.83% catechinic acid, 1.54% isoquercitrin, 1.05% 4-hydroxycinnamon acid, 1.03% cyanidin chloride, 0.85% 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 0.55% quercetin, 0.36% D-(-)-quininic acid, 0.96% caffeic acid, 0.16% ferulic acid, 0.12% oleanolic acid, and 0.03% ursolic acid. Lingonberry extract inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. After 48 h exposure to 100 µg/mL extract the inhibition rate and IC50 were 80.89±6.05% and 22.62 µg/mL, respectively. Lingonberry extract promoted late apoptosis in HepG2 cells and arrested the cell cycle at G2/M and S phases. Lingonberry extract also promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cancer cells, inhibiting their proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating the expression of CXCL3. This study offers new insight into the antihepatoma activity of lingonberry extract and provides a basis for the development of pilot antitumor drugs.

Pyrosequencing analysis revealed complex endogenetic microorganism community from natural DongChong XiaCao and its microhabitat.

BACKGROUND: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (DongChong XiaCao (DCXC) in Chinese), a fungal parasite of caterpillars, is a traditional Chinese medicine. Bioactive components isolated from natural DCXC possess a wide range of pharmacological actions. Many efforts have been directed towards isolating the fungi based on culture-dependent methods for investigation of fungal diversity in order to determine the anamorph of natural DCXC and find new medicinal fungi resources, and the results have been varied. RESULTS: In the present study, a total of 44,588 bacterial and 51,584 fungal sequences corresponding to 11,694 and 9297 putative operational taxonomic units (OTU) were respectively identified by a Roche/454-based, high throughput sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes and ITS regions. The main bacterial groups were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes, while the Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota were the main fungal phyla. Proteobacteria presented 68.4, 49.5, 38.9 and 35.6 % of all bacteria in the sclerotia, stromata, external mycelial cortices and soil, respectively. As the main fungi phyla, Ascomycota presented 21.0, 45.6 26.4 and 59.3 % in the sclerotia, stromata, external mycelial cortices and soil, respectively. Bacterial and fungal communities were more diverse in the environmental sample than in the natural DCXC sample. Microbial communities were obviously distinct in each sample. Several novel unclassifiable bacterial (10.41 %) and fungal (37.92 %) species were also detected. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed an abundant endogenetic fungal and bacterial resources and a variety of genetic information in natural DCXC by high-throughput 454 sequencing technology. Microorganism that had been discovered in natural DCXC will provide sources for screening the new bioactive metabolites and its biotechnological application.

[Variation of Locations of Baliao Acupoints in 290 Volunteer Subjects Analyzed by Using Computed Tomography-aided Three-dimensional Reconstruction Technique].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the variation of sacral vertebrates and foramen involving the bilateral Shangliao (BL 31), Ciliao (BL 32), Zhongliao (BL 33) and Xialiao (BL 34, Baliao acupoints), so as to provide an anatomic basis of acupoint needling in clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 290 patients[161 men and 129 women, mean age and standard devia-tion, (63.6±13.3)years old and (59.5±13.3) years old, respectively] with intact pelvic structure were recruited in the present study. Computed tomography (CT) scans of intact pelves were taken using a SOMATOM Definition AS 128 and the acquired signals were imported into Siemens Syngo Inspace platform for 3 D reconstruction, followed by identification, classification and analysis of the variation of sacral foramen (Baliao acupoint). RESULTS: The total variation rate of posterior sacral foramen (Baliao acupoint) was 20.34%(59/290). The detected three types of variation were sacral vertebrae number variation (4 sacral vertebraes, 6 sacral vertebraes), fusion variant (lumbosacral fusion, sacrococcygeal fusion, lumbosacral & sacrococcygeal fusion, and lumbosacral fusion & S 4 variation) and mixed type. CONCLUSIONS: Variations of sacral vertebrae including the number and fusion exist in the human body, suggesting an increase of the difficulty of acupoint needling. Since posterior iliac spine does not change generally, it is recommended to be used as a reference point for locating the Baliao acupoint.

Cigarette smoking and risk of hip fracture in women: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Whether cigarette smoking can increase the risk of hip fracture in women is unclear. This meta-analysis, which pooled results from 10 prospective cohort studies, was performed to derive a more precise estimation between cigarette smoking and the risk of hip fracture in women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ISI Web of Science were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. A meta-analysis was performed to examine the association among 10 studies. The pooled risk estimates were calculated by using both random- and fixed-effects model. Heterogeneity among articles and their publications bias were also tested. All of the statistical analyses were performed using the software programs STATA (version 12.0). RESULTS: Relative risk was significantly increased in current female smokers (pooled RR, 1.30; 95%CI, 1.16-1.45). The association was significant among the high-dose smokers (more than 15 cigarettes per day) while not among the low-does smokers (less than 15 cigarettes per day). Omission of any single study had little effect on the pooled risk estimate. Former smokers had a similar RR of hip fracture (RR, 1.02; 95%CI, 0.93-1.11) to published papers. Smoking cessation for ≥10 years leads to a significant decline in risk. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is associated with an increased hip fracture risk in women. Cessation of smoking for ≥10 years had a decreased impact on risk of hip fracture. Given the inconsistency among the studies in the choice of adjustments, the associations between cigarette smoking and risk of hip fracture in women await further investigation.

[Effects of actinomycetes agent on ginseng growth and rhizosphere soil microflora].

Taking the ginseng in Xiao Xing' an Mountains of Northeast China as test object, this paper studied the effects of applying Streptomyces pactum (Act12) on ginseng growth and on the soil microflora in root zone and root surface. After treated with Act12, the yield and quality of ginseng' s medicinal part improved, the induced enzyme activities in leaves and the root activity increased, and the numbers and proportions of soil bacteria and actinomycetes increased significantly while those of soil fungi decreased. Compared with the control, the soil microflora in treatment Act12 changed. The numbers of the dominant bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas koreensis, and Microbacterium oxydans were much higher in root zone soil and root surface soil, and the pathogen Plectosphaerella cucumerina decreased in root zone soil and disappeared in root surface soil. These results suggested that the addition of Act12 could improve the soil microflora, enhance the resistance and root activity of ginseng plant, and increase the ginseng yield and its quality.

[Study on extraction methods of activity components from Podophyllum emodi wall].

Supercritical fluid Extraction (SFE) with subsequent HPLC analysis was utilized to extract activity components such as podophyllotoxin, deoxypodophyllotoxin, kaempferol and quercetin from the roots and stems of Podophyllum emodi Wall. The extraction yields obtained by SFE were compared to those obtained by organic solvent extraction and were found to be comparable or lower. In addition, we used the orthogonal experiment which conducts with 3 factors and 4 levers in order to find the best dynamic extraction conditions.