Objective: To isolate and identify the chemical constituents of the EtOAc fraction of Tithonia diversifolia. Methods: The dried aerial parts of Tithonia diversifolia were extracted with 80% EtOH,and the chemical constituents of the ethyl acetate portion from the extract were isolated by column chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MCI. The isolated compounds were identified by NMR and MS analysis. Results: Ten compounds were isolated from EtOAc extract, and identified as, vanillin (1), ergosterol (2), ergosterol peroxide (3), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamaldehyde (4), 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5), 7-methylesculetin (6) , 5-hydyoxymethyl furfural (7), nepetin (8) , docosanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester(9) and 13-hydroxyeupatorochromene(10). Conclusion: Vanillin, ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy- trans-cinnamaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 7-methylesculetin, 5-hydyoxymethyl furfural, docosanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester, and 13- hydroxyeupatorochromene have been isolated from Tithonia diversifolia for the first time.

Angiofibroma ; Angiomyoma ; Ear Auricle ; blood supply ; Ear Neoplasms ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Mutagenesis and screening of hydrogen-producing photosynthetic bacteria,Rhodobacter sp.R7 strain,was investigated by using the combination mutation of ultraviolet ray and LiCl and layer plating methods.A carotenoid mutant named R726 strain was obtained.The plate phenotype properties in carotenoid mutant were different from that of parent strains.Living cells spectra showed that absorption peak of 550 nm was appeared in carotenoid mutant,but not in parent strain.The absorption spectra of extraction of pigment further confirmed the difference of carotenoid composition between the mutant and parent strains.The result of TLC on silica gel plate showed that mutant has a lack of yellow carotenoid composition which occurs in parent strain.H_2 productivity and biomass in carotenoid mutant was higher than that of parent strain.These results revealed that mutant has a modified carotenoid biosynthesis pathway.

Forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), a rare wild medicinal animal, is listed under the category of the state key protected wildlife list of China. Musk, secreted by the musk glands, is with high economic and medicinal value and used as precious traditional medicine in China. In order to meet the needs of musk in Chinese traditional medicine, forest musk deer farming was conducted in 1950s, but the research progress on musk secretion mechanism was slow. Therefore, by reviewing the histological and anatomical structure of forest musk deer musk gland, the relationship between sex hormones and the musk secretion process, and the molecular mechanism of the musk secretion, the existing problems in investigating the musk secretion mechanism were analyzed and the development trends in this field were also discussed, in order to provide a reference for further studies on the musk secretion mechanism and improve musk production of forest musk deer.
Animals ; Deer ; metabolism ; Exocrine Glands ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; secretion ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Male

Statistic-based experimental design was used to optimize the culture conditions for Pseudomonas aeruginosa ME16 strain which is capable of utilizing methane.Effects of inoculum volume,temperature,methane content,and initial pH of media on cell growth were studied with the medium of mineral salt and methane gas,and the response surface methodology(RSM) was then used to optimize culture conditions.The optimum conditions were as follows:temperature of 29.4℃,inoculum volume of 1.8% and methane content of 25%.Under the optimized culture conditions,the ME16 production was increased by 0.8 times and its cultivation time was reduced.The removal of methane gas by ME16 was preliminary investigated,and the removal rate of methane gas reached 65.7%.The results indicated that the strain was capable of removing of methane.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Gengnianchun Recipe (GNC) on learning memory function and its regulatory effect on hippocampal cholinergic system in ovariectomized rats.

METHODSFemale rats 10-12 months old were randomized into 5 groups, the sham-operation group, the model group treated with normal saline, the positive control group treated with Nilestriol, and the two GNC groups treated with high and low dose GNC respectively. A little fat around ovary was cut in the sham-operation group. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks after ovariectomy. Changes of learning memory function were tested by Morris water maze; serum level of estradiol (E2) was measured by chemical fluorescent method; hippocampal acetylcholinesterase (AChE) mRNA was determined with Real-time PCR; and the activities of acetylcholine (ACh), AChE and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemistry respectively.

RESULTSTwelve weeks after ovariectomy, serum E2 and learning memory function markedly decreased in the ovariectomized rats (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Nilestriol and high dose GNC showed an effect in improving the symptoms of learning memory functional deprivation and elevating the activities of hippocampal ACh, AChE and ChAT (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGNC can improve learning memory function of ovariectomized rats, and its mechanism might be realized by regulating the cholinergic system in hippocampus.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Acetylcholinesterase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cholinergic Fibers ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Ovariectomy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

A study on the microbial transformation of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) was conducted by a fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 systematically. After incubation with the cell cultures of C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 at 25 degrees C for 7 days on a rotary shaker operating at 135 r x min(-1), GA was converted into one major product and five minor products. The products were extracted and purified by solvent extraction, macroporous adsorbent resin, silica gel column chromatography, and semi-preparative RP-HPLC chromatography. Their structures were identified as 3-oxo-15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(1), 3-oxo-15β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (2), 7β,15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (3), 3-oxo-7β, 15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (4), 7β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(5) and 15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(6) by the analyses of MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic data respectively. Among them, 2 was a new compound. These results suggest that C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 has the capability of selective ketonization and hydroxylation for GA. [Key words] glycyrrhetinic acid; Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3. 970; microbial transformation
Biotransformation ; Cunninghamella ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Aged ; Coal Mining ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Tachycardia ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituent bud of the flowers of Jasminum officinale var. grandiflorum.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified by recrystallization and chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH - 20 column. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis.

RESULTSix triterpenoid saponins were identified as 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl- hederagenin-28-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1 --> 6)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl ester (1), hederagenin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (2), 2alpha, 3beta, 23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3), hederagenin-3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (4), 2alpha, 3beta, 23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (5), hederagenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (6).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 were isolated from the genus Jasminum for the first time.

Chromatography, Gel ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Jasminum ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate MR imaging features of femoral marrow in treated ?-thalassemia major.Methods MR imaging of the proximal femoral marrow was performed in 35 cases of ?-thalassemia major and 45 age-and sex-matched normal children as control.Coronal images of femoral marrow with the techniques of spin echo and fast field echo(FFE)were obtained.On T_1-weighted imaging the red and yellow femoral marrow were judged and marrow distribution was classified into five groups.The hemosiderosis of marrow was judged on the basis of signal intensity of marrow on FFE imaging.The marrow distribution classification and the hemosiderosis on MR imaging were correlated with clinical features.Results On FFE,marrow hemosiderosis occurred in 15 patients with a marked hypo-intensity signal and was related to the age(P=0.032).On T_1-weighted imaging,the femoral marrow in 35 patients was classified as groupⅢand IV,while the marrow distribution was groupⅠorⅡin all normal children,there was statistically significant difference(P