[Bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria effect of different kinds of root decoction pieces].

To investigate the microbial contamination in Chinese herbal decoction pieces with different functional types by studying the total aerobic microbial count (TAMC), and total yeast and mould count (TYMC) in 40 samples of 8 types of root decoction pieces; further evaluate the contamination load of bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, and identify the Gram-negative bacteria by using biochemical identification system for Gram-negative bacteria. Our results showed that the TAMC value was more than 1 000 CFU•g⁻¹ in 85% (34/40) samples, and was more than 100 CFU•g⁻¹ in 30% (12/40) samples; the contamination of bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was detected in 45% (18/40) of the samples. The bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria load of seven batches of samples was N>1 000 MPN•g⁻¹. Sixteen bacterium strains including Serratia plymouthensis, Cedecea neteri, Escherichia vulneris, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter amnigenus, E. cloacae, E. sakazakii, Proteus penneri and E. gergoviae were obtained and identified. E. cloacae was the predominant bacterium that was isolated from Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, while E. amnigenus, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was the typical bacterium of Ophiopogonis Radix and Codonopsis Radix, respectively. All these suggested that the contamination of bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was severe for the root decoction pieces in Wuhan city. Microbial species have certain selection specificity for medicinal ingredients, so the type and limit of control bacteria for detection should be formulated according to the pollution type and quantity of bile-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

The Effect of Ultrafine Process on the Dissolution, Antibacterial Activity, and Cytotoxicity of Coptidis rhizoma.

BACKGROUND: The dosage of herb ultrafine particle (UFP) depended on the increased level of its dissolution, toxicity, and efficacy. OBJECTIVE: The dissolution, antibacterial activity, and cytotoxicity of Coptidis rhizoma (CR) UFP were compared with those of traditional decoction (TD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dissolution of berberine (BBR) of CR TD and UFP was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antibacterial activity of CR extract was assayed by plate-hole diffusion and broth dilution method; the inhibitory effect of rat serums against bacteria growth was evaluated after orally given CR UFP or TD extract. The cytotoxicity of CR extract was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. RESULTS: The dissolution amount of BBR from CR UFP increased 6-8-folds in comparison to TD at 2 min, the accumulative amount of BBR in both UFP and TD group increased in a time-dependent manner. The minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal bactericidal concentrations of CR UFP extract decreased to 1/2~1/4 of those of TD extract. The inhibitory effect of rat serums against bacteria growth decreased time-dependently, and no statistical difference was observed between two groups at each time point. The 50% cytotoxic concentrations of UFP extract increased 1.66~1.97 fold than those of TD. CONCLUSIONS: The antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of CR UFP increased in a dissolution-effect manner in vitro, the increased level of cytotoxicity was lower than that of antibacterial activity, and the inhibitory effect of rat serums containing drugs of UFP group did not improve. SUMMARY: Ultrafine grinding process caused a rapid increase of BBR dissolution from CR.The antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of UFP extract in vitro increased in a dissolution-effect manner, but the cytotoxicity increased lower than the antibacterial activity.The antibacterial activity of rat serums of UFP group did not improve in comparison to that of TD group.

[Taxonomy and Distribution of Chinese Medicinal Centipedes].

Objective: To study the taxonomy and distribution of Chinese medicinal centipedes. Methods: The species of Chinese medicinal centipedes were investigated in the light of their morphology. According to the feature of life, the distribution of centipedes were explored. Results: There were 12 centipede species in China, and seven of them were used for medical, the species could be effectively distinguished by the identification key. It was suggested that their characteristics were related to the climatic factors such as temperature, humidity, altitude and air pressure. Conclusion: The distribution of medicinal centipede is characteristics of "three river system distribution belts" and "three geographical distribution areas". The results provide the basis for the development and application of medicinal centipedes in China.

Construction of 0D to 3D cadmium complexes from different pyridyl diimide ligands.

