A new benzaldehyde from the coral-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus C23-3 and its anti-inflammatory effects via suppression of MAPK signaling pathway in RAW264.7 cells / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Marine fungi are important members of the marine microbiome, which have been paid growing attention by scientists in recent years. The secondary metabolites of marine fungi have been reported to contain rich and diverse compounds with novel structures (Chen et al., 2019). Aspergillus terreus, the higher level marine fungus of the Aspergillus genus (family of Trichocomaceae, order of Eurotiales, class of Eurotiomycetes, phylum of Ascomycota), is widely distributed in both sea and land. In our previous study, the coral-derived A. terreus strain C23-3 exhibited potential in producing other biologically active (with antioxidant, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and anti-inflammatory activity) compounds like arylbutyrolactones, territrems, and isoflavones, and high sensitivity to the chemical regulation of secondary metabolism (Yang et al., 2019, 2020; Nie et al., 2020; Ma et al., 2021). Moreover, we have isolated two different benzaldehydes, including a benzaldehyde with a novel structure, from A. terreus C23-3 which was derived from Pectinia paeonia of Xuwen, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, China.

Action of vanillin (Vanilla planifolia) on the morphology of tibialis anterior and soleus muscles after nerve injury / Ação da vanilina (Vanilla planifolia) sobre a morfologia dos músculos tibial anterior e sóleo após lesão nervosa

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the action of vanillin (Vanilla planifolia) on the morphology of tibialis anterior and soleus muscles after peripheral nerve injury. Methods Wistar rats were divided into four groups, with seven animals each: Control Group, Vanillin Group, Injury Group, and Injury + Vanillin Group. The Injury Group and the Injury + Vanillin Group animals were submitted to nerve injury by compression of the sciatic nerve; the Vanillin Group and Injury + Vanillin Group, were treated daily with oral doses of vanillin (150mg/kg) from the 3rd to the 21st day after induction of nerve injury. At the end of the experiment, the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were dissected and processed for light microscopy and submitted to morphological analysis. Results The nerve compression promoted morphological changes, typical of denervation, and the treatment with vanillin was responsible for different responses in the studied muscles. For the tibialis anterior, there was an increase in the number of satellite cells, central nuclei and fiber atrophy, as well as fascicular disorganization. In the soleus, only increased vascularization was observed, with no exacerbation of the morphological alterations in the fibers. Conclusion The treatment with vanillin promoted increase in intramuscular vascularization for the muscles studied, with pro-inflammatory potential for tibialis anterior, but not for soleus muscle.

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar a ação da vanilina (Vanilla planifolia) sobre a morfologia dos músculos tibial anterior e sóleo após lesão nervosa periférica. Métodos Ratos Wistar foram divididos em quatro grupos, com sete animais cada, sendo Grupo Controle, Grupo Vanilina, Grupo Lesão e Grupo Lesão + Vanilina. Os animais dos Grupos Lesão e Grupo Lesão + Vanilina foram submetidos à lesão nervosa por meio da compressão do nervo isquiático, e os Grupos Vanilina e Grupo Lesão + Vanilina foram tratados diariamente com doses orais de vanilina (150mg/kg) do 3o ao 21o dia após a indução da lesão nervosa. Ao término do experimento, os músculos tibial anterior e sóleo foram dissecados e seguiram o processamento de rotina em microscopia de luz, para posterior análise morfológica. Resultados A compressão nervosa promoveu alterações morfológicas características de denervação, sendo que o tratamento com vanilina foi responsável por respostas distintas nos músculos estudados. Para o tibial anterior, houve aumento do número de células satélites, núcleos centrais e atrofia das fibras, bem como desorganização fascicular. Já no sóleo, houve apenas aumento da vascularização, sem exacerbação das alterações morfológicas nas fibras. Conclusão O tratamento com vanilina promoveu o aumento da vascularização intramuscular para os músculos estudados, com potencial pró-inflamatório para o tibial anterior, o que não ocorreu no músculo sóleo.

Characterization of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Aspergillus niger.

The catabolism of fungal 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) occurs via succinic semialdehyde (SSA). Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) from the acidogenic fungus Aspergillus niger was purified from GABA grown mycelia to the highest specific activity of 277 nmol min-1 mg-1, using phenyl Sepharose and DEAE Sephacel chromatography. The purified enzyme was specific for its substrates SSA and NAD+. The substrate inhibition observed with SSA was uncompetitive with respect to NAD+. While product inhibition by succinate was not observed, NADH inhibited the enzyme competitively with respect to NAD+ and noncompetitively with respect to SSA. Dead-end inhibition by AMP and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (pHB) was analyzed. The pHB inhibition was competitive with SSA and uncompetitive with NAD+; AMP competed with NAD+. Consistent with the kinetic data, a sequential, ordered Bi Bi mechanism is proposed for this enzyme.

