In this research,we explored the effect of three groups of water treatments,including severe drought(the corresponding water content of cultivated substrate 5%-10%),moderate drought(45%-50%) and control(85%-90%),and different drought stress time(15,30,45 d) on the glandular trichome density(TD),stomatal density(SD) and volatile exudates of Schizonepeta tenuifolia.The results showed that there were two kinds of glandular trichomes on the surface of S. tenuifolia leaves: peltate and capitate glandular trichomes. The density of capitate glandular trichomes(CTD) was higher than that of peltate glandular trichomes(PTD). Both CTD and PTD on the abaxial surface of leaf were higher than those on the adaxial surface. Under severe drought stress,the CTD and SD were higher than the other two treatments. Under the same stress time,the biomass and leaf surface area of S. tenuifolia decreased with the deepening of stress degree. As the stress time prolonged,the surface area of leaves and biomass gradually increased,and the TD and SD decreased. The most abundant compound in volatile exudates of S. tenuifolia was pulegone. Under drought stress,the relative content of pulegone decreased,and the relative content of other monoterpenoids such as D-limonene and menthone increased. The n-hexadeconic acid and 2-methyl-1-hexadecanol were detected only at the stress of 15 d,while menthone was detected at the stress of 30 d and45 d. Drought stress affected the leaf growth and secondary metabolism of S. tenuifolia.
Droughts ; Lamiaceae ; Plant Exudates ; Plant Leaves ; Trichomes

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resinous exudate obtained from the stem and the main leaves of Pistacia lenticulus tree native to Mediterranean areas. Recently it reported that CGM induced apoptosis in a few cancer cells in vitro. It has been reported that the synthetic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivatives showed apoptosis-inducing activity on various cancer cells in vitro. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effect of co-treatment with a natural product, CGM and a CDCA derivative, HS-1200 on human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells. To investigate whether the co-treatment of CGM and HS-1200 compared with each single treatment efficiently reduced the viability of HOS cells, MTT assay was conducted. Induction and augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining and DNA hypoploidy, Westen blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining were performed to study the alterations of the expression level and translocation of apoptosis-related proteins in co-treatment. Furthermore, proteasome activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) change were also assayed. In this study, HOS cells co-treated with CGM and HS-1200 showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation whereas each single treated HOS cells did not. Although the single treatment of 40 microgram/mL CGM or 25 micrometer HS-1200 for 24 h did not induce apoptosis, the cotreatment of them induced prominently apoptosis. Therefore our data provide the possibility that combination therapy of CGM and HS-1200 could be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy for human osteosarcoma.
Apoptosis ; Chenodeoxycholic Acid ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Exudates and Transudates ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Osteosarcoma ; Pistacia ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Proteins ; Resins, Plant ; Trees

The aim of this study is to compare the adaptability of thermoplasticized injectable gutta-percha technique to the canal walls in ribbon-shaped canals. Thirty resin models simulated ribbon-shape canals were instrumented to #40 using .06 taper Profile systems. Three groups of each 10 resin models were obturated by the lateral condensation technique(LC) and the two thermoplasticized injectable gutta-percha technique; Ultrafil Endoset+Obtura II(EO) and Ultrafil Firmset(UF), respectively. After resin model were kept at room temperature for 4 days, they were resected horizontally with microtome at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5mm levels from apex. At each levels, image of resected surface were taken using CCD camera under a stereomicroscope at x40 magnification and stored. Ratio of the area of gutta-percha was obtained by calculating area of gutta-percha cone to the total area of canal using digitized image-analyzing program. The data were collected then analyzed statistically using One-way ANOVA. The results were as follows. 1. At 1mm levels, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean ratio of gutta-percha among the groups. 2. At 2mm level, EO showed the highest mean ratio of gutta-percha (p<0.05) and there was no significant difference between LC and UF. 3. At 3, 4, 5mm levels, EO and UF had significantly greater mean ratio of gutta-percha than LC(p<0.05) and there was no significant difference between EO and UF. In conclusion, the thermoplasticized injectable gutta-percha techniques demonstrated relatively favorable adaptability to canal walls than lateral condensation technique in ribbon-shaped canals except for 1mm level.
Gutta-Percha