Four semirigid ditopic ligands, N,N'-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-pyromellitic diimide (L(1)), N,N'-bis(4-pyridylmethyl)-pyromellitic diimide (L(2)), N,N'-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-naphthalene diimide (L(3)), and N,N'-bis(4-pyridylmethyl)-naphthalene diimide (L(4)), reacted with Cd(NO(3))(2) to result in four cadmium(II) complexes, namely, {[Cd(2)(L(1))(2)(NO(3))(4)(CH(3)OH)(4)]·H(2)O} (1), [Cd(L(2))(NO(3))(2)(CH(3)OH)(2)·Cd(2)(L(2))(3)(NO(3))(4)]·{4(HCCl(3))·2H(2)O}(n) (2), {[Cd(L(3))(2)(NO(3))(2)]}(n) (3), and {[Cd(L(4))(2)(NO(3))(2)]·2(CHCl(3))}(n) (4). These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric (TG) analyses, IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analyses show that four types of structures are formed: (1) a discrete M(2)L(2) ring with two Cd ions and two cis-L(1) ligands comprising a zero-dimensional molecular rectangle (0D), (2) an unusual zigzag linear chain and a one-dimensional ladder existing simultaneously in the crystal lattice (1D), (3) a two-dimensional network of the (4,4) net structure (2D), and (4) an unusual chiral three-dimensional framework with 5-fold interpenetrating diamond (dia) topology (3D). In these complexes, the ligands exhibit different coordination modes and construct various architectures by bridging Cd(NO(3))(2) inorganic building blocks. These results suggest that structural diversity of the complexes is tunable by ligand modifications, that is, varying the ligand spacer bulkiness or substituent position of terminal group. Furthermore, gas adsorption measurements indicate that 4 possesses moderate CO(2) uptake and some adsorption selectivity for CO(2) over N(2).

Efficacy of arbidol on lethal hantaan virus infections in suckling mice and in vitro.

AIM: Arbidol is an immunomodulator that was first developed in Russia. In this study, we report the antiviral activity of arbidol against Hantaan virus (HTNV) in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: The antiviral activity of arbidol in vitro was determined by plaque-forming assay, ranging from 0.5 to 8 microg/mL. To investigate whether arbidol has an antiviral effect in vivo, suckling BALB/c mice infected with HTNV were treated with arbidol at 24 h before infection with a 5, 10 or 20 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), once per day, for 10 days. On day 12 and 28 post infection (pi), histopathological changes and viral antigen were detected. On days 4, 8, 12, and 16 pi, the viral load of target organs and serum TNF-alpha levels of arbidol-treated animals were determined. RESULTS: Arbidol was found to have potent inhibitory activity against HTNV when added in vitro before or after viral infection, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 0.9 and 1.2 microg/mL, respectively. The 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of arbidol for suckling mice was 78.42 mg.kg(-1).d(-1). Oral administration of arbidol increased both survival rate and mean time to death (MTD). Treatment with arbidol reduced histopathological changes, decreased viral load and viral antigen levels, and modulated the level of serum TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: Arbidol has the ability to elicit protective antiviral activity against HTNV in vivo and in vitro.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 1015-1024; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.53; published online 8 June 2009.

Short hairpin RNA-mediated inhibition of HSV-1 gene expression and function during HSV-1 infection in Vero cells.

AIM: To evaluate the efficiency of 3 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interfering with the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) gene coding glycoprotein D (gD) for inhibiting the gD expression and virus replication in vitro. METHODS: Vero cells were selected for an in vitro model of infection. Three shRNA sequences (shRNAgD1, -gD2, and -gD3) targeting specifically the gD gene of HSV-1 were selected for evaluating the antiviral effects. The antiviral effects of shRNA in the cells infected with HSV-1 were evaluated by cytopathic effect (CPE) observations and plaque assays. The transcription level of viral RNA and the gD expression were studied by RT-PCR, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. RESULTS: With the 3 shRNA at a final concentration of 120 nmol/L, a significant inhibition of CPE in the HSV-1-infected cells was observed. The ED50 of shRNA-gD1, gD2, and gD3 were 48.74+/-2.57, 57.13+/-3.24, and 114.64+/-5.12 nmol/L, respectively. The gD gene decreased significantly after viral infection in the Vero cells pretreated with shRNA compared to the virus group. The expressions of the gD protein, determined by Western blotting and flow cytometry, were also drastically decreased in shRNA-transfected cells. CONCLUSION: Exogenous shRNA molecules can suppress the HSV-1 gD expression. They are inhibitors of HSV replication during infection in Vero cells.