Freshwater water quality criteria for phthalate esters and recommendations for the revision of the water quality standards.

With increasing urbanization and rapid industrialization, more and more environmental problems have arisen. Phthalates (PAEs) are the foremost and most widespread plasticizers and are readily emitted from these manufactured products into the environment. PAEs act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and can have serious impacts on aquatic organisms as well as human health. In this study, the water quality criteria (WQC) of five PAEs (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)) for freshwater aquatic organisms were developed using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and a toxicity percentage ranking (TPR) approach. The results showed that long-term water quality criteria (LWQC) of PAEs using the SSD method could be 13.7, 11.1, 2.8, 7.8, and 0.53 µg/L, respectively. Criteria continuous concentrations (CCC) of PAEs were derived using the TPR method and determined to be 28.4, 13.1, 1.3, 2.5, and 1.6 µg/L, respectively. The five PAEs are commonly measured in China surface waters at concentrations between ng/L and µg/L. DBP, DEHP, and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) were the most frequently detected PAEs, with occurrence rates ranging from 67% to 100%. The ecological risk assessment results of PAEs showed a decreasing order of risk at the national level, DEHP, DBP, DMP, DEP, DnOP. The results of this study will be of great benefit to China and other countries in revising water quality standards for the conservation of aquatic species.

Prediction of HC5s for phthalate esters by use of the QSAR-ICE model and ecological risk assessment in Chinese surface waters.

Due to their endocrine-disrupting effects and the risks posed in surface waters, in particular by chronic low-dose exposure to aquatic organisms, phthalate esters (PAEs) have received significant attention. However, most assessments of risks posed by PAEs were performed at a selection level, and thus limited by empirical data on toxic effects and potencies. A quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) and interspecies correlation estimation (ICE) model was constructed to estimate hazardous concentrations (HCs) of selected PAEs to aquatic organisms, then they were used to conduct a multiple-level environmental risk assessment for PAEs in surface waters of China. Values of hazardous concentration for 5% of species (HC5s), based on acute lethality, estimated by use of the QSAR-ICE model were within 1.25-fold of HC5 values derived from empirical data on toxic potency, indicating that the QSAR-ICE model predicts the toxicity of these three PAEs with sufficient accuracy. The five selected PAEs may be commonly measured in China surface waters at concentrations between ng/L and µg/L. Risk quotients according to median concentrations of the five PAEs ranged from 3.24 for di(2-ethylhexhyl) phthalate (DEHP) to 4.10 × 10-3 for dimethyl phthalate (DMP). DEHP and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) had risks to the most vulnerable aquatic biota, with the frequency of exceedances of the predicted no-effect concentration (PNECs) of 75.5% and 38.0%, respectively. DEHP and DBP were identified as having "high" or "moderate" risks. Results of the joint probability curves (JPC) method indicated DEHP posed "intermediate" risk to freshwater species with a maximum risk product of 5.98%. The multiple level system introduced in this study can be used to prioritize chemicals and other new pollutant in the aquatic ecological.

The value of functional magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating renal allograft function.

BACKGROUND: To explore the value of arterial spin labeled (ASL) and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) imaging in evaluating allogeneic kidney function after renal transplantation. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-five renal transplant patients were included. Demographic and imaging data were collected. Transplanted renal function, pathology, ASL and BOLD parameters were obtained. The patients were divided into normal, mild and severe injury group. The correlation between BOLD/ASL parameters and clinical data were evaluated. The prediction models were based on ASL and BOLD parameters using multivariate logistic analysis. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the effects of gender, age, ASL and BOLD on the survival of renal transplant patients. RESULTS: ASL and BOLD parameters were independently associated with renal function injury and renal allograft positive pathology. The AUC of prediction model for renal allograft function based on ASL and BOLD parameters was 0.85, while the AUC based on BOLD parameters was 0.70. Renal transplantation time showed a positive correlation with age, BOLD parameters and SCr，while a negative correlation with ASL parameters and eGFR. ASL parameter was positively correlated with eGFR and negatively correlated with Scr. BOLD parameter was negatively correlated with eGFR, ASL and positively correlated with Scr. Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that the increase of age could reduce the risk of renal function injury and positive pathology. CONCLUSIONS: ASL and BOLD were associated with renal function injury and renal allograft positive pathology. ASL and BOLD had some value in predicting renal allograft function.