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resinous exudate obtained from the stem and the main leaves of Pistacia lenticulus tree native to Mediterranean areas. Recently it reported that CGM induce apoptosis in a few cancer cells in vitro. Bile acids and their synthetic derivatives induced apoptosis in various kinds of cancer cells and anticancer effects. It has been reported that the synthetic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivatives showed apoptosis-inducing activity on various cancer cells in vitro. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effect of cotreatment with a natural product, CGM and a CDCA derivative, HS-1200 on G361 human melanoma cells. To investigate whether the co-treatment of CGM and HS-1200 compared with each single treatment efficiently reduced the viability of G361 cells, MTT assay was conducted. To investigate augmentation of apoptosis in G631 cells co-treated with CGM and HS-1200, DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining, proteasome activity assay, flow cytometry, Westen blot analyses, immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy were performed. In this study, G361 cells co-treated with CGM and HS-1200 showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation such as nuclear condensations, DNA fragmentation, the reduction of MMP and proteasome activity, the decrease of DNA content, the release of cytochrome c into cytosol, the translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) onto nuclei, activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, PARP and DFF45 (ICAD), and up-regulation of Bax whereas each single treated G361 cells did not. Although the single treatment of 40 micro/mL CGM or 25 micro HS-1200 for 24 hrs did not induce apoptosis, the co-treatment of them induced prominently apoptosis. Therefore, combination therapy of CGM and HS-1200 could be considered, in the future, as an alternative therapeutic strategy for human melanoma.
Apoptosis ; Bile Acids and Salts ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Line ; Chenodeoxycholic Acid ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis ; Exudates and Transudates ; Flow Cytometry ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Pistacia ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Resins, Plant ; Trees ; Up-Regulation

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resinous exudate obtained from the stem and the main leaves of Pistacia lenticulus tree native to Mediterranean areas. Recently, it was reported that CGM induced apoptosis in a few cancer cells in vitro. Since recent studies indicated the synergistic interactions between the apoptotic stimulus and a proteasome inhibitor, the ubiquintin-proteasome pathway has become an attractive target in cancer therapy. And to date, there has been no report of the synergistic apoptotic effect between CGM and a proteasome inhibitor to become an attractive target in cancer therapy. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effect of co-treatment with a natural product, CGM, and a proteasome inhibitor, lactacystin, on human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells. To investigate whether the co-treatment of CGM and lactacystin compared with each single treatment efficiently induced apoptosis on HOS cells, MTT assay, DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining, DNA hypoploidy assay, Westen blot analysis, immunofluorescent staining, proteasome activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) change were performed. In this study, HOS cells co-treated with CGM and lactacystin showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation such as nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, the reduction of MMP and proteasome activity, the decrease of DNA content, the release of cytochrome c into cytosol, the translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) onto nuclei, and activation of caspase-7, caspase-3, PARP and DFF45 (ICAD) whereas each single treated HOS cells hardly showed. We presented data indicating that the co-treatment of CGM and lactacystin induced potentially apoptosis whereas each single treatment did slightly. Moreover, the co-treatment of CGM and lactacystin potentiated the inhibition of proteasome activity. Therefore, our data provide the possibility that combination therapy of CGM and lactacystin could be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy for human osteosarcoma.
Acetylcysteine ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 7 ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis ; Exudates and Transudates ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Osteosarcoma ; Pistacia ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Proteasome Inhibitors ; Resins, Plant ; Trees

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether chewing gum affects mask contamination. Methodology and results: Two groups of participants were requested to wear a mask for 15 min with (experimental group) or without (control group) chewing gum. Then, masks were collected and CFU calculation and 16S rDNA sequencing was performed. We found that temperature, humidity and bacterial CFU inside of the mask significantly increased when wearing a mask while chewing gum. Staphylococcus epidermidis was found in both groups. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus parasanguinis and Bacillus wiedmannii were found in only the experimental group. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Chewing gum significantly increased the temperature, humidity and bacterial CFU inside the mask. Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, S. haemolyticus, S. oralis, S. parasanguinis and B. wiedmannii were detected inside the mask after chewing gum.
Chewing Gum ; Food Contamination

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory activity of Aeschynanthus maculatus on alpha-glucosidase.

METHODThe inhibilitory model of in vitro alpha-glucosidase was established. Active extracts of A. maculatus were isolated and identified bymultiple chromatographic methods, and their molecular structures were identifiied by spectral techniques.

