Objective: To develop an HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of eight saponins in alkali hydrolysate of total saponins from Pulsatilla chinensis. Methods: HPLC was performed on a Kromasil C18 analytical column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm) at 35°C with MeOH-0.2% HCOOH solution as the mobile phase by gradient elution and the step gradients were as follows: 0-30 min, 70%-100% MeOH; The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min; ELSD gasification chamber temperature was 40°C; Gas pressure of carrier gas N2 was 350 kPa. Results: The linear response (the log values of peak areas with corresponding log values of sample introducing amounts) ranges were 0.799-4.568 μg for pulsatilla saponin D, 0.563-6.756 μg for hederagenin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-arabinopyranoside, 0.431-2.683 μg for pulsatilla saponin A, 0.894-7.826 μg for hederacolchiside A1, 0.643-7.504 μg for pulsatilla saponin F, 1.351-7.822 μg for oleanolic acid 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl - (1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2) - α-L-arabinopyranoside, 0.629-2.515 μg for oleanolic acid 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl - (1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside, and 0.698-2.794 μg for oleanolic acid 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside, respectively (n = 5). The average recoveries of the eight saponins were between 99.0% and 101.0%, and RSD values were less than 1.5%. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the established method has the adequate accuracy and selectivity for the quality control of alkali hydrolysate of total saponins from P. chinensis.

To investigate the suitable site environment for Atractylodes lancea, field trials in different niches was carried out, and the seedling growth, biomass and volatile oil components in different microhabitas was studied. The study found that the survival rate, plant height, volatile oil content of those which growing under the bamboo were significantly higher than those exposed in the open field. The survival rate understory was (76 ± 15.1) %, plant height understory was (77 ± 14. 8) cm and the summation of the four kinds of volatile oil content understory reached up to 4.09%; The same evaluation values of these indicators of the four faces in the open field respectively: survival rate is 30%, plant height was (77 ± 14.8) cm and the summation of the four kinds of volatile oil content was 2.24%. But, the yield of the understory (41 ± 22.3) g was significantly lower than those four faces in the open field (104.5 g) on the contrary. For the four open field towards, the yield of the east facing, which organic matter and other nutritional conditions were better than others, was significantly higher than those in the other facings. A. lancea was found to be an anti-poor and shading-like or growing in east facing slope herb through the correlation analysis of light, temperature, soil and leaf nutrients with seedling growth, biomass and volatile oil components. It also reminds us that the understory herb with high survival rate, low incidence, low management costs, and high medicinal ingredients, although it's production is not so high, but it can be improved by increased organic fertilizer. So the ecological planting patterns which can intercropping herbs with the forest was proposed.
Atractylodes ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Soil ; chemistry ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the occurrence of important foodborne pathogens in shellstock Pacific oysters in the food markets in South China.

METHODSFrom July 2007 to June 2008, retail oysters were collected in different seasons from South China and analyzed for the prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

RESULTSNone of L. monocytogenes could be detected in any of the 202 oyster samples tested, while E vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus could be detected in 67 (54.9%) and 109 (89.3%) of the 122 oyster samples analyzed, respectively, with an MPN (most probable number) value greater than or equal to 3. V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus with a more than 102 MPN/g were found in 36 (29.5%) and 59 (48.4%) of the 122 oyster samples, respectively. The tdh and trh genes were detected in 4 (0.3%) and 8 (0.6%) of the 1 349 V parahaemolyticus isolates, respectively. Of the 122 samples, 4 (3.3%) was positive for either tdh or trh. The levels of V. vulnificus and total V. parahaemolyticus in oysters in South China varied in different seasons.

CONCLUSIONV. vulnificus and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus are frequently found in oysters in south China, which may pose a potential threat to public health. Data presented here will be useful for the microbiological risk assessment in oysters in China.

Animals ; China ; Commerce ; Food Microbiology ; Listeria monocytogenes ; isolation & purification ; Ostreidae ; microbiology ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus ; isolation & purification ; Vibrio vulnificus ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on capability of learning and memory and the content of amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus of rats.

METHODSThirty-two healthy, male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to their weights after intubated into ventricles: the solvent control group, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L groups. 10 microl of B[a]P olive oil solutions, of different concentrations 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L, were injected into rats' lateral ventricles, respectively. Rats in the solvent control group were injected into the same volume of olive oil as that in B[a]P group. Rats' capability of learning and memory was tested by Morris water maze. The content of amino acid neurotransmitters in rats' hippocampus were determined by high performance liquid chromatogram with a fluorescence detector.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the performances of learning and memory of rats decreased significantly in B[a]P treated groups (P<0.01). Levels of glutamate (Glu) were lower significantly in treated groups than that in controls (P<0.01). No significant differences were found in contents of aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly) and aminobutyric acid (GABA) among the four groups.

