OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the roots of Helicteres angustifolia.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatographic methods on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data.

RESULTSFourteen compounds were isolated from this plant. Their structures were identified as methyl helicterate(1),3-acetoxybetulin(2),3beta-acetoxy-27-(p-hydroxyl)benzoyloxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid methyl ester(3),3beta-acetoxy-27-benzoyloxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid(4),3beta-acetoxybetulinic acid(5),pyracrenic acid(6),cucurbitacin D(7),cucurbitacin B(8),isocucurbitacin D(9),3beta-acetoxy-27-[(4-hydroxybenzoyl)oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid methyl ester (10),beta-sitosterol(11),2alpha,7beta,20alpha-trihydroxy-3beta,21-dimethoxy-5-pregnene(12), hexadecanoic acid(13), and daucosterol(14), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 5,8,9,13, 14 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

OBJECTIVETo study chemical constituents of contained in roots of Pterospermum heterophyllum.

METHODThe chemical constituents of P. heterophyllum were separated and purified by silica gel, sephadex LH-20, ODS column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic techniques.

RESULTTen compounds were separated and identified as asperglaucide (1), 2-methoxy4-hydroxyphenol-1-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl (1-->6)-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 5, 5'-dimethoxy-9-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(-) -isolariciresinol(3), (-)-epicatechin (4), eriodictyol (5), taxifolin (6), 3beta-hydroxy-12-en-28-ursolic acid (7), 2beta, 3beta-dihydroxy-12-en-28-oleanolic acid (8), quercetin (9), cholest-4-en-3-one (10).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-10 were separated from this plant for the first time.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of a natural swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed (SMS) as the propellant of osmotic pump tablets. The sugar components, static swelling, water uptake and viscosity of SMS were determined and compared with that of polythylene oxide (WSR-N10 and WSR-303). Both ribavirin and glipizide were used as water-soluble and water-insoluble model drugs. Then, the monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide were prepared using SMS as the osmotically active substance and propellant. SMS was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose and galactose and exhibited relatively high swelling ability. The area of the disintegrated matrix tablet was 20.1 times as that at initial after swelling for 600 s. SMS swelled rapidly and was fully swelled (0.5%) in aqueous solution with relative low viscosity (3.66 +/- 0.03) mPa x s at 25 degrees C. The monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide using SMS as propellant exhibited typical drug release features of osmotic pumps. In conclusion, the swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed, with low viscosity and high swelling, is a potential propellant in the application of osmotic pump tablets.
Arabinose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Galactose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glipizide ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Osmosis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhamnose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Sterculiaceae ; chemistry ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Viscosity ; Water ; Xylose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal mixing conditions of different amounts of Jinuni beans and fresh cream for the preparation of Jinuni bean chocolate. An experiment was designed using the central composite design of the response surface, which required 10 experimental treatments including 2 replicates for the Jinuni bean and fresh cream. The compositional and functional properties of the treatments were measured and these values were applied to the mathematical model. A canonical form and perturbation plot showed the influence of each ingredient on the mixture products. The color value L (Lightness) decreased with an increase in the amount of added Jinuni bean but the color value a (redness) and color value b (yellowness) did not change. In addition, the hardness value increased with the addition of the Jinuni bean. The results of the sensory evaluation showed very significant differences in the values of the texture (p< 0.01), taste (p<0.05), and overall quality (p<0.01). As a result, the optimum formulations as determined by the numerical and graphical methods were 27.98 g of Jinuni bean and 67.0 g of fresh cream.
Cacao ; Fabaceae ; Hardness ; Models, Theoretical

