Objective: To study the antiviral effect of polysaccharides from brown seaweed Lobophora variegata. Method: The crude polysaccharide was extracted with boiling water and precipitated with ethanol,and then fractionated with ion exchange chromatography. Its antiviral activity was tested by cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction assay and plaque reduction assay. The cytotoxicity of the water crude extract was determined by MTT method. Results: The crude water extract showed markedly antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2 including ACV resistant strain and clinical strains with low EC50 values of 18.2 and 6.25 μg/ml respectively. It also showed very low cytotoxicity to Vero, HEp-2 and MDCK cells. Therefore, the crude extract possessed high selective index for antiviral effect. It also had some inhibitory effect on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) but had no effect on influenza A virus. Two fractions were isolated from the water crude extract and they exhibited anti-HSV activity in the test of CPE reduction assay in Vero cells. Conclusion: Seaweed Lobophora variegata contains antiviral polysaccharides with high inhibitory effect on herpes simplex virus.

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remain prevalent nutritional problems in many parts of the world. Among infants and young children, IDA has adverse effects on growth and development. Mental deficits exhibited in infancy can be long lasting. Efforts are being made to combat these problems. However, in the past decade little success was made. Currently there is interest in developing home fortificants that are versatile, inexpensive, efficacious and effective. One of these is the Sprinkles, which contain iron fumarate coated with a soy lipid and other micronutrients. The Sprinkles is packaged in small sachets and intended to be added to ready-to-eat home-prepared complementary foods once a day. An acceptance test was conducted in 5 cities in China. The Sprinkles was provided for the acceptance by infants aged 6-24 months and children of 2-5 years in 4 successive weeks. Their mothers were interviewed 4 times during the period of the study. The results showed that both the mothers, the infants and young children accepted the foods with added Sprinkles well.

Objective To compare the effects of oil with medium-long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) on lipid metabolism in hypertriglyceridemic patients with different sex. Method One hundred and one subjects with hypertriglyceridemia were enrolled and divided into two groups. One group consumed oil with MLCT (50 subjects) and another group with long-chain fatty acid triglyceride LCT (51 subjects) for 8 w. No sex difference was noted between two groups. All subjects were informed to consume 25-30g oils daily with fixed energy and perform exercise informed. Anthropometric measurements of body weight,waist circumference (WC) body fat weight, total visceral and subcutaneous fat area in abdomen and blood biochemical variables of aspartate amino- transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), ApoB, ApoAⅡ, ApoC2, ApoC3 and ApoE were measured at initial and final time of the experiment. Results The decreases in body weight, BMI, WC, body fat weight, total and subcutaneous fat area, and blood TG, LDL-C, ApoAⅡ, ApoB, ApoC2, ApoC3, ApoE in male subjects consuming MLCT were much greater than those consuming LCT after 8 w. However, there were no significant differences in these parameters in female subjects between two groups. Conclusion Consumption of oil with MLCT reduces body weight, body fat and blood TG and improves apolipoprotein metabolism in male hypertriacylglycerolemic subjects, but not in female.

Objective To study the effects of the genetically modified(GM) rice enriched with resistant starch on large bowel health in rats. Method Forty-eight healthy male SD rats were randomly assigned into four groups based on body weight,and given with no-GM rice diet (No-GM), GM rice diet(GM), half-GM rice diet (Half-GM) and normal diet (ND), respectively. After fed for 5 w, 4 d feces samples were collected. At 6 w all rats were killed and the contents of cecum and colon were collected. Large bowel function was evaluated by determination of cecum and colon weight, their contents, pH value, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), etc. Results GM group had similar body weight with ND and significantly less than No-GM. Compared with No-GM and ND, fecal bulk and moisture, cecum and colon weight and the cecum contents of GM and Half-GM were higher dose-dependently. The contents of SCFA in cecum, colon and feces dropped gradually. SCFA level of cecum and colon was higher significantly in GM and Half-GM compared with No-GM and ND except butyric acid of colon in Half-GM. In all groups, there were differences of acetic and propionic acid level in feces but no difference of butyric acid. Cecum and fecal pH value of GM and Half-GM dropped much significantly compared with No-GM and ND. Conclusion The genetically modified rice enriched with resistant starch can improve the large bowel health of rat.

Objective To study the effect of unsaturated fatty acid of Pinus koraiensis on lipid metabolism in rats. Method Unsaturated fatty acid was extracted and concentrated from Pinus koraiensis by supercritical fluid extraction and urea inclusion method. 40 rats were divided into 8 groups randomly. Except normal control group, the other groups were fed high fat diet. Normal control and obesity control groups were fed i.g. normal saline,Seed oil control group was fed i.g. pine nut oil and the other groups were fed i.g. 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 g/kg bw unsaturated fatty acid. Body weights were weighed every week. After 4 w, the rats were killed, the serum total triglycerides(TG), total cholesterol(TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and hepatic lipase(HL), lipoprotein lipase(LPL), liver lipofuscin (LP) were assayed. Results Compared with obesity control group, the body weight, body fat ratio, serum TG, LP and TC level were reduced remarkably. HL and total lipase (LA) level enhanced remarkably. Conclusion The unsaturated fatty acid of Pinus koraiensis could enhance the lipid metabolism in obese rats.