Toxicodendron vernicifluum, also called as Rhus verniciflua is a deciduous tree belonging to Anacardiaceae family. Two new caffeoyl threonate esters, rhuseols A (1) and B (2), together with 5-O-(E)-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (3) were isolated from the leaves of T. vernicifluum. The structures of isolated compounds were established by using 1D and 2D NMR in combination with HR-ESI-MS. Compounds 1 – 3 showed DPPH radical scavenging effects with IC₅₀ values of 47.9, 107.8 and 15.4 µM, respectively. Taken together, these compounds might contribute to the antioxidant properties of the leaves of T. vernicifluum, which will be useful for various oxidative stress mediated diseases.
Anacardiaceae ; Antioxidants ; Esters ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress ; Rhus ; Toxicodendron ; Trees

Extrusion-spheronisation method was used to prepare Rhus chinensis total phenolic acid pellets. The formula and preparation of R. chinensis total phenolic acid pellets were optimized. The formulas( drug loading capacity,diluent,wetting agent and anti-sticking agent) were determined by the single factor test with yield,appearance and performance as the indexes. The preparation was optimized by Box-Behnken design and response surface method,with the rate of extrusion,rate of spheronization and time of spheronization as the independent variables and the overall desirability value of yield,friability and roundness as the dependent variables. The optimal formula of pellets was as follows: drug loading capacity 28. 7%,MCC-lactose 9 ∶1,silicon dioxide as anti-sticking agent,and 60% ethanol as wetting agent. The optimal preparation was determined as follows: the rate of extrusion was 43 r·min-1,the rate of spheronization was 1 800 r·min-1,and the time of spheronization was 4 min. The absolute deviation between predicted value and estimated value under the conditions was less than 5. 0%,with a high degree of model fit. The preparation parameters obtained were accurate,reliable and reproducible. Under scanning electron microscopy( SEM),R. chinensis total phenolic acid pellets were uniform in diameter,round and smooth. The optimal formulation and process are stable and feasible for preparing R. chinensis total phenolic acid pellets.
Drug Compounding ; methods ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Rhus ; chemistry ; Solubility

Based on mass spectrometry(MS)-guided separation strategy, compound 1 was obtained from the roots of Rhus chinensis. By comprehensive analysis of high resolution-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) data, and quantum chemical calculation of NMR(qcc-NMR) parameters, compound 1 was elucidated as rhuslactone, a 17-epi-dammarane triterpenoid with a rare 17α-side chain. An HPLC-ELSD method for its quantification in R. chinensis was established and adopted for the quantification of rhuslactone in different batches of R. chinensis. Rhuslactone displayed a good linear relationship within the range of 0.021 3-1.07 μmol·mL~(-1 )(r=0.997 6), and the average recovery was 99.34% [relative standard deviation(RSD) 2.9%). Moreover, the results of the evaluation test of the preventive effects of rhusalctone on coronary heart disease(CHD) and thrombosis showed that rhuslactone(0.11 nmol·mL~(-1)) significantly alleviated heart enlargement and venous congestion and increased cardiac output(CO), blood flow velocity(BFV), and heart rate, thereby reducing thrombus formation in zebrafish with CHD. The effects of rhuslactone on CO and BFV were superior to that of digoxin(1.02 nmol·mL~(-1)), and its effect on improving heart rate was comparable to that of digoxin. This study provides experimental references for the isolation, identification, quality control, and application of rhuslactone from R. chinensis against CHD. It is worth mentioning that this study has discussed some omissions in the determination of the stereochemistry of C-17 in dammarane triterpenoids in the present coursebook Chemistry of Chinese Medicine and some research papers, that is, the compound may be 17-epi-dammarane triterpenoid. This paper has also proposed steps for the establishment of C-17 stereochemistry.
Animals ; Zebrafish ; Rhus/chemistry* ; Triterpenes/analysis* ; Coronary Disease ; Thrombosis

