Preparation, characterization, structural analysis and antioxidant activities of phosphorylated polysaccharide from Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) flower.

In this study, phosphorylation effects on the monosaccharide composition, structural attributes, morphology and radical-scavenging activities of Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) flower polysaccharides were investigated. Sanchi flower phosphorylated polysaccharides mainly comprised of Man, Rha, GluA, GalA, Glu, Gal and Xyl, but lacked GluN, Rib, Arab and Fuc in their compositions. FTIR analysis of phosphorylated polysaccharides showed an emergence of new absorption peak around spectral region of 1254 cm-1. NMR and FTIR analyses were indicative of the successful phosphorylation of the Sanchi flower polysaccharides. The introduction of phosphate groups into polysaccharides led to the induction of pore-like structures in polysaccharides configuration. Phosphorylation of polysaccharides led to concentration-dependent increasing tendencies in radical-scavenging activities. These findings demonstrated the positive impact of phosphorylation on Sanchi flower polysaccharides, which could potentially be used as a therapeutic agent.

The Influence of Different Extraction Methods on the Structure, Rheological, Thermal and Functional Properties of Soluble Dietary Fiber from Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) Flower.

The influence of different extraction methods, such as acidic (AC), enzymatic (EN), homogenization (H), ultrsonication (U) and alkali (AL), on structure, rheological, thermal and functional properties of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from Sanchi flower was evaluated in this study. The highest extraction yield (23.14%) was obtained for AL-SDF extract. Glucose (Glc) and galactose (Gal) were found to be the major constituents in Sanchi SDF. Homogenization and Ultrsonication treatments caused significant compaction of pores in the microstructures. FTIR analysis showed increased hydrolysis of pectin and hemicellulose in U, AL and AC-SDF extracts. H-SDF and AC-SDF exhibited similar shear rate change with the rise in shear stress. H-SDF was thermally more stable than other SDF extracts. Among all extraction methods, H-SDF and U-SDF exhibited the highest water holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC), Bile acid-adsorption capacity (BAC), Cholesterol-adsorption capacity (CAC) and Glucose adsorption capacity (GAC). Thus, Sanchi flower SDF with improved functional properties could be utilized as a functional food ingredient in the development of various food products.

Chemical fingerprinting and characterization of spilled oils and burnt soot particles - A case study on the Sanchi oil tanker collision in the East China Sea.

The condensate spill accident from the Sanchi oil tanker collision in the East China Sea is unique in world history. To date, the spilled and burnt amounts of condensate remain unknown. The present study demonstrates the chemical fingerprints of a surrogate condensate (SC) from the same source, and of the carried heavy fuel oil (HFO) of the Sanchi accident. The evaporative features of the condensate are demonstrated by allowing the SC to naturally volatilize in a dark fume hood. In addition, the combustion emission of the SC is characterized by conducting a laboratory-scale combustion experiment. The evaporation experiment suggests that the volatilization process plays a significant role in the weathering of the condensate. The results show that the SC and HFO can be clearly distinguished based on their chemical fingerprints of C27-C35 hopanes and C9-C36 n-alkanes, along with priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated derivatives. The compositional data reveal that the lighter component is predominant in the SC, thereby supporting its high volatility and flammability. The greater amounts of heavier components in the HFO indicate its long-term degradation and potential ecological risks to the environment. Further, the trisnorhopane thermal indicator (Ts/Tm) and C29/C30 ratio of hopanes are validated for identification of the SC and the HFO. More importantly, the changes in the hopane ratios of the soot particles are analyzed for the first time in this study, and the results demonstrate the validity of using hopane ratios to fingerprint the condensate soot particles. The diagnostic ratios of 2-MP/1-MP, 9/4-MP/1-MP, and InP/(InP+BghiP) also show decent performance on source identification after the condensate evaporation and combustion processes.

Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surface sediments around the sunken Sanchi oil tanker.

The Sanchi oil tanker collision has attracted worldwide attention for its uniqueness in history. This study investigates the contamination level, spatial distribution, sources, and ecological risk level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in the surface sediments collected from around the sunken tanker. The results indicated that the total PAH contents in the study area were in the range of 26.42-226.94 ngˑg-1, with an average of 106.86 ngˑg-1. The highest PAH concentration was observed at the station closest to the Sanchi wreckage, indicating potential PAH contamination due to the accident. The PAH ratios and statistical analysis revealed that the PAHs were mainly generated by coal and fuel oil combustion, with certain petrogenic inputs. The ecological risk assessment results suggested that adverse ecological effects to the benthic ecosystem due to PAH contamination was rare. However, long-term monitoring of the local sedimentary environment is highly recommended because of the prominent presence of high molecular weight PAHs.

Effects of superfine grinding on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) flower powders.

