Activity of the chelerythrine, a quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid from Chelidonium majus L. on Dactylogyrus intermedius.

Dactylogyrus intermedius is a significant monogenean parasite on the gills of cyprinid fishes and can cause severe economic losses in aquaculture and ornamental fish breeding. In the present study, bioactivity-guide fractionation was employed to identify active compound from Chelidonium majus L. against D. intermedius. In vivo anthelmintic activity of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and n-butanol extracts of C. majus were tested. Among them, only the n-butanol extract exhibited promising anthelmintic efficacy, and therefore subjected to the further isolation and purification using various chromatographic techniques. A compound showing potent activity was obtained and identified by hydrogen, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and electron ionization mass spectrometry as chelerythrine. In vivo anthelmintic efficacy tests exhibited that chelerythrine was 100% effective against D. intermedius at a concentration of 1.60 mg L(-1), with LC(50) values of 0.68 mg L(-1) after 48 h of exposure. The 48-h LC(50) value (acute toxicity tests) of chelerythrine was found to be 3.59 mg L(-1) for grass carp. These results provided evidence that chelerythrine can be selected as a lead compound for the development of new drugs against D. intermedius.

In vivo anthelmintic activity of chelidonine from Chelidonium majus L. against Dactylogyrus intermedius in Carassius auratus.

Dactylogyrus intermedius is one of the most common and serious cause of parasitic diseases of freshwater fish in aquaculture, and can cause morbidity and high mortality in most species of freshwater fish worldwide. To attempt controlling this parasite and explore novel potential antiparasitic agents, the present study was designed to ascertain the anthelmintic activity of Chelidonium majus L. whole plant and to isolate and characterize the active constituents against D. intermedius. The ethanol extract from C. majus whole plant showed significant anthelmintic activity against D. intermedius [EC(50) (median effective concentration) value = 71.5 mg L(-1)] and therefore subjected to further isolation and purification using various chromatographic techniques. A quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid exhibited significant activity against D. intermedius was obtained and identified as chelidonine. In vivo anthelmintic efficacy tests exhibited that chelidonine was 100% effective against D. intermedius at a concentration of 0.9 mg L(-1), with EC(50) value of 0.48 mg L(-1) after 48 h of exposure, which is more effective than the positive control, mebendazole (EC(50) value = 1.3 mg L(-1)). In addition, the 48-h median lethal concentration (LC(50)) for chelidonine against the host (Carassius auratus) was 4.54 mg L(-1). The resulting therapeutic index for chelidonine was 9.46. These results provided evidence that chelidonine might be potential sources of new antiparasitic drugs for the control of Dactylogyrus.

Proteomic analysis of individual giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, growth retardants.

"Iron prawn" is a condition of severe growth retardation that fishers call. The giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is a commercially important species contains high protein content and functional nutrients. However, no proteomic information is available for this species. We performed the shotgun 2DLC-MS/MS proteomic analysis of the total protein from "iron prawn". Total 19,758 peptides corresponding to 2613 high-confidence proteins were identified. These proteins range in size from 40 to 70 kDa. KEGG analysis revealed that the largest group consisting total 102 KEGG pathway proteins comparing the "iron prawn" with the normal prawn. Additionally, 7, 11, 1, 6, and 5 commercially important enzymes were found in the eyestalk, liver, muscle, ovary, and testis, respectively. The functions of these differently expressed enzymes include immune system action against pathogens, muscle contraction, digestive system metabolism, cell differentiation, migration, and apoptosis in the severe growth retardation of "iron prawn". Our work provides insight into the understanding of the formation mechanism of "iron prawn".

Effect of sanguinarine from the leaves of Macleaya cordata against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

The ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is one of the most pathogenic parasites of fish maintained in captivity. In this study, effects of crude extracts, fractions, and compounds from the leaves of Macleaya cordata against I. multifiliis were investigated under in vitro conditions by bioactivity-guided isolation method. The dried ethanol extract of M. cordata was extracted successively in a separating funnel with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform and n-butanol. Among them, only the chloroform extract showed promising activity and therefore, was subjected to further separation and purification using various chromatographic techniques. Four compounds were isolated from chloroform extract, but only one compound showed potent activity. The structure of the active compound was elucidated as sanguinarine by hydrogen, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and electron ionization mass spectrometry. In vitro antiparasitic efficacy tests exhibited that sanguinarine was 100% effective against I. multifiliis at a concentration of 0.7 mg l(-1), with LC(50) and LC(90) values of 0.437 and 0.853 mg l(-1) after 4 h of exposure. In vivo antiparasitic efficacy tests showed that the number of I. multifiliis on the gills in the treatment group (in 0.9 mg l(-1) sanguinarine) was reduced by 96.8%, in comparison to untreated group at 25°C for 48 h. Mortality of fish did not occur in the treatment group during the trail, although 40% of untreated fish died. Our results indicate that the studied plant extracts, as well as sanguinarine might be potential sources of new antiparasitic drug for the control of I. multifiliis.

[Bushen Huoxue Huayu Recipe up-regulates expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in androgen sterilized rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and phosphorylation of tyrosine in androgen sterilized rats (ASRs) and the effects of Bushen Huoxue Huayu Recipe (BHHR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine for tonifying kidney and activating blood, on the ASRs, and to analyze the possible mechanism. METHODS: ASR models were established by means of testosterone injected subcutaneously at the age of 9 days. The model rats were randomly divided into BHHR group (n=15) and untreated group (n=15); the rats in normal group (n=15) were injected with oil. The rats in the BHHR group were treated with BHHR for 30 days, and the rats in model group and normal group were treated with distilled water for 30 days. Body weight and area under the curve (AUC) of insulin were measured after treatment. Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in ASRs were analysed by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The body weight and insulin AUC in the untreated group were increased and more than those in the BHHR group and the normal control group (P<0.05). Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in normal group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group (P<0.05), and those in BHHR group were improved and significantly different from those in the untreated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BHHR can increase the expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in IR rats, which may be one of its mechanisms in improving insulin sensitivity of the target tissues.

Antiparasitic efficacy of dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine from Macleaya microcarpa against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in richadsin (Squaliobarbus curriculus).

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is a holotrichous protozoan that invades the gills and skin surfaces of fish and can cause morbidity and high mortality in most species of freshwater fish worldwide. The present study was undertaken to investigate the antiparasitic activity of crude extracts and pure compounds from the leaves of Macleaya microcarpa. The chloroform extract showed a promising antiparasitic activity against I. multifiliis. Based on these finding, the chloroform extract was fractionated on silica gel column chromatography in a bioactivity-guided isolation affording two compounds showing potent activity. The structures of the two compounds were elucidated as dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine by hydrogen and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and electron ionization mass spectrometry. The in vivo tests revealed that dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine were effective against I. multifiliis with median effective concentration (EC(50)) values of 5.18 and 9.43 mg/l, respectively. The acute toxicities (LC(50)) of dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine for richadsin were 13.3 and 18.2mg/l, respectively. The overall results provided important information for the potential application of dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine in the therapy of serious infection caused by I. multifiliis.