Aims: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a group of bacteria that colonise plant roots and enhance plant growth by a diverse range of mechanisms. This study aims to determine the capabilities of PGPR isolated from cocoa tree roots and their efficiency in enhancing plant growth under greenhouse conditions. Methodology and results: Eight samples of healthy cocoa tree roots were collected from different locations in Malaysia. Isolated bacteria were screened based on nitrogen fixation, phosphate and potassium solubilization, and catalase activity. The efficiency of purified PGPR was evaluated from pot experiments of cocoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Out of 122 isolates, 18 isolates showed several traits of nitrogen fixation, phosphorus and potassium solubilization and were further screened for other plant growth promoting (PGP) traits like catalase and production of indole acetic acid (IAA). Out of all the PGP trait tests, seven isolates showed the most prominent results for in vitro tests and were further tested in vivo for growth promotion of cocoa seedlings under greenhouse conditions. In the presence of bacterial isolates with 2.5 g of inorganic fertilizer, Leclercia adecarboxylata resulted in increases in plant height, leaf number, root length, stem fresh weight and total fresh and dry weight of cocoa seedlings by 15.68%, 17.14%, 9.48%, 5.67%, 11.84% and 25.12%, respectively. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Based on the result, L. adecarboxylata incorporated with selected carrier material improve cocoa seedling growth and biomass. This formulation also reduces the production cost of inorganic fertilizer and increase the application and development of biofertilizer.
Cacao--growth & ; development ; Rhizosphere

Trichoderma species are able to persist on living sapwood and leaves of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in an endophytic relationship. In this research, we evaluated the ability of Trichodema asperellum introduced at the incision site in the bark for side grafting with the concentration of 4 g/10 mL, 4 g/100 mL, and 4 g/1,000 mL (suspended in water) in suppressing vascular streak dieback (VSD) incidence and promoting growth of side grafts in the field. The incidence of VSD in two local clones of cacao, MCC1 and M04, without application of T. asperellum was 71.2% and 70.1% at 21 wk after grafting, respectively. However, when the two clones were treated with a concentration of 4 g/10 mL T. asperellum, the incidence was 20.6% and 21.7%, respectively, compared to 29.1% and 20.9% at 4 g/100 mL and 18.2% and 15.6% at 4 g/1,000 mL. By comparing to the control, the treatment with the same concentrations of T. asperellum listed above, the total number of stomata in MCC1 decreased by 41.9%, 30.2%, and 14.0% and in M04 by 30.5%, 21.9%, and -2.5% (exception), respectively. Otherwise, the total area of stomata opening increased by 91.4%, 99.7%, and 28.6% in MCC1 and by 203.8%, 253.5%, and 35.9% in M04, respectively. Furthermore, the number of buds and branches treated with a mixture concentration on the the two clones increased by 90.7% and 21.7%, respectively. These data showed that the application of T. asperellum to cacao scions while grafting can decrease VSD incidence in side grafts and increase growth of grafts in addition to decreasing total number of stomata, increasing total area of opened stomata, and increasing number of buds and branches.
Cacao* ; Clone Cells ; Incidence* ; Transplants* ; Trichoderma*

The purpose of this study was to compare the eating habit, food intake frequency and preferred food and taste of juvenile delinquents (100 numbers) and male high school students (100 numbers), using questionnaires from August to October 2004. 1) It was shown that the juvenile delinquents took more unbalanced diet (p <0.05), smoking (p <0.001) and drinking (p <0.001) than general students, while general students had more eating between meals (p <0.01). 2) The intake of food was a significant difference in white rices (p <0.01), bibimbab (p <0.001), kimbab (p <0.001), fried rice (p <0.001), ramen (p <0.001), jajangmyun (p <0.001), jambong (p <0.001), hamburger (p <0.001), pizza (p <0.001) and breads (p <0.05). The juvenile delinquents took more major food than that of general students in all the items except for white rice. It was observed, then, that the juvenile delinquents showed more intake of such subsidiary foods as bulgoki (p <0.001), roasted thin pork chops (p <0.001), grilled pork belly (p <0.001), pork cutlet (p <0.01), sweet and sour pork (p <0.001), chicken with ginseng (p <0.001), fried chicken (p <0.001), kimchi pot stew (p <0.01) and zucchini (p <0.05) than general students, with general students taking more kimchi (p <0.01) and fried or boiled soybean curd (p <0.01). The intake of dessert was a significant difference in yogurt (p <0.01), orange juice (p <0.001), cola (p <0.001), soft drinks (p <0.001), ion drinks (p <0.001), coffee (p <0.001), apple (p <0.01), banana (p <0.001), orange (p <0.001), cake (p <0.001), hot dog (p <0.001), ddokbokgi (p <0.01), mandu (p <0.001), fried fish paste (p <0.05), steamed korean sausage (p <0.001), fried foods (p <0.05), hem & sausage (p <0.001), cheese (p <0.001), ice-cream (p <0.001), candy (p <0.01), chocolate (p <0.001), mayonnaise (p <0.05), jam (p <0.01) and butter & margarine (p <0.01). Then, the juvenile delinquents were shown to entirely have more intake of all the desserts than those of general students. 3) Regarding preference of foods, it was shown that the juvenile delinquents preferred cereals (p <0.05), grilled pork belly (p <0.001), chicken with ginseng (p <0.01), anchovies and small fish (p <0.05), chicken with ginseng (p <0.05), seasoned spinach (p <0.001), seasoned zucchini (p <0.001), milk (p <0.05), coffee (p <0.001) and butter & margarine (p <0.05) while general students did egg (p <0.01), soybean sprout soup (p <0.001), boiled or fried potato (p <0.05), seasoned soybean sprout (p <0.05), boiled or fried soybean curd (p <0.01), fried foods (p <0.01) and snack (p <0.05). For their preference of tastes, hot taste (p <0.01) was higher in the juvenile delinquents. 4) Under general environments there was a change of the difference in their behaviour of pork cutlet (p <0.01) intake in accordance with other family and of milk (p <0.001) and butter & margarine (p <0.05) preference in accordance with growth in a big city between the two groups.
Animals ; Bread ; Butter ; Cacao ; Candy ; Carbonated Beverages ; Edible Grain ; Cheese ; Chickens ; Citrus sinensis ; Coffee ; Cola ; Diet ; Dogs ; Drinking ; Eating* ; Food Habits* ; Food Preferences ; Humans ; Male* ; Margarine ; Meals ; Milk ; Musa ; Ovum ; Panax ; Seasons ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Snacks ; Solanum tuberosum ; Soybeans ; Spinacia oleracea ; Steam ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yogurt