RESULTSeven coumpounts were isolated from A. maculatus and isolated as lupeol(1), stigmasterol(2), ursolic acid(3), stigmast-5,22(E)-diene-3beta-ol(4), beta-daucosterol(5), 3-hydroxy-12-taraxasten-28-oic-acid(6) and oleanic acid(7). Compounds 1 (IC50 25.41 mg x L(-1)),3(IC0 4.42 mg L(-1)),4(IC50 11.50 mg x L(-1)),6(IC50 14.17 mg x L(-1)) and 7(IC50 2.88 mg x L(-1)) had higher inhibitory activities than that of acarbose (IC50 1103.01 mg x L(-1)) as the positive control drug.

CONCLUSIONCompound 1-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compound 6 was isolated from Gesneriaceae family for the first time. Compound 7 was isolated from Aeschynanthus genus for the first time.

As a representative foreign medicinal material, olibanum(Ruxiang) was imported to China since the Qin and Han Dynasties. Olibanum was first described as a medicinal by the name "Xunluxiang" in Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians(Ming Yi Bie Lu). This study investigated historical records on olibanum and conducted the herbalogical study. It was found that olibanum came from the resin mainly obtained from the bark of Pistacia lenticus before the Tang Dynasty. With the prosperity of the Maritime Silk Road, instead, the resin obtained from the bark of Boswellia carterii was mainly used as olibanum. In ancient time, the oleo-gum-resin secreted from the cut bark was collected in spring and summer, and the quality was judged based on transparency and shape. The processing methods of olibanum went through many evolutions, which changed from simple methods such as grinding and frying to complex methods such as levigating and grinding with wine, and now to frying and processing with vinegar. The usage of olibanum included alchemy, folk and religious incense, bathing, cosmetic and medicinal since ancient times. From the Song Dynasty, olibanum had been mainly used as medicinal because of its good effect to treat wounds. In traditional Chinese medicine, olibanum unblocks menstruation, relieves pain and reduces swelling and generated muscles. The medicinal efficacy of olibanum is not much different from ancient to modern. Only the efficacy of replenishing energy and promoting the movement of Qi was rarely mentioned in modern reference. In this article, the historical evolutions of olibanum about original plants, processing and medicinal efficacy were sorted out. The results could provide historical basis for the further development and clinical utilization of olibanum.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Frankincense ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Resins, Plant

PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the proper reference line for taking axial computed tomograms from which the good cross-sectional views can be reformatted by multiplanar reconstruction. METHODS: Three dry mandibles with implanted gutta percha cones in the extracted socket were scanned axially according to 6 reference lines of 2 mandibular positions with computed tomogram Hitachi W550. The accuracy of measurements of the lengths of implanted gutta percha cones in the each cross-sectional view reformatted from axial computed tomogram by multiplanar reconstruction was evaluated. RESULTS: The difference between the measurements and the real length of implant was smallest in the bucco-lingual views reformatted from the axial views scanned according to the reference line of group V-a. The smaller the angle difference between reference line and occlusal line was, the smaller the difference between the measurements in the bucco-lingual views reformatted from axial views and the real length of implant. The majority of measured widths of implants in the bucco-lingually reformatted views were larger than the actual values. CONCLUSIONS: When the mandible is inclined within the limitation of gantry angle and scanned with the reference line coincident with occlusal plane, the bucco-lingual view can be reformatted without deformation of images from the axially scanned images.
Dental Occlusion ; Gutta-Percha ; Mandible*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the proper reference line for taking axial computed tomograms from which the good cross-sectional views can be reformatted by multiplanar reconstruction. METHODS: Three dry mandibles with implanted gutta percha cones in the extracted socket were scanned axially according to 6 reference lines of 2 mandibular positions with computed tomogram Hitachi W550. The accuracy of measurements of the lengths of implanted gutta percha cones in the each cross-sectional view reformatted from axial computed tomogram by multiplanar reconstruction was evaluated. RESULTS: The difference between the measurements and the real length of implant was smallest in the bucco-lingual views reformatted from the axial views scanned according to the reference line of group V-a. The smaller the angle difference between reference line and occlusal line was, the smaller the difference between the measurements in the bucco-lingual views reformatted from axial views and the real length of implant. The majority of measured widths of implants in the bucco-lingually reformatted views were larger than the actual values. CONCLUSIONS: When the mandible is inclined within the limitation of gantry angle and scanned with the reference line coincident with occlusal plane, the bucco-lingual view can be reformatted without deformation of images from the axially scanned images.
Dental Occlusion ; Gutta-Percha ; Mandible*