[Comprehensive Review on Environmental Biogeochemistry of Nonylphenol and Suggestions for the Management of Emerging Contaminants].

In recent years, China's air environment, water environment, and soil environmental quality have been improved, and a "clear water blue sky" has become a normal state. However, as persistent organic pollutants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, antibiotics, microplastics, and other emerging contaminants are continuously detected in the environment, these emerging contaminants have gradually been attracting wide attention. Nonylphenol, as a typical endocrine disrupting chemical, has also attracted the attention of researchers. The environmental behaviors and exposure levels of nonylphenol in Chinese water bodies were summarized systematically, and the ecological risks caused by nonylphenol were evaluated based on the risk quotient method and joint probability curve method. The results showed that the toxic effects of nonylphenol on aquatic organisms mainly included acute toxicity, growth and development toxicity, and estrogenic effect and reproductive toxicity. Nonylphenol was commonly found in the water bodies of major drainage areas in China, and the average concentration of nonylphenol ranged from 60 to 1000 ng·L-1, with the highest concentration being as high as 4628 ng·L-1. The results of risk assessment based on the risk quotient method and joint probability curve method showed that nonylphenol had certain risks to aquatic life in the major basins of China. Finally, the commonly used nonylphenol treatment, disposal, and risk management and control technologies were summarized, and the international supervision methods of endocrine-disrupting chemicals were compared. Aiming at addressing the problems existing in China's environmental management, targeted policy suggestions were put forward. The research results can provide reference for the management and control of emerging contaminants in China.

The Distribution Characteristics and Ecological Risks of Alkylphenols and the Relationships between Alkylphenols and Different Types of Land Use.

In this study, the spatial distribution characteristics of nine alkylphenols (APs) in the Yongding River and Beiyun River were analyzed. The differences in the concentrations and spatial distribution patterns of nine APs were systematically evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA). The relationships between the concentration distribution patterns and the risks associated with nine APs were investigated under various categories of land use conditions in the region. The results demonstrated that the APs were widely present in both rivers, and the pollution risks associated with the APs were more severe in the Yongding River than in the Beiyun River. The results show that the contamination risks associated with 4-NP were the most serious in the two rivers, with detection percentages of 100% and 96.3%, respectively. In the Yongding River, the APs showed a tendency of low concentration levels in the upper reaches and high levels in the middle and lower regions. Meanwhile, the overall concentration levels of the APs in the Beiyun River were relatively high. However, despite the differences between the upper and middle regions of the Yongding River, the distribution pattern of the APs in the Beiyun River was basically stable. The concentration levels and risk quotient of the APs were negatively correlated with the vegetation cover land use type and positively correlated with the cropland and unused land use types within 500 m, 1 km, and 2 km. The purpose of this study was to provide theoretical data support and a basis for AP pollution risk evaluations in the Yongding River and Beiyun River.

A clinical study of using ROC to compare the efficiency of ASL and BOLD in diagnosis of renal allograft function.

