OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of micro-elements fertilizers on the quality and yields of Artemisia annua.

METHODField experiments were conducted according to the method of random blocks design. After the harvest the yield was calculated and the content of artemisinin was determined.

RESULTBy applying 0.1%-0.5% Mn and 0.1%-0.5% Zn the dried leaf output and artemisinin content were increased.

CONCLUSIONThe suitable ranges of Mn and Zn can increased the yield and artemisinin content of A. annua.

Artemisia annua ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Artemisinins ; metabolism ; Boron ; pharmacology ; Manganese ; pharmacology ; Zinc ; pharmacology

The effect of dexamethasone (10(-5)M) and epinephrine (10(-6)M) on the biosynthesis of metallothionein (MT) in the perfused rat liver was investigated. MT synthesis was determined by measuring the incorporation of 14C-L-aspartic acid into liver MT fraction after the perfusion for five hours of isolated liver by artificial blood containing 14C-L-U-aspartic acid (0.2uci) with dexamethasone or epinephrine. MT was isolated by Sephadex G-75 column chromatography and DEAE Sephadex column chromatography. Incorporation of radioactive 14C into the MT fraction of perfused liver cytosol (9.0grams of liver) from dexamethasone treated, epinephrine treated and control groups were, respective1y, 0.72, 0.34 and 0.33% of total radioactivity infused. Total protein content in the MT fraction of liver perfused with dexamethasone and epinephrine were 0.80, 0.64mg/g liver compared to 0.52mg/g liver in the control. MT, a protein having a high content of cystein and metals is synthesized in the perfused rat liver and its induction is stimulated by dexamethasone, while epinephrine increased the accumulation of Zn in the MT fraction of the perfused rat liver. The present experiment confirms that MT synthesis and degradation are somewhat regulated by glucocorticoid hormone and epinephrine.
Animal ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Epinephrine/pharmacology* ; Female ; In Vitro ; Liver/drug effects ; Liver/metabolism* ; Metalloproteins/metabolism* ; Metallothionein/metabolism* ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Zinc/metabolism

Zinc (Zn) deficiency in animals became of interest until the 1950s. In this paper, progresses in researches on physiology of Zn deficiency in animals, phytate effect on bioavailability of Zn, and role of phytase in healing Zn deficiency of animals were reviewed. Several studies demonstrated that Zn is recycled via the pancreas; the problem of Zn deficiency was controlled by Zn homeostasis. The endogenous secretion of Zn is considered as an important factor influencing Zn deficiency, and the critical molar ratio is 10. Phytate (inositol hexaphosphate) constituted up to 90% of the organically bound phosphorus in seeds. Great improvement has been made in recent years on isolating and measuring phytate, and its structure is clear. Phytate is considered to reduce Zn bioavailability in animal. Phytase is the enzyme that hydrolyzes phytate and is present in yeast, rye bran, wheat bran, barley, triticale, and many bacteria and fungi. Zinc nutrition and bioavailability can be enhanced by addition of phytase to animal feeds. Therefore, using phytase as supplements, the most prevalent Zn deficiency in animals may be effectively corrected without the mining and smelting of several tons of zinc daily needed to correct this deficiency by fortification worldwide.
6-Phytase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Phytic Acid ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Skin Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Zinc ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; deficiency ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of four trace elements Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu on growth of the 2nd- and the 3rd-years Paeonia lactiflora.

METHODThe experiment was designed as randomized blocks. The data of physiological parameters such as fresh weight of root, numbers of bud and root division, length and diameter of the root and the contents of paeoniflorin in root were measured after fertilized with the four trace elements. Also the contents of the four trace elements in soil and roots, stem and leaves of P. lactiflora were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe growth of the P. lactiflora was improved and the content of paeoniflorin was increased by proper level of Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu, but depressed by the higher level. Only Zn can be accumulated in the roots of P. lactiflora.