Sanchi flowers were traditionally used as functional medicinal ingredient in materials. The study was aimed at evaluating superfine powder product of Sanchi flower, hence in this study, five fractions of dried Sanchi flower powders (SFP) were prepared at variable particle sizes by superfine grinding and evaluated for changes in various properties. Superfine powder with median particle diameter of 25.57 µm was produced through grinding. It was evident from the environmental scanning electron microscopy analysis that during superfine grinding, mechanical shear stress played its crucial role in breakdown of the SFP and causes increases in surface area owing to reduction of particle sizes. Superfine grinding could improve solubility, oil holding capacity, and brightness, but decrease the fluidity of SFP. SFP with smallest particle size exhibited highest saponin, minerals, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents accompanied with the best antioxidant activities. Size reduction beyond M200 and M400 led to increasing tendency in IR signature band patterns and marked differences in peak intensities while the powdered samples showed resemblance with respect to peak shapes. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated the lowest melting temperature for SFP fraction with smallest particle size. Conclusively, superfine SFP due to inherent improvement in properties may render several potential applications in manufacturing of food and pharmaceutical additives to impart improved functionalities of finally finished products with uniformity.

Fate and behavior of Sanchi oil spill transported by the Kuroshio during January-February 2018.

The fate and behavior of the Sanchi oil spill during January-February 2018 was simulated by coupling an oil spill model and satellite observations with meteo-oceanographic forcing. Extensive validation tests were performed for winds, currents, surface slick, stranded oil and oil fate. A series of hindcast experiments was designed to take into account the uncertainties in oil amount, environmental forcing and model parameters. The simulations confirmed that the stable large-scale Kuroshio acted as the primary driving force. Most oil followed the Kuroshio's large-meander path, rapidly passing through the East China Sea to the waters south of Japan. The wind, appearing as the secondary transport factor, did not change the path of this large-scale current, but did contribute to the drift of surface oil. The different fates for heavy fuel oil and condensate in the accident were also compared quantitatively and discussed in this study.

Sequential colorimetric sensing of cupric and mercuric ions by regulating the etching process of triangular gold nanoplates.

A triangular gold nanoplate (AuNPL)-based colorimetric assay is presented for ultrasensitive determination of cupric ions (Cu2+) and mercuric ions (Hg2+) in sequence. AuNPLs were found to be etched efficiently when producing triiodide ions (I3-) by a redox reaction between Cu2+ and iodide ions (I-), leading to a change of the shape of AuNPLs from triangular to sphere along with a color change from blue to pink. In the presence of Hg2+ the etching of AuNPLs was suppressed due to the consumption of I- by the formation of HgI2. With an increase of the concentration of the Hg2+ a transformation from sphere to triangular in the shape of AuNPLs occurred with a color change from pink to blue. The evolution of AuNPLs from etching to anti-etching state by sequential addition of Cu2+ and Hg2+ was accompanied with color variations and band shifts of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), allowing for visual and spectroscopic determination of Cu2+ and Hg2+ successively within 15 min. In the range 0.01-1.5 µM for Cu2+ and 0.02-3.0 µM for Hg2+, the linear relationship between the band shift values and the target ions concentration was found good (R2 > 0.996). The limit of detections (3S/k) was 19 nM for Cu2+ and 9 nM for Hg2+, respectively. The lowest visual estimation concentration was 80 nM for both Cu2+ and Hg2+ through the distinguishable color changes. This system exhibited desirable selectivity for Cu2+ and Hg2+ over other common ions tested. The method has been successfully applied to sequential determination of Cu2+ and Hg2+ in real water and food samples. Graphical abstract Scheme 1 Schematic illustration for sequential detection of Cu2+ and Hg2+ based on etching of AuNPLs.

Modelling oil trajectories and potentially contaminated areas from the Sanchi oil spill.

Oil spills are major threats to marine ecosystems. Here, we establish a three-dimensional oil spill model to simulate and project the short- and long-term trajectories of oil slicks and oil-contaminated water that leaked from the Sanchi wreckage. The pollution probability in surrounding areas for the period up to 180 days after the Sanchi sank is statistically analysed. The short-term simulations are consistent with synchronous SAR images and observational reports. The potentially polluted areas depend on the properties of the released oil. The coastal areas most likely to be affected by the bunker oil are located in the Ryukyu Island Chain, Tsushima Strait, on the south and east coasts of Japan. Approximately 50% to 70% of oil particles remain in the ocean and mainly expand along the Ryukyu Island Chain and the region southeast of the Sanchi wreck. Subsurface oil-contaminated water is likely to enter the Sea of Japan along the Tsushima Strait. Due to the rapid evaporation rate of condensate oil, the potentially polluted area is confined to regions within a 100 × 100 km area around the location of the shipwreck, and the contaminated region is closely associated with the surface wind.