It has been well known for a long time that Rhus species are belonged botanically to same family called family Anacardacea and their allergenic components are identical because it contains 3-pentadecyl catechol. However, Mason (1954) and some investigators suggest the possibility that some individuals may be sensitive to a component of the oleoresin other than 3-pentadecyl catechol. By this suggestion, author performed the patch test on 138 individuals with 4 species of Korean Rhus tree (Rhus verniciflua, Rhus trichocarpa, Rhus javanica, and Rhus sylvestris.) and observed the incidence of latent sensitivity to dry leaves of Rhus trees and urushiol, The patch test results on sensitivity to Rhus verniciflua, Rhus trichocarpa, Rhus javanica, and Rhus sylvestris showed 35.50%, 27.53%, 21.01%. 28. 26%, and 29. 71% respectively and these results could make the suggestion that cross sensitivity between each Rhus trees are few and a certain specific antigenic component may be contained in every Rhus tree leaves. On animal experiment concerning the basic study for the extraction of Rhus tree antigen, author could easily sensitize the guinea pig with urushiol but couldn't challenge these animal with methanol aceton extract of Rhus leaves. From these findings, author proposed that Korean Rhus trees are different immunologically to poison ivy tree antigen and a certain specificities of antigeniciy contain in each Korean Rhus. But this postulation will need further experimental study as multiple step fractionation with Rhus tree.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Incidence ; Methanol ; Patch Tests ; Research Personnel ; Rhus* ; Toxicodendron ; Trees*

Recently, people living in a rapidly industrializing country such as Korea seems to have less opportunity to be exposed to Rhus and Ginkgo trees than before, which may cause a lower prevalence of sensitivity to such allergens than those reported in the past. To prove the prevalence of sensitivity in Koreans, we have tested 0. 002g and 0.0l%, Urushiols and 10% Ginkgo leaves produced by Torii company to 72 atients with or suggesting contact dermatitis. The results were as follows: 1) Twelve of 72 patients(13, 9%) showed positive reactions and two patients(2. 8 %) showed active sensitization to both 0. 002% and 0. 0l% Urushiols. Only one patient(]. 4%) reacted to 10g Ginkgo leaves, and she was also reacted to the Urushiols. 2) Age and sex distribution of the positive reactors were none under thirty, 2 in thirties, 3 in forties, 4 in fifties, one over sixty, and seven female patients outnumber three male patients. 3) Out of 5 patients having past history cf contact dermatitis to Rhus tree, only patients showed positive reactions. Out of 67 patients without past history of allergy to Rhus, 8(ll, 9%) showed positive reactions and 59(88. 1%) showed negative reactions.
Allergens ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence* ; Rhus* ; Sex Distribution ; Trees

The intestinal absorption properties of four main effective components(gallic acid, ocinolglucoside, ethyl gallate and penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose) in Rhus chinensis extracts were investigated by in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion model in rats. The liquid accumulation of perfusion was corrected by gravimetry. The HPLC method was established to determine the concentration of the four effective components in the intestinal perfusion. It showed significant differences(P<0.05) in absorption rate constant(K_a) and effective permeability(P_(eff)) among the three concentrations of components, and the absorption of the four effective components in different intestinal segments was saturated at high concentrations. At the same concentration, there were significant differences in K_a and P_(eff) of the four components in each intestinal segment(P<0.05). The order of K_a and P_(eff) of the four components in the intestine was penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose>ethyl gallate>gallic acid>ocinolglucoside, with significant differences between them(P<0.05). In conclusion, gallic acid, orpheolglucoside, ethyl gallate and pentacyl-glucose could be absorbed in the whole intestine. Their absorption rate and permeation ability were related to the intestinal section and the perfusate concentration. These results indicated potential active transport or facilitated diffusion in the intestinal transport process of the four effective components.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Hydroxybenzoates ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Perfusion ; Phytochemicals ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rhus ; chemistry

Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites found in plants. They have many pharmacological functions and play an important role in Chinese sumac( Rhus chinensis),which is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Chalcone isomerase( CHI,EC 5. 5. 1. 6) is one of the key enzymes in the flavonoids biosynthesis pathway. In this paper,the full-length c DNA sequence encoding the chalcone isomerase from R. chinensis( designated as Rc CHI) was cloned by RT-PCR and rapid-amplification of c DNA Ends( RACE). The Rc CHI c DNA sequence was 1 058 bp and the open reading frame( ORF) was 738 bp. The ORF predicted to encode a 245-amino acid polypeptide. Rc CHI gene contained an intron and two exons. The sequence alignments revealed Rc CHI shared47. 1%-71. 6% identity with the homologues in other plants. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the total flavonoid levels were positively correlated with tissue-specific expressions of Rc CHI mRNA in different tissues. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed in an Escherichia coli strain with the p GEX-6 P-1 vector. In this paper,the CHI gene was cloned and characterized in the family of Anacardiaceae and will help us to obtain better knowledge of the flavonoids biosynthesis of the flavonoid compounds in R. chinensis.
Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Flavonoids ; biosynthesis ; Intramolecular Lyases ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; enzymology ; genetics ; Rhus ; enzymology ; genetics

