Spirodela polyrrhiza is a floating plant widely used in biomass utilization and eutrophication phytoremediation. It becomes a common aquatic plant everywhere with the increasingly serious eutrophication. It has been reported that S. polyrrhiza has a good effect on the remediation of eutrophication water. In order to study the absorption and transportation of phosphorus in S. polyrrhiza, we extracted RNA from S. polyrrhiza and then reverse transcribed it into cDNA, which was used as a template to amplify a specific fragment. The full-length sequence of the open reading frame (ORF) was 1 620 bp, encoding 539 amino acids, named SpPHT1;1, and the accession number in GenBank was MN720003. Bioinformatical analysis showed that SpPHT1;1 had no intron. The protein it encoded was a stable, hydrophobic protein with 11 transmembrane domains. SpPHT1;1 structure was similar to that of major facilitator superfamily (MFS) superfamily members. The cluster analysis showed that SpPHT1;1 was closely related to ZMPHT2 in maize and SBPHT1-8 in sorghum. So, it might belong to plant PHT1 family. The expression of SpPHT1;1 in leaf was significantly more than that of root under normal phosphorus condition. Low phosphorus condition could promote gene expression, and the relative expression level of SpPHT1;1 arrived at the peak at 48 h both in root and leaf. High phosphorus condition could inhibit gene expression. These results indicated that SpPHT1;1 expression would be affected by external phosphorus concentration. The results of this study are helpful for further research on the function of phosphate transporter. It also can provide theoretical basis for further development and utilization of S. polyrrhiza.
Araceae/genetics* ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Phosphate Transport Proteins/genetics*

The study aimed to investigate the effect of processing on lectin protein in four toxic Chinese medicines tubers of Pinellia ternata,P. pedatisecta,Arisema heterophyllum and Typhonium giganteum. Western blot was used to semi-quantitatively analyze the content of lectin in the four kinds of toxic Chinese medicines and their different processed products. Raw products and lectin were treated by heating or soaking in ginger juice or alum solution. The effects of different excipients and the heating methods on lectin proteins were investigated. The results showed that the content of lectin in raw products of P. pedatisecta,P. ternata,A. heterophyllum,and T. giganteum were 7. 3%,4. 9%,2. 7%,2. 3%,respectively. And the content of lectin in Pinelliae Rhizoma praeparatum cum alumine was 0. 027%. Lectin was not detected in the Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum cum Zingibere et Alumine,Arisaematis Rhizma Praeparatum and Typhonii Rhizoma Praeparatum,which indicated that processing could significantly reduce the content of active lectin in raw products. The results also showed that with the prolongation of soaking and heating time,the content of lectin in raw products decreased gradually,while the content was almost unchanged when soaked in ginger juice alone. The effects of different excipients and heating on lectin were the same as those on raw products. Therefore,the method with alum soaking and heating can reduce the content of active lectin,which is the key to reduce the toxicity of toxic Chinese medicines. In this paper,Western blot was used to study the content of toxic protein in Araceae toxic Chinese medicines as an evaluation method of the processing degree.
Araceae/chemistry* ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Lectins/analysis* ; Plant Tubers/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry*

Column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 was used to study the chemical constituents of Homalomena occulta. The chemical structures of the separated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic data analyseS. Twelve compounds were obtained and identified as 5-pentylresorcinol-b-glucoside (1), protocatechuic acid (2), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (3), vanillic acid (4), 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (5), 2-furoic acid (6), 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (7), (R) -malic acid (8), (R) -dimethyl malate (9), trimethyl 1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate (10), 4-hydroxytetrahydrofuran-2-one (11) and (1S, 2S, 4S)-p-menthane-1,2, 4-triol (12). Among them, compound 1 was a new natural product, and compounds 4-12 were isolated from the genus for the first time.
Araceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry

Recently, some patients have visited the emergency department for treatment of different symptoms of acute poisoning after intake of unidentified herbs, which can be mistaken for wild edible greens, because wild edible greens are good for health and contain vitamins, enzymes, minerals, fibers, and anticancer materials. Winter or early spring, is extremely high, with rapid onset of severe symptoms of poisoning. There have been no reports of poisoning by SymplocarpusRenifolius in Korea, however, we report on three severe cases involving patients who experienced cardiogenic shock with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chest discomfort, dizziness, numbness, and general weakness.
Abdominal Pain ; Araceae ; Dizziness ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Korea ; Minerals ; Nausea ; Plant Poisoning ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Thorax ; Vitamins ; Vomiting

Typhonii Rhizoma is a toxic traditional Chinese medicine. Its toxic components remained unclear. To compare chemical composition of volatile oils from fresh and processed Typhonii Rhizoma qualitatively, volatile oils were obtained by stream distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The data obtained from GC-MS were processed by principal component analysis. From the essential oils of fresh and processed Typhonii Rhizoma, 43 compounds and 34 compounds were identified respectively. The chemical composition and content in the two oils was different. In the two essential oils 15 identical components were detected. The chemical components and their contents in the essential oils are changing with the storage.
Araceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo compare pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra (chishao) from different areas.

METHODPharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics of Radix Paeoniae Rubra were compared by microscope count methods.

RESULTChishao in duolun was more straighter and longer, cortex with a set of closely spaced rill, peel off easily, pink section, etc. The wild chishao were different from the cultivated chishao on pharmacognostic characteristics and microscopic characteristics, such as appearance shape, smell, vessel arrangement, and number of crystal and starch in unit area.

CONCLUSIONChishao in duolun were different form others, appearance shape, wood fiber, difference of appearance shape, vessel arrangement, and number of crystal and starch in unit area can be used as identificatin feature of the wild chishao and the cultivated chishao.

Araceae ; chemistry ; Benzoates ; analysis ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Paeonia ; anatomy & histology ; ultrastructure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo compare the crystal form with the toxicity intensitity of raphides in four poisonous herbs of Araceae family.

METHODThe four kinds of raphides were extracted and isolated from Pinellia ternate, P. pedatisecta, Arisaema amurense and Typhonium giganteum. These raphides were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the elements were analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Infrared spectrum was used for detecting the functional groups. Toxic intensities of the four kinds of raphides were detected by mice acute toxicity experiment, and the value of LD0 were from caculated by Bliss rule.

RESULTThe raphides in the four plants have the similar crystal form. Observation with SEM showed a pointed and blunt end, and a long groove and barbs on a raphide. The raphides in P. ternate and P. pedatisecta were sharper than that in other two, respectively. The results of X-ray diffraction, photoelectric spectra showed that the major component of raphides was calcium oxalate monohydrate, and also showed the elements of N and S existing. Infrared spectra showed the raphides contained functional groups of -COOH and -NH2. These results illustrated that the calcium oxalate monohydrate was not the only component of the raphide. The raphides could produce severe toxic reactions. LD50 values of P. ternate, P. pedatisecta, A. amurense and T. giganteum were 14.78, 14.11, 16.02 and 18.90 mg x kg(-1) (ip), respectively. The corresponding LD50 values of crude drugs were all above 3000 mg x kg(-1) (ip). The toxicity of raphides was 200 times of crude drugs'.

CONCLUSIONThe raphides in P. ternate and P. pedatisecta, A. amurense and T. giganteum were their common poisonous factor.

Animals ; Araceae ; chemistry ; Calcium Oxalate ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Crystallization ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo validate the irritation effects of calcium oxalate crystal in several herbal drugs which come from Araceae plants.

METHODCompared the irritation of pure calcium oxalate crystals isolated from the raw rhizome of Typhonium flagelliforme, T. giganteum and Arisaema erubescens and studied the quantity and irritating effect relationship of different concentration suspensions of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals by using the model of rabbits' eyes.

RESULTCalcium oxalate crystals isolated from above three rau rhizome typhonium rhizome showed strong irritation effects on rabbits' eyes. Under the condition of same content of calcium oxalate crystals, there were no difference in irritation effect between the suspensions of raw medicinal materials and pure calcium oxalate crystals. The degree of irritation on rabbits' eyes showed undoubted quantity and irritating effect relationship with the concentrations of Calcium oxalate crystel.

CONCLUSIONCalcium oxalate crystal is the irritant component in some herbal drugs which come from Araceae plants.

Animals ; Araceae ; chemistry ; Calcium Oxalate ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Eye ; drug effects ; Female ; Male ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

Plants in Acaceae family are often considered as ornamental and medicines. However many of them have irritation properties. As medicinal plants some of them are recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia and they are figured as poisonous. Through investigating the domestic and overseas studied paper, the needle-like calcium oxalate crystal exits in the plants of Acaceae family could be thought as irritation components of them. This conclusion is same with the studied conclusion of our study group in the medicines plant of Pinellia ternate belonging to the Acaceae family and our studies showed that the needle-like calcium oxalate crystal was the main irritation component of raw P. ternate. The irritated mechanism of raphides is relevant to its special shape, the protein enzyme adhering to it and idioblasts in plants.
Araceae ; chemistry ; Calcium Oxalate ; analysis ; poisoning ; Conjunctival Diseases ; chemically induced ; Crystallization ; Dermatitis, Contact ; etiology ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; drug effects ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo screen and identify the differentially expressed genes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 responsing to the aqueous extract from dried powdered rhizomes of Typhonium giganteum (AEoTGE).

METHODThe response of hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 to AEoTGE was explored with the technique of mRNA differential display.

RESULTAfter hepatocarcinoma cells SMMC-7721 were treated by AEoTGE for 36 hours, 1 gene expression was upgrade and 1 gene expression was downgrade induced by AEoTGE.

CONCLUSIONThe research has provided important clues for the molecular mechanism of how hepatocarcinoma cells responseing to T. giganteum.

Araceae ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Rhizome ; chemistry