One case of Incontinentia pigmenti associated with convulsion has been presented and she has delayed growing and emerciation. The patient who was four months old girl had been affected irregular mesh-like dark brown or chocolate colored pigmentation on both leg (inner surfeee). Diagnosis was confirmed by characteristic clinical appearance, laboratory findings and histopathology.
Cacao ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incontinentia Pigmenti ; Leg ; Pigmentation ; Seizures

The analytical method of trace toxic metals in livestock products was confirmed and validated through certified reference material (CRM) and the international proficiency tests. There are some difficulties to determine low levels of toxic metals in livestock products because of interferences due to the matrix. The recoveries of CRM (NIST 1577c) ranged from 73.9 to 119% for lead and from 86.4 to 111% for cadmium in bovine liver. The international proficiency tests were carried out with the milk powder and cocoa powder samples including metals provided by Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme (FAPAS(R), UK). The test samples were prepared by microwave digestion using solution of HNO3 : H2O2 : H2O (v/v/v = 5 : 2 : 4) and analyzed by ICP/MS. The analytical result of cadmium in milk powder was 121 microg/kg with -0.3 of the z-score compared to the assigned value of 131 microg/kg by FAPAS(R). The analytical results of lead and cadmium in cocoa powder were 29.2 microg/kg and 97.6 microg/kg, respectively, which satisfied the assigned values of 34.2 microg/kg for lead and 126 microg/kg for cadmium by FAPAS(R). It is verified that the analytical method is accurate and reliable to determine trace lead and cadmium in livestock products by microwave digestion and ICP/MS.
Cacao ; Cadmium ; Digestion ; Food Analysis ; Liver ; Livestock ; Metals ; Microwaves ; Milk

BACKGROUND: Colonial morphology of Candida albicans known as 'spiking' on a primary isolation blood agar plate (BAP) allows rapid and presumptive identification of C. albicans. We evaluated the 'spiking' appearance to identify C. albicans. METHODS: A total of 144 fully identified clinical isolates of yeasts and 10 type strains of yeasts were tested. All isolates obtained from the 5% CO2 incubation on BAP and chocolate agar plate (CHOC) were macroscopically examined for the presence of an irregular margin (spiking). The germ tube test was performed by incubating test organisms in 0.5 mL of pooled human sera. RESULTS: The sensitivity for BAP-spiking, CHOC-spiking and germ tube test were 93.7%, 91.1%, and 98.7%, respectively. The specificity for three methods was 100%. CONCLUSION: Use of the spiking identification on BAP can be useful for the economic and rapid presumptive identification of C. albicans in routine laboratories.
Agar* ; Cacao* ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Yeasts