Effect of Vanillin on lipid profile in a model of hyperlipidemia, a preliminary study.

To evaluate the effect of vanillin on the lipid profile of high fat diet induced hyperlipidemia in rats, the hyperlipidemia was induced by feeding cholesterol-rich high fat diet for 45 days in wistar rats of either sex. The reduction in the triglycerides and VLDL-C was significant at 200 & 400 mg/kg dose of vanillin compared to atorvastatin group. Reduction in total cholesterol was significant at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses compared to hyperlipidemic control. The results demonstrate that vanillin at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight lowers the serum triglyceride, VLDL-C and total cholesterol level significantly in high fat diet induced hyperlipidemic rats. However there was no significant effect on the lipid profile at 100 mg/kg dose. There were no statistically significant changes in the HDL-C and LDL-C levels at any of the given doses.

The fumigant and repellent activity of aliphatic lactones against Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae)

New alternative insecticides are necessary for the chemical control of head lice. In this study the fumigant knockdown time 50 percent (KT50) and repellency index (RI) of three aliphatic lactones was compared with two essential oils and DDVP, against permethrin-resistance Pediculus humanus capitis from Argentina. In the fumigant assay, none of the lactones were effective compared to the highest activity of eucalyptus (KT50 15.53 m). In the repellency test, the three lactones were equally or more effective (RI ranging from 60.50 to 76.68) than the positive control (piperonal). These lactones are promising as head lice repellents.

Determination of the responsible molecular zone for the chalcones bacteriostatic activity

Foi estudada a bioatividade de compostos com estrutura de acetofenoma e benzadeído pela metodologia cinético-turbidimétrica. Os agentes testados näo inibiram o desenvolvimento de S. aureus ATCC 25.923, mas foram eficientes para E. coli ATCC25.992. Os resultados foram satisfatoriamente interpretados, a partir da fórmula anteriormente proposta, para estudo do mecanismo de açäo bacteriostática. Na comparaçäo de substâncias de estruturas similares, definiu-se a Eficácia Bacteriostática Percentual (Ebp) de um fármaco com Ebp = 100/CIM, em que 100 é o fator percentual arbitrário e CIM é a concentraçäo inibitória mínima do fármaco, em ug/ml. Na comparaçäo das Ebp dos pares de acetofenonas e benzaldeídos apropriados, encontra-se que: Ebp (acetofenona) + Ebp (benzaldeído) <<<< Ebp (chalcona) A maior Ebp, observada para as chalconas deve-se à presença na estrutura de chalcona da ligaçäo dupla Calfa=Cbeta, que possibilita a intensificaçäo do deslocamento eletrônico no anel B da molécula, aumentando a polarizaçäo do grupo carbonila e a oxidrila vizinha (2) é a responsável pela presença da atividade bacteriostática destas substâncias

Scavenging of superoxide anions by spice principles.

Effect of spice principles on scavenging of superoxide anion has been investigated. The superoxide anions, as measured by nitrobluetetrazolium (NBT) reduction in xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, were inhibited by superoxide dismutase, spice principles eugenol (cloves) and cuminaldehyde (cumin), antioxidants, butylated hydroxy toluene and butylated hydroxyanisole in a dose-dependent manner. The K(i) values for the inhibition of NBT reduction by eugenol and cuminaldehyde were 64 microM and 120 microM respectively. Zingerone (ginger) and linalool (coriander) inhibited NBT reduction to a maximum of 23 and 28% respectively. However, piperine (black pepper) and turmeric extracts (aqueous and acid) failed to scavenge superoxide anions.

Comparative influence of vanillin & capsaicin on liver & blood lipids in the rat.

The influence of vanillin (0.15 mg %) and capsaicin (0.3 mg %) on liver and blood lipids in growing female Wistar rats was determined, when fed along with a normal diet. Vanillin, like capsaicin, decreased the serum triglycerides and the triglycerides associated with lipoproteins viz., VLDL+LDL and HDL with a tendency to lower liver triglycerides as well. Cholesterol and phospholipids in liver and serum were unaffected. The accumulation of triglycerides in serum after Triton WR-1339 blocking was higher in animals fed a vanillin supplemented normal or hypertriglyceridemic diet than in the corresponding controls. The accumulation of triglycerides in serum with capsaicin supplementation with either diet was much higher than with vanillin supplementation.