Background: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of renal transplantation function by comparing arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) imaging with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Methods: According to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values, 42 patients with normal kidney grafts (the normal kidney graft group, eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 93 patients with injured grafts (the kidney graft injury group, eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) were included in the present study. Renal blood flow (RBF) and the effective transverse relaxation rate (R2*) were calculated by comparing ASL and BOLD imaging. The ROC curve and the youden index were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ASL, BOLD, and the combination of them. Results: The results showed that all the clinical features of the patients, except for gender, differed significantly between the 2 groups (P<0.05). The mean RBF value of the renal transplant injury group (104.33±54.76 mL/100 g/min) was significantly lower than that of the normal group (191.84±63.96 mL/100 g/min, P<0.01). The mean medullary R2* value of the renal transplant injury group (27.91±3.35 1/s) was significantly higher than that of the normal group (25.22±2.94 1/s, P<0.01). Negative correlations were found between R2* and eGFR (r=-0.44), and RBF and R2* (r=-0.54; both P<0.01). The ROC analysis showed that both RBF and R2* reflected injured renal function [area under the curves (AUC) =0.86 and 0.72, respectively]. In addition, the AUC of RBF and R2* combined was 0.86, which was comparable to that of RBF alone (P=0.95), while combining R2* and RBF improved the diagnostic performance of R2* alone (AUC =0.86 versus 0.72, respectively; P<0.01). The youden index analysis showed that the diagnostic accuracy of ASL was 80.00%, better than 71.85% of BOLD; the sensitivity and specificity of ASL in diagnosing renal allograft dysfunction were 79.57% and 80.95%, superior to 77.42% and 59.52% of BOLD. Conclusions: Our results showed that the non-invasive assessment of ASL in clinical kidney transplant function is a more promising imaging technique than BOLD.

Ranking the risks of eighty pharmaceuticals in surface water of a megacity: A multilevel optimization strategy.

Pharmaceuticals in freshwater posed ecological risks to aquatic ecosystem, however, most risk assessments of pharmaceuticals were conducted at screening level, which were limited by the availability of the toxicity data. In this study, risks of 80 pharmaceuticals including 35 antibiotics, 13 antiviral drugs, 13 illicit drugs, and 19 antidepressants in surface water of Beijing were assessed with a proposed multilevel environmental risk optimization strategy. Target pharmaceuticals were detected in surface water samples with the detection frequency from 1.7 % to 100 % and the total concentrations from 31.1 ng/L to 2708 ng/L. Antiviral drugs were the dominant pharmaceuticals. Preliminary screening-level risk assessment indicated that 20 pharmaceuticals posed low to high risks with risk quotient from 0.14 (chloroquine diphosphate) to 27.8 (clarithromycin). Thirteen pharmaceuticals were recognized with low to high risks by an optimized risk assessment method. Of them, the refined probabilistic risk assessment of joint probability curves coupling with a quantitative structure activity relationship-interspecies correlation estimation (QSAR-ICE) model was applied. Clarithromycin, erythromycin and ofloxacin were identified to pose low risks with maximum risk products (RP) of 1.23 %, 0.41 % and 0.35 %, respectively, while 10 pharmaceuticals posed de minimis risks. Structural equation modeling disclosed that human land use and climate conditions influenced the risks of pharmaceuticals by indirectly influencing the concentrations of pharmaceuticals. The results indicated that the multilevel strategy coupling with QSAR-ICE model was appropriate and effective for screening priority pollutants, and the strategy can be used to prioritize pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment.

Freshwater Water-Quality Criteria for Chloride and Guidance for the Revision of the Water-Quality Standard in China.

The chloride in water frequently exceeds the standard; directly quoting foreign water-quality criteria (WQC) or standards will inevitably reduce the scientific value of the water-quality standard (WQS) in China. Additionally, this may lead to the under- or overprotection of water bodies. This study summarized the sources, distribution, pollution status, and hazards of chloride in China's water bodies. Additionally, we compared and analyzed the basis for setting WQS limits for chloride in China; we systematically analyzed the basis for setting the WQC for chloride in foreign countries, especially the United States. Finally, we collected and screened data on the toxicity of chloride to aquatic organisms; we also used the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method to derive the WQC value for chloride, which is 187.5 mg·L-1. We put forward a recommended value for freshwater WQS for chloride in China: less than 200 mg·L-1. The study of a freshwater WQC for chloride is not only a key point of environmental research, but also an urgent demand to ensure water ecological protection in China. The results of this study are of great significance for the environmental management of chloride, protection of aquatic organisms, and risk assessment, especially for the revision of WQSs.

Toxicity mechanisms and bioavailability of copper to fish based on an adverse outcome pathway analysis.

Copper (Cu) exists in a variety of forms in different aquatic environments, and affects their bioavailability. In this study we provide a systematic review on toxicity of Cu which focuses on identifying evidence in the mechanisms of Cu toxicity, and apply an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) analysis to identify multiple potential mechanisms and their interactions of Cu toxicity to fish. This analysis process included the mechanisms of behavior toxicant, oxidative toxicant, ion regulation disruption toxicity, as well as endocrine disruption toxicity. It was found that at low levels of Cu exposure, swimming, avoid predators, locating prey and other sensory functions will be impaired, and the organism will suffer from metabolic alkalosis and respiratory acidosis following the inhibition of the carbonic anhydrase active. The main pathway of acute toxicity of Cu to fish is the inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase enzyme, and lead to reduced intracellular sodium absorption, as well as Cu-induced increased cell permeability, in turn resulting in increased sodium ion loss, leading to cardiovascular collapse and respiratory insufficiency. The endocrine disruption toxicity of Cu to fish caused growth inhibition and reproductive reduction. In addition, there are several key pathways of Cu toxicity that are affected by hardness (e.g., Ca2+) and intracellular DOC concentrations, including inhibiting Cu-induction, improving branchial gas exchange, altering membrane transport functions, decreasing Na+ loss, and increasing Na+ uptake. The results of the AOP analysis will provide a robust framework for future directed research on the mechanisms of Cu toxicity.

A QSAR-ICE-SSD model prediction of the PNECs for alkylphenol substances and application in ecological risk assessment for rivers of a megacity.

Alkylphenols (APs) are ubiquitous and generally present in higher residue levels in the environment. The present work focuses on the development of a set of in silico models to predict the aquatic toxicity of APs with incomplete/unknown toxicity data in aquatic environments. To achieve this, a QSAR-ICE-SSD model was constructed for aquatic organisms by combining quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), interspecies correlation estimation (ICE), and species sensitivity distribution (SSD) models in order to obtain the hazardous concentrations (HCs) of selected APs. The research indicated that the keywords "alkylphenol" and "nonylphenol" were most commonly studied. The selected ICE models were robust (R2: 0.70-0.99; p-value < 0.01). All models had a high reliability cross- validation success rates (>75%), and the HC5 predicted with the QSAR-ICE-SSD model was 2-fold than that derived with measured experimental data. The HC5 values demonstrated nearly linear decreasing trend from 2-MP to 4-HTP, while the decreasing trend from 4-HTP to 4-DP became shallower, indicates that the toxicity of APs to aquatic organisms increases with the addition of alkyl carbon chain lengths. The ecological risks assessment (ERA) of APs revealed that aquatic organisms were at risk from exposure to 4-NP at most river stations (the highest risk quotient (RQ) = 1.51), with the highest relative risk associated with 2.9% of 4-NP detected in 82.9% of the sampling sites. The targeted APs posed potential ecological risks in the Yongding and Beiyun River according to the mixture ERA. The potential application of QSAR-ICE-SSD models could satisfy the immediate needs for HC5 derivations without the need for additional in vivo testing.

General Challenges and Recommendations for the Water Quality Criteria of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs).

Water quality criteria (WQC) play an important role in the environmental management of pollutants in different countries or institutions. It has been found that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can potentially alter functions of the endocrine system and consequently cause adverse effects in aquatic organisms. Therefore, the complicated modes of action and mechanisms of EDCs should be carefully considered in WQC studies. For example, the research regarding the WQC derivation of EDCs should prioritize sensitive aquatic species in consideration of the WQC derivation. Second, the chronic toxicity of EDCs should be of utmost concern. In addition, the appropriate effects and endpoints of EDCs should be carefully selected for the WQC derivation. Moreover, it was pointed out that some new methods should be taken into consideration in the WQC studies of EDCs in the near future.

Cross-triggered and cascaded recycling amplification system for electrochemical detection of circulating microRNA in human serum.