Influence of Sanchi gel on TIMP-1 and MMP-1 expression in epidural adhesion / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To explore the effects of Sanchi gel on MMP-1 and TIMP-1 expression in epidural adhesion after laminectomy. Methods Laminectomy model was set up in SD rats. 72 SD model rats were divided randomly into Saline group, Zhanlp group, Carbopol Gel group and Sanchi Gel group, with 18 rats in each group. On 7, 14 and 21 days after the laminectomy, immunohistochemistry (method of S-P) was adopted to detect the expression of TIMP-1 and MMP-1. Results Different treatments had different influence on TIMP-1 and MMP-1 expression in epidural adhesion. The expression of TIMP-1 increased gradually on 14 dand 21 d after operation, and Sanqi Gel group showed weaker expression than the other groups (P＜0.05), but the number of positive cells decreased gradually. As to the expression of MMP-1, there was no difference among each group at the end of the second week (P＞0.05). There was a difference between Sanchi Gel group and the other groups at the end of third week (21 d) (P＜0.05) after operation. Sanchi Gel group showed higher expression of TIMP-1 than the other groups. The number of positive cells sharply decreased from 14 d to 21 d after operation. Conclusion Sanchi Gel has a significant preventive effect on fibrous scar formation after laminectomy. The possible mechanism of preventing epidural adhesion after laminectomy by Sanchi Gel could be its regulating and controlling the expression of TIMP-1 and MMP-1 in epidural tissue.

The Effects of Sanchi on Hepatic Tissues in Alcoholic Hepatopathy Rats / 医学研究杂志

Objective To characterize the effects of Sanchi on the alcoholic hepatopathy rats.Methods 70 SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups:normal group(n=10),control group(n=15),high-dose Sanchi group(n=15),low-dose Sanchi group(n=15),and Tiopronin group(n=15).In order to induce alcoholic hepatopathy,animals in the control,high-dose and low dose Sanchi,and Tiopronin groups were orally dosed with HongXing ErGuoTou(56% ethanol;5g/kg),corn oil(2ml/kg),and pyrazole(27.2 mg/kg)every morning for 14 weeks.Rats in high-dose Sanchi,low dose Sanchi,and Tiopronin groups,were treated every afternoon during the 14-week induction of hepatopathy,with 1.2g/kg Sanchi,0.6g/kg,and 100mg/kg Tiopronin,respectively.All rats were sacrificed 12 hours following the last injection.Blood samples were obtained prior to euthanization.Blood-fat and serum lipoidase activity were measured using an automatic blood biochemical analyzer.Blood haluronic acid(HA),laminin(LN)were determined by ELISA.Histopathological changes of hepatic tissues(i.e.steatosiss,inflammation,and fibrosis)were assessed by microscopic examination of HE and Masson staining of the right lobe of livers.Results Compared with rats from the normal group(treated with ddH2O),rats in the control group have significantly higher steatosis,inflammation,liver fibrosis,and increased level of serum cholesterol,HDL-C,LDL-C,haluronic acid,laminin and AST/ALT activity,(P0.05).More importantly,treatment with high-dose,low-dose Sanchi,or Tiopronin resulted in less severe steatosis,inflammation,fibrosis in the liver,and reduced the levels of serum haluronic acid,laminin(P0.05).Conclusions(1)Daily dosing of alcohol,corn oil,and pyrozole for 14 weeks faithfully replicated the alcoholic hepatopathy symptoms observed in the ALD model,such as hepatic steatosis,immune cell infiltration,blood-fat disturbance,increase in serum AST/ALT activity,and liver fibrosis.(2)Sanchi can significantly alleviate the symptoms in the alcoholic hepatopathy rats including steatosis,improve hepatic function and fibrosis.

Effect of Xuesaitong on lower limb of rabbit ischemia-reperfusion free radical / 中华中医药杂志

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of Xuesaitong(total saponins of sanchi) on lower extremity ischemical reperfusion injury.Methods: To observe PBN-spin bulky adducts signal of lower extremity ischemical reperfusion of rabbit by using electron spin resonance technology and electron spin resonance promoter N-tert-butyl-2-phenylnitrone(PBN).Results: The signal intensity is correlated with time,compared with ischemia for 2 hours,the signal intensity of ischemia for 4 hours increased apparently.Xuesaitong would quench PBN-spin bulky adducts signal significantly.Conclusion: Xuesaitong have protective effect on lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Elaboration of analytic method and preliminary results of initial investigation on chemical residues of chloro-organo-pesticides in Sanchi (Panax pseudoginseng Wall)

A solid phase extraction (SPE) and GC-ECD for multi-residues determination of 14 organo-chlorinated pesticides (OCPs) in radix Pseudo-ginseng were introduced. Using n-hexane as extracting solvent and silica gel for clean up of sample extract, with GC-ECD analysis, good separation of 14 OCPs and carbophenothion(IS) was achieved on capillary column coated with poly(5% diphenyl) siloxane. Experiments showed that n-hexane is adequate as extracting solvent(percentage of recovery70% for 13 in total 14 analyses), the LOD was about 0.35 to 1.6 ppb for blank sample spiked with standards. The method has been carried out on 7 samples collected from market for preliminary investigation of its actual OCPs residues. For 14 OCPs being analysed, results showed that all samples to be examined are complied with requirements of MRL in USP 24 or in Eur. P97.We may conclude that those samples were cultivated in less contaminated soils or none of 14 OCPs was still in illegal use