Protective effects of bajijiasu in a rat model of Aß25₋35-induced neurotoxicity.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVENCE: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) caused by neurons and/or myelin loss lead to devastating effects on patients׳ lives. Although the causes of such complex diseases have not yet been fully elucidated, oxidative stress, mitochondrial and energy metabolism dysfunction, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and apoptosis have been recognized as influential factors. Current therapies that were designed to address only a single target are unable to mitigate or prevent disease progression, and disease-modifying drugs are desperately needed, and Chinese herbs will be a good choice for screening the potential drugs. Previous studies have shown that bajijiasu, a dimeric fructose isolated from Morinda officinalis radix which was used frequently as a tonifying and replenishing natural herb medicine in traditional Chinese medicine clinic practice, can prevent ischemia-induced neuronal damage or death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to investigate whether bajijiasu protects against beta-amyloid (Aß25₋35)-induced neurotoxicity in rats and explore the underlying mechanisms of bajijiasu in vivo, we prepared an Alzheimer׳s disease (AD) model by injecting Aß25-35 into the bilateral CA1 region of rat hippocampus and treated a subset with oral bajijiasu. We observed the effects on learning and memory, antioxidant levels, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter levels, and neuronal apoptosis. RESULTS: Bajijiasu ameliorated Aß-induced learning and memory dysfunction, enhanced antioxidative activity and energy metabolism, and attenuated cholinergic system damage. Our findings suggest that bajijiasu can enhance antioxidant capacity and prevent free radical damage. It can also enhance energy metabolism and monoamine neurotransmitter levels and inhibit neuronal apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results provide a scientific foundation for the use of Morinda officinalis and its constituents in the treatment of various AD. Future studies will assess the multi-target activity of the drug for the treatment of AD.

Confocal mirco-Raman spectroscopic analysis of the antioxidant protection mechanism of the oligosaccharides extracted from Morinda officinalis on human sperm DNA.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVENCE: Male infertility is a stressful and frustrating problem for the society, but a number of male infertility treatments are available as traditional Chinese medicine strategies which have been tried with variable success, while evidence is still limited on whether-or how much-herbs or supplements might help increase fertility, so the aim of this study was to investigate if the oligosaccharides extracted from Morinda officialis, a Chinese herb, is the active constituents to the fertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we prepared the H2O2-demaged human sperm, cocultured with the oligosaccharides in vitro, then observed the changes of the DNA using confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy, and comparative analysis the differences of the spectra of different treated groups. RESULTS: The results showed that the oligosaccharides extracted from Morinda officialis can keep the "Raman fingerprints" of the human sperm DNA almost the same as those of the control groups, but very different from the H2O2-induced groups, especially the intensity of bands at 787, 993, 1094, 1254, 1340, 1376, 1421, 1443, 1487, 1577 and 1662cm(-1) which could be as potential targets for the drugs finding, and further principal component analysis was successfully used to classify the Raman spectra of normal control and model groups. CONCLUSION: This results suggested that the oligosaccharides can protect the DNA of human sperm from being damaged by H2O2, and which was one of the active constituents of Morinda officialis on treating infertility. It was also demonstrated that Morinda officialis as a tonifying and replenishing natural herb medicine can be used to enhance reproductive functions, and the Raman spectroscopy could be an applicable technology for screening active components in vitro from herbs.

[The analysis and identification of fritillaria cirrhosa by Raman spectra].

Laser Raman spectrum technology was used to distinguish fritillaria cirrhosa from its adulterants rapidly and accurately. The study is based on that different traditional Chinese medicine contains different chemical compositions, and the differences could be displayed in Raman spectra. The Raman spectra of fritillaria cirrhosas shows that several characteristic strong peaks could be found at 442, 480, 863, 941, 1 083, 1 129, 1 342, 1 463 and 2 910 cm(-1), and a few obvious peaks appear at 111, 302, 360, 409, 527, 579, 618, 718, 767, 1 052, 1 083, 1 207 and 1 261 cm(-1). According to the Raman spectra, a Raman fingerprint of fritillaria cirrhosa was set up, which could be used to distinguish its adulterants. This analysis could be used in identifying fritillaria cirrhosa rapidly, accurately and nondestructively.

[Protective effect of oligosaccharides from Morinda officinalis on beta-amyloid-induced dementia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of oligosaccharides of Morinda officinalis (OMO) on beta-amyloid-induced dementia rats, and study its pharmacological mechanism in treatment of dementia. METHOD: The dementia model rats were established by injecting Abeta25-35 10 microLg into bilateral hippocampus. OMO high-dose (60 mg . kg-1 . d-1) group, OMO low-dose (20 mg . kg-1 . d-1 ) groups, the blank group, the sham operation group and the positive donepezil HC1 group (0. 125 mg kg-1 . d-1) were designed for the experiment. They were continuously administered with drugs at the 15th day after operation for 25 days. Kit microplate method was used to detect the contents of super oxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GSH-Px), acetylcholine (ACh) , acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Na+ /K+ -ATPase. RESULT: Compared with the model group, all of administration groups showed higher SOD, CAT and GSH-Px levels, and lower MDA in the brain tissues. Besides, they also showed rise in the activities of ACh and Na+ /K+ -ATPase. CONCLUSION: OMO can ameliorate on beta-amyloid-induced dementia rats by enhancing oxidation resistance, activating brain energy metabolism and improving the injury of cholinergic system.

Protective effect of Bajijiasu against ß-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells.

Beta-amyloid peptide (Aß), a major protein component of senile plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), is also directly neurotoxic. Mitigation of Aß-induced neurotoxicity is thus a possible therapeutic approach to delay or prevent onset and progression of AD. This study evaluated the protective effect of Bajijiasu (ß- D-fructofuranosyl (2-2) ß- D-fructofuranosyl), a dimeric fructose isolated from the Chinese herb Radix Morinda officinalis, on Aß-induced neurotoxicity in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Bajijiasu alone had no endogenous neurotoxicity up to 200 µM. Brief pretreatment with 10-40 µM Bajijiasu (2 h) significantly reversed the reduction in cell viability induced by subsequent 24 h exposure to Aß25-35 (21 µM) as measured by MTT and LDH assays, and reduced Aß25-35-induced apoptosis as indicated by reduced annexin V-EGFP staining. Bajijiasu also decreased the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde in PC12 cells, upregulated expression of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, prevented depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Ψm), and blocked Aß25-35-induced increases in [Ca(2+)] i . Furthermore, Bajijiasu reversed Aß25-35-induced changes in the expression levels of p21, CDK4, E2F1, Bax, NF-κB p65, and caspase-3. Bajijiasu is neuroprotective against Aß25-35-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, likely by protecting against oxidative stress and ensuing apoptosis.

[Identification of Ginseng and its counterfeit by laser Raman spectroscopy].

The objective of the present study is to identify Ginseng and its false sample: Anthriscus sylvestris, Radix glehniae and balloonflower root by Laser Raman spectroscopy, second derivative Raman spectroscopy. The structural information of the samples indicated that Ginseng and its false samples contains a large amount of carbohydrates, since some characteristic vibration peaks of the carbohydrates, such 1 640, 1 432, 1 130, 1 086, 942, 483 cm(-'1) can be observed. The characteristic vibration peak of Radix glehniae which arouse at 2 206 cm(-1) in the aman spectra, totally different from the other three kinds of traditional Chinese medicines. Anthriscus sylvestris appeare the characteristic vibration peak in 1 050 cm(-1) and the corresponding 1 869 cm(-1) because of the chain ester compounds. The characteristic vibration peak of balloonflower root, such as 1 227, 691, 600 cm(-1) can be observed, significantly different from the other three herbs in the Raman spectra. Further more, the previous identification results can be verified again with second derivative Raman spectroscopy. This identification method is more fast, convenient, and keeping the integrity of the samples than the routine spectroscopic method.

Specificity of auricular acupoints in reflecting changes of qi and blood measured by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the specificity of auricular acupoints in responding to changes of qi and blood which, in traditional Chinese medicine, are considered as the fundamental substances in the human body for sustaining normal vital activity. METHODS: A miniature fiber optic system was used to invasively measure the diffuse reflectance spectra of three auricular acupoints, namely, Uterus (TF2), Gan (CO12) and Neifenmi (CO18), at different stages of menstruation, when the female body exhibits regular changes of qi and blood. The spectra of different acupoints were compared to find their difference in responding changes of qi and blood, especially the reflectivity of absorption peaks of hemoglobin. RESULTS: The reflectivity of the same auricular acupoint during menstruation is higher than that before and after menstruation, and this trend is more obvious for the Uterus point compared with the points Gan and Neifenmi. The average reflectivity of the Uterus point during menstruation was significantly higher than that before or after menstruation (P<0.01). The D-values during and after menstruation of the Uterus point were greater than those of the points Gan and Neifenmi at 544.06 and 577.47 nm, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The diffuse reflectance light of auricular acupoints changes as qi and blood fluctuates, and there is relative specificity among different auricular acupoints in reflecting changes of qi and blood. The Uterus point may be the most sensitive auricular acupoint in reflecting uterus function and subsequent changes of qi and blood.

A promising phosphorescent iridium complex with fluorine substituents: synthesis, crystal structure, photo- and electro-luminescence performance.

In this paper, we report a phosphorescent Ir(III) emitter of Ir(acac-F6)(F-BT)(2), where acac-F6 = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dione and F-BT = 2-(2-fluorophenyl)benzo[d]thiazole, including its crystal structure, electronic nature, photophysical characteristics, thermal and electrochemical properties. Data suggest that Ir(acac-F6)(F-BT)(2) is a promising emitter with high quantum yield of 0.19 and good thermal stability, along with its proper energy levels for charge carrier transportation. Electroluminescence (EL) devices using Ir(acac-F6)(F-BT)(2) as emitter are also fabricated, and their electroluminescence performances are investigated in detail. The optimal EL device shows a maximum luminance of 27,000 cd/cm(2) and a peak current efficiency of 8.7 cd/A.