Benzoates ; metabolism ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Manganese ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; Paeonia ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Zinc ; pharmacology

Culture medium and fermentation conditions for lipid production by Rhodosporidium toruloides were optimized with single factor and uniform design experiment. The best medium recipe was found with 70 g/L glucose, 0.1 g/L (NH4)2SO4, 0.75 g/L yeast extract, 1.5 g/L MgSO4. 7H2O, 0.4g/L KH2PO4, sterilized at 121 degrees C for 15 min, and then supplemented with ZnSO4 1.91 x 10(-6) mmol/L, CaCl2 1.50 mmol/L, MnCl2 1.22 x 10(-4) mmol/L and CuSO4 1.00 x 10(-4) mmol/L. The optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: 50 mL of medium (pH 6.0) in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask with 10% inoculum (28h) under orbital shaking at 200 r/min for 120h at 30 degrees C. Under these conditions, yeast biomass accumulated lipids up to 76.1%.
Basidiomycota ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Magnesium Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Zinc ; pharmacology

To investigate the effects of metallothionein (MT) on isolated rat heart, 16 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. In control group (group C), distilled water was injected intraperitoneally and 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused with Langendorff and stored at 4 degrees C for 3 h with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solutions, and then isolated hearts were perfused for 2 h by Langendorff. In experimental group (group E), 3.6% ZnSO(4) was injected intraperitoneally, 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused by Langendorff and stored at 4 degrees C for 3 h with HTK solutions, and then the isolated hearts were perfused for 2 h with Langendorff. MT content, the recovery of hemodynamics, myocardial water content (MWC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, myocardial cell Ca(2+) content, Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of mitochondria ([Ca(2+)-ATPase](m)) and its Ca(2+) content ([Ca(2+)](m)), synthesizing ATP activity of mitochondria ([ATP](m)), and the ultrastructure of cells were examined. There were a significant increase in group E in hemodynamic recovery, ATP content, SOD activity, [Ca(2+)-ATPase](m) activity, [ATP](m) activity, and substantial reduction in MWC, LDH and CK leakage, MDA content, myocardial cell Ca(2+) content, [Ca(2+)](m) content, and the ultrastructural injury were obviously milder than that of group C. This study demonstrated that MT has protective effects on isolated rat heart.
Cardiotonic Agents/*pharmacology ; Creatine Kinase/*metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/metabolism ; Metallothionein/biosynthesis ; Metallothionein/*pharmacology ; Myocardium/*metabolism ; Myocardium/ultrastructure ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism ; Zinc Sulfate/pharmacology

AIMTo evaluate the effects of different doses of zinc on the expression of metallothionein isoforms in stressed hippocampal neurons in vitro.

METHODSThe cell stress model was developed by corticosterone. The cultured hippocampal neurons were assigned to seven groups as follows: control group, zinc deficiency group, and their corresponding stressed groups, as well as three different levels of zinc complementarity groups.

RESULTSIn zinc deficiency group, the expressions of metallothionein and MT-1 mRNA, MT-3 mRNA were downregulated. On the other hand, inductions of metallothionein and it's mRNAs in stressed zinc complementarity group were increased. In addition, the levels of supernatant IL-6 and NO were increased clearly in zinc deficiency group and corticosterone stressed groups.

CONCLUSIONOur results suggest that zinc deficiency may decrease while zinc complementarity increase the expressions of metallothioneins and MT-1 mRNA, MT-3 mRNA in stressed hippocampal neurons in vitro.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Metallothionein ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Zinc ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of cadmium on zinc metabolism and its function and the protective effects of pre-supplement zinc to it.