A cross-triggered and cascaded recycling amplification system was developed for electrochemical sensing of microRNA 122 based on the DNAzyme/multicomponent nucleic acid enzyme cleavage technique and a dumbbell-shaped probe. The linear range and detection limit were obtained to be 1 fM-100 pM and 0.34 fM, respectively. Compared with some reported studies, the proposed system can achieve the selective detection of endogenous miRNA in liver injury patients and healthy human serums with the advantages of high sensitivity, low cost, and easy manipulation, which are significant for disease diagnosis as well as the fundamental research of molecular biology.

In vitro metabolic kinetics of cresyl diphenyl phosphate (CDP) in liver microsomes of crucian carp (Carassius carassius).

Cresyl diphenyl phosphate (CDP), as a kind of aryl substituted organophosphate esters (OPEs), is commonly used as emerging flame retardants and plasticizers detected in environmental media. Due to the accumulation of CDP in organisms, it is very important to discover the toxicological mechanism and metabolic process of CDP. Hence, liver microsomes of crucian carps (Carassius carassius) were prepared for in vitro metabolism kinetics assay to estimate metabolism rates of CDP. After 140 min incubation, the depletion of CDP accounted for 58.1%-77.1% (expect 0.5 and 2 µM) of the administrated concentrations. The depletion rates were best fitted to the Michaelis-Menten model (R2 = 0.995), where maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) were 12,700 ± 2120 pmol min-1·mg-1 protein and 1030 ± 212 µM, respectively. Moreover, the in vitro hepatic clearance (CLint) of CDP was 12.3 µL min-1·mg-1 protein. Log Kow and bioconcentration factor (BCF) of aryl-OPEs were both higher than those of alkyl- and chlorinated-OPEs, indicating that CDP may easily accumulate in aquatic organisms. The results made clear that the metabolism rate of CDP was greater than those of other OPEs detected in liver microsomes in previous research. This paper was first of its kind to comprehensively investigate the in vitro metabolic kinetics of CDP in fish liver microsomes. The present study might provide useful information to understand the environmental fate and metabolic processes of these kinds of substances, and also provide a theoretical basis for the ecological risk assessment of emerging contaminants.

The potential connections of adverse outcome pathways with the hazard identifications of typical organophosphate esters based on toxicity mechanisms.

Following the world-wide ban of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), which could potentially affect human health and ecosystem safety, have been frequently detected in various environmental media. However, the knowledge regarding the underlying toxicity effects of OPEs remains limited. In order to address these issues, this study reviewed the related reports which have been published in recent years. This analysis process included 12 OPEs, 10 model organisms, and 15 cell lines, which were used to systematically examine the mechanisms of endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity, as well as reproductive and developmental toxicity. Subsequently, an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework of the toxicological effects of OPEs was built. The results demonstrated that multiple different pathways may lead to a single same adverse outcome (AO), and there was a certain degree of correlation among the different AOs. It was found that among all the 12 OPEs, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) may potentially be the most toxic. In addition, rather than the parent chemicals, the metabolites of OPEs may also have different degrees of toxicity effects on aquatic organisms and humans. Overall, the results of the present study also suggested that an AOP framework should be built via fully utilizing the existing toxicity data of OPEs based on in vivo-in vitro-in silico to completely and deeply understand the toxic mechanisms of OPEs. This improved knowledge could then provide a theoretical basis for ecological risk assessments and water quality criteria research in the near future.

The Preparation of Biochar Particles from Sludge and Corncobs and Its Pb2+ Adsorption Properties.

In the present study, biochar particles (BPs) produced by the co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and corncobs at temperatures of 300, 500, and 700°C were characterized. The Pb2+ adsorption properties and the heavy metal leaching toxicity rates of the BPs were investigated. It was found that the adsorption kinetics of the Pb2+ can be accurately described by a pseudo-second-order model, and the equilibrium adsorption data were well represented by both the Langmuir and the Freundilich Equations. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) results indicated that the leaching concentrations of all the heavy metals were below the set limit of China's national standard (Identification Standard for Hazardous Waste Extraction Toxicity Identification, China National Standard, GB 5085.3-2007). The results of this study can successfully provide scientific support for future corncob treatment and sludge pollution control.