CONCLUSIONB[a]P can damage rats' spatial learning and memory, and which could be related to decreased contents of excitatory amino acids in hippocampus.

Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The purpose of this study is to determine if paeonol can protect hippocampal neurons against injury due to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) injury. The rat neurons were cultured in an OGD environment and the model of OGD injury was established. Paeonol and MK-801, a positive control drug, were added before deprivation. Neuron viability was measured by the reduction of MTT; glutamate was analyzed by amino acid analyzer; binding activity of NMDA receptor was evaluated by liquid scintillation counting and the expression of NMDA receptor NR1 subunit mRNA was semiquantitatively determined by RT-PCR. Compared with OGD injury group, paeonol treatment obviously increased cell survival rate and reduced the binding activity of NMDA receptors and the release of glutamate; and down-regulating the expression of NR1 subunit. These results suggest that paeonol may exhibit its protective effect against OGD injury by the action on NMDA receptor of rats.
Acetophenones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; deficiency ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Neurons ; cytology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protein Binding ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; genetics ; metabolism

Monovalent antisera of 3 vaccine strains and 7 representative field isolates were prepared based on the comparison of genetic diversity of the hypervariable region I of S1 gene (HVR I from 3 infectious bronchitis (IB) vaccine strains (H120, Ma5 and 4/91) ,one reference strain M41 and 26 IB field isolates. These 30 strains were classified in 7 different genotypes, respectively. Virus-neutralizing test on tracheal organ cultures (TOC) with chicken embryo were used to evaluate relatedness values of the antigenicity based on the antibody titer, to analyze the antigenic relationships between the isolates and vaccine strains, as well as to determine the serotypes of 26 IB viruses isolated from the field in Guangxi between 1985 and 2008. The results showed 30 strains were classified into 7 distinct serotypes and there were two predominant serotypes within the 26 isolates, serotypes 1 (totally 13 isolates) and serotype 2 (totally 5 isolates), respectively. In addition, there were some differences observed between the results of serotyping and the genotyping (including the S1, N, M and 3'UTR). The results of the study demonstrated that there were different predominant serotypes and multiple serotypes of IBV circulated in Guangxi in recent years, antigenic variation existed between Guangxi field isolates and vaccine strains.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Chick Embryo ; Chickens ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; immunology ; veterinary ; virology ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Infectious bronchitis virus ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Poultry Diseases ; immunology ; virology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of curcumin derivatives B06 on myocardium from type 2 diabetic rats.

METHODSThirty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, normal control group (NC group), high fat group (HF group), high fat treatment group (FT group), diabetes mellitus group (DM group) and diabetes treatment group (DT group) (n = 7). The late four groups were fed with high fat food, after four weeks of high fat feeding, the rats from DM group and DT group were injected with low dosage of streptozocin intraperitoneally to induce diabetes mellitus, FT group and DT group were gavaged with curcumin derivatives B06 at the dosage of 0.2 mg/kg x d. The blood glucose and lipid were detected biochemically, blood insulin was assayed by ELISA and the insulin resistance index was calculated, the morphology of myocardium was observed by light and transmission electron microscopy, the protein expression of AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKalpha) and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (p-AMPKalpha) in myocardium were tested by Western blot.

RESULTSThe level of blood glucose, lipid, insulin and the insulin resistance index were increased in HF group and DM group, but they were decreased after the treatment with B06. The expression of AMPKalpha and p-AMPKalpha were decreased, but they became increased after the treatment of B06. There were increased collagen fibers in interstitium and expansion of mitochondria in cytoplasm of myocardium from DM group, but they were ameliorated in B06 treatment group.

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that B06 may relieve the damage of myocardium from type 2 diabetic rats and the increased expression of AMPKalpha and p-AMPKalpha may be involved in it.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Heart ; drug effects ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from the root of Actinidia chinensis.

METHODThe roots of A. chinensis were extracted with 95% EtOH. The EtOH extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and BuOH successively. The compounds were isolated with column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis(MS, IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR).

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated from the root of A. chinensis, and the structures were identified as 2alpha-hydroxyoleanolic acid (1), 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (2), euscaphic acid (3), 23-hydroxyursolic acid (4), 3beta-O-acetylursolic acid (5), ergosta4, 6, 8, (14), 22-tetraen-3-one (6), beta-steriol (7).

CONCLUSIONAll the compounds were obtained from the root of A. chinensis for the first time.

Actinidia ; chemistry ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Humans ; Stroke ; epidemiology

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism* ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6 ; Rats