METHODSNS or different doses of CdCl(2) were injected to pregnant dams intraperitoneally at the 7th, 10th and 13th day of gestation respectively. At the 21st pregnant day embryos were taken out from the pregnant rats. Another rats of pre-supplement zinc or no pre-supplement zinc group were injected different doses of CdCl(2) or NS intraperitoneally after 6 days. After 24 hours the rats were killed. The contents of Cd, Zn and relative biomarkers of effect of liver, brain or serum were detected in both embryos and adult rats.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the contents of T-AOC and Ach were significantly reduced in the Cd treatment group in the embryonic brains, the activity of AKP in the embryonic liver tissues was decreased, and The Cd content was increased significantly in embryonic liver and was negatively correlated with the Zinc content in the embryonic brain. There were no differences in the activities of SOD and AKP and the contents of Cd and MDA between pre-supplement Zn control group and no supplement Zn control group, but higher content of Zn in liver and serum in the former. Compared with no supplement Zn control group, there were higher contents of Cd in liver and serum, Zn and MDA in liver, lower activities of SOD in liver and AKP in liver and serum, and lower content of Zn in serum in the Cd treatment groups. Pre-supplement Zn significantly increase the content of Zn and the activities of SOD in liver and AKP in serum, decrease the content of MDA in liver and Cd in serum resulted by Cd treatment only. The content of Zn and the activity of AKP in serum and the activities of SOD and AKP in liver were negatively correlated with the content of Cd in corresponding tissue significantly.

CONCLUSIONCadmium can enter embryo and enter brain by permeating the brain-blood barrier during the embryonic period. The decrease of AKP activity, some neural transmitter and capacity of anti-lipid peroxidation that are related with Zn in embryos are caused when the pregnant rats are administered with cadmium. Cd can inhibits the activities of AKP and SOD in liver, and the activity of AKP in serum respectively, and increase the content of MDA in liver dose-dependently. The effects induced by cadmium are related with zinc abnormal distribution. Pre-supplement zinc to rats can antagonize these effects in different degree.

Animals ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Female ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; Metallothionein ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Zinc ; metabolism ; pharmacology

Metallothioneins (MT), small molecular weight metal binding proteins are known to play an important protective role against heavy metal toxicity, either as antioxidants or pre-oxidants. However, the mode of metabolic fate of MTs in various metal complexes is not clearly understood. This study was carried out to better understand the mode of selective turnover rate of various form of MT in complexes with different metals. The degradation of in vitro translated mouse 35S-cysteine-MT was examined in lysosomal or cytosolic fractions from mouse liver by gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Overnight incubations of MT showed extensive proteolysis in the lysosomal fraction but not in cytosolic fractions. However, Cu2+-MT was found to be stable under the same experimental condition. In contrast, Zn did not interfere with MT degradation. These results suggest that lysosomes are chiefly responsible for MT removal and appears to be selective on the metals involved in the MT complex. In vitro, translated, radiolabeled MT provides a suitable substrate for investigating the characteristics of MT degradation.
Animal ; Copper/*metabolism/pharmacology ; Ions ; Liver/drug effects/*metabolism ; Lysosomes/metabolism ; Metallothionein/drug effects/*metabolism ; Mice ; Sulfur Radioisotopes ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Zinc/*metabolism/pharmacology

Sedum alfredii Hance has been identified as zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) co-hyperaccumulator. In this paper the relationships of Zn or Cd hyperaccumulation to the generation and the role of H2O2 in Sedum alfredii H. were examined. The results show that Zn and Cd contents in the shoots of Sedum alfredii H. treated with 1000 micromol/L Zn2+ and/or 200 micromol/L Cd2+ increased linearly within 15 d. Contents of total S, glutathione (GSH) and H2O2 in shoots also increased within 15 d, and then decreased. Total S and GSH contents in shoots were higher under Cd2+ treatment than under Zn2+ treatment. However, reverse trends of H2O2 content in shoots were obtained, in which much higher H2O2 content was observed in Zn2+-treated shoots than in Cd2+-treated shoots. Similarly, the microscopic imaging of H2O2 accumulation in leaves using H2O2 probe technique showed that much higher H2O2 accumulation was observed in the Zn2+-treated leaf than in the Cd2+-treated one. These results suggest that there are different responses in the generation of H2O2 upon exposure to Zn2+ and Cd2+ for the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii H. And this is the first report that the generation of H2O2 may play an important role in Zn hyperaccumulation in the leaves. Our results also imply that GSH may play an important role in the detoxification of dissociated Zn/Cd and the generation of H2O2.
Cadmium ; pharmacology ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Plant Leaves ; metabolism ; Plant Shoots ; drug effects ; Sedum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Sulfur ; metabolism ; Zinc ; pharmacology