Picroside II attenuates hyperhomocysteinemia-induced endothelial injury by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis.

Picroside II (P-II), one of the main active components of scrophularia extract, which have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory effects, but its effect on hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) induced endothelial injury remains to be determined. Here, we test whether P-II protects HHcy-induced endothelial dysfunction against oxidative stress, inflammation and cell apoptosis. In vitro study using HUVECs, and in hyperhomocysteinemia mouse models, we found that HHcy decreased endothelial SIRT1 expression and increased LOX-1 expression, subsequently causing reactive oxygen species generation, up-regulation of NADPH oxidase activity and NF-κB activation, thereby promoting pro-inflammatory response and cell apoptosis. Blockade of Sirt1 with Ex527 or siRNASIRT1 increased LOX-1 expression, whereas overexpression of SIRT1 decreased LOX-1 expression markedly. P-II treatment significantly increased SIRT1 expression and reduced LOX-1 expression, and protected against endothelial cells from Hcy-induced oxidative injury, inflammation and apoptosis. However, blockade of SIRT1 or overexpression of LOX-1 attenuated the therapeutic effects of P-II. In conclusion, our results suggest that P-II prevents the Hcy induced endothelial damage probably through regulating the SIRT1/LOX-1 signaling pathway.

PAHs would alter cyanobacterial blooms by affecting the microcystin production and physiological characteristics of Microcystis aeruginosa.

The wide presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lakes necessitates a better understanding of cyanobacteria metabolites under the contamination of PAHs. The M. aeruginosa strain PCC7806 was selected to investigate the effects of naphthalene and pyrene on the physiological and biochemical reactions of cyanobacteria, including antioxidant defense system (superoxide dismutase, catalase), intracellular microcystin (MC) content, phycobiliprotein (phycocyanin, allophycocyanin) contents, and specific growth rate. Naphthalene and pyrene altered the growth of the M. aeruginosa strain, reduced the contents of phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, and stimulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes without lipid peroxidation. Remarkably, the intracellular MC content was significantly increased by 68.1% upon exposure of M. aeruginosa to 0.45 mg L-1 naphthalene, and increased by 51.5% and 77.9% upon exposure of M. aeruginosa to 0.45 mg L-1 pyrene and 1.35 mg L-1 pyrene, respectively (P＜0.05). Moreover, significant correlations were observed between these physiological reactions, referring that a series of physiological and biochemical reactions in M. aeruginosa worked together against the PAH contamination. Considering that MCs are the most studied cyanobacterial toxins, our results clarified that the promoting MC production by PAH contamination cannot be neglected when making related risk assessments of eutrophic waters.

Protective effects of silybin on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury induced by H2O2 in vitro.

Oxidative injury induces cellular and nuclear damages that lead to cell injury. Agents or antioxidants that can inhibit production of reactive oxygen species can prevent injury. We tested the hypothesis that silybin can inhibit H2O2-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Eighteen hours of treatment with 750 micromol l(-1) H2O2 significantly stimulated expression of caspase-3 and cell apoptosis. In addition, it is observed that H2O2 increased the amounts of malondialdenhyde (MDA), the dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and decreased the activity of GSH-Px and NO contents in ECV-304 cells. In the H2O2 apoptosis model, the addition of 6.25-25 mg/L of silybin, which has in vitro radical scavenging activity, partially restored cell viability with a reduction in H2O2-induced apoptotic DNA damage, and decreased the expression of caspase-3. Moreover, it decreased other H2O2-induced damage in a concentration-dependent manner. The endothelial cell apoptosis was detected by AO/EB dual staining as well as flow cytometry, and the activity of pro-apoptotic factor caspase-3 was detected by immunocytochemical method. Our results suggest that the antioxidant, silybin, protects ECV-304 cells against H2O2-induced injury probably through its antioxidant activity, increasing the NO content, the activity GSH-Px and inhibiting signaling pathways mediated by caspase-3.