The study is aimed to create seed materials and dissect the molecular mechanism of sexual propagation of Gastrodia elata. In this research, thirteen characteristics of flowers, flower stem, fruits, seeds and embryo of G.elata f. glauca and G.elata f. elata after bolting at room temperature(RT) and constant temperature(CT, 22 ℃) were determined. It was found that the constant temperature condition could prolong the bolting duration of G.elata and increased the number of flowers, while the variety of G.elata only affected the bolting duration, but had no effect on the number of flowers, and the G.elata f. elata was more likely to bolting than the G.elata f. glauca. The variety of G.elata was the main factor affecting the time of dehiscent fruit of G.elata, the temperature was the main factor affecting the fruits number and fruits diameter, and the constant temperature was more conducive to the fruits shape of G.elata than the room temperature. There was no significant difference in seed phenotype of G.elata varieties, but the seed embryo of G.elata seeds cultivated at constant temperature was fuller than that of G.elata cultivated at room temperature, and temperature had less influence on the seed phenotype of G.elata. But it was interesting to find that temperature and varieties had greater influence on the seed embryo of G.elata, constant temperature cultivation was more conducive to the formation of seed embryo of G.elata, and more the seed embryo of G.elata f. elata was easier to form than the seed embryo of G.elata f. glauca. However, the development of seeds and embryos of G.elata was significantly affected, and the development of seeds and embryos of G.elata f. glauca was more sensitive to temperature than G.elata f. elata. The research suggested that it is advisable for G.elata to produce seed materials by bolting at constant temperature(22 ℃).
Fruit/growth & development* ; Gastrodia/growth & development* ; Phenotype ; Reproduction ; Seeds/growth & development* ; Temperature

The original plant species of Fructus Aurantii are multitudinous and complex, and their requirements to the growing environment is strict. In order to clarify the original plant species and geographical distribution of Fructus Aurantii which recorded in the standards and circulated, used in commodity. The national and local standards of Chinese medicinal materials were collected and the original plants of Fructus Aurantii recoded in standards were found. Ten original plant species of Fructus Aurantii (including varieties of cultivars, the same below) were recorded in the Chinese pharmacopoeia and six local standards of Zhejiang, Yunnan and Guizhou etc. The producing areas and commodity in markets of Fructus Aurantii were investigated. The growth environment and geographical distribution of them were analyzed. There are six types of Fructus Aurantii i.e., Fructus Aurantii Chuan, Fructus Aurantii Xiang, Fructus Aurantii Jiang, Fructus Aurantii Qu, Fructus Aurantii Su, Fructus Aurantii Wen, and nineteen species of original plants in the practical commodities. There are four major Fructus Aurantii producing areas: Sichuan Basin, Dongting Lake Plain, Poyang Lake Plain, Jinqu Basin and its surrounding hilly areas. All of them are located in the area of the east longitude 104° to 121° and the northern latitudes 27° to 31°. There is a certain difference between the actual commodity and the standards of medicinal materials. It is suggested that the traditional mainstream types of Fructus Aurantii with fine quality should be accepted into Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the types with poor quality should be withdrawn from Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
China ; Citrus ; classification ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Fruit ; Geography

OBJECTIVEMyanmar has a long history of using medicinal plants for treatment of various diseases. To the best of our knowledge there are no previous reports on antiglycation activities of medicinal plants from Myanmar. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antiglycation and antimicrobial properties of 20 ethanolic extracts from 17 medicinal plants indigenous to Myanmar.

METHODSIn vitro scavenging assays of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide (SO) radicals were used to determine the antioxidant activities. Folin-Ciocalteu's method was performed to determine the total phenolic content. Antiglycation and antimicrobial activities were detected by bovine serum albumin-fluorescent assay and agar well diffusion method.

RESULTSTerminalia chebula Retz. (Fruit), containing the highest total phenolic content, showed high antioxidant activities with inhibition of 77.98% ± 0.92%, 88.95% ± 2.42%, 88.56% ± 1.87% and 70.74%± 2.57% for DPPH, NO, SO assays and antiglycation activity respectively. It also showed the antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans with inhibition zone of 19, 18, 17, 25 and 15 mm, respectively. Garcinia mangostana Linn. showed the strongest activities for SO and antiglycation assays with inhibition of 93.68% ± 2.63% and 82.37% ± 1.78%. Bark of Melia sp. was the best NO radical scavenger with inhibition rate of 89.39%± 0.60%.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that these plants are potential sources of antioxidants with free radical-scavenging and antiglycation activities and could be useful for decreasing the oxidative stress and glycation end-product formation in glycation-related diseases.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Anti-Infective Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Fruit ; Garcinia ; chemistry ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; metabolism ; Humans ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Medicine, Traditional ; Melia ; chemistry ; Myanmar ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Phenols ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Phytotherapy ; Picrates ; metabolism ; Plant Bark ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; Superoxides ; Terminalia ; chemistry

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women. The patients with advanced breast cancer develop metastasis to bone. Bone metastasis and skeletal-related events by breast cancer are frequently associated with the invasiveness of breast cancer cells and osteoclasts-mediated bone resorption. Forsythia koreana is used in oriental traditional medicine to treat asthma, atopy, and allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of F. koreana extracts on the invasion of breast cancer cells and bone resorption by osteoclasts. METHODS: Cell viability was measured by an MTT assay and the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by a Boyden chamber assay. The formation of osteoclasts and pit was detected using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and calcium phosphate-coated plates, respectively. The activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cathepsin K were evaluated by gelatin zymography and a cathepsin K detection kit. RESULTS: The fruit and leaf extracts of F. koreana significantly inhibited the invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells at noncytotoxic concentrations. The fruit extract of F. koreana reduced the transforming growth factor β1-induced migration, invasion and MMPs activities of MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, the fruit, branch, and leaf extracts of F. koreana also inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand-induced osteoclast formation and osteoclast-mediated bone-resorbing activity by reducing the activities of MMPs and cathepsin K. CONCLUSIONS: The extracts of F. koreana may possess the potential to inhibit the breast cancer-induced bone destruction through blocking invasion of breast cancer cells, osteoclastogenesis, and the activity of mature osteoclasts.
Acid Phosphatase ; Asthma ; Bone Resorption* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Calcium ; Cathepsin K ; Cell Survival ; Female ; Forsythia* ; Fruit ; Gelatin ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoclasts* ; Transforming Growth Factors

In the present study, two new limonoids, 1α, 7α-dihydroxyl-3α-acetoxyl-12α-ethoxylnimbolinin (1) and 1α-tigloyloxy-3α-acetoxyl-7α-hydroxyl-12β-ethoxylnimbolinin (2), together with other four known limonoids (3-6), were isolated from the fruits of Melia toosendan. Their structures were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic analyses (NMR and ESI-MS) and comparisons with the data reported in the literature. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities. Compound 4 exhibited significant antibacterial activity against an oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277, with an MIC value of 15.2 μg·mL(-1). Compound 2 was also active against P. gingivalis ATCC 33277, with an MIC value of 31.25 μg·mL(-1). In conlcusion, our resutls indicate that these compounds may provide a basis for future development of novel antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Limonins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Melia ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The loquat is widely cultivated in China, its succulent fruits, leaves and flower are used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases. The study is aimed to analyse the content of the four triterpene compounds ( ursolic acid, corosolic acid, maslinic acid, oleanolic acid) in different organs, and investigate the dynamic changes in different phenological period. The triterpenic acids content in the samples was measured by HPLC based on the plant phenological observations. The results showed that order of four triterpenic acids content in different organs from high to low was defoliation (23.2 mg x g(-1)) > mature leaves (21.7 mg x g(-1)) > young leaves (17.5 mg x g(-1)) > fruits (7.36 mg x g(-1)) > flowers (6.40 mg x g(-1)). The triterpenic acids were not detected in the seeds. The total amount of the four triterpenic acids in the loquat leaves collected in the different phenological stages of sprout, flower bud, blossom and fruit varied between 17.8 and 26.2 mg x g(-1) (defoliation), 16.5 and 23.5 mg x g(-1) (mature leaves), 14.7 and 21.5 mg x g(-1) (young leaves), respectively. The content increased progressively with the leaf development, maturation and aging. There was a higher level of the dry material and triterpenic acids accumulation in the mature leaves during fruit enlargement. This paper attempts to present the case for medicinal plants of a broad geographical distribution to study on the secondary metabolites and harvesting time.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Eriobotrya ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Flowers ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Fruit ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Triterpenes ; analysis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Diet plays an important role in growth and development of children. However, dietary intakes of children living in either rural or urban areas can be influenced by household income. This cross-sectional study examined energy, nutrient and food group intakes of 749 urban children (1-10 years old) by household income status. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Children's dietary intakes were obtained using food recall and record for two days. Diet adequacy was assessed based on recommended intakes of energy and nutrients and food group servings. RESULTS: For toddlers, all nutrients except dietary fiber (5.5 g) exceeded recommended intakes. Among older children (preschoolers and school children), calcium (548 mg, 435 mg) and dietary fiber (7.4 g, 9.4 g) did not meet recommendations while percentage of energy from total fat and saturated fats exceeded 30% and 10%, respectively. The mean sodium intakes of preschoolers (1,684 mg) and school children (2,000 mg) were relatively high. Toddlers in all income groups had similar energy and nutrient intakes and percentages meeting the recommended intakes. However, low income older children had lowest intakes of energy (P < 0.05) and most nutrients (P < 0.05) and highest proportions that did not meet recommended energy and nutrient intakes. For all food groups, except milk and dairy products, all age groups had mean intakes below the recommended servings. Compared to middle and high income groups, low income preschoolers had the lowest mean intake of fruits (0.07 serving), meat/poultry (0.78 serving) and milk/dairy products (1.14 serving) while low income toddlers and school children had the least mean intake of fruits (0.09 serving) and milk/dairy products (0.54 serving), respectively. CONCLUSION: Low socioeconomic status, as indicated by low household income, could limit access to adequate diets, particularly for older children. Parents and caregivers may need dietary guidance to ensure adequate quantity and quality of home food supply and foster healthy eating habits in children.
Calcium ; Caregivers ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dairy Products ; Diet ; Dietary Fiber ; Eating ; Family Characteristics* ; Fats ; Food Supply ; Fruit ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Milk ; Parents ; Social Class ; Sodium

To explore the growth and development and analyze the quality of the parthenocarpy fruit induced by exogenous hormones of Siraitia grosvenorii. the horizontal and vertical diameter, volume of the fruit were respectively measured by morphological and the content of endogenous hormones were determined by ELISA. The size and seed and content of mogrosides of mature fruit were determined. The results showed that the fruit of parthenocarpy was seedless and its growth and development is similar to the diploid fruit by hand pollination and triploid fruit by hand pollination or hormones. But the absolute value of horizontal and vertical diameter, volume of parthenocarpy fruit was less than those of fruit by hand pollination, while triploid was opposite. The content of IAA, ABA and ratio of ABA/GA was obviously wavy. At 0-30 d the content of IAA and ABA of parthenocarpy fruit first reduced then increased, content of IAA and GA parthenocarpy fruit was higher than that of fruit by hand pollination. Mogrosides of parthenocarpy fruit was close to pollination fruit. Hormones can induce S. grosvenorii parthenocarpy to get seedless fruit and the fruit shape and size and quality is close to normal diploid fruit by hand pollination and better than triploid fruit by hormone or hand pollination.
Cucurbitaceae ; chemistry ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Diploidy ; Fruit ; chemistry ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology

At present, the objective of cutting and pruning Cistanche deserticola is to harvest in successive years and enhance the harvesting yield and quality of C. deserticola in the process of the artificial cultivating C. deserticola. An experiment was conducted focusing on cutting and pruning C. deserticola in artificial forests of Haloxylon ammodendron drip-irrigated with saline water at the hinter-land of the Taklimakan desert, according to different growth stages and lengths. The results were following: (1) The effect of cutting on C. deserticola was similar to that of pruning, which resulted in three kinds of morphological types, not related to the bloom and size of C. deserticola. (2) The growth forms were diversified after pruning. Among them, there had sprouting new body, died or maintaining life with no sprouting, mildewed on its surface layer, etc. However, some of new bodies were sprouting from the lower part of the old body. The death rate of bloomed C. deserticola was higher than that of the underground, and the death rate of the 40 cm in stubble height for C. deserticola was higher than those with the stubble height of 20 cm and 5 cm. (3) Most of the diameter of living C. deserticola after pruning was increasing, but some of them changed little. (4) The mildew and rot of C. deserticola and the broken of the roots of the H. ammodendron and the fallen of the point of the inoculated when it was dug, which would cause the death of the C. deserticola. On the other, the yield-increasing effect and the economic benefit of the techniques of the pruning of Cistanche would need further research and evaluate. Therefore, the application of this technique needs to be cautious.
Amaranthaceae ; growth & development ; Cistanche ; growth & development ; Forests ; Fruit ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; growth & development

The viability and life span of pollen were evaluated by TTC (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazlium chloride) and the peroxidase solution, the stigma receptivity were estimated by benzidine-H2O2 method and the fruiting characteristics were investigated. The results showed that (1) Anoectochilus roxburghii and A. formosanus appeared the same up-and-down trend of the pollen viability, increased and then decreased. The storage temperature and storage time had significant impact on the pollen viability. With the extension of storage time, the pollen activity decreased. 4 degrees C refrigerator storage may be extended the pollen vitality. (2) The stigma had receptivity in 1st day and reached the highest level in the 4th day after blooming. A. roxburghii lost receptivity in the 8th day while A. formosanus lost receptivity in the 10th day after blooming. (3) The different pollination had significant impact on seed setting rate. The seed setting rate of artificial cross-pollination was higher than that of the artificial self-pollination. Collecting pollen in the 3rd day and carrying out artificial cross-pollination in the 4th day after blooming can significantly improve seed setting rate. The results provided technical assurance for A. roxburghii and A. formosanus breeding of new varieties and seed breeding.
Cell Survival ; China ; Flowers ; physiology ; Fruit ; growth & development ; Orchidaceae ; growth & development ; physiology ; Pollen ; growth & development ; Reproduction ; Temperature