Rhus chinensis is an important economic species, which could provide raw materials for pharmaceutical and industrial dyes. Rhus chinensis is famous for its resistance to drought, cold, and salt. It grows in temperate, warm temperate, and subtropical regions. We report here Rhus chinensis chloroplast genomes by de novo sequencing. The results show that the length of Rhus chinensis was 159 082 bp, exhibiting a typical four-part structure with two single-copy regions (long single copy [LSC] and short single copy [SSC] sections) separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs). The length of LSC and SSC was 85 394 bp and 18 663 bp, respectively. The genomes contained 126 genes, including 88 protein encoding genes, 8 rRNA and 30 tRNA genes. In the chloroplast genome, 61.97% of the sequence were gene coding region. In the sequence of gene encoding region, the vast majority of sequences were protein encoding region, accounting for 86.65%, followed by rRNA (10 620 bp, 10.77%) and tRNA (2 540 bp, 2.58%). In Rhus chinensis chloroplast genome, only 8 genes contain introns, all containing 1 intron except ycf3 gene (2 introns). The Rhus chinensis chloroplast genome contains 755 SSR locies. SSR mainly consists of dinucleotide and mononucleotide, accounting for 60% (453) and 28.74% (217) respectively. The clustering results show that Anacardiaceae were closest to Rhus chinensis, followed by Aceraceae and Sapindaceae. This study provides a molecular basis for the classification of Rhus chinensis.
Genome, Chloroplast ; genetics ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; Rhus ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to collect data on the occupational health systems implemented across selected healthcare facilities in the Philippines, including: (1) governance system for occupational health and safety (OHS), (2) OHS information systems, (3) OHS financing systems, (4) technology and related systems for OHS, (5) the OHS workforce, and (6) the delivery of OHS services.
METHODS: The data were collected through a walkthrough survey of the selected facilities as well as through the review of records and relevant documents found in the facilities.
RESULTS: Governance and financing systems for OHS are not present in any of the facilities. 3 out of the 13 hospitals studied have employee medical records, accident/incident reports while none of the 19 facilities have Workplace Environment Monitoring Reports (WEM), implying the lack of OHS information systems. Due to the lack of a financing mechanism for occupational health services, there is a lack of OHS technology in the facilities which include but are not limited to the presence of an Immunization and Post-Exposure Program (present in 7 out of 13 hospitals and none of the 6 RHUs studied). 1 out of 19 facilities reported to having personnel delegated for OHS activities in their facility. Lastly, 1 out of 19 facilities have emergency treatment and medical facilities for their employees, indicating inadequate OHS service delivery in the facilities studied.
CONCLUSIONS: Standards and laws such as the Philippine OHS Standards and Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order (AO) 2012-0020 have provisions with regard to OHS in these facilities, and stricter implementation of these provisions could help in filling in the gaps in the OHS systems in these facilities. This will provide a healthy workforce capable of giving better healthcare services to the general population.

Human ; Occupational Health Services ; Occupational Health ; Workplace ; Rhus ; Safety ; Immunization ; Vaccination ; Hospitals ; Medical Records ; Emergency Treatment

Although various derivatives of caffeic acid have been reported to possess a wide variety of biological activities such as protection of neuronal cells against excitotoxicity, the biological activity of 1-docosanoyl cafferate (DC) has not been examined. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of DC, isolated from the stem bark of Rhus verniciflua, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Pretreatment of cells with DC significantly attenuated LPS-induced NO production, and mRNA and protein expression of iNOS in a concentration-dependent manner. DC also significantly suppressed LPS-induced release of cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta . Consistent with the decrease in cytokine release, DC dose-dependently and significantly attenuated LPS-induced mRNA expression of these cytokines. Furthermore, DC significantly suppressed LPS-induced degradation of IKB, which retains NF-kB in the cytoplasm. Therefore, nuclear translocation of NF-kB induced by LPS stimulation was significantly suppressed with DC pretreatment. Taken together, the present study suggests that DC exerts its anti-inflammatory activity through the suppression of NF-kB translocation to the nucleus.
Caffeic Acids ; Cytokines ; Cytoplasm ; Neurons ; NF-kappa B ; Rhus ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha