ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of shading intensity on the growth, yield, and quality of Artemisia stolonifera so as to provide references for the artificial cultivation of A. stolonifera. The seedlings of A. stolonifera with consistent growth underwent shading treatment at four shading intensity levels(0, 55%, 85%, and 95%) with different layers of black shading nets. The agronomic indexes, yield, moxa yield, total ash, quality characteristics of moxa during combustion and pyrolysis, main volatile components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were measured. The results showed that under shading conditions, the stem diameter, leaf width, 5-leaf spacing, branch number, and yield of A. stolonifera decreased significantly, while the plant height, leaf length, leaf number, chlorophyll content, and moxa yield increased first and then decreased with the increase in shading intensity. The burning performance of moxa under natural light was better than that under moderate and severe shading conditions. The content of eucalyptol first increased and then decreased with the increase in shading intensity. The humulene content was negatively correlated with shading intensity. Other major volatile components showed no significant difference under various shading conditions. The content of neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isoschaftoside, and isochlorogenic acid B was positively correlated with shading intensity, while the content of chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C decreased first and then increased with the increase in shading intensity. To sum up, A. stolonifera is a light-loving plant, and shading can greatly reduce the yield, the content of internal components, and the burning performance of moxa. It is the main reason why A. stolonifera is mainly distributed in the forest edge, open forest, roadside, and wasteland grass in the middle and high mountains in the wild. For artificial domestication and cultivation of A. stolonifera, it is better to select plots with sufficient light.
ABSTRACT
Previous Chinese research revealed that diarsenic trioxide (As2O3) inhibits acute promyelocytic leukemia (PML) cell proliferation and initiates apoptosis through degradation of the PML-retinoic acid receptor protein. This study was to analyse whether As2O3 also had an effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. As2O3 effects on various HCC cell lines and primary HCC cells were investigated in time and dose series, including measurements of cell growth, PML mRNA and protein expression, xenografted tumor formation, and the self-renewal Oct4 and hepatocyte marker expressions in mouse model xenografts or cells treated with PML siRNA. The results were analyzed by immunocytochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription PCR and western blotting as well as indocyanine green and Periodic Acid Schiff staining. As2O3 inhibited HCC cell and HCC cell-derived xenograft tumor formation in a time-dependent manner and reduced PML protein expression in HCC cells, but had limited effects on PML mRNA levels in cell nuclei. The HCC cell line HuH7 treated with As2O3 showed a decreased expression of alpha-fetoprotein and increased expression and transcription of mature hepatocyte markers, indicating differentiation of HCC cells into hepatocytes. Cytokeratin 18 protein and mRNA levels as well as tyrosine aminotransferase and apolipoprotein B mRNA transcriptions were enhanced by As2O3 as were the numbers of indocyanine green and Periodic Acid Schiff stained cells. In addition, As2O3 downregulated the expression of Oct4. In conclusion, since As2O3 inhibited HCC cell proliferation and HCC cell-derived xenograft tumor formation it is suggested that an appropriate concentration of As2O3 might be a promising therapy to treat HCC.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to clarify the mineral origin of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Yangqishi and Yinqishi and guide identification of the both, by X-ray diffraction (XRD) Fourier patterns. Morphological identification and conventional physical and chemical analysis wee used to identify 22 batches of Yangqishi and Yinqishi. It used XRD Fourier patterns which has been collected from sample powders to analyze phase composition. It has been found experimentally that the mineral origin of Yinqishi is Talc schist and the mineral origin of Yangqishi is tremolite and actinolite. The results also showed that the method using XRD can get not only an accurate but also rapid identification of Yangqishi and Yinqishi. There are many differences in medicinal properties, efficacy, indications and composition of Yangqishi and Yinqishi, so be careful not to mix them up.
Subject(s)
Asbestos, Amphibole , Chemistry , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Chemistry , X-Ray DiffractionABSTRACT
To establish seven kinds of minerals containing sulfate kind of near infrared spectral identification method of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). 7 species of mineral medicine containing sulfate after crushing sieving, measure all the samples in 12 000-4 000 cm-1 section within the scope of the near infrared spectrum, spectrum signal by different pretreatment methods, after the screening of the different characteristics of the spectrum to extract the effective information, using cluster analysis method for qualitative identification. In 8 600-8 100 cm-1, 5 843-4 245 cm-1, 7 096-6 337 cm -1 section within the scope of the atlas signal after the vector normalization and multiple scattering correction, K-average clustering analysis to 20 batches sulfate kind of mineral medicine is divided into seven categories, the results of the analysis method and the traditional traits identification results are basically identical. This method is simple, fast, and can be used for these minerals containing sulfate class the qualitative identification and quality control of Chinese traditional medicine.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Uric acid (UA) is suspected to play a neuro-protective role in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to evaluate whether the serum UA level was associated with the disease progression of PD in a relatively large population of Chinese patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum UA levels were measured from 411 Chinese PD patients and 396 age-matched controls; following the uric acid colorimetric method, the serum creatinine (Scr) levels were also measured to reduce the bias caused by possible differences in renal excretion function. The disease progression was scored by Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scales and disease durations; PD group was divided into 3 subgroups according to H&Y scales. Independent-samples t test was performed to analyze the differences between PD group and control group. Multiple analysis of covariance was performed to analyze the differences between PD subgroups. Spearman rank-correlation was performed to evaluate the associations between serum UA or Scr level and disease progression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PD patients were found to have significantly lower levels of serum UA than controls ((243.38 ± 78.91) vs. (282.97 ± 90.80) µmol/L, P < 0.01). As the disease progression, the serum UA levels were gradually reduced. There was a significantly inverse correlation of UA levels with H&Y scales (Rs = -0.429, P < 0.01) and disease duration (Rs = -0.284, P < 0.01) in PD patients of both females and males. No significant difference of the Scr level between PD patients and controls was found ((70.01 ± 14.70) vs. (69.84 ± 16.46) µmol/L), and the Scr level was not involved in disease progression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lower serum UA levels may possess a higher risk of PD, which may be a potential useful biomarker to indicate the progression of PD.</p>